72 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 30, 1893. 
Exmouth.— The first discussion for the season in 
connection with the Exmouth Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Society was held on the 20th inst. A 
large number of members took part. The subject 
was “ The Root and Shoot Pruning of Fruit Trees.” 
Various methods and practical illustrations were 
given, showing the difference between good and bad 
pruning. More summer and less winter pruning 
was recommended. The general opinion was that 
root pruning is not practised as much as it ought to 
be, but where many, especially amateurs, failed was 
through not knowing the difference between " prun¬ 
ing” and ” mutilation.” 
-- 
ARDENING fllSCELLANY. 
TRADE CATALOGUES. 
The autumn and winter catalogues of nursery trees, 
shrubs, bulbs, &c., are coming in apace, for let the sea¬ 
sons be what they may there is no remission in business 
activity on the part of our traders, who strive their 
best to get their share of the custom which can be 
bestowed on horticulture. Catalogues differ very 
much in appearance and usefulness. Some are poor, 
while others are so finely prepared as to come almost 
within the description of editions de luxe, so beautifully 
are they finished and so highly are they illustrated. 
A new departure in style and usefulness is the fruit 
catalogue issued by Messrs. George Bunyard & Co., 
of Maidstone, which is not only enclosed in stiff paper 
covers, thus giving to it a character of permanence, 
but also contains a blank page interleaved through¬ 
out the work, on which those having the catalogues 
can make, from time to time, practical notes con¬ 
cerning the fruits they grow, which may be of the 
greatest value for re'^erence later on. This is a little 
piece of trade enterprise that merits all praise. 
Possibly, very many persons find the abundance of 
catalogues they annually receive to be a serious bur¬ 
then ; it is so difficult to make the best selection 
under such conditions. The embarras de richesse 
presents difficulties not easily mastered. Then in 
such case so many of the stereotyped lists soon get 
cast aside and, perhaps, are no more seen. That sort of 
neglect will hardly be shown towards the Messrs. 
Bunyard’s catalogue. Apart from these considera¬ 
tions, however, catalogues have had enormously to 
grow with horticultural development. It is all very 
well to complain, as many do, that far too many 
things are listed. That may be so, but the trader 
never knows what he may be asked for, and least of 
all does he care to refuse an order, because he may 
not have what is required.—Po>«ofo^/sA 
PYRUS MALUS FLORIBUNDUS. 
According to Professor Sargent, this is the only 
species of Apple that is indigenous to Japan. Here 
it is very widely spread, growing from sea level at 
Yeddo up to an elevation of several thousand feet 
in central Hondo. It affects humid soil in the 
neighbourhood of water courses. Sometimes it is 
only a low bush, but more often it attains the 
dimensions of a tree 5 to 10 yards high, having a 
solid trunk, and a great spread of branches. The 
leaves are very variable, even on the same individual, 
and that may possibly account for the numerous 
names that are given it in this, as well as other 
countries, not only in gardens, but in books, leading 
people to believe that there are several different 
kinds, whereas no real distinction can be made be¬ 
tween them. The commonest synonyms are Pyrus 
Ringo, P. Toringo, and P. microcarpa. Less common 
are Pyrus lialleana, P. Parkmani, and Malus Sieboldi. 
The fruit, which is about the size of that of a wild 
Cherry or Gean, loses its calyx like Pyrus baccata, 
and like that species is variable in colour, from 
yellow to a lively shining scarlet. The latter is less 
common in this country than the dark fruited forms 
of P. baccata, or Siberian Crab. 
EFFECTS OF THE SUMMER UPON 
TREES. 
