72 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULIURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 24, 1884. 
lie does not refer to it in his books, what was called New Zealand 
Spinach (Tetraginia expansa), which was brought to Britain 
from New Zealand and Tingataboo by Sir J. Banks in 1772, but 
not eaten by the natives of those islands. It grows well in the 
open air, especially towards the west of England, and produces 
an abundance of succulent leaves, though apparently its muci¬ 
laginous character does not suit the English taste. 
The Skirret, a member of the natural order to which belong 
the CaiTot and Parsnip (Shim Sisaruml, differs from those 
species in having a perennial root, and, unlike them, this has not 
kept the popularity it formerly had in this island, but it is still 
in repute upon the continent. As I do not perceive that any 
writer upon gardening or botany has attempted to account for 
the English name, I may make the original conjecture that it is 
probably derived from the Saxon slcir, meaning to “ scour ” 
or “ make clean.” But as the Skirret is credited in the east 
with medicinal virtues it might be debated whether the name 
refers to the plant as a cleanser and purifier of the system, or 
alludes to the circumstance that the roots before they are used 
must be thoroughly washed or scoured. Sir James Smith 
mentions the species as exemplifying Chinese trickery, because 
it was their custom to send its roots to Japan under the name 
of Ginseng, the true Ginseng of Tartary being another plant 
altogether, and of greater scarcity. If China is the native 
country of the Skirret it is likely the plant was brought to 
England or France by some of the early explorers of the 
mysterious region of Cathay ; but we do not know how long it 
has been grown by the western peoples, only it is referred to 
in 1548 as a plant, the roots of which were occasionally cooked, 
and appears not to be of the nature of a novelty then. These 
roots, or properly tubers, form a cluster about the base of the 
stem; they are fieshy and irregular, covered with a bark that is 
rough and whitish, the centre is hard. It is rich in sugar, as is 
the Parsnip, or even richer than that plant; and Worledge, who 
described the Skirret towards the end of the seventeenth century, 
called it the sweetest and most wholesome of roots. 
I have no doubt many persons who notice that Salsafy is 
quoted week by week in market lists (present price 1-?. a bundle 
1 believe) have never tasted this vegetable, nor could they 
identify Salsafy were it shown them. It is a plant of the Com¬ 
posite order (Tragopogon porrifolius), and although botanists 
occasionally pick specimens growing apparently wild, it is pre¬ 
sumed these have escaped from cultivation, the plant being a 
native of Asia and warm regions of Europe, such as Turkey. 
The name, which comes from a Latin root, has an allusion to 
the healthful qualities of the plant, but it was at first given in 
England, if Evelyn is correct, to another species of the genus, 
which is truly a native of this island — viz., the Goat’s-beard 
(T. pratense), also called “ Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon,’’ because the 
flowers close about mid-day. This has yellow flowers ; those of 
the Salsafy are purple ; both having edible roots, hence Evelyn’s 
complaint, that many dealers sold the English species, pretend¬ 
ing it was the exotic sort. Parkinson, writing some years earlier, 
mentions that the Goat’s-beard was, in his day, sometimes 
grown in gardens for the root, which was put into salads. 
A description is found in the works of Dioscorides, which 
suits the Salsafy except in one particular—he calls the stem of 
the plant before him “ short.” This adjective is scarcely appli¬ 
cable to the species as it is commonly seen growing, but there is 
proof that it is an old resident in Greece, if not a native of that 
land, so the Salsafy may be the edible herb with a long sweet 
root which the ancient physician praises. We cannot possibly 
ascertain when the plant was brought into England, or by whom. 
It may have been introduced by one of the wandering monks, or 
by some crusader. On the continent, where Salsafy is still in 
considerable demand, the young plant is eaten, as was evidently 
the custom in former times. The root, boiled and then fried, 
has been fancied to have a flavour resembling that of the oyster. 
The Viper’s-grass of Spain, also called Scorzonera, got both 
its familiar names from the repute it had of acting as an anti¬ 
dote to the poison of a Spanish snake or viper, which had the 
name of scurzo,” but modern science would pi*obably scout a 
notion which was long current in Spain and other lands. At 
some date in the sixteenth century it was also discovered that 
the root when boiled was an agreeable article for the table, and 
from Spain it was brought to France and to England, but, 
though once more cultivated than at present, Scorzonera has 
never been in much use with us.—J. E. S. 0. 
SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Ip I remember aright at the autumn meetings of the Eoyal Horticultural 
Society last year these were shown for the first time by Mr. Cannell of 
S wanley, where I received a box of blooms to inspect. I recollect being very 
much struck with the bright orange yellow eye and the comparatively bril¬ 
liant colours of the petals when contrasted with the doubles ; and then some 
of them have richly shaded concentric rings around the eye, as Dr. 
