756 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 25, 1896. 
but are unable to endure continued existence in an 
atmosphere free from C 0 2 ; the slowly developing 
leaves of many woody perennials develop normally 
and endure a long continued existence under the 
above circumstances. This varying reaction of 
leaves is dependent upon a series of conditions 
which maybe included in the phrase" availability of 
the food supply." The death of a leaf in an air free 
from CO, 2 is due to insufficient nutrition. 
Epiphragm of the Common Snail.— A paper 
was read by Prof. G. J. Allman, F.R.S., "On the 
Formation of the Epiphragm of the Common Snail 
(Helix aspersa).” The author showed that the 
epiphragm is secreted by a special inner collar-lobe 
of the pallial border, which during the retraction of 
the animal within its shell becomes a pbragmato- 
genic disc, and not by the " collar ” as ordinarily 
understood. Attention was drawn to the existence of 
a respiratory orifice in the epiphragm, and to an 
apparent osphradium in the mantle-border adjacent 
to it. 
-- 
HARDY FLOWERS FROM LEYLAND. 
Mr. Charles Walker, F.R.H.S., pays a good deal 
of attention to the cultivation of hardy herbaceous 
subjects, and his nurseries at Wellfield, and Golden 
Hill, Leyland, near Preston, contain many pretty 
things that are in great request for the herbaceous 
border. A box of cut flowers recently forwarded to 
us by him contained samples of popular flowers 
which are grown in quantities. Coreopsis grandiflora 
was, of course, included. It would be difficult to 
mention a plant more worthy of extensive cultivation 
for supplying quantities of cut flowers than this. 
The blooms when cut with long stems last well in 
water and their rich yellow is at once bright and 
showy. Galega officinalis alba, a white form of the 
Goat’s Rue, is a plant that will succeed any where in 
a fairly open situation, in almost any soil, although 
it loves best a deep rich loam. 
Annual Chrysanthemums form a strong line with 
Mr. Walker, and several double and semi-double 
varieties in some charming shades of yellow were 
submitted for our approval. Chrysanthemum 
maximum with its large white flowers, and ray florets 
of great size and substance, is a favourite everywhere, 
and for cut flower purposes is unsurpassed. 
Anthemis Kelwayii bears brilliant yellow flowers, and 
is both pretty and useful. The double form of our 
wild Lychis vespertina will doubtless find favour in 
the eyes of many, but personally we must confess to 
a preference for the single form. Achillea Ptarmica 
grandiflora The Pearl is a large flowered pure 
white form of this popular Achillea. This variety, 
in addition to the extra large size of the flowers, 
would appear to be mors than usually floriferous. 
Mr. Walker also goes in largely for Poppies and 
some seedling, double varieties were of more than 
ordinary merit. Delphiniums, and Zinias likewise 
are not forgotten, and the pretty Campanula 
persicifolia calycanthema alba, despite js long name, 
is a great favourite. 
--f-- 
PRACTICAL FRUIT-GROWING IN 
AUSTRALIA. 
