September 13, 1883, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
229 
moted by it, is proved by the fact that greater attention is continually 
being paid to it, and by the increased demand which is arising in the 
United States and the Dominion of Canada for tropical fruit. These 
countries possess a prosperous population, nearly double of that of the 
United Kingdom, and fruit of all kinds forms an important element in 
their daily food. 
- The same writer observes that the cultivation of spices, 
■such as Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Cloves, black Pepper, and Vanilla, has also 
been taken up, not only in Jamaica, but also in Trinidad, Grenada, and 
St. Vincent. Nutmegs especially do well at Grenada ; and with regard 
to other spices, if they are so successfully and so energetically carried 
on throughout the West Indies as in the islands above mentioned, we 
shall have them known in the future, not as the sugar islands, but as 
the spice islands of the west. With regard to the yield from Nutmeg 
trees in Jamaica, trees at six years old give a return of about 1500 to 
:2000 nutmegs per annum. With trees, say, 30 feet apart, and allowing 
one-third to be male or barren trees, this will give a return of 45,000 
mutmegs per acre. Taking an average of ninety nutmegs to the pound, 
the return in cash value would be 500 lbs. of nutmegs at, say, 2s. per lb., 
-equal to £50 per acre. In the Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, the yield per 
tree, nett, in the market has been over 20 lbs. (at ninety to the 
■pound this would be 1800 nutmegs) with an average price of 2 s . 2 cl . 
per lb. during the year. The value here per acre is at the rate of £60 
,per annum. In both the above instances it is only fair to mention that 
the calculations have been based on a comparatively small number of 
trees. The average yield over a large area of, say, forty, fifty, or a 
hundred acres would be correspondingly lower; but even under any 
•circumstances it is evident that where suitable and favourable circum¬ 
stances exist, as I believe they do in the West Indies, a nutmeg plan¬ 
tation is likely to be a very sucessful and remunerative undertaking. 
'The Cardamom, a valuable East Indian spice, has lately been introduced 
do the West Indies with satisfactory results. It is adapted for culti¬ 
vation in moist shady situations, at elevations ranging from 200 to 
-"3500 feet. The plants have much of the appearance of the “ wild 
■Ginger ” of the West Indies, and require little cultivation beyond keeping 
The ground clear of rank-growing weeds. The return per acre is esti¬ 
mated, at the end of three years, at about 170 lbs. of Cardamoms, worth 
-3,?. to 4*’. per lb. 
- Messes. Stuaet & Mein, Kelso, have sent us blooms of their 
strain of striped French Marigold, which are extensively grown in 
Scotland and the north of England for exhibition purposes at this season 
■of the year, and command great admiration for their lustrous colours and 
correct markings. They are very clear and bright. 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. J. W. Silver succeeds Mr. 
Glarke as head gardener to Lord Hill Trevor, Brynkinalt, Chirk 
Denbighshire. Mr. T. Grant, late gardener to W. S. Gillett, Esq., 
Harefield, Bitterne, Southampton, has been appointed gardener to Major 
Murray, Ossemsley Manor, Christchurch, Hants. 
PEAS AND MILDEW. 
With respect to the Peas sent to you I ought to say that it was not 
until the crop was nearly finished that we had a chance of comparing 
ihe variety with our latest crops here. On cooking Laxton’s Omega we 
Knd the latter much more mealy and the colour darker, and the general 
verdict “not so good ” as the old favourite. It is good on the soil here 
—it is better on a relative’s good land. There was no trace of mildew 
until the last picking took place, and then very little. 
President Garfield (from Sutton) sown late in the same plot, is badly 
mildewed and grows moderately, but the pods are good. 
Telephone (from Carter) also mildews here very badly, but both these 
cases are doubtless aggravated by the lateness of sowing. They are both 
ripening seed ; not a dish has been picked. 
Omega, sown between these two, does not mildew except in small 
^patches. 
Latest of All (from Sutton) also sown between them, does not mildew, 
but is now bearing splendidly, the third picking now being ready, and the 
row showing signs of bearing for another fortnight at least. 
Oxford Tom or British Queen (from Daniels, Norwich) now over 
7 feet high, shows a slight attack of mildew, the first lot of pods being 
very small, short, curly, and blackened as if cankered. The pods now 
swelling are clear, although not so large as I remember on good soil 
fifteen years ago. 
Owing to the dry situation I thought it advisable to make narrow 
trenches for all the Peas, to dig in a little manure, and to give a 
sprinkling of dissolved bones; the latter may have affected the pods 
of Oxford Tom. 
