6io 



Garden and Forest. 



[December 17, 1890. 



Foreign Correspondence. 



London Letter. 



Gambier. — This is an article of considerable value to the 

 t. inner, the dyer and the druggist. It is obtained from the 

 leaves of a Rubiaceous shrub known as Uncaria Gambier, and 

 is an ally of the Negro Peach (Sarcocephalus) and the Cin- 

 chona. Hitherto its cultivation and preparation have been a 

 monopoly of the Straits Settlements ; but owing to the fact 

 that it has become difficult to procure, and, when procured, 

 so often proves almost worthless through bad preparation 

 and adulteration, its extended cultivation has for some time 

 occupied the attention of the authorities at Kew. Seeds of the 

 plant were therefore obtained from Singapore and a batch of 

 plants raised from them at Kew. These have lately been 

 dispatched, under the personal care of Mr. Morris, to some 

 of the English colonies in the West Indies, where it is antici- 

 pated they will thrive and prove to be the starting point of a 

 valuable industry. In the Kew Bulletin for October, 1889, 

 attention was directed to the value of Gambier as "an article 

 which every tanner in the kingdom uses more or less, and no 

 other can take its place. It used to cost £\o per ton and now 

 costs 245-" 



Gambier is obtained by boiling the leaves of the Unca- 

 ria. It is imported in the form of small squares or little 

 round cakes. The finer samples are used in India for chew- 

 ing along with betel leaf and medicinally. The plants grow 

 rapidly and yield several crops of leaves every year for from 

 fifteen to thirty years from the time of planting in the fields. 

 They require a moist tropical climate, such as is favorable to 

 the cultivation of the Cocoa-plant, Vanilla, Ginger, etc. The 

 Gambier industry is at present chiefly in the hands of China- 

 men, but their system is said to be wasteful and the prepara- 

 tion of the article unsatisfactory. With improved methods of 

 cultivation and preparation the value of Gambier may be con- 

 siderably enhanced. Its introduction into the West Indies will 

 probably prove as important an event almost as the introduction 

 of the Cinchona from Peru into India. In addition to its value 

 to the tanner and the dyer, Gambier is known to possess useful 

 medicinal properties ; it is also used in beer-brewing. I call 

 attention to this plant and its introduction into the West Indies 

 because I observe that the United States Consul at Singapore 

 has reported that " the exports of Gambier to the United States 

 during the last three years have amounted to $1,060,000." 



Lily-Flowers as Food. — It is well known that the dried 

 flowers of certain species of Lilium form an important article 

 of food with the Chinese and Japanese. Examples of the Lily- 

 cakes as prepared in Japan and China are in the Kew Museum. 

 These cakes are used to flavor soups and as a vegetable, be- 

 sides being supposed to have tonic properties. In the Con- 

 sular Report on the trade of Chinkiang for the year 1886 it is 

 stated that " The export of Lily-flowers has increased this 

 year to 7,677,622 pounds. Not more than one-fifth is consumed 

 here ; the rest goes south, where it is used to flavor soup." 

 In the American Naturalist, vol. xvi., p. 119, it is stated by 

 Professor Penhallow that the bulbs of various species of Lilium 

 are utilized as a source of food by the Japanese. In the Kew 

 Museum there are examples of the food obtained from the 

 bulbs of L. cordiffllium in Japan. 



I know of only two other recorded instances of the use of 

 flowers as food. Of course by flowers the petals only are 

 meant. The heads of the Cauliflower and the Artichoke are 

 excellent articles of food, in which, however, the true flowers 

 play a very small part. In India the flowers of the " Mahwa- 

 tree" (Bassia latifolia) and of the " Phog " (Caligonum poly- 

 gonoides) are collected and eaten by the natives. The " Phog" 

 is made into bread, and Professor Church, who analyzed a 

 sample of it, said that it contained more nutrient properties 

 than rice and almost equaled Chick-pea. Mahwa forms an 

 important article of food in many parts of India. 



American Vines. — In a recent letter I referred to the impor- 

 tant place some of the species and varieties of American Vines 

 now filled in those parts of Europe where the cultivation of 

 the Grape is a staple industry. The destruction of this industry 

 was threatened by the terrible Phylloxera, but by using the 

 American Vines as stocks for the preferred varieties of V. 

 vinifera this calamity has been averted. In time there will 

 scarcely be a vineyard in Europe in which American Vines do 

 not act as nurses to the best wine-producing kinds. The 

 success of this experiment has induced other countries to 

 follow suit, and I hear that for one of the Indian principalities 

 50,000 American Vines have lately been ordered from France. 

 Has any one tried to cross V. vinifera with the best of the 

 American kinds? Good results ought to be obtained in this way. 

