1883.J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
21 
The Variegated Tree-Mallow. 
A very old garden plant is the Tree-Mal¬ 
low, or Velvet-leaf (Lavatera arborea). The 
genus Lavatera, of the Mallow Family, was 
named in honor of the brothers Lavater, 
Swiss naturalists. The plant in question is a 
native of the South of Europe, and is oc¬ 
casionally found wild in the southern por¬ 
tions of Great Britain. It has long been cul¬ 
tivated in our Northern gardens as an an¬ 
nual, and in Southern gardens as a perennial. 
It is one of those uncertain plants which may 
be hardy for several years at the North, and 
then be killed in an unusually severe -winter. 
Hence it is better in such localities to grow 
it as an annual. The plant, when treated as 
an annual, grows readily from the seeds, and 
forms stout stems, four to six feet high, with 
numerous showy leaves, which are nearly 
circular in outline, and from six to nine 
inches across, with this ample and conspicu¬ 
ous foliage, and a stem terminated by a clus¬ 
ter of purplish flowers, it forms a most at¬ 
tractive object. It is one of those old things 
that have been pushed out of sight by newer, 
but not more meritorious plants. A new in¬ 
terest has been created in this garden plant 
in Europe, by the introduction of a strik¬ 
ingly variegated form. Though the foliage 
of the normal plant is pleasing by the large 
size and graceful outline of the leaves, we 
have in the new variety all the vigor of the 
original plant, while each leaf is variegated 
in the striking manner shown in the engrav¬ 
ing. Each leaf, while it presents blotches of 
the original dark green, has splashes of a 
lighter green, while a large share of the sur¬ 
face is of the purest white, making a brilliant 
“foliage plant” that, during the past sum¬ 
mer, has been much admired in European 
gardens. The most interesting point in re¬ 
gard to this Variegated Tree-Mallow is that 
its peculiar variegation is propagated by the 
seed. It is stated that of all the seedlings 
thus far produced, none have failed to pre¬ 
sent a marked variegation. Of course, our 
wide-awake seedsmen and florists will see to 
it that this marked and desirable novelty is 
very promptly placed within the reach of the 
amateurs of this country, that they may test 
it the coming summer in our scorching sun. 
Laws for the Protection of Orchards, etc. 
“ E. F. M.,” of South Gates, N. Y., writes: 
—“I have been told that there are special laws 
for the protection of fruit and farm produc¬ 
tions, that are very stringent, 
but I do not know where to 
find them. You would, per¬ 
haps, benefit a large number 
of your readers who suffer 
from the depredations of fel¬ 
lows who ‘ go cooning ’ in or¬ 
chards and vineyards, by pub¬ 
lishing such laws, or, if too 
voluminous, by giving refer¬ 
ence to them.”—There are 
statutes in most of the States 
providing for the punishment 
of such offences. In the ab¬ 
sence of such statutes depre¬ 
dators can be taken for the 
trespass which they commit in 
going after the fruits, but not 
for the stealing of the fruit. 
The N. Y. statute is as follows: 
“Any person who shall at 
any time enter upon any or¬ 
chard, fruit garden, vineyard, 
or any field or inclosure, 
wherein is cultivated any 
domestic fruit whatever, and 
which is kept for such pur¬ 
pose, without the consent of 
the owner, or occupant there¬ 
of, being previously had and 
obtained, and with intent to 
take, or destroy, or injure, 
anything there growing, shall 
be deemed guilty of a mis¬ 
demeanor, and on conviction 
thereof, shall be punished as in 
such cases provided by law.” 
“Any person who shall willfully cut down, 
destroy, or in any way injure, any tree, 
shrub, or vine, within any inclosure, or field, 
wherein is cultivated any domestic fruit 
whatever, and which is kept for such pur¬ 
poses, or shall injure any building, trellis, 
framework, or any appurtenance belonging 
to, or upon any such field or inclosure, shall 
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on 
conviction thereof, shall be punished as in 
such case provided by law.”—Revised Stat¬ 
utes, N. Y., III., p. 982. 
The punishment is by imprisonment in the 
county jail, not exceeding six months, or by 
a fine, not exceeding one hundred and fifty 
dollars, or by both such fine and imprison¬ 
ment.—Revised Statutes, N. Y., III., p. 972. 
The New York Statute gives the farmer 
the right to arrest and bring before the mag¬ 
istrate, any person found “cooning” in his 
orchard.—Revised Statutes, N.Y., III., p. 982. 
The Michigan Statute is as follows: 
“ Every person who shall willfully commit 
any trespass by entering upon the garden, 
orchard, or other improved land of another, 
without permission of the owner thereof, 
and with intent to cut, take, carry away, de¬ 
stroy, or injure the trees, grain, grass, hay, 
fruit, or vegetables, there growing, or being, 
shall be punished by imprisonment in the 
county jail, not more than thirty days, or by 
fine, not exceeding twenty dollars; and if 
any of the offences mentioned in this, or the 
preceding section (which refers to the taking 
of timber, earth, crops, etc.,) shall be com¬ 
mitted on the first day of the week, or in 
the variegated tree-mallow ( Lavatera arborea). 
disguise, or secretly in the night time, be¬ 
tween sun-setting and sun-rising, the impris¬ 
onment shall not be less than five days, nor 
the fine less than five dollars.”—2 Comp. 
Laws, Mich., 2090. H. A. H. 
These extracts from the New York and 
Michigan Statutes may furnish suggestions to 
those of other States who desire to secure 
protective legislation during this winter. 
Water-Cress.—Its Cultivation. 
In all large cities there is an increasing de¬ 
mand for Water-cress, and it meets with a 
ready sale at remunerative prices. As it is a 
vegetable that can only be grown where 
there are running streams, its cultivation is 
limited to comparatively few localities. We 
know of some farms on the Hudson River, 
the owners of which receive from their water¬ 
cress a larger income than they do from all 
the rest of their crops. Whoever has an un¬ 
failing stream can have an abundant supply 
of water-cress. In some cases it is merely 
allowed to grow in the natural stream, but 
those who make a business of growing it, 
increase the area by making beds at right 
angles to the stream. These will depend 
upon the character of the land and the sup¬ 
ply of water. The beds are usually five feet 
wide, and of a length governed by the level 
of the land. These beds are excavated to an 
average depth of about eight inches, and are 
made about five feet apart. The making of 
such beds being governed by the peculiarities 
of each locality, only general directions can 
be given. They should bo so constructed 
that they can receive water from the stream, 
which may be directed into them by the use 
of board dams. As many beds may be made 
as can be kept flooded during the winter. 
Water-cress is naturalized in many streams 
in the older States, and where it occurs, a sup¬ 
ply may be secured for stocking the planta¬ 
tion. The plant, as shown in the engraving. 
WATER-CRESS, WITH A CUTTING. 
is mostly submerged. Each joint below the 
surface throws off roots, and if the stem be 
made into cuttings like that shown at the 
top of the engraving, each of these frag¬ 
ments, if set in the soil of the bed, will soon 
form a vigorous plant. Such cuttings may 
be set a foot apart each way in the soil of the 
beds before the water is let in to them. Those 
who can not procure cuttings can readily raise 
the plants from seeds, which are sold by the 
principal seedsmen. If the seeds are sown 
in a box in good garden soil, which is kept 
very moist, a supply of plants for transplant¬ 
ing will soon be at hand. The starting of beds 
of water-cress should begin in early spring. 
