146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
'[ February X9,1891. 
illustration is giren of Angrajcum fragrans together with the 
following description :— 
“ The interest attached to this little Orchid is due to the 
persistent Vanilla-like odour of the leaves when dry, which has led 
to its use as a tea in Bourbon, the Mauritius, and even to some 
extent in France. According to a notice in the ‘ Gardener’s 
Chronicle ’ (1850, p. 599) of an article on this plant by a M. 
Gobley, communicated to the ‘ Chemical Gazette,’ it is considered 
a digestive, and even recommended in diseases of the respiratory 
organs. The popular name is variously spelled Fahame, Faham, 
Fahan, Fahon, Fahum, and Faam, of the origin of which I have no 
information. It is a native of both Bourbon and the Mauritius, 
from which last-named island plants were received in 1887 at Kew, 
from Mr. Horne, F.L.S., Director of the Botanical Gardens, 
Pamplemousses, which flowered in January of last year, and were 
very sweet scented. 
“ With regard to the genus Ailranthus to which A. fragrans is 
referred by Reichenbach and in the ‘Flora of Mauritius’ it is to be 
observed that it was founded by Bindley as iEranthes (altered to 
Hilranthus in ‘Vegetable Kingd.'), for the Dendrobium Arach¬ 
nites of Thnuars (‘ Orch. Afr.,’ t. 88), and another species, A. 
grandiflora (‘Bot. Reg.,’ t. 817 ; ‘ Bot. Mag.,’ t. 6034, misspelt 
Acranthua), to which he incautiously added as a third a true 
AngrjBcum, the A. sesquipedale, Thouars. Of these the two first 
differ notably from Angrsecum in habit and form of flower, in the 
elongate foot of the column, and the singular spur, and as 
Bentham remarks (‘ Gen. Plant.’ iii. 576), they are more allied to 
brides than to Angrsecum. Reichenbach, on the other hand, has 
without comment (‘ Walp. Ann.,’ vol. vi., 899) introduced a crowd 
of genuine Angrjeca, including fragrans, together with species of 
other very different genera, into .diranthus, Beichb. /., but 
omitting both Lindley’s species, though at the same time citing 
yEranthus, Lindl., as a synonym of his Ailranthus. 
“ Description :—Stem 6 to 10 inches long or more, about as thick 
as a goose-quill, scandent. Leaves few, towards the top of the 
stem, 3 to 4 inches long by half to three-quarters of an inch broad, 
spreading and recurved, lorate, deeply two-lobed at the tip, lobes 
rounded, deeply channelled down the centre, margins recurved. 
Flowers solitary, axillary or supra-axillary ; peduncle ascending or 
erect, with the ovary 2 to 2^ inches long, rather stout, sheaths and 
sheathing bract appressed. Flowers 2 inches in diameter across 
the sepals, pure white, fragrant ; sepals and petals linear, spreading 
and recurved, obtuse. Lip about as long as the sepals, hastately 
lanceolate, acute, grooved down the centre ; spur slender, rather 
longer than the sepals, green. Column very short, sides sub- 
auricled ; anther hemispheric, ridged on the crown ; pollinia 
attached one on each side of the acute apex of an oblong entire 
strap.” 
In the Kew museum specimens may be seen of the prepared 
leaves as sold in France. 
ECONOMIC FRUIT GROWING. 
There may be some truth in the statement that any method 
of fruit-growing is economical if conducted on systematic and well- 
founded principles, but that at the present moment is not so 
commonly adopted as might be expected. I know full well there 
are hundreds of establishments where the gardener cannot carry 
out fruit-planting speculations ; but there are, at the same time, 
many gardens that could be made more productive by tree-planting, 
and that, too, without incurring a large expenditure. What I am 
referring to is the utilising of the spaces occupied by garden 
paths, and it might bo asked, How often can such spaces be found 
contributing to the extension of the fruit supply, or towards the 
outlay required in maintaining them in presentable condition ? 
It is quite true that the orthodox garden arches are expensive, 
so, also, might trees be suitable for filling them quickly ; but costly 
trees or ironwork I do not advocate. Maiden trees, everyone 
knows, can be secured cheaply enough, and there is common 
evidence that these cheap trees are much more largely planted at 
the present time than in former years. These are what might be 
planted so as to turn the garden paths to profitable account, insert¬ 
ing them at distances apart consistent with prevailing circumstances. 
