December 18 , 1886 . 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
called parasites, but in reality they are nourished by 
the moisture of the air, or by the soil lying in the 
crevices of the bark. But the Mistleto inserts its 
roots into the very substance of living vegetables, and 
the experiments made on it confirm the opinion derived 
from observation, that the tendency of a root is always 
towards the centre of the object on which it grows, 
and that the young shoots invariably take the opposite 
direction. Dr. Darwin ingeniously accounted for this, 
on the principle that the leaf-bud was stimulated by 
air, and the roots by moisture, and that, therefore, each 
elongates itself when it is most excited. It is well 
known that Mistleto can be artificially propagated by 
rubbing the berries on the smooth bark of an Apple 
tree. The Rev. F. D. Horner nearly covered some of 
the Apple trees in the vicarage garden, at Kirkby 
Malzeard, in this way. But those desirous of having 
trees with Mistleto on them, can purchase standard 
Apples already furnished with the parasite.— R. Dean. 
-•«<-- 
DRIED FLOWERS & GRASSES. 
At few seasons of the year does the Central Avenue 
of Covent Garden Market present a more animated 
appearance than during the week or ten days pre¬ 
ceding Christmas. The shop windows, or rather 
their contents, give one the idea that the whole world 
has been ransacked for saleable products, so great and 
so exceedingly interesting is the wealth of good things— 
floral and pomological—there displayed. Trade has 
not been good in the Market for some time ; but, with 
the hope of improvement during the coming week, 
there has been a general brightening-up during the 
last day or two. Mistleto has come to hand in large 
quantities from Boulogne, Havre, Bordeaux and other 
French ports, and the place presents the appearance of 
what a Mistleto fair would probably resemble. Holly 
and Ivy will come next—all in due time. The fruits 
and vegetables are as “ fine and large ” as ever ; the 
Gros Colmar Grapes, the monster Pears and other 
luxuries are as tempting as of yore. Mr. Dickson, 
Mr. Buck and other florists have fine displays of cut 
flowers and plants in pots than which none better can 
be seen anywhere ; but for warmth of colour, elegance 
of form, and pleasing variety, nothing seen in the 
Central Row surpasses the extensive show of dried 
flowers and grasses on view in the windows of Messrs. 
Hooper & Co.’s shop. 
The Messrs. Hooper have been engaged in the dried 
flower and grass trade for some years ; they have 
worked up a gigantic business, and mainly through 
their instrumentality, there have been introduced into 
commerce such a variety of handsome, novel and useful 
decorative subjects, as were never dreamed of in this 
connection a few years ago. To the millions who 
cannot afford a constant supply of fresh flowers, the 
“Everlastings,” dried grasses, Pampas grass plumes, 
&c., furnish substitutes that are much sought after, 
providing, as they do, decorative materials of no mean 
value. The Messrs. Idooper have collecting agents in 
all countries wherever suitable subjects for their trade 
can be obtained ; of some things, such as the White 
Cape Everlasting, they import millions, and at this 
season quite a small army of girls and young women 
are engaged in making up the flowers, &c., into 
bouquets, wreaths, &e., while a considerable part of 
their trade comes under the head of dyeing — quite a 
number of subjects passing through the dyers’ hands 
before being put into commerce. 
In the windows already alluded to, glorious plumes 
of the Pampas Grass may be seen in almost all 
the colours of the rainbow, and especially pleasing 
are the shades of orange, rose, pale green, warm 
brown, &c. These plumes form the staple of the 
larger-sized floral devices, and some idea of their value 
as a commercial article may be gleaned from the fact 
that the Messrs. Hooper import about a million plumes 
from California. The plumes, we should add, are not 
those of the ordinary variety grown in this country, 
but a distinct and superior form, being whiter and the 
plumes more feathered. A noble grass, that may 
also be seen in quantity, is Uniola paniculata. This is 
obtained from the marshes of Florida, and is highly 
valued for creating bold, handsome effects, so much so, 
indeed, that the firm have this season bought all they 
could find. Erianthus Ravennae, a plant of Italian 
growth, is also largely used, and of the elegant Bromus 
brizseformis, some tons are required to meet the de¬ 
mand, Besides these and several other well-known 
A “Maicart” Regal Bouquet. 
of this seems to still exist in France, for the peasant 
boys use the expression, ‘An Gui l’an neuf,’ as a New 
Year’s greeting.” 
The Mistleto is now excluded from the boughs which 
deck the churches at Christmas, either because of its 
heathenish associations, or because being so often in 
rustic places associated with Christian merriment, it 
might awaken remembrances little favourable to thought 
and devotion. The playful custom beneath the Mistleto 
bough is of old antiquity in our land, having originated 
when the plant was dedicated to Friga, the Venus of 
the Saxons. 
Mr. Folkard, in his book on Plant Lore, has gathered 
together a large amount of legendary and historic in¬ 
would appear that it is but rarely the Mistleto is found 
growing upon the Oak ; it is found upon many trees, but 
is most common on other than the Oak. At Strathfield- 
saye it grows freely on Thorn. It occurs in Gloucester¬ 
shire on the common Maple, and in Bedfordshire on 
Lime trees and Locust trees. Some years ago the 
Society of Arts offered a premium for the discovery of 
Mistleto on the Oak, and a specimen was sent to them 
from Gloucestershire ; and Mr. Jesse mentions having 
received a piece of Mistleto from an Oak growing near 
Godaiming, in Surrey. 
One writer remarks, “The Mistleto is a true parasite, 
for no one has ever succeeded in making it take root in 
the earth. Mosses and lichens are often popularly 
year. Two white oxen, which were then for the 
first time placed in yoke, were brought beneath the 
tree ; the sacrificing priest (Druid), clothed in white 
garments, ascended it, and cut off the Mistleto with a 
golden circle ; it was caught in a white cloth held 
beneath, and then distributed amongst the bystanders. 
The oxen were sacrificed, with prayers for the happy 
effects of the Mistleto. A beverage was prepared from 
this, and used as a remedy for all poisons and diseases, 
and which was supposed to favour fertility. A remnant 
formation concerning the Mistleto. Among others he 
mentions that “in the West of England there is a 
tradition that the Cross was made of Mistleto, which, 
until the time of the Crucifixion, had been a noble forest 
tree, but was thenceforth condemned to exist only as a 
mere parasite.” Culpeper remarks that it was some¬ 
times called lignum sanctce crucis —wood of the holy 
cross—from a belief in its curative virtues in cases of 
consumption, apoplexy and palsy—“not only to be 
inwardly taken, but to be hung at their necks.” It 
