MULBEEEIES FOE OECHAED-HOUSES. 
197 
IL 
lci70. ] 
In the plant of which, thanks to Messrs. Veitch and Sons^ we now offer an 
illustration, we have both the above useful species combined. It is called 
Echeveria glauco-metaUica^ and is a hybrid raised between E. glauca and E. 
metallica. It retains the rosulate growth of the former, but the effect of the 
cross has been to increase the size, so that the rosette of leaves is about thrice the 
size of that of E. glauca. Indeed, it is the largest of all the dwarf-growing 
stemless kinds, and to some extent it combines the deep glaucous hue of the 
one with the glowing coppery tint of the other. One of its great recommenda-- 
tions, in so far as regards its application in formal gardening, is that, although a 
very free grower, it never acquires a stem, so that the effect to be produced may 
always be relied on. The slender flower-scape, when it makes its appearance, 
grows about 12 in. or 15 in. high, and has the general character of that of E. 
glauca., the flowers being of a similar bright orange-scarlet colour, but larger. 
For summer bedding purposes, for which this plant will be found most useful, 
it is, however, the tufted rosette of leaves, rather than the flowers, which will be 
most useful. It was shown at one of the meetings of the Floral Committee in 
August, 1868, and was then awarded a First-Class Certificate.—M. 
MULBERKIES FOR ORCHARD-HOUSES. 
VENTURE to recommend this old-fashioned, very much neglected fruit to 
a little more notice and attention; especially would I recommend it to a 
front position in the orchard-house. We are most of us fond of Mulberries 
in a stealthy sort of way; and although our visits to the old mulberry tree 
may be ever so secretly made, the stains of our sin always rest upon us, and tell 
tales. A mulberry tree or two is to be found m almost every old well-furnished 
garden, but the trees are all old,—we scarcely find young trees anywhere, and 
none at all in our modern, newly-made gardens. This shows that in olden time 
Mulberries were looked upon with more favour than now ; and yet we like 
Mulberries—at least, as boys we did so. I like them still. 
Why is the Mulberry neglected ? It is not fashionable, we know. It has 
one fault—an ugly knack of dyeing our lips and fingers of a red and purple hue. 
It has another—the fruits as grown in our ordinary seasons are very often far 
from good ; they are frequently so acid as to make one shudder, or else mawkish, 
pasty, and nasty. Properly ripened Mulberries, however, such as we have tasted 
in sunny France, or such as we can grow and have in abundance for ourselves in 
our orchard-houses, are superb. That they are not first-rate in flavour on our 
open-air trees is in consequence of lack of heat, and through the effects of high 
winds and dashing rains, which cause the fruit to fall ere it is fully ripe. Grown 
in the orchard-house, they are exempt from all such dangers,—the fruit hangs 
until it is dead-ripe, until decay commences, in fact, and then it is really worth 
eating. The flavour is infinitely richer and superior in every way, more juicy, 
the whole pulp melting away like ice in one’s mouth, and leaving none of the 