 Varieties possessing the constitutional peculiarity which 



renders them indifferent to the Phylloxera and with fruits 

 equal to the best of the varieties of V. vinifera would be of 

 immense value. 



New Chrysanthemums. — The National Chrysanthemum So- 

 ciety this week awarded first-class certificates to the following : 



Beauty of Castlehill (Japanese). — An English seedling. The 

 florets are large, rich yellow, tinted with bronzy red. The 

 general appearance of the flower suggests Boule d'Or. 



Beauty of Castlewood (Japanese).— This is in the way Of E. 

 Molyneux and Mrs. C. Wheeler, the florets being large, broad,, 

 deep orange yellow on the one side, rich maroon on the other.. 

 The flowers are as good in form as those of E. Molyneux. 



Danae (Japanese). — Large-flowered, the florets long, broad 

 and twisted, and colored brilliant yellow, shaded with red. 



Countess of Lytton. — Very near to Ralph Brocklebank, but 

 distinctly primrose in color. It is a sport from Meg Merrilies. 



A. C. Kingston (Japanese). — The flowers of this are large, 

 compact and good in form, while in color they are rich crim- 

 son. This is likely to become popular as an exhibition variety. 



Sunset (Japanese). — A large-flowered variety of fantastic 

 form, the florets very broad and colored orange on the upper 

 side, bright red on the lower, while the reverse is silvery. 



Princess Waldemar (incurved). — A beautiful flower, medium 

 in size, compact and regular, and colored a rich flesh pink. It 

 is in the way of Eve. 



Violet Rose (Japanese, incurved). — A handsome variety, the 

 florets somewhat incurved, but not compactly so, and colored 

 a bright rose-red. This is a distinct and promising sort. 



Mrs. E. W. Clarke (Japanese, incurved). — A large-flowered, 

 variety, with the florets incurved somewhat regularly, and 

 forming a rather high centre ; the color is bright lilac or 

 mauve. It is a first-rate addition to this section of Chrysan- 

 themums. 



A Useful Insecticide. — All Orchid-growers know some- 

 thing of the ravages of thrips and the difficulty of keeping 

 them under in Orchid-houses. Some plants, such as the 

 green-leaved Phalaenopsis, Phajus tubercolosus and P. Hum- 

 blotii, Miltonia vexillaria and M. Roezlii, are only rarely seen 

 without the accompaniment of thrips or their marks. Spong- 

 ing, tobacco fumigation, tobacco solutions, snuff and other 

 supposed remedies are not always to be relied upon ; at any 

 rate, such is my experience. I am pleased, therefore, to be 

 able to recommend what has proved perfectly successful as 

 an insecticide for Orchids — namely, an article sold here under 

 the name of " Lethorion." It is in the form of a cone, which, 

 when set on fire, burns slowly and produces a peculiar vapor 

 which does not injure the most delicate Orchids, but effectually 

 destroys insects. We have used it for Oncidiums, Odonto- 

 glossums and Masdevallias, and I know that it has been used 

 for Phalasnopsis, Cypripediumsand Orchids generally, and has 

 proved effectual in every case. It is easily applied, and the 

 only objection to it is the peculiar and somewhat disagreeable 

 odor that remains in the house a day or so after its use. In 

 this respect, however, it is no worse than tobacco. I have 

 seen so many collections of Orchids suffering from the attacks 

 of thrips, etc., as well as considerable injury done by attempts 

 to eradicate the insects, that I gladly make known the value of 

 " Lethorion" as proved by myself and others. I know nothing 

 of the vender nor of the composition of "Lethorion," but I 

 believe it can be had from most dealers in horticultural 

 sundries. 



London. W. Watson. 



Cultural Department. 



Rose Notes. 



THE short days of the year make an interesting period for 

 the Rose-grower, because continual watchfulness is essen- 

 tial at so critical a time. Ventilation should be given when- 

 ever the weather will permit, for pure air is essential, and yet 

 the oft-repeated warning against draughts should never be 

 forgotten, for nothing is more injurious to the soft young 

 growth of a Rose than a current of cold air. The plants should 

 now be syringed early in the day, so that they may dry off 

 again before night, otherwise they are liable to be chilled, and 

 any check is felt at this season. 



It is not prudent to keep the house at the same tempera- 

 ture during severe and more moderate weather ; the extra 

 fire-heat demanded to produce such a temperature in extreme 

 cold seems to reduce the vitality of the plants, and it is there- 

 fore the usual practice among careful growers to permit the 

 temperature of the Rose-houses to fall from three to five de- 

 grees lower on cold nights. 



While on this subject of temperature it may be stated that 

 all varieties do not flourish at the same degree of heat, and 



