May S, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
561 
only one, a plant of Flag of Truce, 2 ft. high and 
2 ft. in diameter, realised over 30s. The Ixoras, 
some eighty lots, went at very low rates, 20s. to 30s. 
generally for the best, and only one, I. Duffii, com¬ 
manded as much as three guineas. Two guineas 
was the top price for a Cleroderidron Balfourianum, 
and ten guineas for an Anthurium Scherzerianum ; 
several Eucharis amazonica went at i8s. each, and 
Pancratiums at 12s. to 14s. each. For the Heaths 
the best prices obtained were Erica profusa 85s., E. 
Cavendishiana 68s., E. depressa 60s., E. Parmen- 
tieria rosea 45s, E. Halfordi 40s., E. coccinea 
minor 37s. 6d., and E. Aitoni superba 90s. 
Epping Forest. —We quote the following from The 
Sun of the 26th ult. :—A party of gentlemen 
were conducted yesterday by Mr. E. N. Buxton 
over Hawkwood, in Epping Forest, in which some 
500 or 600 trees have been marked for felling. 
A committee of experts had been appointed by the 
City Corporation, and these gentlemen—Dr. Schlich, 
professor of forestry at Coopers’ Hill: Mr. A. D. 
Webster, forester to the Duke of Bedford, who was 
chosen on the recommendation ofSirJoseph Hooker ; 
Mr. W. Robinson, editor of the Garden ; and Mr. 
James Anderson, of the Gardeners' Chronicle — 
examined each of the doomed trees and its surround¬ 
ings. Professor Meldola, Mr. Bernard Gibson, Mr. 
J. H. Porter, and other gentlemen were also of the 
party. The committee were not able to arrive at a 
final decision as to the fate of the trees, which will 
remain standing until the close of the year. It 
seemed to be admitted that some clearance would 
have to be effected, but whether all or the greater 
number of the trees marked will be cut down remains 
to be seen. The following provisional report was 
signed by the committee :—"After a careful examina¬ 
tion of Hawkwood, we are of opinion that the trees 
as now marked in it should not be cut for the present 
season. Other questions as to the general manage¬ 
ment of the forest so as to secure the object the 
committee have in view are best determined after we 
have seen the forest in all parts and at various 
seasons.—W. Schlich, A. D. Webster, W. Robinson, 
James Anderson. ’’ 
Ranunculus montanus. —The leaves of this species 
are three-parted, five-lobed, and of a shining green. 
The flowers are solitary, golden-yellow, and pro¬ 
duced on stems 3 in. to 6 ia. high. On the whole it 
has the appearance of some of our native species, 
but is neater in every way, and well worthy of a 
place on the rockery. The plant forms a compact 
tuft, and overruns nothing, so that it may be planted 
“amongst other dwarl growing subjects without that 
reservation that has to be exercised with many 
rapidly growing or even trailing plants. It is easily 
propagated by division, though not very rapidly. 
Gardening in Cornwall.—All apprehension and un¬ 
easiness as to the probable repetition of a dry spring, 
bringing in its trait the failure of an early market 
gardening produce, as was the case last year, have 
now entirely dispersed, and, so far as can be seen at 
present, this will be a season to be remembered with 
thankfulness, like "sunshine after rain.” It is true 
that the dry condition of the ground during the 
month of March created a failure in the Broccoli 
production, for it is proverbial in Cornwall that a 
warm spring has no other effect. Even spring 
Cabbage is of the slightest, for there are thousands 
of acres of the vegetable which have run to seed, 
and those which are saleable only realise a very 
moderate price considering how short is the supply 
in the proportion to the demand. Market gardeners, 
however, will have no difficulty in recouping them¬ 
selves by the sale of Potatos, for the plants are look¬ 
ing better than has been known for many years. 
