376 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTTJEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ November 16, 1871. 



mens ol CiO'i, chiefly species of Cerens. Some of these were 

 nl great size ; and one specimen, which had completely strangled 

 a Plantain tree some 25 feet, was said to have been covered in 

 the autumn with 600 to 700 flowers. It must have been a sight 

 worth a long pilgrimage to see. 



Enough has been said to show what a surprising number of 

 semi-tropical fruits luxuriate in the beds of this well-watered 

 garden, and we might add many well-known vegetables to the 

 list, as S .veet Bitatas, Yam, Papaw. Bat all this while we have 

 been writing of the great level portion of the garden. Outside 

 of this, and on the other side of the roadway, there is a small 

 hill, 200 or 300 feet in height, which slopes towards the garden 

 and the sea, and is traversed by seveial ascending walks. This 

 is the New Holland district of the garden, and certainly not 

 the least interesting portion of it. In one section of it are 

 difierent species of Acacia, many of them large trees, 20 to 

 25 feet in height. Of the Proteaceas there were magnificent 

 trees; of the genera Banksia, Hakea, and Grefillea, the collec- 

 tion of species was very large, all of them just bursting into 

 masses of bloom. The most important of the trees growing in 

 this corner of the hill was probably Eucalyptus globulus, of 

 which some trees, now about 40 feet in height and over 4J feet 

 in circumference, were planted in 1862, and were then only a 

 few inches high. Young well-established seedlings, of about 

 10 inches in height, are sold for 20s. a-hundred, and large 

 numbers of them have been planted from time to time through- 

 out Algeria by the French Government. This species grows 

 in Algeria with most surprising rapidity, under very favourable 

 circumstances, growing 18 to 19 inches in height each month. 

 Its wood appears to be hard, close in the grain, and it is largely 

 used in the construction of quays, bridges, and railways. This 

 tree seems to do so well on the southern side of the liediterra- 

 nean that we think its culture ought to be successfully attempted 

 in the south of Spain, in Sardinia, in Sicily, and the southern 

 parts of Italy. In districts subject to heavy winds it requires 

 for some years — owing to its rapid growth — some protection, 

 but in places sufficiently warm for it, it ought to repay well for 

 any little extra care it might be found to need. 



Among the few species that we noticed that did not succeed 

 in these gardens, we may mention the Cedrus Deodara ; but 

 Oasuarina equisetifolia was flourishing, and one tree of Arau- 

 oaria escelsa was about 60 feet in height, and measuring a little 

 over 9 feet in circumference at its base. 



The object of the Society in keeping up these gardens is, as 

 we said, to introduce into Algeria all useful and ornamental 

 plants likely to grow there. In addition they grow enormous 

 quantities of young Palms and other ornamental plants for 

 exportation to Europe, and some few plants interesting to the 

 botanist for exchange with other establishments. In a place 

 so favoured by Nature and so easily accessible to Europe, it 

 would be, we venture to think, well worth the while of the direc- 

 tor of these gardens to considerably enlarge the last portion of 

 the Society's design. How many tropical plants are yet un- 

 known to the large collectors of Europe, and what a vast per- 

 centage of deaths occur among the collections sent from the 

 tropics at any season of the year to our shores ! But with gar- 

 dens like these at Algeria, situated on the sunny side of the 

 Mediterranean, to act as a half-way house, the resources of the 

 botanical gardens or establishments of the north would be in- 

 definitely increased. Another purpose for which these gardens 

 might be made most useful is for forming a collection of speci- 

 mens of plants or fruits of economic interest. Many of the 

 fruits, stems, &c., which ripen in these gardens as easily as 

 Cherries or Potatoes with us, are not to be seen in some botani- 

 cal collections, and are not, in Europe at least, to be purchased. 

 How gladly would some botanist buy such as we here refer to 

 if they were on sale, say at the depot of the Algerian Society in 

 Paris ; and the expense of putting up such in salt and water 

 would be a mere nothing. The same remarks would apply in 

 many eases to portions of the roots of remarkable genera, and 

 also to flowers. In calling attention to these gardens, we ven- 

 ture to suggest these hints to their well-known director, and also 

 to that indefatigable botanist who, more than any other, now 

 represents science in connection with the Algerian Society, 

 Professor Dnrando of Algiers. — {Nature.) 



POTATOES. 



