May 28, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
619 
quite equal to their sphere of usefulness and their 
powers of enjoying the same in the economy of nature. 
They eat enormously at times and evidently enjoy it. 
Their social instincts are developed to some extent, and 
they do not feel alarmed by coming in contact with one 
another, while clusters of worms may often be found 
rolled up in a ball in their burrows during dry seasons. 
— J. F. ( To be continued). 
-->:£<-- 
THE COFFEE PLANT. 
The Coffee plant, Coffea arabica, is a native of 
tropical Africa, extending over Abyssinia, the Soudan, 
and the coasts of Guinea and Mozambique. It has 
been cultivated for a period considerably under 2,000 
years ; hut the berries had in all probability been 
collected from trees in their native woods for many 
years previous to the trees being systematically planted 
and tended. No one has yet found the Coffee plant 
wild in Arabia as the specific name would imply, not¬ 
withstanding that Mocha has long been famed for pro¬ 
ducing the best Coffee in the world. The use of Coffee, 
it would appear, first originated in Abyssinia ; later 
it became known in Persia, and from thence it was 
introduced to Aden, then to Mocha and Egypt. It 
has been introduced to Java, Ceylon, the West Indies 
and Brazil in more recent times, where it is extensively 
cultivated. The berries readily sow themselves and 
spring up in the tropics, so that its area of distribution 
has been greatly extended by man. The berries, 
moreover, furnish a good natural means of distribution 
by the lower animals, so that the plant is not likely to 
become extinct in a wild state. Its cultivation has 
suffered considerable check in Ceylon of late years, 
owing to the prevalence of a fungoid disease that 
attacks the leaves. Notwithstanding the cheapness of 
the real article, it has often been adulterated with 
other ingredients. A good substitute has lately been 
brought into commerce in the shape of Liberian Coffee, 
the produce of another species, Coffea liberica—a 
stronger plant with larger berries. — F. 
-- 
EARLY v. LATE APPLES AND 
PEARS. 
Occasionally we hear reputed connoisseurs descant¬ 
ing on the merits of late-flowering fruit trees, and the 
exemption of their flowers and young fruit from 
destruction by frost. A good example of this we have 
in the Court Pendu Plat Apple, frequently designated 
the wise Apple, from its habit of starting into growth, 
and producing both flowers and foliage late in the 
season. Notwithstanding this habit, the tree is not 
always a prolific bearer—indeed, frequently the reverse ; 
and by making a casual inspection of the collection of 
trees in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
Chiswick, one may see that those trees, which are 
amongst the first to burst into bloom, are generally, if 
not always, the most prolific bearers of fruit. 
As an instance of this early-flowering, fruiting and 
other qualities, mention may be made of Duchess of 
Oldenburgh, which is laden with white bloom early in 
the season, ripens its fruit early and in great quan¬ 
tity. The same may be said of Lord Suffield, which, 
as everybody knows, fruits itself almost to death ; it 
flowers early, and constitutes a showy object, from the 
profusion of its deep dark rose-coloured blossom. The 
Dutch Codlin is another deep red-flowered variety, and 
early. The Yellow Ingestrie is also early, prolific in 
bloom and fruit; and the individual bloom, though 
small, is pink, and beautiful in the mass. Gravenstein 
and Ribston Pippin may be added to the list, although 
the latter is properly mid-season ; as well as Cox’s 
Orange Pippin, and all are generally heavy croppers. 
That the same rules are applicable in the case of 
Pears must be evident, from the fact that the early- 
flowering are the earliest to ripen, and being free-fruiters 
are most useful in this country. In proof of this, let us 
point to Pitmaston Duchess, Jargonelle, 'Williams’ Bon 
Chretien, and Louise Bonne of Jersey. The latter was 
practically out of flower a fortnight ago, so that calcu¬ 
lating its chances after the recent heavy storms of hail, 
wind, snow and rain, it was beyond the reach of harm 
before the destructiveness of the storm commenced. 
Reckoning this as a matter of chance, considering the 
uncertainty of our climate in any given season, the 
fact remains to be accounted for why our early-fruiting 
varieties should produce a fair average quantity, or even 
a moderately heavy crop of fruit even in the most 
adverse seasons. That certain varieties should do this 
while others entirely fail, is a matter for comment. 
