188 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[December, 1883. 
subspherical, attaining upwards of 3 in. in length, 
and 2 in. in diameter, the flesh being pale yel¬ 
low, and the flavour sweet. M. Blanchard, who 
has cultivated this Potato at Brest, where he finds 
it quite hardy, since 1880, states that it is almost im¬ 
possible to destroy it, owing to its habit of producing 
underground stolons; and he asserts that alreid.y 
the tubers show a tendency to increase in size, and 
that the plants have not been attacked by disease. 
M. Carriere, who has grown the plant at Montreuil, 
near Paris, states that with him the growth is nearly 
continuous, so that under favourable circumstances 
two crops of tubers have been yielded in one season. 
The tubers are waxy when cooked, and a little acrid 
in flavour, like potatos which have become green 
by exposure to light; but there seems every reason 
to believe that the plant is susceptible of improve¬ 
ment, and that it may prove serviceable either 
directly as a wholesome addition to our stock of 
esculents, or indirectly as furnishing new materials 
for hybridisation. Naturally the plant grows in soil 
of a sandy character, and in a temperate climate 
which has marked seasonal fluctuations and a cool 
summer. 
— Another New Vegetable, the Ivumara, 
which may prove to be cultivable in this 
country, has lately been introduced in a living 
state from New Zealand, to Kew Gardens, with a 
view to its experimental cultivation and dispersion. 
The Kumara, a kind of sweet Potato, is the Convol¬ 
vulus chrysorrUzus of Forster, and possibly only a 
race of Ipomcea Batatas, so widely cultivated in the 
Pacific Islands and elsewhere. The earlier voyagers, 
who paid attention to the vegetable productions of 
New Zealand, speak very highly of the plant, which 
was cultivated with great cire by the Maories. For 
several years Sir Joseph Hooker has been trying to 
introduce it into this country, and some tubers sent 
to Kew this 3 r ear have grown and increased, and the 
small crop of tubers obtained has been widely dis¬ 
tributed, so that the value and capabilities of the 
Kumara in Europe may be fairly tested. A woodcut 
figure of the small oblong tubers, three inches long, 
is given in the Gardeners' Chronicle, xxi. 601, fig. 
107. The flavour is said to be that of a good sweet 
Potato, oyer which it has the advantage of a con¬ 
venient size, resembling more in this respect the 
common Potato. 
— <H23e learn from Mr. Sander that a 
wonderfully fine specimen of Vanda Lowii 
(Renanthera Lowii) is now to be seen in the 
collection of Baron Hruby at Peckau, in Austria. 
This plant is unique in its size and splendour. A 
young plant of the species was given to the Baron’s 
father by the late Mr. Kramer, of Hamburg, some 
twenty years ago, and about five years since Mr. 
Kramer received in return a plant from Baron 
Hruby taken from the plant now at Peckau. The 
stately and magnificent specimen in the Baron’s 
collection is in robust health, a large quantity of 
thick roots springing in all directions from the plant 
and falling around it, reminding one of the thin 
branches of the drooping Ash in winter. The centre 
stem is furnished with eight branches, two of these 
again have a side shoot, and from the base of the 
plant grow eleven young ones, hence this marvellous 
specimen consists of twenty-one plants and breaks, 
all coming, of course, from the one specimen. There 
are twenty-two flower-spikes on the plant, and the 
variety being one of the finest brightly marked ones, 
and the blotches dark and shining, the sight pro¬ 
duced is really extraordinary. So much is it appre¬ 
ciated that horticultural societies from far and near 
in Austria have made arrangements to view it. The 
collection at Peckau is under the able management 
of Mr. Skopec, and is a very extensive one. In 
culture the plants stand second to none on the Con¬ 
tinent ; for years past the finest species and varieties 
have been collected. The present Baron follows in 
the footsteps of his father, who was an ardent ad¬ 
mirer and grower of Orchids, and his efforts to bring 
their culture to perfection have been crowned with 
great success. 
— ®he Shows of the Royal Botanic 
Society during 1884, are fixed to take place 
on March 26, and April 23 for Spring flowers, 
and on May 21 and June 18 for Summer flowers 
and Fruits. The evening fete is put down for 
July 2. 
I'U Jftemottam. 
— ffc John Laing died at Pitcairlie on 
October 23, in his 75th year. He had been 
for 49 years head gardener at Pitcairlie, and 
was much esteemed and deeply regretted by his 
employer. For a long period he was known as one 
of the most successful gardeners in Scotland, as 
evidenced by the marvellous crops of Grapes, Muscats 
especially, which he annually grew, and by his high- 
class kitchen gardening. 
— 5>ir W. Siemens died from the effects 
of a fall on November 18, in his 61st year. 
It has been well said that he was one of the 
most brilliant scientific men of this century, and a 
striking exemplar of those to whom Great Britain 
owes her prosperity—those who being thoroughly 
versed in abstract scientific principles, are capable of 
applying them to practical ends. In his relations 
to Horticulture, it may be mentioned that he was 
the first to apply the electric light as an agent in 
the forcing of Fruits. 
— James Gray, F.R.H.S., died at 
his residence Danvers Street, Chels.ea, on 
November 24, at the age of 73 years. Brought 
up as a gardener, Mr. Gray has for many years been 
in business as a horticultural builder, in which, owing 
to his horticultural training, he was very successful. 
Latterly he has been in failing health, and at last, 
after a few days illness, succumbed to an at'ack of 
bronchitis. He was held in the greatest respect and 
edeem, not only by his personal friends, but by 
horticulturists generally. We learn that the business 
will be carried on by his son, Mr. Alfred Gray. 
— JfUlR. John Fleming, F.R.H.S., of 
Cliveden, Maidenhead, died on November 26, 
after a short illness. The name of our old 
friend and correspondent will always be honourably 
associated with the magnificent gardens at Cliveden, 
where formerly, now dating back about 30 years, under 
the patronage and guidance of the late Duchess of 
Sutherland, Spring Gardening was carried out by 
him, to a high degree of perfection, and on a scale 
which at that time was unapproached elsewhere. 
Mr. Fleming, who has been an occasional contributor 
to our pages, was a thoroughly practical maD, and 
one of our foremost gardeners, on which account he 
was selected in 1862 to fill a seat on Ihe Council of 
the Royal Horticultural Society in those days when 
practical men were welcomed at that board. He 
was most highly esteemed and will be deeply 
mourned by his numerous personal friends. 
