662 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 20th, 1885. 
SCOTTISH GARDENING. 
Stkawbekkt Notes. —This season of the year 
reminds us very forcibly of the advantages obtained 
from growing only a useful selection of varieties 
of the generally appreciated Strawberry. This fruit, 
almost more than others, is capricious in regard 
to soil, and it is always well, when one is forming 
a new plantation, to make sure that a goodly breadth 
of the sort which is the “local ” favourite is planted. 
Gardeners sometimes, on going to a new locality, hold 
tenaciously to kinds which have been favourites in 
some other district; but, after a fair experience, some 
other kind must (if success is of any moment) take 
up the space which the old favourites should have 
filled. 
I had a good opportunity on coming here of judging 
the merits, as regards quality and usefulness, of a 
large collection which had been bought and planted 
about a year before. Some did well, others did not. 
But one above all others—which I think is a favourite 
everywhere—did extra well, and is at the present 
moment out-distancing most kinds in the abundance 
. of fruit which it is yielding under glass, and showing 
admirably for a crop in the open ground. The plants, 
. too, are all of one size, and there are no blanks. 
This is the well-known Yicomtesse Hericart de 
Thury, which, from the first of April till lately, has 
supplied daily gatherings. None became blind, but 
a few died off, diseased at the collar; we also had 
some of this disease in the open ground last year. 
Sir Joseph Paxton comes next in value as a forcer, 
as all our fruit has to be transmitted to a distance, 
and this variety packs well. We still practice the 
well-known old method of placing each fruit in a leaf, 
as close as they will lie, not twisting the stalk of the 
fruit in the leaf, as we once did long ago. All are 
picked and packed without being touched, the stalks 
excepted, and the boxes hold one layer only, and the 
leaves being gathered the night before, and placed 
in a cool, dry place, they are limp and pliable when 
wanted. We find them travel in this way to London 
or elsewhere in prime condition, either by rail or 
parcels post. The fruit is always best when ripened 
cool, airy, and dry. Packing is then a simple 
matter. 
We have also Sir Charles Napier and President for 
forcing, but here they are barely equal to the two 
first named. At one place the latter were valued 
so much that out of a stock of 3,000 forced in pots 
2,000 were of Sir Charles Napier and President. Those 
which we value so much here held only a secondary 
position, in our estimation, then. The soils in the 
two places are remarkably different, and something 
more than heavy and light texture decides merit. 
The kinds which we find do best here in the open 
ground (taking then- full value into consideration) are 
Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury, Sir Joseph Paxton, 
President, Sir Hairy, and a kind (not much known 
to us) named Countess. We have Keen’s Seedling, 
James Yeitch, Sir C. Napier, and other kinds, promis¬ 
ing fairly; but Keen’s [Seedling we consider one of 
the best Strawberries in cultivation. In the south 
of England, the midlands of Scotland, and also in 
Ireland, this kind we have seen as near perfection 
as can be conceived—but not of late years. Straw¬ 
berry-growing, outside or inside, has not made any 
progress during our gardening career. The British 
Queens and Keen’s Seedlings of our boyhood have not, 
under our observation, been equalled. We have 
plenty of large kinds—acid enough, free-bearing, and 
good-looking—but none, in our opinion, are equal 
to the two kinds which we knew first. 
In cold northern districts it is well to get young 
runners laid into pots, for early forcing, as soon as 
they are large enough. The younger the parent plant 
is, if in healthy growth, the better are the runners. 
