October 28, 1875. ] 



JOURNlIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



379 



district generally ia celebrated for Apples, and my Apple treeB 

 in the same garden do very well. — A. G., Bcaminster, Dorset. 



[Au exporienced gardener tells ua that ho haa observed that 

 the frnifc on the side of a tree most exposed to the cold wiuda 

 ia moat liablo to bo cracked, the injury being done when the 

 frnit is in a youujj state. We havo a'so observed that crack- 

 ing prevails in the more tender varieties, and where the soil 

 and subsoil aro cold. The last contingency seems to affect 

 your treea ; if so, cutting away the deep-striking roots, burn- 

 ing some of the clay and mixing it with the surface, keeping the 

 surface also elightly manured and mulched, would be remedial.] 



(Batatas) ; the seeds are also eagerly sought alter by children 

 and the Indians of North America." — W. J. 



THE NELUMBIUM. 



The Nelumbiums or Water Beans are not only remarkable 

 for the beauty of their flowers, but they are credited with a 

 list of virtues such a5 ia possessed by few families of plants. 

 These plants are of easy culture, and are readily increased by 

 seeds. Propagation may also be effected by a division of the 

 roots. In order to induce the planta to flower freely strong 

 stove heat ia needed. The plants require rich lo.amy soil, and 

 during the growing season the tank in which they are grown 

 must be kept filled 

 with water. In the 

 winter the plants may 

 be kept compaiatively 

 dry to ffford them a 

 period of rest. 



In reference to the 

 various purposes to 

 which these plants are 

 applied, I cannot do 

 better than quote from 

 Dr. Hogg, who, in his 

 "Vegetable Kingdom," 

 states that " The most 

 remarkable species is 

 Nelumbinm spfciosum, 

 the Egyptian B?an of 

 Pythagoras, the Lotus 

 and Tamara of the 

 Hindoos, and the Lien- 

 Hoa of the Chinese. By 

 the ancients it was re- 

 garded aa the emblem 

 of fertility, and with it 

 the Egyptians deco- 

 rated the heads of their 

 idols Isis and Osiri?. 

 It is held sacred by the 

 Hindoos, and serves for 

 the floating shell of 

 Vishnu and the seat of 

 Brahma. Sir W. Jones s.ive, 'The Thibetans are said to em- 

 bellish their temples and altars with it ; and a native of Nepal 

 made prostration before it on entering inv study, where the fine 

 plant and beautiful flowers lay for examination.' Dr. Wight 

 states that the leaves and flower-stalka abound in spiral vessels, 

 which they extract and form into those wicks which, on great 

 and solemn occasion?, nre burnt ia the lumps of the Hindoos, 

 placed before the shrines of their goJs. The Chinese extol it 

 for its virtues, and rank it among those planta which are 

 employed in the composition of the ' Liquor of Immortality.' 

 They eat the seeds as we do Filberts, but they are more diffi- 

 cult of digestion ; and are preserved iu different ways with 

 sugar. The root of the plant they also admit to their tables ; 

 great quantities being pickled with salt and vinegar, and re- 

 served to eat with rice ; and when reduced to powder it makes 

 excellent soup with water and milk. It is from thia root that 

 Chinese Arrow-root is said to be obtained. Tbe leaves are 

 much used for wrapping-up fruits, fish, salt provisions, &(i. ; 

 and when dry the Chinese mix them with their smoking 

 tobacco to render it softer and milder. The .Japanese, Thun- 

 berg states, regard the plant aa pleasing to the gods, the images 

 of their idols being often represented sitting on its large leaves. 

 Some of the heathens have pictures thus drawn, which they 

 make use of to animate the minds of the pious upon their 

 death-beds, and to raise their affectiona heavenward ! The 

 petals smell like the flowers of Anise, aad are slightly as- 

 tringent, being used'as the flowers of the Koses. 



" The roots of N. lutenm are farinaceous, and agreeable 

 when boiled, reaembling in flavour those of the Sweet Potato 



SOLDIERS' GARDENS. 



Feoh au ofiicial paper lately published under tho authority 

 of Lord Napier of Magdala it seema that the movement for 

 providing soldiers quartered in India with garden plots eon- 

 tinuea to afford very satisfactory results. Sj well ia the 

 interest sustained that more than eleven hundred men sacri- 

 ficed their leisure last year to thia profitable amusement. Nor 

 were they tho only people to benefit by their employment. At 

 certain seasons the commissariat authorities purchased from 

 regimental gardens ample supplies of freah vegetables for the 

 troopa when none were to be obtained in the native bazgars. 

 Then married soUliera were able to eke out their rather skinny 

 rations with plenty of "green meat," without having to pay 

 exorbitant sums to native gardeners. Viewing these results, 

 there appears little queation that the establishment of a 

 similar system amoug the troops in England would be bene- 

 ficial. If military gardeners do so well in India, in spite of a 

 scorching climate and poor soil, even greater things might be 



expected of them at 

 home. Tho chief ob- 

 stacle lying in the way 

 of this innovation seems 

 to be the difficulty in 

 finding sufficient cul- 

 tivable ground for tho 

 purpose in the neigh- 

 bourhood of military 

 quarters. Unless the 

 gardens are close to 

 barracks, so much time 

 is wasted in going to 

 and fro that the soldiers 

 grow disheartened and 

 give up the work in dis- 

 gust. To a certain ex- 

 tent this has been found 

 the ease in India, Lord 

 Napier reporting in 

 favour of " company " 

 gardens compared with 

 "regimental," owing to 

 the former being as a 

 rule close to barracks 

 while tho latter are 

 generally some distance 

 away. Nor must it bo 

 omitted from consider- 

 ation that soldier-gar- 

 deners would be subject 

 to much severer competition at home than in India where 

 they very often have the field to themselves. Here their 

 produce would have to st^nd comparison with vegeta'oles cul- 

 tivated by tkillcd professionals under tho most favourable 

 eiroumstauoes. Nevertheless in spite of these and other 

 difficulties, we are disposed to believe th';t after a time 

 the experiment would prove successful. Although soldiers 

 might not bo able to raise such cropa as regularly trained gar- 

 deners, they would have a great advantage over the la,tter iu 

 cheapness of labour, their. own leisure time being sufficient for 

 all purposes. Tbat such a system, if established on a sound 

 footing, would gre?.tly add to the contentment of many soldiers 

 with their profession, can scarcely be questioned in face of the 

 results already achieved in India. — [Globe.) 



79. — Nelusibium luteum. 



THINNING FRUITS. 

 Tni3 year the crop of both Apples and Pears has b?ou 

 enormous, but the fruit in consequence haa been smaller than 

 usual, and in the south of Scotland it is not keeping wel). 1 

 think that not nearly enon;A'j. is said on the necessity of thin- 

 ning fruit. When I speak of it I am told, " Oh ! it ia easy in 

 your small garden;" but if it pays in a small it must pay 

 better in a large garden, and there ia no doubt tho fruit is much 

 better flavoured as well as larger, and also there is less chance 

 of a scarcity next year. I have thinned some trees with ex- 

 cellent consequencea thia year. Cooking Apples are much more 

 useful when large, and even Plums, I am certain, would sell 

 better if half the crop were removed early. Peaches and 



