306 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 12, 1889. 
HJotes on 'Jr uits 
Hawthornden Apple. 
1 agree with “A. D. ” (p. 264) when he says that 
provincial-speaking people corrupt nomenclature more 
or less. Concerning the spelling of the above name, 
however, I am rather surprised that Hawthornden 
should not have been the accepted one, seeing that the 
variety takes its name from Hawthornden, a place near 
Edinburgh. Now, in the Lothians, the glens or valleys 
are nearly always called deans, which is simply another 
way, and presumably a local one, for the word den, 
which in other parts of Scotland is almost invariably 
applied to a narrow glen or valley between rising hills 
on either side. Then, as a matter of fact, we find 
Hawthorndean, "White Hawthorndean, and Old Haw- 
thorndean given as synonyms. There can be little 
doubt of its being a northern Apple, and a very old one, 
which did not find its way into the London nurseries 
till about 1790. The Devonshire Quarrenden, on the 
other hand, I have always believed to have originated in 
the south, but it is also grown successfully in Scotland, 
as I have specimens in my possession quite fresh yet, 
and which were grown in the neighbourhood of 
Edinburgh.— F. 
The Quarrenden. 
Concerning this old Apple (at p. 290), “S.” seems to 
think that I had no cause to be amused at its being 
called Quarantine. My reason for being so was that I 
believed it to be a corruption of the proper name, or a 
mispelling for which the greengrocer must be res¬ 
ponsible. According to the same writer, on p. 240, 
Quarantine must be a much older name than is 
generally supposed. But although I find ten different 
names for this Apple in books, none of them are spelt 
Quarantine, much less English Quarantine. The first 
part of the latter name I also hold the greengrocer re¬ 
sponsible for ; but whether the name caused them to sell 
better I cannot say. This much is certain, that good 
specimens found a ready market at 6d. per lb., and very 
indifferent ones at 4c?. per lb. Many inferior Apples as 
well as Pears are sold under popular names, long after 
the true variety is out of season. 
Then concerning the names of fruits, the Devonshire 
Quarrenden included, what I find fault with is that 
the most popular name seems to be the accepted one in 
books in preference to the oldest one. This is contrary 
to the method employed by botanists with regard to 
the naming of plants, as they accept the oldest 
authorised name as the proper one. In gardening 
books and in works on pomology the name Devonshire 
Quarrenden is that to which prominence is given. 
Then follows a number of others which seem to be 
corruptions of the original, whatever that was. The 
following will give an idea of this—namely, Devon¬ 
shire Quarrington, Quarrington, Red Quarrenden, 
Red Quarentine, Quarentine, and Red Quarringden. 
In none of these cases do I find the name spelt 
Quarantine, which seems rather remarkable if it is a 
name of such long standing as “S.” states. In The 
Apple and Pear as Vintage Fruits, p. 156, Sack 
Apple is the accepted name, while Spice Apple and 
Eox’s Kernel are given as synonyms. The book 
further states that ‘ ‘ this Apple is one of the oldest 
historic varieties, and is more useful at the present 
day as a dessert or pot fruit than for cider.”— F. 
The Fox "Whelp Apple. 
I observe that Messrs. Richard Smith & Co., the well- 
known nurserymen at "Worcester, are offering this old 
cider Apple. It is said to be the best cider Apple 
grown. I see that it was exhibited at the Chiswick 
Apple Congress in 1880, by Messrs. J. C. Wheeler & 
Son, of Gloucester, so one may suppose it is grown in 
that county, especially as they were the only exhibitors 
of it. I cannot find this variety in the Trait Manual 
by Dr. Hogg, or in the Orchardist by Scott. But that 
it is a very old variety is shown by the fact that 
Evelyn wrote about it as far back as 1664, as follows : 
“ Cider for strength and a long lasting drink is best 
made of the Fox Whelp.” We are told that this repu¬ 
tation has ever been maintained, and although the 
genuine old Fox Whelp had, until the last year or two, 
become almost extinct, the character has never been 
more firmly established than at the present time. So 
highly has the pure Fox Whelp cider been prized by 
connoisseurs, that it has almost been impossible to 
buy any, and most people who have been fortunate to 
drink the old cider, would, it is said, gladly give a 
price that would astonish the public. As an instance 
of the appreciation there is for the Fox Whelp in Here¬ 
fordshire, its natural home, it is mentioned that as 
soon as it was known, a year or two ago, that this old 
and choice variety was obtainable, there was a great 
run upon it, and trees were eagerly bought up. At the 
Chiswick Congress this Apple appeared under the 
name of Fox-whelps ; but Evelyn, who may be taken 
as an authority, used it in the singular. Messrs. R. 
