182 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I February 27, 1890, 
way of raising stock than waiting for the plants to produce side shoots. 
This appears the only reliable method of propagation with those named. 
Varieties of Cooperi, terminalis, and others that have had their stems 
thoroughly ripened, may be cut up into lengths of about 1 inch ; if the 
etems are strong these may be split down the centre. These portions of 
stems must be sorted, placing those nearest the root in pans by them¬ 
selves, for they invariably start into growth first. They may be laid 
amongst sandy soil that is in an intermediate state for moisture, and 
covered with half an inch of soil. The pans should be plunged, and 
the surface covered with cocoa-nut fibre refuse to prevent evaporation, 
and thus delay the necessity of giving water. If kept wet early in the 
season they are certain to decay. 
PEIMULAS AT BEADING. 
Few plants generally employed for ornamental purposes alone have 
been so much improved and diversified in recent years as Primula 
sinensis—the Chinese Primrose, as some prefer to term it. The useful¬ 
ness of the plant has assisted greatly in extending its popularity, and it 
now takes a foremost place amongst those most prized for winter 
flowering. Though requiring care it is not by any means difficult to 
grow, or to grow well, and it is not surprising therefore that seedsmen 
recognising the potentialities of the plant have given it a large share of 
attention with correspondingly favourable results. 
During the past two months Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Eeading, have 
had a display of Primulas in their nursery most creditable to the firm, 
and representing in an interesting manner the progress that has been 
made within the past ten or twelve years. Ever since the Chinese 
Primula began to be appreciated as a garden plant Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons have given it their close attention, and they may fairly claim to. 
have contributed in no small degree to its present popularity. In 1879 
the firm obtained a first class certificate from the Eoyal Horticultural 
Society for a variety distinguished by the richness of its colour, and 
named Euby King. This was the forerunner of a series of fine varieties ; 
and though the one named is still unsurpassed in its class, an astonishing 
diversity in shades of colour, form, or size of flower, habit, &c., has been 
introduced, and numbers of certificates have been awarded to the types 
thus formed. An admirable example is furnished of what can be 
effected by continued well-directed efforts, and it also shows that capital, 
labour, and intelligence are indispensable in producing such results. 
The beautiful display of bright or soft-tinted Primulas indicates the 
accomplishment of a great task, and a reference to what may be termed 
the “ stud book ” shows the manner in which it has been effected. These 
records of skill in experimental crossing are unique, and it is easy by 
their means to trace back the parentage of any variety for ten or twelve 
years. This was actually done for my edification in the case of one 
▼ariety, and proved how carefully the system had been devised and fol¬ 
lowed, for the lineage was traced most readily, each parent in every 
generation being given. 
It would be unnecessary to refer in detail to the many varieties, they 
are so accurately and fully described in the catalogue that it would 
be superfluous, but a few notes will suffice to indicate the lines upon 
which most of the improvements have been effected. First as regards 
the flowers, we find that they have been much increased in size, the 
substance improved, and consequently their duration prolonged ; the 
iorm has also been rendered more symmetrical and less “ starry ” than 
was the case with the earlier varieties. The colours have been diver¬ 
sified, and it is here that the advance has been made, for from pure white, 
through blush, rose, red, crimson, and purple to blue, the tints are innu¬ 
merable, and all that is wanting is a yellow variety, and there is a 
prospect that this may be secured at some time. Of course there is a 
repetition of nearly all the colours secured in double flowered varieties, 
many of which are most useful for cutting. 
In habit and foliage much has also been done to increase the varia¬ 
tions from the original type. The plants are now strong and compact, 
the leafstalks relatively short, the flower trusses being borne well above 
the foliage, but not sufficiently so to give them a drawn appearance. 
The foliage imparts much character to the plants, and the two broad 
•classes of varieties are those with fern leaves, and those with round or 
plain leaves, but to these can be added the varieties with leaves crisped 
and curled at the margin, while other classes are being formed, one with 
leaves of an extremely dark metallic appearance. 
Attention has been given in the past few years to a prolongation of 
the season of flowering, not only by successional seed sowing but by 
raising varieties that have a marked tendency to flower either early or 
late. Much success has attended these efforts, and several have been 
fixed that assist materially in this direction. Plants of the perpetual 
varieties raised from seed sown at the same time and treated in every way 
identically have shown a difference of six weeks to two months in their 
flowering periods.— Visitor. 
MAQUI BEREIES. 
The Maqui is a small evergreen tree or shrub (Aristotelia Maqui) 
common in Chili along the course of torrents and in shady, mountainous 
woods. It belongs to the Linden order (Tiliace®), which abounds in 
•species, the inner bark or bast of which affords fibre of more or less 
value. The most important are jute and the linden from which the 
well-known Eussia matting is made. The Maqui also affords a fibre 
which is used in Chili for cordage. It is easily cultivated in gardens 
in the south of England, and at Kew grows vigorously with the protection 
of a wall. Whether its cultivation for the production of fibre would pay 
is doubtful, looking at the profusion of excellent fibre plants which are 
not woody which are now known. In Chili the fruits of the Maqui are 
eaten either fresh or preserved in different ways. Mixed with Grapes, a 
wine is also made from them. The shrub varies with either dark purple 
or greenish white berries ; the latter are preferred in Chili. 