Drilled in in favourable weather, their growth has 
neither been checked by wind nor frost, and conse¬ 
quently tons of Potatos of early growth have this 
last few days been sent to market, which means fully 
three weeks earlier than in ordinary years. Equal 
good fortune seems in store from fruit, and especially 
so from Peach, Plum and Pear, the fruit setting in 
most favourably, and the same remark is equally 
applicable to Gooseberries and Currants. This 
seems rather extraordinary when it is borne in mind 
how seldom it is that fruit crops appear in abun¬ 
dance two successive years. At Scilly, too, the 
Potato crops generally look very fine, under the 
prevailing genial showers and bright sunshine their 
growth is luxuriant, and although this may retard 
the formation of tubers, yet a large yield from the 
Islands is expected eventually. May Day (Tuesday 
last), will be long remembered for the unusual abun¬ 
dance of flowers displayed. It is worthy of note that 
the Hawthorn is in full blossom, and other kinds 
equally flourishing. 
TIMELY PROPAGATING. 
What a golden opportunity the spring time offers for 
increasing and multiplying all kinds of plants. There 
arefew things, if they root at all, that cannot bestruck 
now, and I would specially refer to one or two sub¬ 
jects especially that are easy to propagate at this 
season. Sometime ago I sent jou some notes on 
the layering of Asparagus tenuissimus, and since then 
I have been very successful in propagating it by 
means of cuttings. The mode of procedure is as 
follows :—A fairly large plant is first grown on for 
stock, and this secured, proceed to pull off small 
pieces of half ripened wood, being careful to choose 
those pieces which are the likeliest to make good 
plants. If carefully inspected the propagator will 
find at the base of the branches or sprays a small 
crown forming there, and it is these sprays that 
should be selected. These should be put three or 
four in a small sixty pot, crocked well, and the com¬ 
post rammed down very firm, and the pots packed 
close together in a box of cocoanut fibre refuse, 
covered with glass, and stood on the hot-water pipes 
for three weeks or a month. 
The making of the compost very firm is the 
secret of a successful strike, as if the cuttings are 
put into a light compost they soon shrivel up and 
die through the soil drying so quickly. Nothing 
special is required in the way of compost, but I pre¬ 
fer that which is heavy with a good dash of river 
sand added to keep it open. When rooted the young 
plants can either be potted off singly, or three or 
four in a pot as struck, and these make the best for 
furnishing work. I should like to see more of this 
plant used for furnishing and grouping, for it is very 
elegant and attractive, lasts well in a cut state, and 
will stand a rare amount of wear and tear before it 
gets shabby. 
Dracaenas of all kinds, Crotons, Aralias of the 
hardier section, and many other things will root 
beautifully now in wide-necked bottles of water, but 
as soon as the roots show they should be potted into 
small thumbs to ensure quicker root action, and if 
partially shaded will not lose a leaf.— T. G. Petlinqcr, 
Strawberry Dale Nursery, Harrogate. 
-- 
ONION-TAINTED ORANGES. 
Dr. Bonavia made the following communication 
on the absorption of odoriferous vapours by Oranges 
to the last meeting of the Scientific Committee : — 
Not long since I submitted to the notice of the 
Committee a curious fact connected with the tainting 
of the Orange pulp and j nice with the aroma of a box 
containing musty damp hay. On that occasion 
there were in the box four different kinds from 
Australia, and all were tainted with this musty aroma, 
and remained so tainted for weeks, after having 
been unpacked and aired. On several occasions 
I have bought from the shops Blood Oranges, which 
left on the palate an after-flavour of Onions. In 
one instance, a lot of Blood Oranges were so strongly 
tainted with this Onion flavour that they were 
scarcely edible. I did not observe any such taint in 
other kinds of Oranges. 
I could not account for this strange flavour in the 
Blood Orange of the shops, which, according to my 
experience, both in the Mediterranean and in 
India, is one of the finest flavoured Oranges in 
existence. 
However, with the experience of the Australian 
box of Oranges, I thought that possibly Oranges 
from Spain may be sometimes shipped in the same 
vessel with Spanish Onions, and stored in the same 
hold during the voyage. Thus, the Blood Oranges 
might get tainted with the Onion aroma, which 
would pervade the surrounding atmosphere. 
In order to verify this suspicion, I wrote to the 
great fruit brokers in the City, Messrs. M. Isaacs 
& Sons, and put a number of questions to them. 
