June 30, 1S63. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



479 



count of its agreeable perfume. The other kinds are generally 

 candied, made into jams, or cut into slices and dried for future 

 use as an adjunct to other dishes. The seeds of each kind are 

 demulcent, und are added to sharbats. Both the fruit and the 

 seed are exported. 



Of the Jf omegranate (Anar) there are six or seven varieties. 

 Those grown at Panjwai are the finest, and most highly es- 

 teemed ; they are of great size ; the pips are of blood-red colour, 

 very juicy, of excellent fiaTour, and perfectly sweet, without any 

 of the tartness belonging to other kinds of this fruit. The 

 Panjwai Pomegranates arc justly celebrated throughout the 

 country, and large quantities are carried from this to the Kabul 

 market. The fruit-rind of all the yarieties is an article of 

 export, as well as of home consumption, for the use of tanners 

 and dyers. The root bark is a common domestic remedy for 

 diarrhoea, and is also used as a vermifuge. 



Of the Fig (Anzir or Anjir), -which mostly grows wild, there 

 are two varieties : one bears a black fruit called " Makkai ;" the 

 other a white, called " Sada." The fruit of both kinds are 

 small and sweet. The former are strung on thin cords and 

 exported ; the latter are consumed at home. 



Of the Mulberry (Tut), which also grows wild, there are nine 

 or ten different varieties. Some of them are preserved in the 

 dried state, and eaten with Almonds and raisins, or with Wal- 

 nuts and parched Maize or Lentils. In the northern parts of 

 Afghanistan the Mulberry tree is yery abundant, and the people 

 of these districts use its fruit as a substitute for corn flour. The 

 bread made from the flour of dried Mulberries is said to be 

 sweet, wholesome, and fattening. 



The abundance and consequent cheapness of all sorts of fruits 

 m this country is quite astonishing. The natives indulge in 

 them often to excess, always most freely, and suffer in conse- 

 quence, especially the poor, who, for several weeks of the summer 

 season, know no other food. 



Before taking our leave for the night, Eattah Mohammad 

 Khan arranged a shooting party for the early morning, to beat 

 over the corn fields around the city walls, which were now 

 swarming with quail, and proposed that on the conclusion of 

 the sport we should join his breakfast party in the garden of the 

 bardar Rahmdil Khan, where he promised we should haye an 

 illustration of the Afghan style of feeding. 



The invitations for both were accepted, and accordingly day- 

 light found our party, gun in hand, on the quail ground, where 

 shortly afterwards we were joined by Fattah Mohammad and 

 his suite. Our dispositions were soon arranged, and by sunrise 

 we commenced beating the fields outside the Kabul gate of the 

 city. Gradually working our way round tne southern walls, we 

 at lengih struck off towards Rahmdil Khan's garden, where we 

 arrived at about ten o'clock. Here we found a large assemblage 

 of guests awaiting our arrival in a tastefully decorated " bara- 

 or summer-house, the upper balconies of which over- 



of water ; it is so arranged that at intervals of 50 or 60 yards or 

 more, the reservoir rises in a step of 4 or 5 feet, producing a 

 small cascade by the falling of the water from the one to the 

 other below it. On the sides of these reservoirs are series of 

 fountains, the perforated tubes of which indicated the variety of 

 elegant patterns in which they were araanged. Beyond the 

 fountains and the border of the reservoirs the ground was laid 

 out ia one long continuous strip of flower-beds on either side, 

 which at this time were in full bloom, and from the yariety of 

 their bouquets and hues imparted to the Bcene a most charming 

 appearance and delightful fragrance. The fountain-tubes were, 

 unfortunately, greatly out of repair from long neglect, " or," as 

 Fattah Mohammad said, "he would have made them play, for 

 their not working was the only thing that detracted from the 

 resemblance of this garden to ' Bihisht,' or ' Paradise.' " On 

 either side, and beyond the flower-beds, were straight gravelled 

 paths, some 4 feet or more wide. Each extended the whole 

 length of the garden from one summer-house to the other, and, 

 like the reservoirs, &c, rose in terraces, by a few steps at a time, 

 at intervals of 50 or 60 yards. These walks were flanked on 

 the outer side by single rows of stately Cypress and white 

 Poplar trees, which formed a boundary wall, as it were, to the 

 ornamental portion of the garden, for the rest of the space 

 beyond them was laid out in vineyards, orchards, and corn fields. 