Smith & Co. describe the fruit as of a “beautiful red 
colour, rather small ; but of such a disagreeable flavour 
that no boy would be likely to eat it. ” After this, no one 
will be anxious to cultivate it as a garden variety. — P. D. 
-—>x-c-- 
A FEAST OF EUCHARIS. 
The chaste appearance, extreme beauty, and usefulness 
of the Eucharis grandiflora when in flower, at any 
period of the year, more especially when it blooms in 
great profusion in the autumn and winter season, 
cannot be over estimated, and those who can manage to 
get a good yield of flowers at Christmas, may be con¬ 
sidered lucky, for then the blooms are extremely 
valuable, far surpassing many other kinds, both for 
lustre, size, and rich perfume. 
A display of unusual merit has been seen during the 
last month in the stove at Edgend House, Burnley, 
the residence of Edward Ecroyd, Esq. The plants 
under notice are very healthy and vigorous, the foliage 
averaging 2 ft. 6 ins. in length, and of a very dark 
green, the picture of good cultivation. A tub and 
three pots, about 16 ins. in diameter, have thrown up 
about fourteen heads of flowers each, the heads 
averaging from four to five flowers. These and two 
smaller pots that have thrown up half a dozen heads 
each, make a total yield of sixty-eight heads of flowers, 
or about 300 single flowers—a very fine display for the 
Christmas season. 
But this is not all that maybe said in favour of these 
six pots of Eucharis, as during the latter part of 
September and the early part of October they gave 
even a greater yield than what they are doing at 
present. At that time the larger pots averaged sixteen 
heads of flowers, and were at that season stood out of 
the stove in a cool vinery to prolong their blooming 
period. Possibly this may have given the bulbs a 
slight rest, and induced, them to flower again so 
rapidly after being placed back in the stove, where a 
good growing temperature can always be maintained. 
Mr. John Birch, the able gardener, is to be con¬ 
gratulated on the successful manner in which he is 
flowering these plants. 
Growing in the same house may be seen Jasminum 
gracillimum, with its large heads of pure white, starry 
flowers ; also J. hirsutum, with long sprays of pure 
white sweet-scented flowers, both fit companions to 
blend with Euphorbia Jacquiniaeflora. In the con¬ 
servatory a very fine plant of Daphne odora rubra is in 
flower with about 200 points, each point carrying an 
expanded truss of flowers. — W. G. 
-->X-<-- 
GARDENERS OF THE FUTURE. 
Complaints continue to be made about young gar¬ 
deners not receiving so much instruction from their 
chiefs as they ought to do, but the reason for this is 
not far to seek. The plain fact is that in many 
instances the head gardeners are not qualified to 
instruct those under them in the sciences, of which a 
knowledge is considered essential. During my career 
I have come in contact with a good many gardeners, 
both head and under, who knew no more about these 
sciences than myself, and it is almost impossible for 
anyone to know less of either than I do. After all, of 
what value is a smattering of technical phrases to a 
man if he does not thoroughly understand the subject ? 
A partial knowledge of either will avail him little, and 
a man can be a very successful gardener without 
possessing a knowledge of botany or chemistry, though 
no doubt such an one would be more successful were he 
in possession of sound information on both subjects. 
Still, I would ask, is it absolutely necessary for anyone to 
have a knowledge of botany before he can grow a Chry¬ 
santhemum to such perfection as Mr. Tunnington and 
Mr. Molyneux ; or could everyone who has a thorough 
knowledge of botany grow Chrysanthemums to the 
same perfection as either of these redoubtable growers ? 