It is reasonable to suppose that all the more exposed 
blossoms should get destroyed, while the sheltered ones 
would remain unharmed. But then early varieties 
bloom while the trees are yet leafless, and it might be, 
and is, argued that later varieties receive a certain 
amount of protection from the foliage. We might 
expect then, that in particularly adverse seasons the late 
varieties would be most productive, but it does not 
appear that this argument is supported by facts. Can 
fruit growers generally, either for the market or for 
private consumption, substantiate this view? Other¬ 
wise it remains that early-flowering and free-fruiting 
varieties in this country are always the most productive 
in any given season, however erratic and unpropitious 
the weather may be. If this is so, then it would be 
desirable in the production of new varieties, to encourage 
the raising of early-flowering seedlings especially for 
commercial purposes. — Taxus. 
-~>X<-- 
Hardening §[iscellany. 
_ ♦ 
♦ u 
Passiflora Constance Eliott. — In this 
variety we get a pure white hardy Passion Flower, that 
should be, in course of time, as extensively planted 
in localities where it will live in the open air, as the 
common blue type. Now the original Passiflora 
ccerulea is one of our oldest garden plants, having been 
in cultivation since 1699. It is a native of Brazil and 
Peru, in the mountainous districts where the weather 
is mild ; about the same climate, in fact, as the southern 
part of these islands, where the plant is thoroughly at 
home, and not only flowers profusely, but ripens its 
fruits. But the new white variety is of quite recent 
introduction, and it originated in this way. The 
original plant was found by Mr. W. Napper in August 
1882, standing alone and apparently uncared for in the 
court at the rear of Mr. Fuller’s house at Newton 
Abbot, and it is said to have been raised from the blue 
Passion Flower, being one of a batch of seedlings. It 
was transferred to the Exeter Nurseries of Messrs. 
Lucombe, Pince & Co., who exhibited it, obtained a 
Certificate for it, and are now sending it out. 
Tacsonia Van Volxemi.— What a lovelyclimber 
this is ! I planted a small plant of it eight months ago, 
and all through the winter the temperature was never 
higher than 48°. It has grown with wonderful rapidity, 
and has covered the space (20 ft. by 6 ft.) which was 
allotted to it, and would cover double the amount of 
space if it were allowed to do so. It has been in flower 
since February, and its graceful shoots and charming 
flowers festoon it in such a natural manner as to make 
any one delighted with it; it has now some scores of 
blooms open, others half expanded, and promise of a 
succession for some months to come.— R. P. R. 
Rhododendron formosum. —Having been 
named and described by two different botanical au¬ 
thorities, this Eastern Himalayan shrub continues to 
be cultivated in the greenhouses of this country under 
two different names while owing to this confusion the 
names are generally believed amongst gardeners to 
indicate two different species. The name R. Gibsoni 
is the most prevalent, and some consider it a hybrid or 
garden form ; but this is not the case, as they do not 
differ in any respect. The flowers are large and cam- 
panulate, white, with the exception of a pale yellow 
blotch in the throat, and a purple tint on the outside 
of the corolla, which is, consequently, most conspicuous 
in bud. For greenhouse or conservatory decoration it 
is a useful free-flowering species, and may be flowered 
in a small state in pots for many years. A large 
specimen has been flowering for some time at Devon- 
hurst, Chiswick. 
Euphorbia palustris. — As a rule, the Spurges— 
especially the hardy ones—are neither very conspicuous 
nor ornamental; hut a few are especially noticeable in 
spring or summer from the decidedly yellow tint of 
their bracts and leaves. Amongst these E. amyg- 
daloides, E. Cyparissias, and the present one may he 
noticed. The foliage of the latter is very attractive, 
even at a distance, all through the spring and early 
part of summer, every leaf partaking of the same clear 
yellow hue. As in many other species of Euphorbia, 
the stems are densely clothed with leaves, so as to be 
hidden. Being perfectly hardy and free-growing, no 
special attention is necessary after planting out amongst 
the other occupants of a bed or border. A strong plant 
will soon attain a yard or more in height, and as far 
through. A fine specimen may be seen in the Gardens 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, Chiswick. 
