804 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
August 22nd, 1885. 
ARABS, AND ARABIAN PLANTS. 
The following interesting notes are taken from an 
article by Dr. E. Gordon Hull, in the current part of 
The Journal of the Anthropological Institute. “ The 
Arabs of Arabia Petrsea,” says Dr. Hull, “use a few of 
the native plants for medicinal purposes, but only a 
few in comparison with the rather large supply of 
plants with pretty decided properties. For instance, 
they do not know the value of the Castor Oil plant, 
which grows freely in the Ghor es Safieh. However, 
several species of wild Melon of the family Bryonhe 
[Cucurbitacese, Ed.], allied to the Elaterium (which 
also grows in these parts), are in common use as 
purgatives; the native method of using them is 
ingenious. A fruit is split in halves, the seeds 
scooped out, and the two cavities tilled with milk; 
after allowing it to stand for some time, the liquid, 
which has absorbed some of the active principle 
of the plant, is drunk off. The order Composite 
furnishes several medicinal herbs. The Santolina 
fragrantissima, a graceful plant of a sage-green colour, 
bitter taste, and strong fragrant smell, furnishes them 
in the form of an infusion, with a carminative, good 
for colic and all painful affections of the abdomen. 
“ In the bazaars of Cairo, the fragrant dried heads 
are sold for the same purposes as Camomile. I was 
told there are no snakes in the districts where the 
plant grows; and the natives believe that the smell 
of the plant is sufficient to drive reptiles from a house, 
and it is used for this purpose in Cairo and other 
towns. Another plant of the same order is an 
Artemesia, or Wormwood, with a very strong aromatic 
odour and bitter taste. The fellaheen use it to put 
in their bedding to drive away vermin. A very 
striking plant which often hangs in graceful dark 
green festoons from the granite walls of the gorges 
of Arabia Petr®a is the Caper plant (Capparis spinosa). 
The natives are very fond of the fruit (which has a 
warm aromatic tase), and they stroke the region of 
the epigastrum appreciatively after eating one or two. 
The cortex of the root is said to be aperient and 
diuretic. 
“ Another fairly common plant is a Hyoscyamus, 
called by the natives Sekharan, with fleshy leaves and 
purple flowers. The dried leaves are used by the 
natives to smoke, and produce a kind of intoxication 
or delirium; and an infusion of the fresh leaves 
possesses strong narcotic properties. It is nearly allied 
to the Mandragora, which becomes common on the 
limestone downs in the South of Judrea. The Arabs 
are extraordinarily susceptible to narcotics. Our 
tobacco they could not smoke at all; a few whiffs 
make them giddy, and give them a headache ; even a 
1 Richmond Gem ’ cigarette is too much for them.” 
--- 
NOTES FROM GARDENS. 
The Garden of J. Buchanan, Esq., Oswald 
Road, Edinburgh.—I believe there are few lovers 
of those ever increasing favourite flowers, the 
Orchids, who have not heard something of this estab¬ 
lishment. Mr. Buchanan is a great admirer of this 
most interesting class of plants, and has spared no 
expense in bringing together one of the finest collec¬ 
tions, both in point of quantity and quality, that is 
to be found in any private establishment north of the 
Tweed. Mr. Buchanan’s garden is situated in the 
south-western suburbs of the Scottish capital, and 
enjoys one of the finest views that could be wished 
for. To the south-west there is some fine woodland 
scenery with the Pentland Hills in the background, 
and immediately in front is the Blackford Hill, 
lately acquired by the city authorities as a public 
park. The wayfarer on passing along Oswald Road, 
will see little that is calculated to lead him to suspect 
anything beyond the usual villa garden on the other 
side of the low wall that separates it from the road, 
with the exception of the large mansion house of 
Mr. Buchanan’s, towering high above all its surround¬ 
ings, and embellished with all the latest improvements 
in architecture. Passing through the gate, we find it 
surrounded with artistically laid out borders, filled 
with shrubs and flowering plants in fine condition. 