For some unknown reason two rows of Ne Plus Ultra were an 
utter failure, and were dug up. Some seed out of the same packet given 
to a relative whose ground is good, grew well, and bore a good crop. As 
you have kindly suggested growing some of our favourites, I mention the 
above cases to show how Peas do with us.— Colvile Brown, Sivaffliam , 
ORNAMENTAL-FOLIAGE PLANTS. 
Flowers are never so beautiful as when among foliage ; indeed, 
a great glare of colour unrelieved by green, and solid masses of 
flowers alone, lack that refinement which constitutes the chief charm 
of nature as seen in the wilds. Glowing Pelargoniums, Azaleas, 
Fuchsias, and the other plants employed to make the greenhouse 
gay, lack half their charm unless intermixed with Palms, Dracaenas, 
and Ferns. Owners of great gardens have long recognised this, 
but amateurs with limited means have too much ignored the fact. 
Believing that the merits of such plants as have been named need 
only to be pointed out to be recognised, I seek to say a word in 
their favour, and to enumerate a very few of the choicer forms which 
are amenable to ordinary garden treatment. 
Agave.— There are large numbers of Agaves in cultivation, but 
one of the best, and that most generally grown, is A. americana. 
Some of the variegated kinds are very beautiful, and as they are of 
a very distinct habit and will thrive very well out of doors in 
summer, one or two should be possessed by every owner of a green¬ 
house. For filling-in vases few plants surpass these for centres. 
They will thrive in a mixture of loam, and peat, and sand, good 
drainage, and enough sharp sand to keep the soil porous. It 
should be repotted in spring, and it may then be propagated by 
division. 
Adiantum cuneatum. —There are hundreds of beautiful Ferns 
which thrive in a greenhouse temperature which cannot be mentioned 
here, but the one named at the head of this is so beautiful and so 
indispensable that it cannot be passed. For cutting from to enhance 
the beauty of flowers in glasses or bouquets this is the best Fern 
ever introduced, and it will grow fairly well in an ordinary green¬ 
house. The best soil for it is half fibry loam and half fibry peat, 
with a good dash of sharp sand. If there is a shady corner in the 
greenhouse, that is the place for it and for any other Ferns which 
may be possessed ; indeed, it may be as well to procure other Ferns 
than this one for the shadiest part of the house, or if the house is 
very much shaded Ferns should predominate. Great numbers of 
Ferns will grow with exactly the same treatment as recommended 
for this plant. 
Chamaerops. —This is a genus of Palms which are for the most 
part very hardy and well fitted for ordinary greenhouse culture. 
They are very ornamental, and a few in a house improve the 
appearance greatly. Good fibry loam, and bits of charcoal 
mixed with it, suit them all. They are very easily cultivated. 
C. Fortunei, C. humilis, C. excelsa, and C. Martiana are all 
good. 
Coleus.— Coleuses are tender plants, wdiich will not live in winter 
in a greenhouse, but which grow satisfactorily there in summer. 
Cuttings or plants obtained in spring will make fine specimens in a 
short time. Cuttings may be very easily struck on a dung bed ; all 
that they want is heat and water, with a moderate amount of root 
space and any light rich soil. 
Dracaenas. —No greenhouse is complete without one or two 
Dracaenas. The stove kinds boast colours not possessed by the 
hardier greenhouse kinds ; but under gaslight, surrounded with white 
cloths, coloured crockery, and sparkling crystal, the green-leaved 
hardier varieties appear to greater advantage than the more highly 
coloured tender forms. Those named below are all very easily 
cultivated, and all make first-rate dinner-table-decoration plants. 
Loam, leaf soil, and a dash of sharp sand through it suits them as 
regards soil. Too large pots should not be given. The young 
tuberous-like knobs wdiich form at the roots, if separated at potting 
time, placed in small pots, and started on a hotbed, will soon form 
young plants. The tops may also be removed from the plants and 
rooted, but this requires appliances which amateurs generally do not 
possess. Pieces of the stem will form plants if placed into a good 
bottom heat. It is better to exchange old plants for young ones 
with a nurseryman or neighbouring gardener, to whom the old stems 
may be of some value, than to try to propagate them without proper 
appliances. Given a fair command of bottom and top heat their 
propagation is an easy and rapid process, otherwise it is unsatis¬ 
factory. Sponging the leaves is necessary to keep them clean and 
free from insects. D. rubra is the best for an amateur, and D. con- 
gesta is next. D. australis soon grows to an imposing specimen. 
D. Draco, D. indivisa, D. mdivisa Yeitchii, and D. lineata are also 
worth a place. 
Ficus elastica. —A very handsome and an indispensable plant. 
It thrives well in ordinary loam, leaf mould, and sand. The leaves 
should be occasionally sponged to keep them clean. The tops taken 