In New South Wales is to be found a practically 
unlimited field for fruit-growing enterprise, especially 
on the part of those conversant with the better kinds 
of fruit, improved modes of cultivation, and proper 
methods for packing for the home market or for 
export, the failure of many experimental shipments 
of Australian fruit to London and elsewhere being 
largely due to defective packing. It has been roughly 
estimated that one-quarter to one-third of the surface 
of the colony, representing an area of several million 
acres, is suitable for fruit growing purposes, the 
fruits including almost every description grown in 
temperate and sub-tropical countries. Yet the 
total productive area under orchards and fruit 
gardens in 1895 was only 21,465 acres the quantity of 
fruit obtained being far behind the demand for local 
consumption, and necessitating the importation of 
considerable quantities from other countries. The 
value of these imports in 1895 was considerable, 
that of Apples and other ordinary fresh fruits, 
principally from Tasmania, being £100,465. The 
fruits exported from New South Wales consist 
almost exclusively of Oranges and Lemons, and it is 
anticipated that in the near future the export trade 
in these will become largely augmented, as every 
known variety of these fruits can be grown with 
ease in the colony; and, besides, the fruit can be 
delivered in London, Manchester, and other ports 
during those months of the year when there is no 
supply from Spain and other countries in Southern 
Europe. The area under Orange and Lemon trees 
in r895 comprised r2,204 acres; the productive area, 
9,242 acres ; and the total yield, 8,703,252 dozen, or 
an average of 940 dozen to the acre. It is estimated 
that over 3,000 dozen of fruit to the acre can be 
obtained in an average season from fair-sized trees 
in full bearing. It is therefore probable that the 
figures for 1895 include the returns from a consider¬ 
able number of young trees. Most of the orangeries 
are situated within a few miles of Sydney—a result, 
probably, of proximity to the metropolitan market, 
as there are thousands of acres equally adapted for 
Orange cultivation in the greater portion of the 
coastal districts of the colony. The possibilities of 
Orange cultivation in New South Wales warrant the 
anticipation that the leading British houses engaged 
in the marmalade manufacture may see their way, at 
no remote period, to the establishment of branch 
works in the colony. The production of candied 
citron, orange, and lemon peels could be undertaken 
with success by reason, not only of the abundance 
and cheapness of the necessary fruit, sugar, etc., but 
also because of there being a fair supply of the 
requisite labour. All this would have been effected 
long since but, as Mr. Coghlan remarks, for " the 
proverbial antagonism of the Briton to culture of 
any fruit, cereal, or fabric-plant unknown to the 
climatic zone of his native land,” which “has 
hitherto injuriously operated against the introduc¬ 
tion of many vegetable staples which experiment and 
experience have amply demonstrated would flourish 
luxuriantly in Australia, to the advantage both of the 
individual and of the community.” Next in impor¬ 
tance to the Citrus fruits is the Grape, the produc¬ 
tion of which has steadily increased of late years, 
the total area planted with vines being now nearly 
seven times what it was in the year 1862, when it 
stood at 1,130 acres, of which number grapes from 
562 acres were gathered for wine-making, the total 
production being 85,328 gallons. The yields for the 
years 1876, 1877, 1880, and 1892 were the best of the 
series. The total number of vine-growers in 1895 
was 2,054. The average area of each vineyard was 
37 acres, and the area planted, with vines still in an 
unproductive state was 744 acres. In 1894 the area 
under cultivation for table Grapes was 2.358 acres, 
producing 4,617 tons of Grapes, or an average yield 
of about two tons per acre. Large quantities of 
Muscatel and other Grapes could be profitably 
exported by those familiar with the methods of 
packing practised in Spain, Portugal, and other 
countries. So far no effort has been made in New 
South Wales to prepare raisin fruits for foreign 
consumption, although there exist undoubted 
possibilities for a large export trade in this direction. 
Experiments made in drying Grapes and Currants of 
Australian culture have met with success in the 
London markets, and experts have declared the 
product to be of the highest quality. These experi¬ 
ments were made in Victoria and South Australia, 
but New South Wales is, perhaps, even more favour¬ 
ably situated for the prosecution of this industry 
than either of the sister colonies, and with the 
extension of settlement, and the falling out of culti¬ 
vation of the few products more cheaply grown in 
other and more suitable climatic parts of the world, 
the building up of a large export trade in Raisins, 
Muscatels, dried Currants, Figs, and other staples 
peculiar to the isles of the Levant and the Grecian 
Peninsula may reasonably be expected .—John 
Plummer. 
-—*-- 
Hardening §|iscellany. 
DIANTHUS NAPOLEON 111. 
As far as we have seen, the above is the darkest of 
all the Mule Pinks and the most handsome. The 
climate of Scotland both north and south seems to 
suit its constitution admirably, for nowhere else 
have we seen it doing better. Some parts of 
England, however, would no doubt suit it admirably. 