They may be planted at 6 feet or 6 yards asunder, or any inter 
mediate distance suited to the will of the operator or the purchaser, 
previously fixing some iron rods of a length sufficient to be bent 
over and inserted in the ground or each side of the walk, and of 
such strength as to make the work remunerative. Sufficient head 
room must be allowed for free passage beneath. 
T hese being in position, the next provision must be something 
o p revent their displacement by wind, which, however, may not 
e necessary for the first two or three years. In the one instance 
only I saw moderately strong wire strained overhead, so as to 
connect altogether the whole length of the arches, the ends of the 
wire being fixed to a wall. Failing this the end rod might be 
supported by a couple of tolerably long spurs, or with wire attached 
to short plugs driven in the ground behind them. 
The trees being planted in pairs are trained to meet each other 
at the top, but instead of their growth being suspended at this 
stage they are allowed to extend each in an opposite direction 
along the central overhead wire until the space is furnished. 
Ordinary fixed arches, valuable though they are, interfere greatly 
with the access to the vegetable or other fruit quarters, so also do 
espalier and low cordon-trained trees when a continuous wire fence 
is adopted for training them ; but such an objection cannot be 
raised against the system here alluded to, because they may be 
disposed at distances allowing of an easy passage between. 
I have previously remarked that only one instance of this 
simple and inexpensive style of tree growth have been noted, and 
it had its origin in this case by the failure of the low cordons that 
were planted as an edging to the fruit quarters, which was a walled 
space set apart exclusively for fruit growing. The gardener at that 
time, being of an unusually inventive and original turn of mind, 
conceived the idea that by changing their position from the usual 
low level to a simple arrangement spanning the path the growth 
would be better situated for gaining more perfect maturity, and 
this course not only added to the extent of the crop, but greatly to 
the appearance of the enclosure, thus combining pleasure with 
profit in a marked degree. Apples and Pears are the only fruits 
thus treated, but Plums, or even Gooseberries, might be so planted 
for imparting variety and change to the scene if this were needed. 
If carried out only to a moderate extent the plan is well worth 
consideration, particularly to the owners of small gardens, where 
much ground cannot be given up to fruit culture ; but there may 
possibly be some large establishments where the supply is scarcely 
equal to the demand in the matter of dessert.—W. S. 
Events of the Week.— -To-day (Thursday), February 19th, the 
Royal Society will meet at 4.30 P.M., and the Linnean Society at 8 P.M. 
The Quekett Club assemble at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 20th, and the 
Royal Botanic Society on Saturday, February 21st, at 4 p.m. On 
Wednesday, February 25th, the Society of Arts will meet at 8 P.M. 
- The Weather.— Since our last issue no rain has fallen in the 
metropolitan district, and the soil, through having been so thoroughly 
frozen, turns up in admirable condition for working and planting. 
Slight morning frosts have occurred, and on Tuesday a somewhat dense 
fog prevailed, rendering artificial light a necessity in London over a 
considerable part of the day. Tne fog continued on Wednesday. 
- Bismarck Apple.— In reference to the correspondence about 
this Apple it is quite true Mr. Palmer sent us trees of it in 1879, with 
a rough sketch of the fruit, and spoke of it very highly ; but coming 
from such a warm climate as Auckland we were doubtful if it would 
be suitable for this country, consequently did not give it that attention 
it deserved. We fruited it in the open quarters, but unfortunately 
could not save the fruit. It was not till we saw the fruit exhibited by 
Messrs. Veitch at the Crystal Palace that we discovered its merits, and 
when we told their fruit foreman that we had a gocd stock of it and 
many in a fruiting state he would scarcely believe us. At the same 
time we found out that they were not prepared to send it out that 
autumn ; but in consequence of their having brought it into notice 
and receiving the certificate for it, we arranged to waive our right of 
sending it out until they had their stock ready for disposal the follow¬ 
ing season. —John Laing & Sons. 
- Frost Effects.— I have not yet seen it in print what a 
peculiar sheen remains to the fruit and all other deciduous trees since 
the departure of the silver rime that made them look so beautiful for so 
long. They appear as if an ashen-grey wash had been carefully painted 
over them, even to the tips of their tiniest sprays. If it will but act as 
a w.ash and extirpate the tribes of vermin that trees have been afflicted 
with the last three years how thankful we all should be. I grow a 
fair sprinkling of choice Conifers and other evergreens which have 
been presented to me as keepsakes by old friends. Excepting Golden 
