July 2, 1892. 
THH GARDENING WORLD. 
691 
In the great markets of New York, Baltimore, and 
Liverpool, prices have usually ranged from $3 to $6 
per hundred, never going as low as $2. From this 
grove, they could be placed in either of these mar¬ 
kets at an expense of not more than, one cent each. 
Figure the profit upon the whole for yourself. It might 
range anywhere from $1,250,000 to $2,500,000, or 
more, per annum. " There’s millions in it !’’ Yet, 
notwithstanding these glittering possibilities, it is by 
no means certain that a single nut will ever find its 
way, intact, to the great markets of the world. 
There are few trees which will yield such a diversity 
of useful products as this, and this enterprise is 
being conducted on a scale that suggests that these 
products will be made available in every manner 
which science and commerce can propose. As yet, 
no effort has been made to gather or dispose of the 
nuts which have already been produced, although 
many of the trees first planted have fruited some¬ 
what for a year or two. But as this product is 
scattering, and small as compared with the expecta¬ 
tions from the entire grove, and as the plantation is 
remote, nothing will be attempted until there are 
sufficient nuts to warrant working on a very large 
scale. Cocoa-nut-growers at Palm Beach, Hypoluxo, 
and other points about Lake Worth, are finding thus 
far a ready market for the entire production of their 
groves, which are usually of small extent (the out¬ 
come of the wreck of the Providential) by 
selling the nuts for planting, at four cents 
each. A sound nut will produce one, 
two, and infrequently three' sprouts, the latter 
number being one for each eye, and these sprouts 
sell readily at fifteen cents each when well started. 
This affords a good profit in a small way, but how 
long this source will be available is an open question. 
Just now there is a rage for p’anting, both for 
commercial and decorative purposes ; but whether 
the demand for the former of these uses will be 
maintained, probably depends much upon the success 
of Mr. Osborne’s experiment. 
The possibilities that lie within range of that are 
many, and can hardly be exaggerated. To gain an 
idea of these, we have but to look at the Palm tree 
in its relation to the daily and common needs of the 
Singhalese villager. It supplies easily the most of 
his physical needs. It may be said that his needs 
are few, but likewise is his knowledge limited as to 
how these wants may be best supplied. If our 
wants are greater, so is the genius with which we 
invent the means of supplying them ; and with our 
greater knowledge we should find uses for the Palm 
and its products of which the Singhalese ryot never 
dreamed. Yet with him it is food and drink, the 
meat and the milk of the nut supplying both. It 
furnishes a cup that cheers and inebriates as well, a 
liquor called "arrack” being fermented from the 
sap. The nutshells give him a cup from which to 
drink it, while the plaited leaves serve as plates and 
dishes from which to eat, as well as for thatch for 
his humble cottage. From the fibrous casing of the 
fruit he weaves ropes, nets and matting. The dried 
flower stalks are used as torches ; the large leaf¬ 
stalks line his garden fence. The timber of the 
tree is used for every purpose for which wood is 
required, and the trunk when hollowed out serves 
either for a canoe or a coffin. 
Besides these personal uses, the oil of the nut 
furnishes a chief article of commerce, the shipments 
from Colombo and Galle amounting to something 
like 1,000,000 gallons per annum, albeit the native 
method of extraction is of the most primitive sort. 
The oil is obtained from the dried kernel of the nut, 
the native means being a rude mill or checkoo, consist¬ 
ing simply of a heavy wooden mortar in which a 
clumsy pestle of hard wood is made to revolve by a 
pair of oxen at the end of a long pole secured to the 
upper end of the pestle. At Colombo, European 
merchants have latterly engaged in the business, and 
by the use of steam-power are producing large 
quantities of oil of a very fine quality. The manu¬ 
facture of foot-mats is now also carried on upon an 
extensive scale by the employment of modern 
machinery, the fibre of the husk being used. This 
fibre is called coir, and from it a rope is woven that 
is admirably adapted for use in salt water, and many 
of the trading-vessels of the country employ no other 
cordage than this. 
We now come to the last and best-known use to 
which any product of the tree is put—the prepara¬ 
tion, from the kernel of the nut, of that culinary 
article known as dessicated Cocoa-nut. It is not 
many years since this first became an article of 
commerce and of general use ; but it may already 
be found in every quarter of the civilized globe. 
