May 18, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



333 



and fairly common in many parts of the district, 

 timber has a handsome Beech-like grain, 

 is easily worked and durable. It is used by 

 natives for doors, and on account of its 



favourite wood for the floors 



The 

 and 

 the 



splitting well is a 

 of their raised huts. 



As an example of its 



durability underground Mr. Swynnerton adds the 

 following note: — " A coffin made of the wood 

 and buried in the ground in a spot infested with 

 white ant6, when taken up after some years, 

 and though partially eaten and bored with a few 

 holes, it had held together very well, and 

 was in fair condition. Most of the local tim- 

 ber would have completely vanished in two or 

 three months." A new species of Protea and 

 one of Leucospermum are described, but no refer- 

 ence is made to their having any economic value. 

 The following note, however, is interesting: 



over their doors and baskets to stop cracks. 

 Uapaca Kirkiana, a smallish tree of the open 

 woods, produces large, three-seeded fruits, which 

 are edible and much relished by the natives and 

 all kinds of animals. Antidesma membrana- 

 ceum, a large shrub, also produces small edible 

 berries Croton sylvaticus is one of the largest 

 forest trees, growing to a height of 100 feet 

 or more, with a diameter of 3 to 4 feet. The 

 branches are said to be very brittle and easily 

 broken off by the wind. The bark is pounded 

 and thrown into pools to poison fish, and it is 

 also pulped and used as a poultice in cases of 

 colic. The bark of one of the new spec ies, namely, 

 C. Gubouga, S. Moore, the specific name of which 

 is one of the native names of the plant, is also 

 used for poisoning fish. 



Neoboutonia Melleri, a larsie tree with soft 





i 



^ 





I 



Fig. 165. — fc^ELio 



■No species of Leucospermum has so far been 

 recorded as tropical." It is also interesting to 

 note that 



santalaceous 

 ^hile the 



Osyris 

 plant, 

 leaves of 



abyssinica-, 

 used 



a shrubby, 



tanning : 

 Indian 



is used m 

 O. arborea, an 

 species, are used as a substitute for tea, the 

 infusion smelling very much like the real 

 article, but having powerfully emetic properties. 

 IhoutTh a large number of new species is 

 described in Euphorbiacese, the number of 

 references to useful 

 small. The milky 

 matabelensis is used 



plants 



is comparatively 

 juice of Euphorbia 

 as bird-lime. Bridelia 

 micrantha, a tree of 30 to 40 feet high, pro- 



w\ a White and exce edingly durable wood, 

 ^nich makes excellent yokes for oxen. Pounded 



a lie P as te, the bark is smeared by the natives 



timber, yields a milky juice, which is said 

 to contain rubber. Another probable source 

 of rubber is Exccecaria sylvestris, one of 

 Mr. Spencer Moore's new species, which is de- 

 scribed as a large, handsome evergreen shrub, 

 15 to 20 feet high, the milky juice of which 

 flows freely from the twigs, but more scantily 



from the old stems. 



Notwithstanding the extent and importance of 

 the Order Urticaceae, not only from the number 

 of species contained in it, but also with respect 

 to its economic importance, ten species only are 

 enumerated, six of which have uses of a minor 

 character. Thus, Celtis dioica (a new species) one 

 of the largest forest trees, bears small yellow 

 berries, which form the staple food of the forest 

 birds, while the wood, which is white, has a 



most offensive smell, which is noticeable at some- 

 distance, particularly in the case of decaying 

 trees. Ficus exasperata is another large tree,, 

 the leaves of which are very rough and used by 

 the natives as sandpaper for polishing the handles 

 of the various native weapons and implements. 

 The leaves of F. caprea?folia are also used for 

 a similar purpose. F. capensis is a large, branch- 

 ing tree, bearing large edible Figs, but always 

 infested with ants. The fruit is very attractive 

 to forest pigeons and starlings, and makes ex- 

 cellent iam. F. subcalcarata is another lari:e 



jam 



tree, with shady, spivading crown. The milky 

 latex is said to coagulate into a substan. e like 

 papier mache, while from Bosquiea Phoberos. a 

 large tree of 80 feet high, "an ochreous-yelluw 

 latex M is said to be yielded fairly freely. 



At the moment of finishing these notes I havo 

 received, through the courtesy of the general sec- 

 retary of the Linnean Society, the following com- 

 munication from Mr. Swynnerton, dat I Gun- 

 gunyana, Mtlsetter, Rhodesia, December 29, 

 1911 : — iC It should be clearly understood that my 

 information on native uses of plants is from 

 native sources, and should, therefore, be received 

 with the usual caution — not that I have any 

 reason at all to doubt the reliability of my in- 

 formants, most of whom were in my service. 

 Much of it has been confirmed by my neighbours,, 

 the missionaries." John It Jackson, Clare- 

 mont, Lym pstone, Devon. 



L/ELIO CATTLEYA HELIUS 



(L.-C. G. S. BALL x C. SCHRODEKiE). 



Baron Bruno Scmtom it, The Dell, Engle- 

 field Green (gr. .Mr. J. E. Shill), is to be con- 

 gratulated on possessing this triumph of the 

 hybridist's art (see fig, 165). It is the first clear 

 golden-yellow flower to rival in shape and form 

 Cattle \ a Mossiae, and if, in effect, a golden-yellow 

 C. M. Wageneri, in spite of Laelio (attleya being 

 a parent. L.-C. G. S. Ball, first flowered by 

 Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons in 1900, is the result 



of crossing the handsome Cattleya Schroderse 

 with the comparatively small and narrow- 

 petalled, orange-scarlet Laelia cinnabarina. The 

 result was satisfactory, for in the hybrid the 

 good form and substance of C. Schroderse 

 predominated, but took over in a more or less 

 degree the yellow and orange colour of Lalia 

 cinnabarina. This in a clear golden yellow tint 

 has been handed down to L.-C. 

 Schroderae has again imparted size and substance 

 to the hybrid. The petals are broad and wavy 

 at the edge, slightly lighter in colour than the 

 sepals, and with a delicate nankeen-yellow shade. 

 The lip has an orange-coloured disc, with a few 

 slight purple markings in front. 



Melius, but C. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



A Popular Work on Irises.* 



Professor Bayley Balfour in his preface to* 

 this book remarks that the gardening world has 

 recognised for some time past that in the realm of 

 the Iris the mantle of the late Sir Michael Foster 

 has descended upon Mr. Dvkes, and he speaks of 

 that larger book on the same subject which Mr. 

 Dykes is soon to publish. That will be a work 

 for experts, and for those who wish to know all 

 that is to be known about the Iris. The 

 volume now under review is for the gardener, 

 and it gives him all the information he i& 

 likely to require. Even a small book 011 

 a large subject can only be well done by 

 one who knows that subject thoroughly. 

 Indeed, full knowledge is almost more needed for 

 a small book than for a large one, for without it 

 the writer cannot have a firm grasp of his sub- 

 ject, or insist upon its most important points. 

 Anyone who knows but a little about Irises can 



^^^^^^ n 1 — 1 ' — 



Irises by W. Rickatson Dykes, M.A., L.-es-L., with eight 

 coloured plates. ** Present-day Gardening Series." Edi ed 

 by R. Hooper Pearson. (Messrs. T. C. & E. C. Jack* 



Is. 6d. 