Kellock, that make them additionally attractive. Miss Beckwith, too, i» 
even more curious in this respect, having a band of white from which 
start the rosy-lilac rays. The observance of these central shades and 
tints is impossible in the doubles, and no doubt new seedlings will be 
added from year to year like single Dahlias. Though seedlings^ are 
easily raised, it often takes years to outdistance early introductions. 
Two of the earliest single Dahlias years ago were Paragon and Alba 
(White Queen)—nothing since of thousands of seedlings can surpass 
those. So of such single Chrysanthemums as Mrs. Kellock, with large 
and curiously fluted petals ; Miss Ellen Terry, with a bright magenta 
unequalled; a fitting rival being found in Mrs. Langtry, with reflexed 
silvery flesh-coloured blooms freely produced ; while another dramatic 
celebrity, Henry Irving, not very unlike the last, instead of being re¬ 
flexed, is concave or partially cupped. I have already named half a 
dozen, the cream of the single Chrysanthemums, among the curious 
for bouquet purposes. I may add another half-dozen that are very pro¬ 
mising with me at present; Alice, handsome, shaded white, a free 
grower, as is also Mr. Toole, though much taller, and still confined to a 
single stem ; Magenta King has a deeper orange centre than the pure 
white Miss Cannell, and both are more robust than the dwarfish Gus 
Harris or Fair Marguerite. This last differs from all the rest in having 
the florets contorted in a curious manner. Any reader who wants cut 
flowers in quantity and variety should possess this dozen at least, and 
though they may seem expensive at first, they will hold for years, and can 
be yearly added to. A few words as to culture. Plants obtained now 
can either be potted for conservatory blooming, or planted out and lifted 
before any danger of frost comes. Planted out and grown fully exposed 
in the sun they not only produce more blooms, but wholly take care of 
themselves. They will grow in any place, and succeed in almost any 
suburban garden. Mine are planted against a south wall, and the great 
leathery vigorous foliage and comparatively dwarf length of the stems,, 
which are wholly hid to the base, shows that they relish this treatment 
very much, with an occasional supply of soot water, and at other times of 
liquid manure. If I could calculate on the same immunity from frost as 
last year they should remain here for years, and light up the sombre- 
winter months, while giving lots of flowers for cutting.—W. J. Murphy,. 
Clonmel. 
TREATMENT OF IMPORTED CYPRIPEDIUMS. 
Cypripediums rank amongst the most useful of Orchids for the 
conservatory and other forma of decoration, for very few of them are 
injured by being subjected to cooler treatment for a few weeks when in 
flower. There are no Orchids easier of culture, and the same remarks- 
apply with equal force to the establishment of imported plants, provided 
they arrive in good condition. If collected at an unsuitable time and 
then delayed in transit often the plants are not worth the trouble that 
would be necessary to establish them. Plants that arrive in bad con¬ 
dition, with scarcely any life visible, test the energies of the best culti¬ 
vator to bring them into a vigorous condition ; in fact, the establishment 
of such plants with any certainty is almost impossible. Now-a-daye 
this is seldom the condition of imported plants, for frequently wheii 
they reach this country they possess green healthy foliage as if only just 
torn from their native habitats. The work of establishing plants with 
such foliage is easy. 
Imported Cypripediums are not always lost after arrival through 
carelessness ; on the contrary, more are lost by the want of knowledge 
and experience. I have been in this condition myself in regard to the 
best means of establishing imported Orchids, and therefore anticipate 
the wants of beginners or those unacquainted with the treatment required 
to establish the plants successfully. 
Perhaps the best time to receive them is during the early spring^ 
months, for they sooner commence the formation of roots and growth 
than at almost any other season. As soon as the plants arrive all injured 
or bruised foliage should be removed with a sharp knife, and the plants- 
suspended from the roof of an intermediate house for at least two or 
three weeks. The roots should be upwards and the foliage downwards 
to prevent water lodging in the centre of the plants, which is liable to 
cause decay. For the first ten days the moisture of the house in which 
they are plaeed will be ample, afterwards they can be syringed twice 
daily. When the plants arrive at the season indicated it is not difficult 
in a few weeks to observe if all is going on well, for the foliage will 
assume a freshness which it did not possess on arrival. After they reach 
this condition they may be potted with safety. 
They should be placed in the smallest pots possible, which must be 
nearly full of drainage, a little living sphagnum moss and lumps of char¬ 
coal only being placed about the roots. It is a good plan to make firm 
amongst the drainage a short yet stout stake to support the plant until 
roots are formed and it becomes established. Another system, and the 
one most preferable, is to keep the plants suspended until they commence 
pushing new roots, when a little moss is secured to them to retain mois¬ 
ture ; they will make even greater progress than when placed in pots, 
and there is less risk of water ledging in the leaves. When this is 
practised the plants are left unpotted until a good number of roots are 
made in the moss. They are then potted as if they were small established 
plants in equal parts of peat fibre and moss, with small lumps of charcoal 
a little less drainage is also placed in the pots. 
After they have been suspended for a short time at first in an inter¬ 
mediate temperature it must be decided whether the plants are warm or 
