December 20, 1883. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
581 
At a meeting of the Society of Arts last Thursday, Dr. J. 
Forbes Watson read a paper upon the cultivation of “Rhea,’’ 
or China Nettle, commonly called China Grass. Major-General 
Henry Hyde presided. Upon the platform and side tables were a 
number of specimens of the fibre of this plant, both in the primary 
lorm of long black twigs divested of leaves and flowers, and in 
various stages of manufacture, from rough white shreds to dyed 
yarn, reels of coloured cotton, coils of rope, sail-cloth, and the com¬ 
pletely finished article in the form of shawls and hosiery. Dr. Watson 
described in detail the process of manufacture, and gave a history of 
the plant. The East India Company had for many years brought over 
a certain quantity yearly, but a demand having sprung up for it, it went 
up to about £S5 per ton, at which price the manufacture was killed 
The price now was about £50 per ton. He thought it would be possible 
to introduce the fibre into the market at about £35 per ton, but he was 
satisfied that those who thought they were going to grow the plant at 
a very cheap rate were mistaken, as it required great care in the culti 
vation. The demand for it was likely to grow, as it seemed probable 
that the dull-surfaced wools would give way to lustre wools, for the 
production of which China Grass was peculiarly adapted. It could be 
prepared to look very much like silk or satin, and undoubtedly it was a 
much superior article to mis with silk than jute. 
LATE PEAS. 
In reference to Mr. Stevens’ remarks in last week’s Journal on the 
superior merits of Frederick Roach as a good late Pea, allow me to say 
that my experience of this variety last season fully confirms his state¬ 
ments as to its being a good cropper and of delicious flavour when grown 
in succession to Main Crop, but not as a very late Pea. Like your cor¬ 
respondent I grew several varieties, and I found the best variety for late 
purposes to be that good old Pea Ne Plus Ultra. We are able to gather 
abundance of Peas until the end of the second week in October. I grew 
Buttons’ Latest of All along with this, but it failed to yield as satis¬ 
factorily as the former. My employer is a connoisseur of Peas, and his 
verdict as well as my own is certainly in favour of Ne Plus Ultra as the 
best of late Peas. It possesses so many good qualities, among which may 
be mentioned its capability of resisting mildew, vigorous constitution, 
and prolificness. What have other readers of the Journal to say on 
the merits or demerits of this variety ?—T. W. Sanders. 
ROSES IN SCOTLAND. 
Those who imagine from Scott’s description of his own land—- 
“ Caledonia stern and wild, 
Meet nurse for a poetic child,” 
that it is a cold and dreary country, where nothing but Scotch Firs and 
Horse will flourish, at any rate on the northern parts of the land, would 
have been very much surprised had they assisted at the opening of a box 
which came to me the other day by parcels post from far-off Morayshire 
We know indeed that in the south-west of Scotland, in Wigtonshire and 
Kirkcudbrightshire, frosts and snows are rarities, and that many things we 
Tail to grow in our more southern latitudes flourish there ; but Morayshire 
lies so far north—it faces the North Sea—and is rather more suggestive 
•of snow berries than Roses, yet these flowers sent me by a kind corre¬ 
spondent, Mrs. Dunbar-Dunbar of Sea Park, Forres, were all cut from 
the open. They had had no protection, and yet the foliage was as fresh 
and vigorous as in summer, the Hybrid Perpetual blooms bright and 
clean, and the Teas sweet-scented and delicate. A Scotch friend has 
(gone to the Azores to see whether he can raise and grow Tea Roses there, 
but I could not help thinking he might perhaps have found some work 
nearer home. Of course climate has much to do with it, but even with 
this such results could not have been obtained without good culti¬ 
vation, and it was a real treat when the ground in Kent was covered 
with 3 inches of snow to open a box from the far north so suggestive of 
summer.—D., Deal. 
A MODEL FORCING HOUSE. 
In relation to the structure referred to by me on page 490, allow me 
to say the walls of the beds inside are 2 feet 6 inches high, and the outer 
walls are 8 inches higher, thus making the brickwork 3 feet 2 inches 
instead of 4 feet as previously stated. I wish to thank Mr. Warhurst 
for drawing my attention to this matter. I must again repeat that this 
bouse reflects the greatest credit upon the two gentlemen I mentioned. 
I should in this instance at least be in a better position than Mr. War¬ 
hurst to know who deserves the greatest praise. If your correspondent 
knew the origin of the house he would himself have placed the fortunate 
owner not in the last but in the foremost position. In this instance the 
•owner is a man not only capable of designing the structure but of building 
it himself if he had felt so disposed. 
Whether the house in question is an “ extraordinary building ” or not, 
one fact is certain, it is a change from the majority of structures that are 
used for forcing operations—it is a step in the direction of progress. I do 
not hesitate saying it is the nearest approach to what I consider a forcing 
bouse should be that I have ever seen exhibited or erected. It is a span- 
roofed structure pure and simple, and I fail to discover that it is any 
“ modification of the so-called curvilinear roofs with straight lines.” 