They very kindly and promptly answered all my 
questions, which are rather astonishing. They 
said :— 
"I. A fair quantity of Blood Oranges are grown 
in the district of Valencia, which has also become 
in the last few years one of the most important 
districts for producing Onions, and in many cases 
both Oranges and Onions are grown very closely 
together. 
"2. Blood Oranges are often stored in the same 
warehouses as Onions before they are shipped, and 
also before and during packing. 
"3. We should say that there are few steamers 
which bring Blood Oranges from Spain that do not 
bring Onions in the same hold. 
"4. After being landed. Oranges and Onions are 
stored very often in the same floor, sometimes for a 
couple of weeks together.” 
So it appears that Valencia Oranges are surrounded 
by Onion-tainted atmosphere from the time of their 
growth on the trees to the time they are sold in 
shops. 
I think this is enough to account for the strange 
Onicn-like flavour that I have detected in several 
lots of Blood Oranges sold in the London shops. 
Other kinds of Oranges from Valencia must come 
in contact with a tainted atmosphere, but for some 
reason I have not detected this taint in other than 
Blood Oranges. 
The question that now remains to be answered is 
this: Why is the Blood Orange more subject to 
atmospheric contamination than other kinds. Is 
there any ingredient in the Blood Orange which has 
a special attraction for the Aroma of Onions ? 
I am not in a position to attempt any reply to this 
question. 
I have put some Blood Oranges, which were 
already slightly tainted, in a box with a chopped 
Spanish Onion for ten days, and now submit them 
to the Committee (shall bring them on Tuesday, 
April 24), for examination. 
I may add that Messrs. Isaacs & Sons have kindly 
offered to send me a few Oranges, which may not 
have come in contact with Onions, for experiment. 
If I get them, I may perhaps be able to submit the 
result of further investigations in this direction. 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The undermentioned subjects were certificated at 
the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on 
the 24ih ult. 
Alocasia Watsoniana. —The leaves of this hand¬ 
some garden plant are oval or shield-shaped, with a 
partly connate, but sagittate base, and similar in 
form and general appearance to those of A. Thibauti- 
ana. The stature of the plant is equally bold, for 
the petioles are 2 ft. to 3 ft. long. The upper surface 
of the lamina is of a rich olive-green, with the 
midrib and all the principal lateral veins of a beau¬ 
tiful silvery hue; the under surface is of a deep 
violet purple, with a metallic appearance. First-class 
Certificate. Exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co. 
Rhododendron Princess William of Wurtem- 
BERG. —In this we have one of the hardy hybrids 
of the same type as Rhododendron ponticum crossed 
with R. Catawbiense, but the spotting is here carried 
to excess. The campanulate flowers are white and 
densely spotted all over with purple, except the 
middle portion, forming a zone where the spots are 
intensified to crimson. It is certainly a handsome 
variety. First-class Certificate. Exhibited by Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Alyssum saxatile Lemon var. —The flowers of 
this new variety are rather larger than those of the 
type and of a soft lemon-yellow. The plant is 
perfectly hardy and very floriferous. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Amaryllis Gem. —The funnel-shaped flowers in 
this case are very wide at the mouth, with the tips 
of the segments revolute. They are bright scarlet 
with deeper veins, and broad white rays running to 
the apex of the outer segments and nearly so to the 
inner. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons. 
Phyllocactus Romeo. —The flowers of this 
garden hybrid are of great size with very numerous 
petals, the outer of which are intense scarlet, while 
the inner ones are rosy-violet at the edges. The 
branches are flattened, as is usual to this genus. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons. 
Thunbergia Harrisii. —The proper name of this 
is T. laurifolia, which was introduced from the 
Malay Islands in 1856. The large light blue flowers 
are produced towards the top of the tall climbing 
stems. The plant makes a handsome stove climber. 
First-class Certificate. Exhibited by Lady Theodore 
Guest, Inwood House, Henstridge, near Bradford. 
Alpinia nutans. —The habit and leaves of this 
stove plant are like those of a tall growing 
Hedychium, for the stems usually attain a height 
of 5 ft. to 6 ft., or to 13 ft. in its native country. 
The larger segment is infolde a the sides in such a 