We have put runners into their fruiting pots in 
August, and had good returns from them; but this 
was in the south or south-west of England, where 
the autumn sun had greater power in maturing the 
plants. We had the last of our stock potted firmly 
into good loam, mixed with a little of Thomson’s 
vine manure, early in July last, and we should like 
to do the same this season. Having to give up our 
Strawberry-house for the growth of Orchids raised no 
difficulty here, or curtailed our resources, as shelves 
placed near the glass in other structures met all our 
wants. These shelves are made to hold 2 ins. deep 
or more of water, with plugs to take out and run the 
water off; stagnant water about the pots in saucers is 
very objectionable. A piece of gas or other pipe to 
lead the water down answers well, and when the sun 
becomes powerful, and fire heat is used, a soaking to 
the roots placed on these shelves is of great advan¬ 
tage. Oftentimes the ball of roots are moistened at 
the outside only, but when left in the box-like shelves 
in 1 in. or 2 ins. of water, they get all moistened 
to the centre, leaving them clean and healthy by 
running off the superfluous water; much mischief 
is often done by the use of putrid and unhealthy 
manure-water; the object of increasing the size of 
the fruit is thus defeated, and the flavour is ruined. 
To plants in pots we prefer giving prepared manure, 
such as is sold in packages, and great care is taken 
not to exceed the quantity prescribed. Good guano 
is no longer an easily obtainable article, but when of 
high quality, and mixed with a little clear soot-water, 
we think there is nothing superior as a fertilizer for 
Strawberries being forced in pots. 
To merely have a few early dishes of Strawberries, 
say in January or February, we consider of little 
merit, and certainly not profitable cultivation ; but to 
have them from the middle of March and onwards, in 
abundance, and of good quality, is creditable to any 
cultivator. We well remember, when an “under 
hand ” in the south of England, being highly pleased 
when we could pick well-flavoured fruits of Black 
Prince in February, the following year in January, 
and the third and fourth season in December ; but 
such ideas of producing any rarity of the vegetable 
kingdom (which at best only tickle the palate) so 
far out of season, we consider of no merit now. 
Neither do w 7 e think much of the dribblets of Straw¬ 
berries in pots, which are often seen in November and 
December, from plants fruited a second time. The 
laudation given to a quantity of these, which we saw 
exhibited at a late show some years ago, seemed to 
us, when we read a glowing report of the same in the 
weekly papers, that gardening topics were very scarce, 
and reporters were in straits for matter, when they 
had to record such lore. 
To get good Strawberries in gardens or fields, one 
must he liberal in the supply of food for the plants, 
keep them clear of weeds, well stir the surface to 
prevent cracking and waste of moisture, keep the 
runners cut off as they appear, and apply good, 
wholesome, rich_mulching in early spring; these are 
some of the chief wants of this much esteemed fruit. 
Planting a young stock from April to the end of 
August every season, and doing away with an equal 
portion of old plants, will always keep the stock 
in vigorous and fruitful condition. The practice of 
cutting all the old leaves off the plants immediately 
after the crop is gathered is by no means extinct, 
especially in some parts of the west of England. 
The practice is like a new plantation, and the rich 
coating of manure placed on the surface, say at the 
end of July or early in August, does wonders.— M. T. 
-- 
THE CORAL TREE. 
The Cockscomb Coral-tree, Erythrina crista-galli 
is a very beautiful summer-blooming shrub of 
deciduous habit, belonging to the natural order 
Leguminosee, and it is a native of Brazil, from whence 
it was introduced in 1771. In its native country it is 
said to attain to the height of a tree, some 40 ft. or 
more, but in cultivation it rarely exceeds 6 ft. or S ft. 
It is a plant of robust, vigorous growth, having an 
arboreous unarmed stem, the prickly petioles bearing 
the bright green ternate leaves which are slightly 
notched on the under side. The Pea-shaped flowers, 
which are very showy, and of a brilliant scarlet- 
crimson colour, are produced in pairs at the axils of 
the leaves, during the plant’s season of growth, some 
three or four times. 
This Erythrina is a plant easily grown, and can 
he cultivated by all, as during the winter season it 
requires no other protection than that offered by a 
dry frost-proof cellar. When grown as a single 
specimen on the lawn it forms an object of great 
beauty; its showy crimson-scarlet flowers form such 
a decided contrast with its bright, glossy foliage, that 
it cannot fail to attract the attention even of the 
most indifferent or careless observer. The preferable 
method of cultivating this plant is to set it out about the 
10th of May in a well-enriched deep soil, and as soon 
as hot, dry weather sets in a liberal mulch of coarse 
stable manure applied and liberal supplies of water 
given. Thus treated the plants will produce very 
satisfactory results until the foliage is destroyed by 
frost, when the plants should be carefully taken up, 
placed in a tub or box, the roots covered with earth 
and stored in any dry frost-proof cellar, where it can 
remain until wanted for planting out another season. 