The garden, which has been so ably conducted for 
the last four years by Mr. Grossart, is of large extent 
in comparison to most town gardens, and a large 
proportion is devoted to the fruit and flower depart¬ 
ments. On commencing our inspection of the houses, 
the first we came to was a circular conservatory at¬ 
tached to the mansion, quite aglow with finely-flowered 
Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, &c. The centre is entirely 
taken up with a grand specimen of the Indian Fan 
Palm, Latania borbonica, and the usual climbers 
adorn the roof. Then came the Orchid-houses, six 
in number. The first is the Vanda-house, in which a 
great many sorts are grown, and the plants range 
in size from 6 ins. to nearly 6 ft. in height. But it is 
not the large numbers or their great size that the 
visitor will admire so much as the perfection to 
which they are grown, every plant being clothed with 
leaves down to the pots, and of that deep green 
colour that indicates perfect health. Amongst the 
more noted kinds represented, is a fine plant, over 
5 ft. in height, of the much - coveted Manchester 
variety of V. suavis, and many fine forms of V. tri¬ 
color, including a noble specimen of the Dalkeith 
variety. Amongst others of special note are V. Bate- 
manii, V. Denisoniana, V. insignis (true), V. Lowii, 
V. Roxburghii, and V. Teres Andersoni. There are 
also several other good things in this house, amongst 
them being a large plant of the beautiful Cypripedium 
caudatum roseum, also a dozen nice plants of the 
favourite C. Spicerianum. 
Next came the Cattleyas and Laslias, to which two 
houses are devoted. Upwards of fifty species and 
varieties of Cattleya are grown, including some very 
chaste forms now in flower. This is specially the case 
in the gigas section. Amongst the large specimens 
is a wonderful plant of C. crispa superba, 3J ft. in 
diameter, with a large crop of young growths pushing 
up; a chaste variety of C. crispa, named in honour of 
the esteemed proprietor ; a specimen of C. Skinneri, 
2 ft. through, with ten leads ; a nice plant of C. 
Skinneri alba, and a fine plant of the scarce C. 
exoniensis, with ten leaves. Of the Trian® section 
there are several very large plants too, each 4 ft. in 
diameter, with quite a host of young growths coming 
on. Amongst others worthy of special notice are C. 
amethystoglossa, C. Chocoensis, C. Dowiana aurea, 
C. guttata Leopoldii, C. labiata (true), a fine plant of 
the new C. Lawrenceanum, with thirty bulbs and 
several strong leads coming on, and C. Sanderiana, 
with forty bulbs. Of the finer varieties of Ltelias there 
are some surprisingly large plants, such as of L. 
elegans Lowianum, with ninety bulbs, including a 
dozen leads, many of them just showing flower; 
L. purpurata alba, 4 ft. in diameter, with fourteen 
breaks, and a wonderful plant of the scarce L. super - 
biens, 3J ft. through, with ten leads ; good plants of 
the highly-valued varieties, L. anceps Schroderii, 
L. a. Dawsoni, L. a. alba, L. a. Williamsii, and 
several large plants of L. elegans, L. purpurata, and 
others are noticeable. Here also is an unusually large 
plant of Cypripedium Stoneii, 3-’- ft. through, and 
carrying some fine examples of its beautifully-marked 
flowers ; also good plants of C. Dominianum, C. Law¬ 
renceanum, C. Druryi, C. calurum, &c. 
The next two houses contain plants of a mixed 
description, but as valuable as they are varied. Here Cvm- 
bidiums are in fine form; a specimen of C. Lowianum 
is 6 ft. through its foliage, and two other plants of the 
same species are very little less in dimension. C. ebur- 
neum and a plant of C. eburneum Dayanum measure 
several feet through ; C. Mastersii is also of large size. 
Fine plants of Epidendrum radieans and E. Wallisii 
are to be seen, also a fine lot of Phalamopsis; a specimen 
of P. Luddemanniana, 2 ft. through ; also good 
examples of P. amabilis, P. grandiflora, P. Lowii, 
P. Sanderiana, P. Stuartiana, and P. violacea. Next 
to come under notice were several large plants of 
Angrsecum sesquipedale, A. citratum, A. eberneum, 
A. Ellisii (the latter bearing a fine spike of flowers), 
a large lot of Aerides and Saccolabiums, amongst 
the former being large plants of A. Fieldingii, A. cris- 
pum Lindleyanum, A. Houlettianum, A. Leeanum, A. 
Lobbii, and others; Saccolabium Blumei, S. Blumei 
Dayanum, S. giganteum, and others; a fine bit of 
Pescatorea Klaboehorum, a full collection of Barkerias 
in fine condition, also Cyrtopodiums in variety, a nice 
plant of Coryanthes macrantha, and a well-grown 
plant of Schomburgkia tibicinis ; a nice healthy 
plant of the chaste and very scarce Lycaste 
alba, which Mr. Grossart was fortunate to flower 
from amongst some imported bulbs, and a splendid 
plant of L. Harrisonise eburnea. All the leading 
Coelogynes are grown, quite a giant plant of the much- 
sought after Chatsworth variety of C. cristata being 
in luxuriant growth in a tub 5 ft. in diameter. The 
plant has 6 ft. of flowering surface, and it will doubt¬ 
less be fresh in the memory of those who saw it two 
years ago at the Caledonian Flower Show, carrying 
over 200 spikes, with an aggregate of over 1,300 blooms. 