Although I have left its mention to the last, this 
will probably be the first method of utilizing any of 
the products of the plantation. 
During the past year a factory has been erected 
at Miami, having such capacity and so constructed 
that it may be readily adapted to any of the above 
uses that come within the range of possibly commer¬ 
cially successful enterprises; doubtless the near 
future will now see the complete fruition of an 
enterprise that has added one more, and that a most 
unique one, to our great American industries.— J. K. 
Reeve, in American Gardening. 
NEW § NN^PliNNl 1 ?. 
At the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, on the 21st June, the undermentioned plants, 
flowers, and fruit were exhibited and accorded 
awards according to merit. 
Cornus Kousa.— There are amongst the species of 
Cornus several very distinct types of inflorescence, 
one of which is represented by the corymbose cyme 
of C. sanguinea, a British plant. Another is met with 
in C. florida and C. mas, with a dense capitate inflo¬ 
rescence surrounded by four more or less coloured 
bracts of large size, resembling a single flower, whereas 
there is a dense cluster of small flowers. The plant 
under notice may be compared to C. florida in its 
shrubby habit and large bracts, which are ovate and 
pure white, whereas those of C. florida are roundish or 
obcordate. The inflorescence of C. Kousa terminates 
the axis, and has a pair of ovate leaves beneath it; 
from the axils of the latter two short branches arise 
and terminate in a pair of leaves each. In this 
respect the growth is peculiar. First-class Certificate. 
Tritoma caulescens.— The botanically accepted 
name of the plants known in gardens as Tritoma, is 
Kniphofia. The species under notice is by no means 
common, although originally introduced in 1862. 
The whole plant is very robust, with deeply glaucous 
leaves that have a bold and telling effect. The in¬ 
florescence is short, stout, conical, and of a deep 
salmon-red changing almost to white after a time, 
with exception of the pale yellow filaments and deep 
yellow anthers. The effect is very handsome when 
about half of the flowers are expanded, showing the 
two distinct colours. First-class Certificate. Both 
this and the last-named were exhibited by Messrs, 
J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Calla Pentlandi. —In this we have a second 
yellow Calla, similar to but different from Calla or 
Richardia Elliottiana. The leaves are large, 
sagittate and green on both surfaces, like those of 
R. africana ; and the stems are about 2J ft. high. 
The spathe is about as large as that of the last- 
named, but bright yellow, without the shading of 
green characteristic of R. Elliottiana. The interior 
of Calla Pentlandi is marked with black blotches at 
the base. The plant was introduced from the Cape. 
A First-class Certificate was awarded it when shown 
by R. Whyte, Esq., Pentland House, Lee, Kent. 
Crinum brachynema.— The specific name of this 
plant refers to the very short stamens as compared 
with those of other species. The flowers are of 
medium size with oblanceolate, imbricate, pure white 
segments. The effect is handsome when the plant is 
well grown, for each umbel bears from twelve to 
twenty flowers that seem more durable than those of 
some other species on account of their compact form. 
A First-class Certificate was awarded it when some 
umbels of cut flowers were shown by Mr. J. Smith, 
Mentmore, Leighton Buzzard. 
P.eony Madame Breon. —The flowers of this 
variety are large, flesh-coloured and fully double, 
although the broad petals are somewhat loosely ar¬ 
ranged. They are somewhat fragrant. Award of 
Merit. 
P/eony Snowball.— As the name would indicate 
the flowers are pure white, and double. The outer 
petals are slightly longer than the inner ones, which 
are mixed with small petals. Av r ard of Merit. 
Both were shown by Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent 
Garden. 
P-eony Grizzel Muir.— The inner petals of this 
double white variety are crumpled and shorter than 
the broad guards. Award of Merit. 
P.eony Lottie Collins. —The flowers of this are 
of good form, large, fully double, and deep red or 
purple, reminding us of a variety of the earlier 
flowering P. officinalis. It is a choice and distinct 
sort. Award of Merit. This and the last-named 
were shown by Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport. 
Sweet Briar Alice Bridgeworth. —The petals 
of this single-flowered Briar are obcordate and of a 
deep rose colour with darker veins, and white at the 
base. The foliage has the true Sweet Briar fra¬ 
grance. A A-ard of Merit. 