Mr. Warhurst indicates that this model structure is weak at the 
junction of the roof and sloping side glass, but I think differently. He 
appears to have overlooked the fact that a rod of three-quarter-inch iron 
(round), runs the whole length of the roof on both sides, passing through 
all the main rafters, while all the fighter are secured to it by means of 
thin iron hooped and a screw on each side of the rod. These iron rods 
are just 14 inches from the eaves of the house. This is one way of 
supporting the roof and keeping the fighter bars between the main rafters 
in their place, and will prove more durable, while it strengthens the 
portion near the eaves much better than a fight “ connecting plate or 
rail.” All the rafters and bars connected with the front glass are let into the 
wall plate, and then those of the roof are fitted neatly to them and nailed. 
I do not think in the house in question they have obtained fight and 
sacrificed the strength of the roof; it is fight, yet abundantly strong, and 
will not be twisted about by any storms that may break over it. If the 
glass used were fight and poor I should agree with Mr. Warhurst that 
small squares would have been better, but that employed is 26-oz., and 
which will bear a storm of wind of unusual violence before the laps open 
to let in much cold air.— Wh. Bardney. 
CHOU DE BURGHLEY. 
It is the first time I have seen it stated that autumn Cabbage and 
Coleworts are strong in flavour. What can be more delicious than a dish 
of Ellam’s Early, Little Pixie, or Coleworts at this season of the year ? and 
they take only about twenty minutes to boil them thoroughly. These can 
be produced in grand condition after an early crop has been cleared from 
the ground, which is not the case with Mr. Abbey’s pet vegetable. I am 
afraid your correspondent has been enjoying the former, and mistaken them 
for Chou de Burghley. It must have taken some boiling before it was as 
“ tender as a chicken.” Mr. Abbey failed to say how long he boiled them. 
Mr. Gilbert allows one hour and twenty minutes. It is true there is no 
accounting for tastes, and after boiling the Chou de Burghley the length 
of time Mr. Gilbert thinks necessary, there is no difficulty in detecting the 
“ smack ” of the flavour of Broccoli leaves. How does Mr. Abbey get 
that “ delicate ” flavour he detects, and which is evidently beyond descrip¬ 
tion ? I must examine Mr. Abbey’s statement further. He says it is as 
“ hard as nails.” Can he write this from experience if he obtained seed 
only in March last P Has there been any severe weather since then to 
warrant such an assertion ? 
I consider Chou de Burghley a coarse vegetable. It is longer on the 
ground than Cabbage, takes up much more room, and requires four times 
the amount of coal to boil it; in fact, Cabbage and Coleworts can be boiled 
for four dinners in the same time, and with the same fuel as is required to 
produce Chou de Burghley in eatable condition for one day. Chou de 
Burghley may do for Mr. Abbey, who, I dare say, has no coal to buy and 
abundance of ground on which to grow vegetables. I have only a small 
garden, and I want the most from it that can be obtained. First I must 
have a crop of Potatoes, then tender Cabbages for winter that do not want 
too much boiling, for I know too well the cost of the twentieth part of a 
ton of coal before it is conveyed six or seven miles from the station.— 
A Working Man. 
WILD GARDENING. 
A taste for natural or “ wild ” gardening is being much more 
cultivated by the general public, and it behoves every gardener to be on 
the outlook for the appearance of, and be in readiness to adopt anything 
that is likely to add a charm to the surroundings. Many really beautiful 
and interesting gardens may be made by utilising the narrow belts of 
trees and shrubberies which are so common, introducing some of our 
hardy shade-loving plants, Ferns, and Orchids. The latter might be 
introduced in quantity, and would be found to do very much better than 
they are generally seen in prepared beds or borders, a good carpeting of 
grass or some other low creeping plant being really essential to their 
well-being, and it is not always practicable to have tufts of grass in beds. 
G. F. Wilson, Esq., of Weybridge, has within the last few years made 
a great advance in this direction. In the woods surrounding his residence 
at Heatherbank one unexpectedly finds a large clump of Lilies, some of 
L. auratum being from 5 to 6 feet high, with large well-coloured flowers, 
and growing, too, entirely under the shade of large trees. Old roots are 
used with good effect. A few thrown carelessly together are covered with 
the beautiful Tropmolum speciosum, which, by the way, does as well here 
as in the north, and surrounding them with the common male and female 
Ferns, making truly a “ charming picture.” At Wisley, too, this wild 
gardening has been practised on a much larger scale than at the former 
place. Large patches of Epigrna repens are seen quite at home trailing 
through the long grass, together with the pretty Linntca borealis, 
Sibthorpia europsea, and a great variety of our shade-loving plants, 
forming a picture that contrasts strikingly with the stiff symmetrical 
gardening so common in the parks and gardens about London. In 
this way a great many of our native alpines, such as Lycopodiums, 
Empetrums, Vacciniums, Pyrolas, &c., might be grown very effectively. 
At Kew a small colony of these interesting plants has been established 
under the shade of some Scotch Pines, and in many cases are as vigorous 
as I have seen them in the Highlands. Very little attention is required 
in their cultivation. Care, however, is necessary in the choice of a suitable 
position, which in no case Bhould be over-sheltered. A bed of peat and 
stiff loam may be prepared, into which angular stones should be deeply 