The plant is upright in growth, and the stems vary 
from 9 in. to 12 in in height, branching freely, and 
therefore, producing large clusters of dark crimson 
flowers that last well in a cut state. They are 
practically semidouble, and produced in succes¬ 
sion over a considerable period. We have seen 
it in full bloom in Kincardineshire at the end of 
September. Propagation is effected by cuttings, and 
the plants are used for bedding purposes. Being 
quite hardy, the young plants may be kept in cold 
frames during winter, or even left in the open air. 
Some do, indeed, propagate them by layering, and 
transplant the layers to their permanent quarters in 
the autumn at the same time as the Carnations. We 
are reminded of these facts by a bunch of flowers 
received from Mr. John Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries, 
Hawick. The stems were only 6 in. to 9 in. long, and 
had been cut their full length. The dry season has 
no doubt kept them somewhat dwarfer than usual. 
NE<V VEGETABLE. 
Although the roots of Phytolacca decandra are 
credited with poisonous qualities, it is stated that 
the leaves make an excellent substitute for Spinach. 
When eaten raw they possess very much the same 
flavour as that well known vegetable. The plant is 
of very robust growth, and produces any amount of 
large, ovate, deep green leaves. The flowers, which 
are ivory-white, are borne on long, erect, extra- 
axillary racemes, and are succeeded in the autumn 
by dark purple berries. A number of popular 
names are applied to the plant, such as the Virginian 
Poke Weed, Pigeon Berry, and Red Ink Plant. 
The latter name is presumably given because of the 
the crimson juice exude by the berries when 
crushed. 
STREPTOCARPUS WENDLANDll. 
This singular but interesting greenhouse perennial 
sent out by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, is 
grown by many for the decoration of the conserva¬ 
tory. Some grand examples are to be seen grown by 
Mr. O. Brasier in the greenhouse at West Hill, Bir¬ 
mingham. These plants have one immense leaf 
which is of a peculiar brownish-green colour, nearly 
3 ft. long, 2 ft. in width, and reflexing over the pot. 
From the axis of the leaf, spikes of flowers nearly 
3 ft. high are branched, and throwing an immense 
quantity of violet, blue, and white flowers. Some of 
these plants have as many as half-a-dozen spikes. 
They continue in flower a long time, these plants 
having'been in perfection since March. A succession 
can be had by sowing the seed at intervals all the 
season round. It is easy to raise ; the same treat¬ 
ment as that given to the culture of the Gloxinia 
suits it well.— Urbanus. 
A GOOD GREEN-FLESHED MELON. 
In reply to " W.P.R.’s ” question on p. 738, I have 
no hesitation in recommending Sutton’s Windsor 
Castle as the best green-fleshed Melon I know. This 
year I had four plants of it along with several other 
varieties. Each plant carried four fruits averaging 
8 lb. in weight, and even at that size the flavour was 
excellent. During the ripening period I gave them 
plenty of air night and day, but never allowed the 
border to get dry as some growers recommend. The 
fruits are now gathered and every one of them has 
given me complete satisfaction. Of course there is a 
deal in cultivation in securing flavour, but after 
making all allowances for that it is a grand Melon. 
I had no difficulty in setting the fruits,—/. Gibson, 
Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
ALLAMANDA WILLIAMSII. 
This should be grown by every lover of stove flower¬ 
ing plants. Grand examples are to be seen in many 
of the gardens around Birmingham flowering most 
profusely ; some in 5-in. pots are really beautiful, 
whilst large plants 3 ft. in spread are throwing 
dozens of their beautiful bright yellow and sweet- 
scented flowers. As compared with most Allamandas 
the habit is not so straggling, but more in the way 
of A. neriifolia, which is one of its parents, and well 
adapted for pot culture. It is a garden hybrid and 
was cent out by the firm whose name it bears.— 
Urbanus. 
BEGONIA KEWENSIS. 
Given varieties of fairly pendant habit there is no 
better position for showing off the good points of 
Begonias than to grow them in baskets. A noble 
specimen of Begonia kewensis has been during the 
past week a marvel of beauty in the Begonia house 
at Kew. The flowers are small, of a glistening 
pearly-white, and produced in huge drooping 
panicles that make a brave show. Judging from 
appearance it would be hard to beat this plant for 
basket work. 
