JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER , 
August 24,1882. ] 
179 
forming a rich vegetable mould on which Vines are planted. The 
fruit is collected and sold in large quantities in the markets, forming 
an extensive article of food to the inhabitants. They contain saccha¬ 
rine matter ; their juice is used for colouring confectionery, and in 
Mexico a drink called colinche is prepared from them. The plants 
grow abundantly in other parts of South Europe and in Algeria, from 
which place the fruits are imported into this country. When old the 
fibrous parts of the joints of the stems become hard and firm, and are 
made into ornamental articles. 
Rice Paper. —It might be supposed that the beautiful substance 
called rice paper was made of some part of the Rice plant, but such 
is not the case ; the name is quite misleading. It was early ascer¬ 
tained to be a vegetable substance, but the plant producing it was 
long unknown to botanists, and on inquiry being made respecting it, 
fanciful figures and descriptions were given of it by the Chinese. 
Not long after the commerce of China was opened to Europe it was 
ascertained that it came from the Island of Formosa, which led Sir 
John Bowring, then Governor of Hong-ICong, to obtain plants of it 
from that island, one of which arrived safely at Kew in 1853, and 
flowered in 1855. From this it was proved to be Aralia papyrifera, 
now known as Fatsia papyrifera. It is a small tree of the Ivy family 
(Araliacese), attaining a height of 10 to 12 feet, with a stem 3 to 
4 inches in diameter, the interior being full of white pith like that of 
the Elder. It has soft downy palmate leaves, something like those 
of the Plane tree, growing on long footstalks, and produces a some¬ 
what erect panicled raceme of small flowers. The tree is cut down 
in order to obtain the pith, which averages, according to size, about 
1 inch in diameter. It is divided into pieces about 3 inches in length, 
and by the aid of a lath and the use of a sharp instrument is cut into 
very thin rolls, and then becomes rice paper. It is extensively used 
by the Chinese for drawing figures of plants and animals, and also 
for making artificial flowers. The plant requires the protection of a 
greenhouse in this country, and propagates freely from suckers. It 
is now common in Australia and other countries. 
It need only'be further added that the work is excellently 
printed on^good'paper, and neatly bound in green cloth. 
THE LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY’S 
GROUNDS (John Cowan, Limited.) 
Most persons have heard of The Vineyard at Garston, formed by 
Mr. Meredith and long carried on by liim successfully, but which 
some time since was bought by Mr. Cowan, and afterwards a com¬ 
pany was formed by some Liverpool merchants to carry on the busi¬ 
ness. The nursery is pleasantly situated on rising ground overlooking 
the Mersey, and I was surprised to find quite a town of glass. I 
think there are thirty-six houses, besides pits and frames, houses from 
50 to 240 feet long. I cannot trespass on the pages of the Journal of 
Horticulture to give details of every house, but may remark that 
Grape-growing is not so largely followed now as formerly, more 
attention being paid to plant-growing. Still, one of the first houses 
I went into was a long lean-to with a division in the centre, and 
planted with one Madresfield Court Vine, which was bearing fine 
Grapes not fully ripe but swelling well. This one Vine filled the 
two divisions, and by turning on the heat at one end first it caused 
the Grapes to be three or four weeks in advance of those at the 
other end where the Vine was planted. In another house were 
some magnificent bunches of Gros Guillaume, the true variety, as sent 
out in 1850 from Stratford-on-Avon. It is most distinct from another 
variety I often meet with under that name. In other large houses 
were some good Muscats and Black Hamburghs, while Vines in pots 
are growing in large numbers—strong healthy plants 7 and 8 feet 
high. In the famous large house, 240 feet long by 25 feet wide, were 
three thousand fine young Vines ; some Foster’s Seedlings were show¬ 
ing fine bunches of fruit on the laterals. On the north side of these 
Vines I observed two men potting some thousands of seedling Ferns 
—Pteris serrulata—one would think enough to supply the whole of 
the country. My guide informed me this Fern is in great demand in 
the Liverpool market. There were also two new houses about 
150 feet long each, with glass sides over 6 feet high, built expressly 
for growing young Vines. 
Within the last year and half attention has been paid to Roses, 
especially Teas ; house after house is filled with all the best kinds. 
To give some idea of the fine growth they are making I may mention 
that some young Gloire de Dijons worked last spring were over 10 feet 
high, and amidst the many thousands of plants not one speck of 
mildew was visible; but the foliage was fresh, clean, and vigorous 
young shoots breaking up from the bottom thick and firm, with large 
clusters of buds—just such growth as one would expect to see in the 
south or west of England. Hundreds of Ericas and Cytisuses were 
growing outdoors just as well as in London. In other houses were 
thousands of Palms, and in one of the propagating houses were 
several thousand Hydrangea cuttings in a bed, and at the end of the 
house a number of fine young plants in 5-inch pots. Some were 
9 inches high, with a stout stem, the joints about three-quarters of an 
inch apart, the leaves 9 inches from the stem to the tip and 5 inches 
across, with large buds close, hard, and green, like small Cauliflowers. 
I was told that when potting them the men employed an extra quan¬ 
tity of the manure now being made and advertised by the Company, 
which is also being used for all purposes, even for their Orchids. 1 
noticed a fine lot of plants of the Chimney Campanula. So few know 
how to do these well in the present day, yet here they were 8 and 
10 feet high, with several stems, and white, blue, and lilac flowers. 
Solanums are largely grown, also Bouvardia Alfred Neuner, Tuberous 
Begonias, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums (Show and Regal), Zonals for winter 
blooming, Aralia Sieboldii, with other table and foliage plants. 
I was especially pleased with the packing shed; it is, in fact, a 
conservatory with platform all round, with a place for everything, 
even to a pair of scales. In the workshop the steam engine was 
driving the saws and other machines, and men were busy making the 
frames the Company advertise so much, and I was told they have 
large orders in for glass houses. I also visited the new nursery, some 
fifteen acres, at Gateacre, about four miles distant. This land was 
only obtained eleven months since, but several houses have been 
erected, in which the plants are looking well. Most of the grounds 
are planted, and the walks were wide enough for a carriage drive. 
To describe in detail all I saw would be too wearisome., but from the 
above notes it will be seen that The Vineyard Nursery is a large one, 
and all gardeners who may visit Liverpool should not omit a call at 
Garston.—N. J. D. 
THE MOUNTAIN ROSE. 
Under this rather pretty yet very appropriate name. of the old 
botanists, the attractive hardy shrub Rhododendun Lirsutum is 
Fig. 29.—Rhododendron hirsutum. 
scarcely known now. It is a native of the Alps of Switzerland, 
and is found near the summits of lofty mountains. When densely 
covered with its rosy scarlet flowers it has a glowing effect. The 
popular name is thus very expressive, both as regards the habitat 
of the plant and its appearance when flowering in its mountain 
home. 
For planting on large rockeries this Rhododendron is admirably 
adapted, its spreading yet compact habit rendering it very suitable 
for such sites ; and even when not flowering its dense bright green 
