THE MYRTLE, 



273 



Andian Myrtle (M. Chekeri). — A hand- 

 some half-hardy shrub from the southern 

 Andes, with dense spreading habit, small leaves 

 thickly set, and an abundance of white fragrant 

 blossoms. 



European Myrtle {M. communis). — The 

 common form of southern Europe and of gar- 

 dens. Its varieties include the Orange-leaved 

 Myrtle; a Spanish form from Andalusia, with 

 large leaves; the Belgian Myrtle, a small-leaved 

 form with a variegated sub-variety ;theDouble- 

 flowered My rtle,with flowers of long duration ; 

 the Italian Myrtle, a distinct variety with seve- 

 ral forms of variegation ; the Thyme-leaved 

 Myrtle, with very small leaves, much used in 

 wedding and other bouquets ; the Roman Myr- 

 tle, also in several forms; the Rosemary-leaved 

 Myrtle, with long narrow leaves on neat spikes 

 and small white flowerscominglaterthan most 

 in autumn ; and tenuifolia, very distinct in its 

 drooping habit, which is pretty in baskets or on 

 a pedestal. There is also a form with creeping 

 or prostrate habit, one bearing white berries, 

 and one in which the flowers are faintly tinged 

 with rose. 



Sweet Myrtle (M. fragrans). — A stove 

 shrub from the West Indies, growing 8 to 

 10 feet in height and bearing thick leathery 

 leaves that are nearly round, smooth, and shin- 

 ing, and white flowers coming early in the year. 



Chilian Myrtle(ML«w^) . — A beautiful 

 shrub 3 to 5 feet high, with sharply pointed 

 leaves and fine flowers larger than those of the 

 common Myrtle, and borne in bunches of three 

 or more during early summer. A greenhouse 

 plant formerly classed with Eugenia. Syn. 'Eu- 

 genia apiculata. 



Chinese Myrtle (M. tomentosa) . — A hand- 

 some shrub bearing ovate leaves of bright green 

 above, but clothed beneath with white, silky 

 hairs; the flowers appearingin May or Juneare 

 large, and pale rose in colour. China. Green- 

 house. 



Fruit-bearing Myrtle [M. Ugni). — A 

 half-hardy shrub reaching at length some 6 to 

 8 feet in height, and not unlike in appearance 

 the wild Myrtle of Europe. Its flowers are lar- 

 ger, with sometimes a rosy tinge, and its fruits 

 of a warm reddish brown,when carried in profu- 

 sion are very handsome and strongly fragrant; 

 in Chili, its native country, they are much used 

 as food. It should be grown in rather heavier 

 soil than the other kinds, and does well planted 

 out in the greenhouse, being hardy only in the 

 south-west of Britain. There is a variety with 

 variegated leaves. Syn. Eugenia Ugni. 



EARLY MUSCAT GRAPES. 



Mr. George BELLAiRhas written thefollowing 

 paragraph in the Revue Horticok upon little- 

 known varieties of early Muscats ; as being 

 kinds new to English growers we produce the 



' subjoined notes. The best early Muscats known 

 to French growers comprise some half-dozen 

 varieties which may be classed according to 

 colour as follows : — 



White Grapes : — Precoce de Saumer, Pre- 

 coce de Puy-de-Dbme, Saint-Laurent, and Org 



' : Tokos. 



Black Fruits : — Lierva/, Hatif de Mar- 

 seille. 



The variety Precoce de Saumer, the earliest 

 of Muscats, is old and well known under many 

 local names. Its bunches are small, and hence, 

 though good in flavour, it has been somewhat 

 neglected for larger-growing fruits. It is the 

 most marked in flavour of early Muscats, but 

 the strength is not unpleasant to most palates. 

 The Muscat St. Laurent ripens but a few days 

 in advance of the Chasselas. Its small loose 

 bunches are formed of fruits also small but of a 

 fine golden yellow and slightly scented. The 

 Muscat Precoce du Puy-de-Dome comes in with 

 the Chasselas and is better than the two first- 

 named ; its flavour is refined, and it rarely spoils 

 from wet. The vine Org Tokos is a new varie- 

 ty from Hungary, of normal vigour, early in 

 leaf and late to shed them, bearing short, loose 

 bunches of medium-sized fruits with a scent of 



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