The plants are apt to grow rather straggling, and on 
this account they should be cut back into shape, 
before being planted out in the spring. In hot, dry 
weather the plant is sometimes troubled by the red- 
spider, and as soon as these pests are noticed, the 
plants should be copiously syringed until the pests 
are destroyed. 
Propagation is effected by seeds and cuttings. 
Cuttings, if taken off at a joint and placed in sand in 
gentle bottom-heat, 'will soon take root, and if the 
young plants are potted off as soon as rooted, and 
liberally treated, nice flowering specimens will soon 
be obtained. If we desire to increase the plants by 
means of seeds—which by the way are freely produced 
—they should be sown as early as possible, about the 
1st of January, and flowering plants will be obtained 
the coming summer. Sow the seeds thinly, placing 
the eye down, in a well-drained pot or pan of light 
rich soil, and place in a warm, moist situation, and as 
soon as the young plants are strong enough to handle, 
carefully remove them into 3-in. pots similarly 
prepared, then place them in a warm, moist situation, 
and use all available means to obtain as strong plants 
as possible before they are planted outside. 
The generic name is derived from “ erythros,” red, 
the colour of the flowers, and the specific in allusion 
to the fancied resemblance the flowers bear in form 
and colour to the comb of a cock .—Charles E. Parnell, 
in Gardeners’ Monthly. 
FRUITS OF THE DUKE OF YORK 
ISLAND. 
In a paper read recently at a meeting of the Society 
of Arts, and published in the Society’s Journal, Mr. 
Wilfrid Powell gave the following details respecting 
the fruits of the Duke of York Island, one of a group 
adjacent to the larger island of New Britain in the 
South Pacific Ocean ;— 
The fruit of Duke of York consists of the Banana, 
Cocoa-nut, Tan, Mummy Apple, and a description of 
Wild Mango. Yams and Taro also grow on the 
island, but sweet Potatos are the chief product, and 
serve as one of the main articles of trade between this 
and the other islands. 
The Bananas also are in some parts of the island 
very fine, but the Yams and Taro are not to be com¬ 
pared with those of New Britain, or the Yams of New 
Ireland, which are noted for their large size. The 
Taro of New Britain is also considered the finest in the 
South Seas. Taro is a large bulbous tuber, with leaves 
much of the shape of the Caladium. I have never 
seen the flower. There are two different kinds, one 
of which grows in swampy ground, and the other on 
the hill-sides; the latter is the largest and best, the 
swamp Taro being waxy to eat. Taro is planted in 
rows, about one pace apart, and is kept clear of weeds 
by the women; the hill Taro grows to the size of 
15 ins. long, by 1 ft. circumference. When cooked in 
a small quantity of water, the starch that exudes from 
it makes the water into a thick paste, therefore it 
requires more water added continually, and when 
cooked, is soft and mealy, and is one of the very best 
vegetables I have ever eaten. The native way of cook¬ 
ing it is even better than boiling; the outside rough 
brown coating is scraped off with a sharp shell, and 
after cutting the Taro in halves lengthways, it is 
wrapped up in Banana leaves, and placed in a fire 
where it is not too hot; when cooked, it is much like 
good new bread, and is excessively nutritious. After 
taking the Taro out of the ground, the tuber is cut off, 
leaving about an inch still adhering to the stalks and 
leaves; this is again placed in the ground, and in 
about three months has another large tuber ready for 
cutting. The leaves are terribly astringent, and, if 
eaten raw, will take the skin off the mouth, and render 
it very sore for some days, but the young leaves, 
cooked, are very delicious. 