A curious industry has sprung up of late years in the collection and 
export to Europe of the berries for colouring wine. For the particulars 
contained in the following letter Kew is indebted to the Consul-General 
for Chili. The Maqui flowers freely at Kew, but rarely fruits. Its culti¬ 
vation for the sake of the berries would, therefore, be precarious in 
England, but would probably present no difficulty in Southern Europe, 
The first notice of the introduction of Maqui berries into Europe is ap¬ 
parently that given by J. Poisson in the “Eevue Horticole” for 1886, 
page 467. He suspected that they were intended for the colouration of 
wine, a purpose for which he stated that Elder berries were already em¬ 
ployed in France. He explains that the object of adding the berries to 
Grapes in making wine in Chili was for the sake of the colour. No 
doubt it occurred to some ingenious person to extend their use in a dried 
state for the same purpose to the Old World. 
The following letter was sent by Senor Juan de la C. Cerda, Consul- 
General for Chili, to the Eoyal Gardens, Kew :—“ In reply to your kind 
letter of the 14th inst., I am sorry to inform you that I do not know 
where you could get some fruits for your museum of the Aristotelia 
Maqui; but I am writing to my friends in Liverpool and Glasgow, and 
as soon as I have any information I will let you know. Probably I may 
get some fruit, and if I do I will be very pleased to hand it to you. The 
common name of this fruit in Chili is Maqui, the same as the plant, and 
it is cropped from the wild shrub in the forests. It is not cultivated at 
all. I think that the attention of farmers will be very soon drawn to 
the cultivation of this important plant, in consideration of the great 
development in the exportation of its fruit to Europe in the last three 
or four years for colouring wines. 
“ The total of this exportation was 26,592 kilos, worth 2234 dols., in 
1884 ; 136,026 kilos, worth 10,882 dols., in 1886 ; and 431,392 kilos, worth 
34,615 dols., in 1887 ; of which the exportation to France was 500 kilos 
in 1884, 115,000 in 1886, and 315,774 in 1887. I have no statistics for 
1888 and 1889, but it is to be supposed that the increase may have been 
in the same proportion. Wine is not produced from this plant, but ribbons 
from the stems for fastening in farming purposes are usual, and easily 
made without any preparation, simply by hand. 
“ I think it would be a benefit for Chili as well as for England, where 
this shrub grows in the open air, to carry out an experiment with two or 
three small stems of the good specimen you have in the Gardens by 
passing the ribbons of these stems produced by hand through any 
scutching machine, in order to ascertain the value of its fibres for 
textile purposes .”—(Kew Bulletin'). 
WOKK.foi\.theWEEK.. 
11 
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FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Plants Starting into Fruit .—Plants selectel about the 
beginning of last December, and started by an advanced temperature 
and increased moisture, are now showing fruit, and as it is advisable to 
promote the ripening as much as possible, the temperature may be 
maintained at 65° to 70° at night, and 75° to 80° under favourable 
circumstances, ventilating at 80°, allowing an advance to 85°, utilising 
the sun heat as much as possible. With the fruit advancing the plants 
will require more water at the roots ; examine the whole stock once a 
week, as with increased light and heat the need for water will corre¬ 
spondingly increase. Recently started plants to succeed those already 
named should have a night temperature of 65°, and 70° by day arti¬ 
ficially, which will be sufficient for them some time longer. 
Starting Suckers will have to be started about the com¬ 
mencement of March to provide plants to give a succession of fruit from 
next December onwards : therefore attend to the preparation of soil for 
potting, and a fermenting bed in some close structure to generate and 
maintain a bottom heat of 85° to 90° near the surface, and with means 
of maintaining a temperature of 55° to 65° by fire heat with regularity. 
Vines. —Early Vines in Pots .—These must not sustain any check 
through dryness. Top-dress with rich turfy loam and decayed manure 
in about equal parts, placing rims of zinc 3 or 4 inches deep round the 
tops of the pots, or if the pots are plunged to the rim in fermenting 
material, strips of turf of about that thickness should be laid so as to 
form the necessary dish. In order to encourage the swelling of the 
berries keep the laterals below the bunches somewhat closely stopped, 
allowing more liberty to those above them, but avoid overcrowding the 
trellis with foliage that cannot have full exposure to light. With the 
Grapes approaching the stoning process careful treatment is necessary. 
Ventilate early in the day, affording a little air at 70°, increasing it 
with the sun heat to 85°, closing at 80°, and if an advance follow to 85° 
or 90° all the better. Avoid cold draughts, they are a prolific cause of 