I served several years under a very successful old 
gardener who knew nothing about botany. Such 
things as parenchyma, fibro-vascular bundles, proto¬ 
plasm, and chlorophyll granules were unheard of by 
him. But in the production of excellent crops of 
Grapes, Peaches, Figs, &c., there were few who could 
beat him. I have held the basket while he cut bunches 
of Grapes that weighed 12 lbs. and 13 lbs. each, 
and better crops of Peaches, Figs, &c., than he grew 
no one need wish for. So remarkably well kept, too, 
was his kitchen garden that he offered a reward of 
sixpence for every weed that any outsider could find 
within its walls. Every bush and fruit tree had its 
label, and so particular was he with nomenclature that 
if anyone gave him a few seeds, cuttings, or young 
plants, without the name, they were not allowed to be 
put into the ground. I am positive that if anyone 
interested in botany had visited this veteran and 
touched on the subject under discussion, he would have 
found that his excellent crops of superior Grapes and 
Peaches were far more interesting to him than all the 
fibro-vascular bundles and chlorophyll granules in the 
world. If he was not a scientific man he could not be 
denied the honour of being a thoroughly practical one. 
—John Peebles, Clock House Gardens, Pavensboume. 
-->X<-- 
THE HOLLY. 
The Holly is botanically Ilex aquifolium. The 
generic name Ilex is said to be derived from the resem¬ 
blance of the leaves to the Hex or Virgil (Quercus Ilex). 
The specific name, aquifolium, means prickly-leaved. 
The Holly is a native of the woods and forests of Great 
Britain, and it has now numerous varieties, many of a 
highly ornamental character—gold and silver blotched, 
entire, notched, serrated, ciliated, bristly, broad, 
narrow, thick-leaved, &e. ; some bearing red and others 
yellow berries, and their fruit is in great demand for 
embellishing our dwellings, &c., at the Christmas 
season. All the Hollies are white-flowered, with very 
rare exceptions. The common name, Holly, is on the 
eastern borders still called Hollen, which is, according 
to Dr. Prior, the old form of the word. The term 
Holly appears to have been the most readily adopted ; 
but in Anglo-Saxon times the tree was known as 
Elebeam or Oil tree, from its branches having been 
used for Olive branches, and strewn before the image 
of Jesus, in certain solemnities of the Church that 
represented his entrance into Jerusalem. But the 
Holly is very abundantly diffused, being found in 
warm climates and in cold, in most countries of 
Europe, and in many of Asia and America. 
The ceremony of decking houses and churches with 
evergreens at Christmas is one of great antiquity. The 
practice of decorating with Holly, its berries contrasting 
so effectively with the dark green of its spiny leaves, 
was observed in many countries hundreds of years ago, 
just as we still find a similar custom observed in the 
East at New Year, showing us that the origin of the 
observance is the same in each case. It was on 
account of the heathen practices being so general that 
the early councils of the Romish Church condemned the 
use of Holly, Ivy. and other evergreens and flowers for 
Christmas decoration, though the condemnation failed 
to abrogate its use permanently. But it is easy to 
understand that from the use made of its branches in 
decorating churches at Christmas time, the monks, by 
an easy corruption, bestowed upon the Holly the name 
of Holy Tree. The name of Christ’s Thorn has also 
been given to it on account of the supposition that 
the crown of thorns which encircled the Saviour’s 
head was made from it. 
A thousand traditions, as might be expected, have 
clustered about the Holly. The disciples of Zoroaster, 
or fire worshippers, believe that the Holly tree casts 
no shadow, and both in Persia and India they employ 
an infusion of its leaves for several purposes connected 
with their religious observances. They also sprinkle 
the face of a new-born child with water impregnated 
with Holly bark. We are informed by Mr. Folkard 
that Pliny states that if the Holly or Hulon tree 
be planted about a house it will keep away all malign 
spells and enchantments, and defend the house from 
lightning. He also, among other marvels, relates 
that the flowers of the Holly would freeze water, and 
would repel poison ; and that if a staff of its wood 
were thrown to any animal, even if it did not touch 
him, it would so influence the animal as to cause him 
to lie down beside it. It was formerly an article of belief 
that, unknown before, the Holly sprung up in perfection 
and beauty beneath the footsteps of Christ when he 
first trod the earth, and that—though man has for¬ 
gotten its attributes—the beasts all reverence it, and 
are never known to injure it. Witches are said to 
abhor the Yew, while the Holly is equally obnoxious. 
It is suggested that the reason for this is that the Yew 
is generally found in churchyards, while the word 
Holly is but another form of “ holy,” so that the tree 
is regarded as sacred. In Cambridgeshire it is still 
believed by many that if the Holly, with which the 
house is decorated at Christmas, be removed before 
Candlemas Day, the prosperity of the tenant will 
vanish before the following year. It appears to have 
