April 2, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2G5 
be sown, 2 feet from row to row is suitable; some gardeners 
allow 2^ feet, but the richness or poorness of the ground are the 
best guides in this matter, the latter distance not being too 
much on highly cultivated land. 
The system finds favour with some of sowing extra thick, 
and when the seedlings have the first rough leaves, thinning 
and transplanting them on good ground, which often forms 
a useful succession. Care, however, should be taken that work 
of this kind is done in the absence of bright sunshine. After 
transplanting, give a little water to sett'e the soil about the roots 
of the young plants. 
In very dry hot seasons, such as 1884, French Beans, in 
common with many other vegetables on light or medium soils, 
may require mulching in order to save them. The best time to 
do this is just after the ground has been well soaked with water. 
Here, however, last season they grew vigorously when other 
vegetables would have perished, I feared, if they had not been 
afforded timely assistance. 
Referring to varieties, Osborn’s Forcing, Negro Longpod, 
and Canadian Wonder do well in the north, and, from what I 
read in the gardening papers, in the south also. Speaking of 
early varieties, however, there does not appear to have been any 
improvements on older sorts for a number of years. In 1875 I 
gathered the first dish of Beans for the season a week before 
the end of July, and the earliest ever I knew to be picked from 
plants in the open border in any district of Scotland in which I 
have lived. The variety grown on that occasion was named 
Williams’ Dwarf Prolific. For a number of years past this 
variety, by name at least, has disappeared from all the seed 
catalogues I have seen. 
Gathering the Beans, although a simple operation to all 
appearance, is often best performed by those who are directly 
interested in securing as long a supply as possible, and making 
the most of the crop when this is necessary. Others are often 
guilty of doing the work carelessly, the consequence being that 
many old beans are left on the plants, thus preventing the 
younger ones growing to a useful size, and also spoiling the 
crop. All beans which have attained a useful size when not 
required should be at once removed. 
A few degrees of frost in autumn at once puts an end to 
French Beans, therefore some protection is necessary if it is 
desirable to secure a few dishes as late in the season as possible. 
This can be done by placing a frame or two over the plants, or 
by other convenient means, such as light spruce branches, or 
mats adjusted so that there will be no danger of their breaking 
the stems of the plants. 
AUTUMN-SOWN ONIONS. 
I do not remember having so good a crop of these, or such 
strong plants, as this spring. They cannot be said to have had 
the advantage of a mild wintei*, as we have had frequent severe 
frosts since November, and the absence of much snow rendered 
them more liable to injury during frost, neither did the ground 
get much preparation at sowing time. Possibly I may offend 
those who hold strictly orthodox views with regard to deep culti¬ 
vation when I state that the seed was sown on ground that had 
not been stirred with a spade at least for nine months previous 
to the date of sowing, which was about the 20th of July. It is 
to the earlier than usual date of sowing and the firmness of the 
ground combined, that I attribute the unusually good results of 
this season. On one or two previous occasions I have recognised 
the advantage of firm ground for growing other winter crops 
besides Onions. On all land, however, in this part of the country, 
which possesses a good depth of suitable soil, deep tilth is the 
order of the day for summer vegetables, and in general those 
who work their gardens in this fashion have been well rewarded. 
—D. Mackie, Ayrshire. 
LARDIZABALA BITERNATA. 
Of deciduous climbers, whether hardy or half-hardy, there is, happily, 
no deficiency in our gardens; but the number cf evergreen climbing 
plants hitherto available for general cultivation is so limited, that when 
we have named the common Ivy we have exhausted the list. To this 
valuable climber, which, although possessing few claims to beauty, is 
deservedly esteemed for its utility in covering walls and concealing other 
objects offensive to the eye of taste, the Lardizabala biternata will prove a 
formidable rival; for it appears to be equally hardy, produces its 
beautiful dark green glossy foliage in great abundance, and ha°, more¬ 
over, the additional recommendation of bearing flowers of a singularly 
interesting character, which in the case of the fertile blossoms, are 
succeed d by an edible fruit. 
It is a native of Chili, growing as far south as Concepcion, whence it 
was sent by George Thomas Davey, Esq., cf Valparaiso, to Messrs. Yeiteh 
of Exeter. 
The specific term, biternata, does not appear to be very happily 
chosen ; for, although some of the leaves are biternate, they are more 
generally simply ternate, especially in the flowering branches, and occa¬ 
sionally they are triternate. The leaflets are often quite entire at the 
edge, but sometimes spinosely toothed, of a dark green colour above, but 
paler and veined on the under surface. 
The Lardizabala biternata is an illustration of the dioecious cla'S o 
plants; it is, in fact, both dioecious and polygamous; for, although the 
flowers of the plant represented in our figure produce stamens only, those 
of the fertile plant, which has not, we believe, been yet introduced to this 
country, yield both stamens and pistils; it differs also from the sterile 
plant in its one-flowered peduncles. These solitary flowers are succeeded 
by a many-seeded berry, which is sold in the markets of Peru and Chili. 
The pulp is said to be sweet and grateful to the taste. Its stems yield & 
very strong fibre, which is made into cordage. 
The blossoms of the male plant are borne in dropping racemes, 
hanging from the axil of a leaf, the peduncle or flower-stalk bearing at 
its base two large heart-shaped bracts ; and it is remarkable that these 
occur at the axil of the leaf, even where there is no flower-stalk. The 
calyx is formed of six fleshy sepals, arranged in two series, three of the 
segments being external to the others when in the bud. The calyx is the 
most highly coloured portion of the flower, and the petals being compara¬ 
tively inconspicuous, and of a thin membranaceous mealy texture. The 
six stamens are united by their filaments into a column (monadelphous), 
and bear six oblong, incurved, pointed, two-celled anthers, which open at 
the back. 
With regard to the proprgation of the plant, it may be effected botfc. 
by cuttings and layers in any ordinary soil. It will flourish in any 
situation not too much exposed to the sun, but appears to prefer shady 
places ; and as it grows rapidly, when well established its merits as a 
substitute for the Ivy will, doubtless, soon be universally recognised. 
In Peru, where it occurs as well as in Chili, it is called by the Indians 
Aguilboguil and Guilbogui ; in Chili its native designation is Coquil- 
vochi. Two other spec'e 3 are described by botanists, L. triternata and 
L. trifoliata, which appear to differ from the L. biternata in not producing 
an edible fruit. 
The plants of the order Lardizabalacem, although few in number, are 
all of interest; they were formerly included with the Menispeimacise or 