Amongthe Oncidiums O. Marshallianum and the new 
O. Jonesianum are specially good. Dendrobiums are 
in endless variety, and specially good plants may be 
seen of D. crassinode album, D. Dearei, D. Brymeria- 
num, D. densiflorum (3 ft. through), D. Falconeri 
majus, and a fine specimen of the grand old D. Hillii. 
A spike from this plant is figured in The Orchid 
Album for August, it being one of eight similar spikes 
on the plant at the time it was cut. Here also are 
specimens of D. speciosum and D. thyrsiflorum several 
feet through, and a nice plant of D.Yeitchii, with many 
others of like merit. 
The next house is filled with hundreds of Odonto- 
glossums in all the leading species and varieties. 
O. eoronarium, said to be difficult to flower, is carrying 
a fine spike of fifteen blooms and pushing up two 
leads, and a small plant of 0. Edwardii is throwing 
up a monster growth, several inches across it, which 
is being watched with great interest. The 0. Alex¬ 
andras are in great variety, and one specially strong 
piece with five leads has nearly double that number 
of flower spikes. Others worthy of notice are 0. 
Hallii superbum, several 0. Peseatorei. 0. ramosissi- 
mum, and many others of sterling worth. In this 
house also there is a fine plant of the seldom-seen 
Nanodes Medusae with forty growths ; Masdevallias 
in great variety; M. ignea (Dr. Paterson’s var.), 2 ft. 
through, with over 100 flowers; also M. Bella, M. 
Chelsoni, M. chimaera, M. Harryana grandiflora, 
M. Shuttleworthii, and others ; Maxillaria grandiflora, 
3 ft. 6 ins. through, and an Ada aurantica of great 
size with twenty breaks. I may here say that the 
large number of Orchid-growers who are prejudiced 
against the use of glazed pots for Orchids would do 
well to visit this collection, where they are almost 
entirely used, and if healthy plants will convince 
them that their prejudice is unfounded then that 
testimony is here in abundance. In an adjacent 
large stove is a good collection of fine-foliage and 
flowering plants, amongst the latter being a fine 
example of Anthurium Scherzerianum Knightii, 2 ft. 
through, and A. Andreanum; some gorgeous baskets 
of Stanhopeas, with their strong-scented flowers ; two 
specimens of Allamanda Hendersoni in pots, perfect 
pictures ; and a pot of Eucharis amazonica, nearly 
6 ft. across its foliage. The fine foliage plants are 
represented by a lot of well-grown Palms, Dracaenas 
(the latter including the pretty D. Goldiana), Cala- 
diums of gigantic size and chaste colouring, some 
meritorious Ferns, including Adiantum euneatum, 
A. Fieldingii (each 5 ft. through), and a fine plant of 
the charming Davallia fijiensis plumosa. 
Then came the Melon and Croton-houses, the 
former about past, but enough to show a good crop, 
while the Crotons are all that could'be desired. The 
colouring is splendid, C. angustifolius, C. Princess of 
Wales, C. Tlromsoni, C. Weismanni, being specially 
good. Next came a long range of vineries and Peach- 
houses. Mr. Grossart had the misfortune to get the 
Vines handed over to him in a very bad state. The 
soil about Edinburgh is not at all suited to the 
requirements of the Vine without the use of a good 
stimulant, and by their present appearance their 
wants seem to have been well supplied by a discreet 
use of the Vine-grower’s boon—Thomson’s Vine 
Manure. The early house is nearly cleared, but there 
is yet left good examples of the Golden Champion and 
Madresfield Court, the latter of great size and well 
finished. The Muscat-house is showing well with 
Bowood Muscat, Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat Ham¬ 
burgh, and others. In the late house Gros Colmar 
and Lady Downes are in good form. The crop in the 
first Peach-house has been gathered, but in the second 
there are yet some good fruits of Stirling Castle and 
Barrington Peaches, and Elruge Nectarines. 
Between the mansion house and this last range is 
the flower garden, containing some very large circular 
beds, which are exceedingly effective with mixed 
flowering plants, and here is a border of Roses con¬ 
taining over 400 plants. They are now past their 
best, but there is still enough left to give a fail- 
idea of the beautiful appearance which the border 
must have presented when in full flower. Conspicuous 
among them were Alfred K. Williams, Annie Wood, 
