HARDY BAMBOOS, 



7 



conclusion that death follows flowering in the case of all Bamboos. I venture 

 to hazard the guess that it may possibly be confined to that of the caespitose 

 species. It certainly would be difficult to exaggerate the vitality of the rhizome 

 of couch-grass ; and, after all, these beautiful plants are, structurally, Titanic 

 couch-grasses. 



At any rate, we have now certain data to go upon, and the question will 

 be settled by some judge more competent than I am to pronounce a verdict. 



It would be sad indeed if we knew beforehand that at some given period, 

 uncertain as all life, to-day, to-morrow, or years hence, our gardens must be 

 shorn of the beauty which we have taken such pains to add to them, and that 

 our Bamboos must die in a supreme effort — vain, probably for the most part, 

 in this climate — to reproduce their species. 



As to the rarity of the flowering I may perhaps quote what was said by a 

 friend of mine, a botanist and Fellow of the Royal Society, who was paying me 

 a visit : "I have travelled the wide world over, and been much in the homes 

 of many Bamboos, but not until I came to these Cotswold Hills did I ever see 

 one in flower." His amazement knew no bounds. 



But, apart from all scientific interest, it is no small gain that we have 



achieved in adding to our gardens fifty members of an exceptionally beautiful 



family. In all the lovely flora of China and Japan there is no plant the grace 



of which has been a greater source of inspiration to the poet. " How can I 



live for a single day without this gentleman ? " exclaimed the famous poet, 



Wang Hai Chin ; and so struck were the Chinese by these words that " this 



gentleman " is now the familiar name for the Bamboo amongst persons of 



education. But not only the beauty but the extraordinary usefulness of the 



Bamboo has become proverbial. And so it is said, " You may eat your meals 



without meat, but you cannot live without a Bamboo." What higher praise 



may be given ? ~ 



J ° Redesdale. 



The Mume or Japanese Apricot (JPyrus mume). 



This very pretty Pyrus was brought from Japan in 

 1878, and has not as yet received sufficient recognition 

 on the part of planters. At this date, the second fort- 

 night in February, it is charming with its branches 

 laden with pompon roses or peach blossoms, single 

 and double, white, carnation, red rose, lilac and garnet. 

 The double-flowered kind is very attractive from all 

 points of view. The blossoms appear simultaneously 

 with the Lonicera fragrans and Standishii, Daphne, 

 Chimonanthus fragrans ; when Jasminum nudiflorum 

 is going out of flower, and the bell-shaped blooms of 

 Forsythia are turning to lemon yellow. My friend Mr. 

 Hayato Foukouba, director of the Mikado's gardens. 



tells me that the approaches to the towns in Japan 

 planted with Mumes are an attractive resort, owing to 

 the early blooms and the delicate perfume of the trees. 

 Generally the single-flowered kinds have a more slen- 

 der port ; their fruit has the size, form, and colour of 

 the apricot. The so-called " Bungo Mume " bears very 

 large fruit, whilst the fruit of the " Shinano Mume " are 

 very small. Japanese housekeepers preserve the fruit. 

 Here the double-flowering rose Mume gives us fruit 

 of average size, with the appearance of an apricot or 

 peach and half the size. 



Chas. Baltet, 



Le Jardin. 



