103 
THE GAEDENERS' AND NATURALISTS' CALENDAB FOK MARCH. 
at the limit of the eternal snows, a new sorrel, which he 
called Mumex nivalis. When taken to his garden, it 
grew Adgorously, without suffering from the change of 
locality ; and assumed a lank form, so much so, that 
fi-om the length of a few inches, which it only attained 
in its native habitat, it reached two or three feet in 
height ; it lost nothing in flavour, which is agreeably 
acid, was almost devoid of leaves on the stem, but 
made up for this by the tufts of radical leaves becom- 
ing more compact, and of a livelier green than is usual 
with the common sorrel, being found also to be earlier 
than the latter, and seeming to vegetate even under 
the snow. It is also more delicate, and more sightly, 
from its fresh colom- ; but, as its roots penetrate little 
into the groimd, it is liable to suffer fi-om di'ought; 
it is, therefore, very necessary to water frequently, or 
place it in a situation which is natm-ally humid. From 
the peculiarities of this sorrel, it seems essentially hi- 
bernal; that is, may be grown in winter. In this 
respect, it is worthy of the particular attention of the 
horticulturist ; for, however severe the winter may be, 
sown in the autumn, it yields a iine green vegetable 
dm-ing all that season ; while, should any intense and 
continued frost checkits growth, the cultivator may atleast 
hope to find in it a culinary resource at the commencement 
of the spring, when other herbs scarcely begin to shoot. 
It fm-nishes a tender and agreeable dish. It is, beyond 
a doubt, that it may be successfully crossed with the 
common sorrel ; the result of which, in all likelihood, 
would be the obtaining of varieties partaking of the 
qualities of both sorts, more tender and earlier than the 
common, and less sensible of heat than the Oseille des 
neiges. — Ghent Annalcs. 
Neio Syrian Apricot : the Suedia Green-gage. — This 
variety was produced seven years ago fi'om the stone of 
the sweet-kerneUed Apricot of Ispahan, called ^^ Shulcer 
Fara" (a bit of sugar). It bore one fi-uit in 1845 ; 30, 
in 1846 ; and, in 1847, 140 ripe fi-uit. It is the latest 
but one of the thirteen varieties of the Apricots with a 
sweet kernel iu Suedia. It is a fi-ee-gTowing healthy 
tree, and a great bearer. Of upwards of 300 grafts 
and buds " worked" from it, only two or three failed. 
This year (1847) four of its medium-size fruit weighed 
4| oz. (Troy), and five of the largest 8| oz. Four 
of the medium-size stones weighed only 2 drachms. 
They were cracked easily with the teeth. Its diminu- 
tive stone is its peculiar distinction ; it is not a cling- 
stone. It is rather conque-shaped. The colour yel- 
lo-wish-white one third, and dingy purplish-light-red 
the other two. It resembles the Eh-uge Nectarine, 
not merely in colour, but somewhat in form, and in its 
absolute absence of all do-wn. It resembles likewise the 
Nectarine in the peculiar consistence of the skin. The 
skin cannot be peeled, but it must be well masticated 
while its sugary, soft, juicy pulp is in the mouth, in 
order to correct the excessive sweetness of the latter, 
because the only particles which contain acidity reside 
in the skin, for which reason it is often eaten preferably 
ten days before perfect maturity. It has great affinity 
to the plum by reason of its smooth skin, its small stone, 
of a sweetness that not merely rivals but surpasses that 
of the Green-gage, and more than all, of its almost abso- 
lute want of the Apricot perfume. All other sorts of 
sweet-kernelled Apricots have more or less a bitterish 
sour after-taste, as if the remnant of a bit of sugar- 
candy still lingered in yom- mouth. Two anomalies re- 
lating to the Suedia Green-gage Apricot are remarkable. 
The first may not properly be called an anomaly, if it 
should have been obsei-ved by scientiBc gardeners in the 
gei-mination of other seeds ; but the second is assm-edly 
an anomaly : — 1st, The kernel, although sweeter than 
the sweetest Almond before being sown, becomes very 
bitter as soon as it begins to germinate. 2nd, The fi-uit, 
when its kernel is stiQ soft and watery, and not bigger 
than a large Marrowfat pea, is intensely bitter. Other 
sweet-kei-nelled Apricots that are lusus natta'ce, and not a 
species like this, possess not the same peculiarity. As 
the extraordinary sweetness with which this fi-uit is en- 
dowed begins to be developed ten days before attaining 
to perfect maturity, it bears being transported to a con- 
siderable distance. Captain WeUs averred, that when, 
a few years ago, he was stationed in a northern pro-vince 
of India, he had it annually sent to him, " packed in 
cotton," from the incredible distance of a month's jom-- 
ney by cai-avan ! But the most interesting fact remains 
to be stated. It reproduces itseK from seed, having a 
sweet kernel and aU the other admii-able qualities, as 
certainly as does any vegetable in the kitchen garden. * — 
J. Barker, Esq., of Suedia, Aleppo, in Journ. Sort. Soe., 
1847. 
* This Apricot, we believe, is in the possession of Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Exeter. 
li MiiiiP^S' MM MmWAEW tMMMMn P®i iieCH. 
FLOWER-GAKDEN.— IN-DOOR DEPART- 
MENT. 
Conservatory. — Now that the weather is a little 
milder, and the sun begins to assist in gai-den opera- 
tions, something lUce growth may be anticipated. Con- 
tinue to ventilate as fi-eely as the weather wUl admit of, 
always guarding against cold cutting winds and lume- 
cessary draughts. The house -will now be gay with 
the plants before-mentioned, with the addition of some 
more Orchids, as Oncidiums, &c., and a few Oranges 
and Lilies of the Valley, which have been forwarded in 
the forcing-house. Of Orange-trees we know nothing 
so really beautiful and interesting as the dwal-f-gTo^riug 
variety called the Otaheitan. We have plants at the 
present time not more than six inches in height — com- 
pact little bushes bearing ripe and green fi-uit, and 
flowers in abundance, yielding a perfume than which 
^S^^^^ff 