Cardamine pratensis flore pleno.— The 
double garden form of the Lady’s Smock or Cuckoo 
Pint is a pretty and interesting plant for a moist 
border, or a damp nook on the rockery, as it is grown 
by Mr. Wright, at Devonhurst, Chiswick. This species 
is peculiarly liable to sport, even in a cultivated or 
wild state, and presents many remarkable peculiarities. 
In damp places the leaves are frequently proliferous, 
furnishing an unusual method of propagation by the 
production of young plants on the leaves. Doubling 
also takes place in different ways by the proliferation of 
normal flowers, whereby an extra number of floral 
leaves are produced. In some flowers the six stamens 
become petaloid, while the pistil develops into another 
flower in the centre of the outer one. The number of 
the petals in the latter do not, however, always correspond 
to the orthodox number of stamens. The centre flower 
is usually, if not always, furnished with a green calyx, 
generally somewhat abnormal, while the petals are 
indefinite, and fill up all the available space. As the 
flower gets old, the central one is generally carried up 
on a short stalk. This is sometimes seen in the Rose, 
and is known as median proliferation.— J. F. 
Saxifraga Camposii.— Of the mossy-leaved 
type of Breakstone or Rockfoil, the species under notice 
must be reckoned one of the boldest and best. It 
increases rapidly enough to bring it within reach of 
the owner of the smallest bit of garden-ground, and 
those who cannot even command these advantages, 
may grow it in pots. Most or all of the species may 
be successfully cultivated in pots, and the present one 
gives great satisfaction grown in this way, as may be 
seen at Chiswick, in the gardens of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, where plants grown in small pots in 
a cold frame with a northern aspect flower early in the 
season. It is perfectly hardy, however, being a native 
of the mountains of Spain, and is grown on the rockery, 
where it is very ornamental with its large pure white 
blossom. The offsets or barren shoots produced 
abundantly after the flowering season is over, afford 
an easy and ready mode of propagation. 
Azalea Blooms. —An assortment of Azalea blooms, 
varieties of A. indica, comes to us from a Lancashire 
correspondent. Both single and double forms are repre¬ 
sented, exhibiting great variety of colour. Daphne is a 
large pure white form, showing an attempt at becoming 
double. A magnificent and very double variety, named 
Madame Jean YYolkoff, is pure white with the exception 
of a pale yellow blotch in the throat, which, however, is 
hidden by the doubling of the flower, and would doubt¬ 
less prove more acceptable and useful for cut-flower 
purposes. A series of blooms are furnished with a 
white margin, contrasting with some shade of pink or 
pale red, which harmonise well together. The largest 
of these is Noble Belgique, also beautifully spotted on 
the lower lip. Reine Marie Henriette is similar hut 
smaller ; while the delicate pink of Her Majesty, and 
the lively red of Madame M. de Ghellinck, constitute 
very novel flowers. The large, deep rose, self-coloured 
double flowers of Alice are very fine. Grand Duchess 
de Bade and Marquis Corse are semi-douhle deep red 
forms, the latter having a deep blood-red blotch on the 
three lower segments.. The small-flowered deep 
crimson Flambeau, and deep red Marquis of Lome, are 
worth cultivating for their distinctness and very intense 
coloration. 
Clianthus puniceus.— It is gratifying to learn 
that this handsome New Zealand scarlet or, more 
properly, crimson-flowered plant can not only be kept 
alive, but even flowered out of doors as near London 
as Maidstone. A beautiful-flowering spray, well 
furnished with leaves, was recently sent us by Mr. 
M. McLean, of Yintner’s Park, in that neighbourhood. 
The thermometer during last winter there registered 
24° of frost, yet all the protection afforded the 
Clianthus was a covering of hexagonal netting. "We 
have seen it grown against a wall in the open air in 
the suburbs of London, but it almost invariably got 
killed or crippled in severe frost, so that flowering was 
rendered impossible. Under glass, however, it may be 
growm either in pots or planted out with perfect 
success, flowering with great freedom. It is essentially 
an amateurs’ plant, thriving well with little attention. 
