280 THE COTTAGE GAKUENER AND 
I .... 
interesting, though unintentional, experiment I performed 
| witli a lot of them last March twelvemonth. I was in Dublin, 
i when a friend was parting with some duplicate specimens ot 
! the following plants; and having, for a wonder, some spare 
j cash, I bought them:— Aerides odorata, Dendrobium cceruleum , 
Vanda coeruleum, V.fulva, Odontoglossum grande, O. citros- 
mtm, Dendrobium keterocarpum , Loelia anceps , Cattleya 
Skinnerii , Epidendrum inversum , and a few others unnamed. 
! They were securely packed in a hamper, with a good bass 
' mat around them. I took them with me to the train ; but, 
being too large for the van, I had to leave them behind in the 
store to come next day by luggage-van, sixty miles into the 
country. That night (I was starting in the evening), it froze 
j hard; I trembled for my poor plants. Next day it froze harder, 
1 and I was upon thorns, waiting the whole day lor the return 
i of the cart I had sent for the hamper, as I live ten miles from 
| the railway. At last the cart came, and no hamper. One 
i train more was due that night at ten o’clock; so I at once 
went away myself in the dog-cart with the two largest blankets 
I could get, and at ten o’clock received my hamper out of 
the train. I wrapped it in the blankets, and came away, 
reaching home at midnight; the thermometer being 5° below 
freezing. With fear and trembling I commenced unpacking 
the hamper ; the bass-matting as stiff as sheet-iron, and com¬ 
pletely frozen. X looked at my poor plants, and there they 
were, more like crystallised bon-bons for decorating a Christ¬ 
mas-tree, than plants for a hothouse. I thought it was all 
up with them; so I put them into a cold greenhouse with the 
j blankets about them, and went to bed. To make a long 
j story short, I shall surprise you by telling you I did not 
J lose one plant! The top shoots of some were damaged, not of 
all: and this rather improved them, as it made them bushy ; 
and they have all since flowered beautifully. Vanda coeruleum 
and fulva did not suffer at all; Odontoglossum grande a little; 
and all the rest slightly.— Italicus, The Glen , Ballymahon . 
CITRUS JAPONICA. 
Received from China, by Mr. Fortune, under the name of 
the “Kum-quat.” 
Mr. Fortune has furnished the following memoranda 
respecting this plant:— 
“ This species, long known to botanists, and to those who 
have visited Canton, was one of the plants which Mr. Reeves 
recommended me to send home to the Horticultural Society. 
In the south of China, great quantities of it are grown in 
pots; and hence it is met with, as a common plant, in the 
well-known nursery gardens at Fa-tee. It is, however, 
evidently of a more northern origin; for I met with numerous 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Febeuaey 2, 1858. 
groves of it on the island of Chusan, and elsewhere in that 
part of China, where it grew in far greater perfection than it 
does about Canton. It seems also to be largely cultivated in 
Japan, where it has been seen and described by Japanese 
travellers, such as Thunberg and Siebold.” 
“ The Kum-quat groves of Chusan are formed on the sides 
of the lower hills, in those situations where the Tea-shrub 
(Thea viridis) flourishes. The plants are arranged in rows, 
about four feet apart, and do not attain to a larger size than 
about six feet in height ; from three to six feet is the size 
which they are usually met with. A small kind of Orange is 
also found in these groves ; but good Oranges, such as those 
knowm in the south as Mandarins , and Coolies , are entirely 
unknown ; indeed, the Chusan winters would be far too cold 
for them. This shows, therefore, that the Kum-quat is of a 
much hardier nature than any of the plants belonging to the 
Orange tribe with which we are acquainted in gardens.” 
“ The fruit ripens late in the autumn, being then about the 
size of a large oval Gooseberry, having a sweet rind and a 
sharp acid pulp. It is largely used by the Chinese as a pre¬ 
serve; and very frequently finds its way to England as 
presents to those who have friends in China. Preserved in 
sugar, according to the Chinese method, it is excellent. 
“ In China, the Kum-quat is propagated by grafting on a 
prickly wild species of Citrus, which seems of a more hardy 
nature than the Kum-quat itself. This fact should be kept 
in mind when the plant is increased in this country ; other¬ 
wise we shall have a comparatively hardy plant growing on a 
tender one. We have no experience yet as to the fitness of j 
this plant for our climate ; but, if not quite hardy about j 
London, it is likely to prove so in such counties as Cornwall, 
and Devonshire, or in the south of Ireland. It is well worth j 
a trial in those districts ; for if it would succeed as it does in 
the island of Chusan, it would be a striking and beautiful 
object. The Kum-quat groves on that island, were amongst i 
the prettiest sights which came under my notice, particularly 
when the fruit was ripe, hanging in profusion over the bushes ; 
and contrasting so well with the clear green foliage.” 
The plant is cultivated in the Society’s Garden, resembles 
a dwarf small-flowered Orange tree, with thinner, smaller, and 
narrower leaves. Its fruit is as Mr. Fortune describes it; but 
its bright Orange rind is not very fragrant until it is cut or 1 
scraped, when it becomes liighly agreeable. It is not much 
thicker than the skin of a Gooseberry, and contains five cells, | 
filled with a very acid pulp, resembling that of the “ Lime.” j 
It will no doubt make an excellent preserve. 
According to Siebold, the species, which is cultivated by the I 
Japanese, acquires the height of from five to eight feet, and 
forms a close round head, raised a few feet above the ground. 
He describes both this and a sort with a spherical fruit; and 
says, that the fruit and rind eaten together are very agreeable; 
adding, however, that they leave a burning aftertaste. It is too 
acid for an English palate.—(. Horticultural Society's Journal.) 
N T EW r AND RARE PLANTS. 
Ananas beacteatus (Scarlet Pine Apple). 
This is a brilliant stove plant. Probably only a variety of 
the common Pine Apple.—( Botanical Magazine , t. 5025.) 
Soneeila speciosa (Showy Sonerila). 
A lovely species from the Neilglierry Hills, in the Madras 
Presidency. Introduced by Messrs. Yeitch, of the Exeter 
and Chelsea Nurseries. Flowers, bright rose colour. Requires 
a warm greenhouse.— (Ibid. t. 5026.) 
Coedia IroircEiEFLOEA ( Ipomoecea-Jloivered Cordia). 
A small tree, native of Central America; flowers, white, 
large, and numerous. Blooms in the summer. — (Ibid, 
t. 5027.) 
Geammatocaepus VOLTJBILIS (Twining Grammalocarpus). 
Native of Chili. Flowers, yellow.— (Ibid. t. 5028.) 
Cosmantiius geandifloeu s (Large-flowered Cosmanthus). 
Discovered in California by Mr. Douglas during 1884; 
but lately introduced by Messrs. Yeitch. Flowers, pale, dull 
pimple.— (Ibid. t. 5029.) 
