1877. ] 
POLYGONUM CUSPIDATUM AS A TOWN PLANT. 
43 
Baron Eothschild, at Ferrieres; these had been planted only a few years pre¬ 
viously—three or four years at the most—and quite covered the wall; they were 
also carrying a much heavier crop of fruit than I have ever seen, in the same 
space, from trees trained upon the fan system. 
Moreover, trees trained in this way may be planted at 3 ft. apart, which will 
admit of a much larger number, and consequently greater variety, in a given 
space. In this way, now that we have several good early and late Peaches and 
Nectarines added to our lists, the season of these fruits may be considerably pro¬ 
longed, which is one object of considerable importance. In addition to the 
greater variety to be thus secured, the wall may be covered in half the time it 
would take upon the old system, which, in very many cases, is an advantage 
scarcely to be overrated, as all new gardens must of necessity be deficient for the 
first two or three years of a supply of fruit for the dessert. Any other kinds of 
fruit-trees may, no doubt, be trained in this manner with like favourable results. 
This mode of planting facilitates the registration of the names of the varieties 
grown, as a running list is all that is necessary ; and being planted at short, 
regular intervals, any blanks would be at once detected, which might not be so 
easily done in the cases of trees occupying greater space. The plan has been 
adopted at the Eoyal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, both under 
glass, and against the outside walls. The former lot was planted several years 
since; the latter only about three years, and the wall is now nearly covered 
with good fruit-bearing trees.— George Eyles, 44 Eardley Crescent^ South 
Remington, 
POLYGONUM CUSPIDATUM AS A TOWN PLANT. 
f N the preface to many a small treatise, the author states that “ a great 
want has long been felt ” for the article which he, in his benevolence, has 
at length provided ; and following this precedent, I cannot do better than 
^ introduce Polygonum cuspidatum, alias P. Sieboldii, as a plant to fill a gap 
of no ordinary dimensions. The plant belongs to a family of troublesome weeds, 
of which the Fat Hen (used as a spinach) is a notable member ; and from a certain 
family likeness, this plant, like the Fat Hen, may perhaps some day do duty 
as a vegetable at the board of the poor man. Its chief merits at present, 
however, consist in its being, like Jonah’s Gourd, a plant of rapid growth, and in 
its taking kindly to town life. It grows at least 10 ft. high, and the rapidity 
with which it runs up may be seen, when I state that one recently planted against a 
cottage in a narrow street in Manchester, attained from 6 ft. to 7 ft. in height; 
and being a bold herbaceous plant, with a branching stem spotted with purple, 
and well furnished with leaves all the way up, it has no mean or common aspect. 
When rising in spring, which it does in May, the succulent shoots are crisp and 
tender, and rather larger than fair-sized Asparagus. The leaf is heart-shaped, 
with a narrowed point and truncate base, and handsome. It is thoroughly hardy, 
and one of its peculiarities is that its underground stems spread widely in search 
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