Before parting with the memorable summertide of 
1893, it may not be profitless to observe its effect 
upon trees, so essential to the beauty and health of 
the metropolis. They afford thS one redeeming 
feature to an otherwise ugly town. Some years ago 
I brought upon myself a good deal of adverse 
criticism by quoting Leigh Hunt's saying, that it was 
hard to find a single street in London from some 
part of which a tree was not visible. I only know of 
two viz., Savile Row and a street parallel with 
Berners Street. London trees have two adverse 
influences to resist, coal smoke and heat reflected 
from miles of brick and stonework. The effect of 
the latter is so clearly marked upon several species at 
the present moment that the lesson ought not to be 
neglected by the Office of Works and by those in 
charge of squares and gardens, for, although the 
heat has been greatly excessive this year, trees in a 
town are always exposed to a greater summer heat 
than those in the country. The trees which have 
suffered most are one native species, the Wych Elm, 
and two exotic species, the Horse Chestnut and the 
Lime. The condition in which these are now, and 
have been for some weeks past, ought to convince 
us of their unsuitability for urban planting. Many 
of them are entirely leafless; others retain but a 
sere remnant of summer clothing. The Plane, for 
which we shall soon have to borrow the title of a 
humbler green thing and call it "London Pride,” 
has stood the trial fairly well, for although it has 
shed half its leaves, the other half remain and are 
still fresh and verdant. By a popular mistake this 
tree is called the Western or Occidental Plane. It is 
not so, but an Eastern European and Asiatic species 
(Platanus acerifoliusj, and may be distinguished 
from the American Plan (P. occidentalis), by bearing 
two or more seed vessels on the fruit stalk instead of 
one. Aspens and Poplars have suffered not at all, 
and should be more largely planted in London. By 
a peculiar formation of the leaf stalk, which is 
flattened midway, they are specially provided with a 
mechanical means of protection against heat. The 
leaves hang vertically, and possess glands on both 
surfaces, whereas Oak, Beech, Chestnut, etc , have 
glands only on the under surface. Ailanthus 
glandulosa, the tree of the gods, is in splendid 
foliage, and if more care were taken to keep it in 
shape in its early years, would soon prove one of the 
surest ornaments of our streets. But the tree to 
which I wish to call special attention as invaluable 
for towns is what is commonly called the Acacia. 
It is not an Acacia at all, being of the Pea-flower 
tribe ; its scientific name is Robinia pseudo-acacia. 
Let any one compare the fine specimen standing at 
the corner of Lord Sefton’s house in Belgrave 
Square, or a group of young ones in the Green Park 
near the Wellington Arch, with trees of other kinds 
around, and he cannot fail to recognise in this 
species one which, for beauty of form or freshness 
of verdure, cannot be excelled for planting in towns. 
—Sir Herbert Maxiuell, Bart., in The Times. 
JAPAN LACQUER; RHUS VERNICIFERA. 
In your journal of 24th June, recently received here, 
I read a note on the Japan lacquer tree (Rhus verni- 
cifera), and it occurred to me that it might interest 
your readers to know that the genus is valuable 
not only on account of the product named. A 
Jap in my employ has informed me that the seed 
(presumably of R. succedanea, and possibly of other 
species) furnishes the general lighting medium in his 
native land. By grinding and expression, a wax is 
obtained, from which excellent candles are made. 
Here the florist has found another use for the tree. 
In autumn the leaves change from their normal 
green to the most glorious shades of scarlet, crimson, 
and yellow, and in this state they supplement the 
supply of autumn tints for decorative purposes. On 
referring to ” Paxton,” I find R. succedanea noted as 
an evergreen, but the trees we have imported are 
decidedly deciduous, so that we have not yet fixed 
the species to our satisfaction. We have now sown 
imported seeds of commerce, and if succe.ssful in 
raising plants, shall be able to determine what is the 
veritable " wax-tree.” A reference to the ” Botanical 
Dictionary ” shows the genus to be very widely dis¬ 
tributed, and it furnishes yet other products in 
addition to those referred to.— C. Bennett, Standard 
Nursery, Homebush, N.S.W., August igth. 
THE JASMINE HARVEST. 
A CORRESPONDENT writing from Grasse says :—The 
Jasmine harvest here is in full swing. Grasse is 
permeated by a overwhelming perfume of flowers. 
In the factories they are working day and night to 
extract the valuable essence of the flowers as quickly 
as possible. There are three ways of doing this. 