Sweet Briar Lucy Bertram. — In this case the 
flowers are also single and deep red fading to rose 
or nearly white at the base. Both are varieties of 
the common Sweet Briar which Lord Penzance, 
Eashing Park, Godaiming, has taken so much care 
to improve ; and they were selected from a large 
number of varieties and accorded Awards of Merit. 
Rose Gustave Regis. —This is described as a 
hybrid Tea Rose, and is very beautiful in bud. The 
outer petals are shaded with buff-yellow externally 
and are paler internally, while the centre is tinted 
with salmon. 
P^ony Mdlle. Rosseau. —The flowers of this 
variety are double blush fading to white, and the 
central petals are rather darker and some of them 
edged with red. 
P.-eony Felix Crousse. —The guards of this sort 
are somewhat cupped, slightly compressing the inner 
crumpled petals, and all are of a deep rose or purple 
hue. 
P/eony Madame Loise.— The blooms here vary 
from a medium to a large size, and are of a soft rose 
with sometimes a few small white petals in the axils 
of the others. 
P*ony Van Dyck. —Flowers large lilac-purple 
with satiny edges to the petals. The guards are 
broad, and small pale petals occur in the axils of the 
inner ones. All of the above four Paeonies and the 
Tea Rose were exhibited by Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, and received Awards of Merit. 
Carnation George Fry. —The flowers of this 
border variety are of large size, perfectly double and 
of a brilliant red or scarlet, slightly toothed at the 
edges of the broad petals. The stems grow 2 ft. high. 
Award of Merit. It was shown by Messrs. J. Laing 
& Sons, Forest Hill. 
Carnation Mrs. A. Hemsley.— This is classed as 
a tree variety, and has flowers similar to those of the 
Old Clove in size and form, but are of a lighter and 
brighter crimson with the same powerful and 
delicious odour. The leaves are narrow and 
glaucous. An Award of Merit was accorded it when 
shown by Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nurseries, 
Upper Edmonton. 
Pelargonium Ryecroft Surprise.— Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums have undergone great improvement 
within recent years, and the subject of this note is 
certainly an acquisition. The 5-6-lobed leaves 
are uniformly green. The flowers are of great size, 
soft rose, tinted with salmon when young, but soon 
fading to rose, with a small crimson spot on some of 
the upper petals. Altogether the plant is dwarf and 
very floriferous. An Award of Merit was accorded 
when a group of it was shown by Mr. H. J. Jones, 
Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, Lewisham. 
Caladium Marguerite Gelinier. —Altogether 
this is a dwarf-habited and neat-growing little plant, 
with small sagittate soft pink leaves and rosy nerves. 
At some stages of growth they have a broad, pale 
green margin, but that disappears or merges into 
pink. Award of Merit. 
Caladium Madame Edouard Pyn.ert. —The 
leaves of this variety are much larger than in the last 
case, sagittate, and of a deep red fading to bronzy- 
pink with red veins. The plant is, however, evi¬ 
dently dwarf. Both Caladiums were shown by 
Mr. C. F. Bause, Morland Nursery, South Norwood. 
Pelargonium Rosy Gem.— The two upper petals 
of this regal or decorative variety are heavily shaded 
with salmon on a rose-coloured ground, and have 
feathered crimson lines on the lower part : the other 
three petals are rose with salmon-coloured veins. 
Award of Merit. 
Pelargonium Souvenir. — The two upper petals 
of this show variety are purple with a large crimson 
blotch ; while the three lower ones are rosy-purple 
with a white base. Award of Merit. 
Pelargonium Fireball.— This again may be 
classed amongst the show varieties, as it has large 
flowers and smooth petals ; the upper two of the 
latter are furnished with a large crimson blotch ; the 
three lower ones are of a brilliant scarlet and white, 
and rose at the base. All the three Pelargoniums 
were exhibited by Mr. C. Turner, Slough, and re¬ 
ceived Awards of Merit. 
Fruit. 
Strawberry Laxton’s Royal Sovereign. —The 
fruit of this new variety is of medium size, and 
conical or slightly compressed upwards in the case 
of large fruits. The skin is of a deep red, darker 
than that of President, to which it may be compared 
for size and form. Altogether it is a fine looking 
fruit of medium size, and more suitable for the 
dessert table than some of the large and coarse- 
growing kinds. A First-class Certificate was 
awarded it when shown by Mr. T. Laxton, Bedford. 
