Jan. 1, 1901.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
465 
they get into general favour prices would fall 
materially before long. 
A paragraph in the Times not long ago is 
suggestive and interesting : its substance is some- 
what as follows :— At a meeting this summer of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, a fruit was ex- 
hibited for the first time which bids fair to become 
very useful. Botanically, also, it is of consider- 
able interest, the plant bearing it being a hybrid 
between the raspberry and the common black- 
berry. As the "Mahdi," as it is called, was raised 
by Messrs. Veitch, its origin is v.-ell authenticated, 
the seed parent being a variety of the raspberry 
known as " Belle de Fontenoy." The same can- 
not be said for the Logan berr.y from the other 
side of the Atlantic, though for this a somewhat 
similar parentage has been claimed. A high 
authority is of opinion that the raspberry plays 
no part in its composition, and that both its 
parents were and American species of Rubus. 
This maj^ be so, but cooked Logan berries are 
certainly much more like raspberries than black- 
berries, and have none of the tartness of the 
latter, but closely resemble the former. The 
" Mahdi " has very much the habit of the black- 
beery, and in cultivation is trained in the same 
■way. Its frus, says the Times' writer, recalls 
the dewberry of our hedges. There is the same 
bloom, but the number of fruitlets is greater. 
Careful investigation reveals many intermediate 
characters — for instance, the flavour of the 
'"Mahdi" combines a preponderant influence of 
the dewberry with a suspicion of the raspberry. 
The present writer would therefore hold that 
its parentage would differ largely from the Logan 
berry, though the latter when cooked resembles a 
luscious raspberry, the blackberry flavour being 
hardly perceptible. Most important is the time 
of fruiting as regards the economical future of 
the plant, for it comes Into bearing as rasp- 
berries are failing and before blackberries are 
ripe; but the finest berries are produced early in 
tlie season— about the middle of July, that is. 
The "Mahdi" is very prolific and has consider- 
able claims as a decorative plant : it would not, 
however., be placed upon the market for probably 
at least another twelve months. 
The .Tapanese wineberry (7?it6j(s Phoenicolasius) 
is another recent introduction to our gardens 
and should be mentioned here. It bids fair to be 
H great acquisition to our gardens. Properly 
cultivated the plants bear a quantity of delicious 
fruit, wliich ripens well in a warm corner. The 
plant itself is hardy. It resembles in growth 
the blackberry, but the foliage is larger, with 
silvery reverses to tlie leaves, and the thorny 
stems have a deep crimson-brown tint, iind are 
decidedly handsome. Until about half-ripe the 
fruit is concealed by a crimson, hairy, calyx-like 
covering, protecting it until it is as large as a 
fine blackberry ; it has a clear wine-colour, trans- 
parent throughout. As each spray bears thirty or 
forty fruits and they are finely flavoured like the 
best sort of blackberry, it will be admitted that 
this latest addition to our fruit garden is not to 
be despised. Besides being valuable uncooked, the 
wineberry makes excellent pi'eserve, its fine acid 
flavour making it specially suitable for cooking. 
The fruit is found on the wood of the former 
season, and the strong suckers thrown up in 
summer should be fasfJened back with wire, to 
expose them thoroughly to ripening sunshine. A 
mulch of rich soil in .June over the roots helps 
the fruit to swell better and the plant enjoys 
abundance of liquid manure and water-. It is 
highly ornamental in August with its scarlet 
berries and should be largely grown. 
The Logan berry makes, as I can personally 
testify, most excellent jam and in a pie it is far 
better than the raspberry, while the blackberry 
is tart and commonplace in the comparison and 
not in tlie running at all. The seeds of the black 
berry are hard and disagreeable. Those of the 
Loganberry give no trouble. 
As some hybrids have been so successful, one 
can surely hope that a great future lies before 
fruit hybridisers. Shall we not live to see many 
practically new fruits, and seeing what careful 
cultivation has done for raspberries and straw- 
berries, it is possible that the gardens of the 
wealthy in a dozen years and, perhaps, too, in 
time, even those of the poor, may abound in 
splendid hybrid fruits, larger, more luscious, and 
more palatable than anything we now find in them. 
Mr. and 'NTrs. Forrester, seeing my interest in 
a subject with which I can claim no special 
acquaintance, have drawn my attention to the 
Chinese artichoke (Stachys 'luberifera), a new 
vegetable of distinct flavour, to which the Royal 
Horticultural Society has awarded a first-class 
certillcate. They say it is very palatable and 
profitable. It is described as a most agreeable, 
73erfectly hardy vegetaljle, novel in appearance, 
and easily cultivated in any garden. The roots 
may be left in the ground through the winter 
and d\jg up as required ; the surface of the earth 
should be covered to prevent fi'ost hardening 
the soil. 
The plant grows to a height of 9 to 15 inches, 
is free-branching, and forms neat bushes. From 
the axis springs a large number of fibrous rootr, 
on which the tubers grow in immense numbers. 
The tubers are 1 to 2 inches long, and are half" 
an-inch in diameter at the thicker end, tapering 
to a point at their attachment to the root. They 
have a spiral appearance, are pearly white, and 
eaten rav,', are intermediate in flavour between 
a succulent radish and a Jerusalem artichoke. 
Boiled, steamed or roasted and served with 
melted butter, in much the same way as the 
globe articlioke, they are delicious and make an 
excellent dish. When planting soil should be 
throughly pulverised so that the roots can run 
freely and the tubers can swell without hind- 
rance. From 18 inches to 2 feet is the proper 
distance to put the rows apart and the distance 
between the plants should be 8 to 12 inclies. 
Planted at this distance apart a bed 5 feet by 
30 would give a good return, sufficient for most 
families. As the tubers when exposed for any 
length of time get rather discoloured, they should 
be covered with soil till wanted for use. 
Alfred J. H. Crespi. 
CACAO 1'LANTING IN CEYLON: 
SPLENDID CACAO PODS. 
A Colombo merchant writes: — "When so 
much is being written about the cultivation 
of cacao, the accompanying specimens, grown 
on Katugastota estate, may interest you 
and show you that there is still a future for 
cacao." 
We liave scarcely ever seen finer pods. 
Here are the weights and measurements of 
the two pods before us, which we must send 
round Fort offices for inspection : — 
13 in. long by 13 in. in giitii, weight 3J lb. 
14 do, by 14 do. do. " 4 lb. 
Can these be beaten ? 
THE SUSTAINING POWERS OF BANANA. 
One of the most courageous marches ever taken 
was that of Colonel VVilcocks to Knmasi. Wr. 
hear that during tlje march from Kumasi tho 
whole party lived on banaiias. On one occasion 
they even waded shoulder high through a river for 
two hours. Does any one waut a higher test of 
endurance on a vegetable diet than this ? — Journal 
of Hoi ticulture, 