At page 335 are excellent notes on the vegetable crops of the 



past season, and amongst them some on Potatoes. Though 



agreeing generally with Mr. E. Gilbert in his estimate of the 



varieties named, I must be excused taking a very different 



view of Paterson's Bovinia. Mr. Gilbert says, " Of new varie- 

 ties Paterson's Bovinia is the most promising." I am in hopes 

 the last word is a misprint, and ought to have been unpromis- 

 ing, for with me it is a coarse grower, having most luxuriant 

 haulm, and though planted a yard apart every way, had not 

 half room enough ; and all this waste of ground was incurred 

 for the sake of two or three large ugly tubers, weighing, perhaps, 

 several pounds each, which when cooked are like half-melted 

 glue. I grew it as a curiosity for its great weight, and have 

 had some immense tubers, but the weight is not equal from an 

 equal space of ground to that produced by Bed-skinned Flour- 

 ball. Having satisfied my curiosity, I offered the tubers to our 

 farm bailiff, thinking they might suit him for cattle or pigs, 

 but he declined to have them, and pronounced them not fit for 

 beasts. It is with me the ugliest, most UEeless, and worst- 

 cropping of all Potatoes, and to a gardener worthless. 



I have grown this year several American kinds, and find not 

 one equal to our established varieties. Early Bose seems to be 

 the best, and may be useful in a warm light soil and for frame 

 culture, but in my cold soil and climate it is inferior and very 

 much diseased. 



Bed-skinned Flourball is a strong grower, and requires much 

 room ; its tubers are too large, and may suit for market, but 

 can never be of use to lovers of a good Potato until very late. 

 Early Bed Kidney has very large haulm, is a great cropper, 

 more so than either Bovinia and Bed-skinned Flourball, and 

 in quality is quite equal to Eed-skinned Flourball. It is, how- 

 ever, a late Potato, and has very large tubers as heavy as, if not 

 heavier than. Bed-skinned Flourball. 



My latest conclusion as to the value of Potatoes is that the 

 best are Veitch's Improved Ashleaf Kidney for first early crops 

 and forcing, as it produces heavily and attains early maturity ; 

 Myatt's Prolific for early crops and forcing ; Lapstone for a 

 second early kind, and to continue until the late sorts come in; 

 Early Oxford for a second early, and to come in until autumn ; 

 Paterson's Victoria for autumn, winter, and early spring use ; 

 and Eed-skinned Flourball for late spring and early summer 

 consumption. The above have with me this year been almost 

 free from disease. The best Potato in cultivation for quality 

 is the Lapstone, and it is second to none for amount of pro- 

 duce, taking the ground occupied into consideration. Like 

 every other Potato, it does best in a light or well-pulverised soU. 

 There are many forms of it ; I have had several that are much 

 inferior to the old or true sort. — G. Abbey. 



GOOD AND BAD NEIGHBOUKS. 



The readers of this Journal must have aU noticed the superior 

 growth of certain plants when growing in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of other plants. The farmer remarks how the wild 

 Poppy haunts his Legumes — how the Cornflower only grows 

 amongst his cereals. Other plants he notes are bad neigh- 

 bours — such as the Brassica tribe in his arable land, the 

 Acacia tree in his hedgerows. Now very recently the agricul- 

 turist has availed himself of one of these hints from Dame 

 Nature to a very profitable extent in the growth of Swede 

 Turnips, and, surely, there is something very valuable to be 

 achieved in this way with other now only-languidly-growing 

 crops, such as the Bed Clover. Will you, then, allow me to ask 

 the readers of the Journal to favour yon with the result of 

 their observations on good and bad neighbours in the tenants 

 of the garden ? 



That much useful information may be in this way derived 

 I have no doubt. I have seen in the garden several indications 

 of the good effects of certain plants being placed in juxta- 

 position, and it is only within these few hours that I learn from 

 a Scotch clergyman that in his garden at the Bridge of Allan, 

 he can only secure good Carrots by growing them with Onions. 

 He sows their seeds, it appears, together broadcast. 



The fact that plants have their good and ill neighbours is 

 not a modern discovery, for, as I have elsewhere remarked — 



It was an early observation of the cultivators of the soil that there 

 are good and bad Deigbbonrs even in the vegetable world. The Ko- 

 man farmers noticed the vigour with which the Tine vegetated when 

 planted near to the Elm. They were wont to call that tree the hus- 

 band of the Vine, and it has been supposed that the Elm was, in fact, 

 first introduced into England by the then masters of our island when 

 they made their vineyards. 



They were well aware that, although there is "a friendship" 

 between some plants, there is " enmity " between others. Cato, one 

 of the very early Eomau authors, noticed that the Vine is at " enmity " 

 with the Cabbage. And these facts were observed by more than one 

 author of the sisteenth century. Thus, Conrad Heresbach, who 