The first and coarsest method which is used for 
Lavender, Thyme, Peppermint, and Geranium, is by 
boiling down the flowers. The second, which is 
used for Roses, Heliotrope, Lilac, ordinary Violets, 
etc , is the old plan of distillation. And the third, 
which is reserved for Parma Violets, Jasmine, 
Tuberoses, and such expensive essences, is the so- 
called cold method, the slowest, and therefore the 
dearest, but the most effective of all. For this last 
the flowers, which are first carefully weighed, are 
heaped upon a table, round which are seated about 
twenty girls, each with a frame before her, like a 
good-sized window pane. The glass of this frame 
is, so to speak, buttered on both sides wdth a mixture 
of veal fat and a little oil. On the glass the girl 
strews as many flowers as will lightly cover it, and 
covers them with another glass, similarly treated. 
Then comes another layer of flowers and another 
glass, till there are ten glasses in a heap. The next 
day the flowers, which are by that time quite faded 
and have given out all their scent into the grease 
above them, are removed, and fresh flowers are 
strewn in their place. This proceeding is repeated 
eight or ten times. The perfumed grease is then 
put into large, closed, copper vats, with an equal 
quantity of spirit. In the vats are whfeels, which 
are turned by machinery. The rapid revolutions of 
the wheels beats out of the grease most of the per¬ 
fume it has soaked in; the grease sinks to the bottom 
and is used to make soap, pomade, etc., and the 
spirit which contains the true essence of the flowers 
is bottled, and fetches the highest prices given for 
scent.— The Globe. 
RHUS COTINUS. 
A WELL flowered bush of this is always interesting 
because of its distinctness, and on the approach of 
autumn the foliage becomes more or less rosy-crim¬ 
son. We draw attention to this finding its foliage 
utilised by the florists in making up charming 
bouquets, which by artificial light have a rich and 
unique effect.— G. 
SIZE OF TREES. 
I HAVE trees in the garden and pleasure grounds 
here of the following girth measurements at 5 ft. 
above the ground;—Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus 
Liboni), circumference, 17 ft. 10 in.; Himalaya 
Cedar (Cedrus Deodara), circumference, 14 ft. and 
15 ft.; Silver Fir (Abies pectinata), circumference, 
13 ft. 10 in.; and the English Elm (Ulmus campes- 
tris), circumference, 18 ft. Are these exceptional ? 
— IF. A. Adams, Gaines, IVorcester. [They are all 
considerably above the average.— Ed.] 
-- 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Azaleas.—No time should now be lost in getting 
these safely under cover, for the nights are getting 
very cold and we may have frost at any time. 
Before doing so it would be very advantageous to 
the plants to have a good washing to remove dust 
and dirt from the leaves. Lay the plants on their 
sides on a hand-barrow or stool of some kind to keep 
them off the ground, and apply water to them by 
means of the hose or garden engine as the case may 
be. Avoid overcrowding in the house where they 
are stored. 
Camellias.—With a sharp-pointed stick scratch 
off all accumulations of moss or green matter which 
may be growing on the surface of the pots and tubs, 
as the soil can always be kept in a healthier and 
well aerated condition when the surface is clean and 
open. Wash the pots and also the foliage. If the 
latter is coated with a black slime, it may be 
necessary to use a sponge and soapy water. 
Fuchsias.—Old plants may have some prepara¬ 
tion to withstand the winter, by partly withholding 
water to cause the shoots to ripen. They wall then 
winter more safely where the temperature is allowed 
to fall very low. They can also be partly pruned 
back where space is a matter of importance. 
Passifloras, Tacsonias, etc.—Light will soon 
be more necessary than obtainable for the soft- 
wooded subjects grown beneath these and other 
rapid growing climbers. Where they have done 
flowering, they should be well thinned out to admit 
all the light possible without denuding the roof 
entirely and making the house look bare. As the 
flowers are produced on the young wood, it matters 
very little how much of this is cut away with the 
exception just mentioned. 