 The orchards were composed mostly of the Apricot tree; but 

 there were also the Plum, Cherry, Quince, Mulberry, Fig, and 

 other fruit trees. Notwithstanding the delights of this garden 

 in its fresh and fragrant youth of spring, there was great room 

 for improvement in that portion of it allotted to the pleasure 

 and ornamental grounds. On this part the artist's labour was 

 certainly yery deficient, for there was a painful absence of variety 

 or taste in the disposition and arrangements of the different 

 terraces. 



Looking from the balcony of the large summer-house to the 

 one at the opposite end of the garden, the intermediate space 

 was occupied by a series of rigid straight lines. In the centre lay 

 a narrow and long sheet of water, which stretched away in low 

 terraces to the other end of the garden, where it seemed to end 

 in a point under the opposite summer-house. On either side of 

 this was a band of variegated flower-beds, then a plain path, and 

 finally a single row of tall slim Poplar and Cypress trees that 

 ranged after each other in alternate succession. Beyond these 

 the space was one confused mass of foliage. The little cascades 

 in the centre of the prospect, produced by the water falling from 

 one terrace to the next below it, were the only exceptions to the 

 otherwise Btiff and monotonous appearance of the garden. — 

 (Bellew's Mission to Affghanistan.) 



darri, 



looked a piece of ornamental water that setmed to extend nearly 

 the whole length of the garden, and terminate below another 

 baradarri at ihe other end. "We had hardly commenced ex- 

 amining the fairyland scene before us when our attention was 

 drawn off to the noisy activity of a small army of cooks, who 

 were busy under an adjoining clump of Mulberry trees prepar- 

 ing the various dishes that were soon to regale us, and the 

 savoury odours from which vied with those from the flower- 

 stocked parterres that in one continuous strip of fringe bordered 

 on ether side of the tank already referred to, whilst both com- 

 bined to perfume the air with most grateful and appetising 

 eflect on the olfactories— warning of the good things that were 

 coming. 



Whilst breakfast was being prepared, we seated ourselves on 

 divans m an open balcony that overlooked the greater extent of 

 the garden, and faced another but Bmaller summer-house near 

 its opposite end. The garden itself is a walled enclosure of, 

 perhaps, six or eight acres in extent, and of an oblong shape. 

 Wear the centre of the distant sides stand the two summer- 

 houses. Each is a tastefully-deyised but gaudily-painted build- 

 ing, consisting of two stories ; the lower is occupied by stabling 

 and servants' houses, whilst the upper contains a principal cen° 

 tral room that opens on to the balcony, on each side of which 

 are the projecting windows of the side rooms; the walls of 

 these rooms are decorated with flowers, arabesque patterns of 

 mosaic, and figures, principally, however, of dancing girls and 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



Along the centre of the garden, and extending from one 

 summer-house to the other, is a shallow masonry reservoir full 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 

 Hoe in dry weather between all crops in rows if they are not 

 mulched with grass or short dung, to kill weeds and to loosen 

 the soil around the plants. We strongly recommend the mulch- 

 ings between the rows of vegetables, for wherever the ground is 

 at all stiff and exposed at this season to the powerful action of 

 the sun, it is apt to crack and rend in several directions, by 

 which the roots of vegetables are in many instances destroyed. 

 Beans, a few Mazagans may yet be put in, which will produce 

 late in the season, if the weather proves favourable. Broccoli, 

 Cape and Grange's Cauliflowers may now be planted where the 

 early Peas have been gathered. If the weather continue dry 

 they will require an abundant supply of water. Cabbage, sow a 

 little more seed immediately, if the sowing recommeuded last 

 month has failed. Chervil, another sowing to be made for suc- 

 cession. Dwarf Kidney Beans, the last principal sowing to be 

 made. Earth-up the advancing crops. Those, in flower would 

 be benefited by a good soaking of water. Endive, continue to 

 plant out a few once a-fortnight to keep up a succession. 

 Another sowing to be made. Leeks, thoBe sown in drills to be 

 thinned to a foot apart in rich ground. The thinnings will do 

 to plant out. Parsley, a sowing to be made so as to get strong 

 plants by the winter. Peas, earth-up and stick the advancing 

 crops ; water those that are in bearing. A few more may be 

 sown, which will come into bearing if the autumn is favourable. 

 Badishes, make a sowing of the various sorts. The Turnip- 

 rooted are generally preferred at this season. Vegetable Marrow, 

 these plants will require a liberal supply of water during the 

 continuance of dry weather. Stop the main shoots to cause 



