300 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 5, 1901. 
highest esteem, and much time could be spent in 
discussing its inimitable merits. The early nations 
have sung to its praises and written of it in their 
books. Historical and legendary notes in profusion 
mark the middle ages, and so has this handsome 
flower been brought down to the present, improved 
in size, colour, form and fragrance. In our 
rapturous feelings for the Rose we must not forget 
the modest attractions of the Sweet Brier. 
The culture of Roses for the purpose of extracting 
the Otto, or essential oil, is quite an important in¬ 
dustry both in Europe and India. In the town and 
district of Kizanlyk in Bulgaria over 5,000 acres of 
Rose gardens are scattered about, whilst in the 
neighbourhood of Grasse in the south of France 
some 350,000 lbs. weight of petals are distilled daily 
through the month of May. What with the aroma 
when the flowering season is on, and the gaily attired 
girls gathering the petals, the scene is delightful. 
Here are some interesting photographs. 
Rosmarinus (Rosemary). —A well known plant 
cultivated for its perfume, which is largely employed 
in the scent known as Eau de Cologne. 
Salvia rutilans (App'e-scented Salvia). 
Santalum album (Sandalwood).—An Eastern 
tree with fragrant wood, which has largely entered 
into religious rites in India, and since the introduction 
of Buddhism into China it is also used there in the 
fumigation ceremonies in the temples. No one 
could tell us more about the great values set upon 
these fragrant substances in India than Sir George 
Birdwood, whose very name is held in great rever¬ 
ence by the natives of the Bombay Presidency. 
Sandalwood holds high rank as a sacred substance 
in their religious duties : pieces of the wood, varying 
in size according to circumstances, being burned 
before the idols, and the many thousands of 
Brahmins and Buddhists, on beholding the smoke 
incense curling towards the sky, presume they have 
performed their obligations, and that the perfume 
smelt by their deity will obtain forgiveness of all 
their wrong doings. A similar belief exists in China 
where they burn the joss sticks, the smoke from 
which wafts the souls of their dead from the wicked¬ 
ness of this world and accompanies them to a better 
home beyond the skies. Our illustration represents 
a very handsome cabinet exhibited by the Indian 
Government at the Paris Exhibition this year, made 
entirely of this wood, and valued at a large sum of 
money. This photograph was taken by permission 
of my friend, Mr. B. J. Rose, Her Majesty’s 
Representative in the Indian Section. 
Saussurea hypoleuca (Costus).—The root of 
this Indian plant, when rubbed, has a strong odour 
of Violets. Employed by shawl merchants in 
Kashmir against the attacks of insects, and burned 
as incense in China. 
Styrax Benzoin.— A. small tree, native of Pales¬ 
tine. By incision the bark yields the resinous juice 
known as storax or benzoin, largely used in the 
Roman Catholic and Mahommedan churches where 
it is burned. An example will be found on the 
table. 
Tanacetum (Tansy). — Some flowers attract birds 
and bees by their nectar, others repel them by their 
stupefying odour. Both the leaves and flowers of 
Tansy are said to have this stupefying effect on 
insects. 
Thymus (Thyme).—A well known herb. 
Tilia Europoea. — An ornamental tree known as 
the Lime, and found in all well regulated establish¬ 
ments in this country. Apart from its beauty as an 
ornament, its flowers are delightfully honey scented, 
the fullest strength of which is given off on a damp 
evening in June, when a most subtle perfume 
permeates the atmosphere. This was the national 
tree of the old Germans, and at the present time 
Under de Linden Strasse is an important thorough¬ 
fare in Berlin. Here is an illustration of it. 
Trigonella Foenum-graecum (Fenugreek). — 
A clover-like plant with a strong hay scented odour. 
The seeds are powdered, and used for adding flavour 
to damaged hay. Some seeds are exhibited. 
Victoria regia. — The Royal Water Lily of the 
Amazon river. My illustration is from the plants in 
the Royal Botanic Gardens at Regent’s Park. Each 
of these tea-tray-like leaves is sufficiently strong to 
carry the weight of a man. The flower is pure white 
when it first appears, and emits a powerful and 
pleasant odour. It then turns pink and fades away. 
Viola cdorata —The sweet Viclet of gardens. 
Allusions to the Violet and its fragrance are common 
in the literature of all ages, and few flowers enjoy so 
universal a reputation. On the shores of the 
Mediterranean the Violet is cultivated on a large 
scale for the extraction of perfume. Here is a photo¬ 
graph of a plantation at Grasse. 
Wistaria sinensis —A Chinese climber, well 
known here on the fronts of houses. Its beautiful 
lavender flowers have a sweet honey fragrance. Our 
illustration shows how much it is appreciated in 
Japan. 
I have only been able to touch upon a very few of 
the thousands of fragrant things. The subject is a 
very large and comprehensive one. 
The cultivation of plants and flowers in large 
areas has attained important dimensions in recent 
years wherever the climate gives them sufficient 
intensity of odour for profitable extraction. As 
already stated, in our own country we have the 
Lavender and Peppermint fields at Wallington, 
Mitcham, Hitchin, and Canterbury ; the herb fields 
in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. In the south 
of France many thousands of acres are devoted to 
flower growing for commercial purposes. You will 
have gathered from the photographs what an impor¬ 
tant industry it is there, where the climate is so 
balmy. 
Here is an illustration of one of the distilleries 
that presses some half million pounds weight of 
Orange blossoms during the season. There are also 
made pomades, perfumed oils and waters, alcoholic 
extracts of flowers, and essences. It would take too 
long to describe all the successive and minute opera¬ 
tions these undergo in their fabrication. 
As statistics show what an enormous demand 
there is for scents and perfumes, attention is directed 
to the question whether it would not be advantage¬ 
ous to the community in general to develop the pro¬ 
duction of such of the raw material as can be grown 
in this country and its colonies. These materials 
consist mainly of essential oils, extracted as we have 
already observed from flowers, fruits, herbage, 
wood, and roots of plants. It would, of course, be 
very necessary to make experimental tests when 
trying a new plant in any particular locality, as it 
has already been found that conditions which favour 
a good growth do not always secure the best develop¬ 
ment of the odour. 
Whilst our climate would not admit of the cultiva¬ 
tion of Orange blossoms as a commercial crop, there 
is no reason why such things as Lavender, Pepper¬ 
mint, and Chamomile should not be grown on a 
greatly extended scale, and be much more profitable 
than are many crops now put on the land. 
I should like to add, that for the loan of the 
fragrant plants and seeds I am indebted to Messrs. 
Carter & Co., the eminent seedsmen of Holborn, and 
for the gums and other aromatic substances to 
Messrs. Horner & Son, Mitre Square, Aldgate ; for 
the various photographs and prints from which my 
illustrations are taken, beyond those collected by 
myself, to our chairman, Sir George Birdwood; to 
the Editor of The Garden, Gardening; Gardeners' 
Magazine ; Country Life : Mr. J. H. Maiden, Curator, 
Botanic Gardens, Sydney; Mr. G. Rogers, of 
Yokohama; Mr. G. W, James, of Bermuda; and 
Mr. E. W. Tichener, who obtained for me the 
interesting photographs of the flower growing 
industry in the south of France. — D. McDonald, 
F.L.S. 
DANDELION SALAD. 
In days gone by the old gardeners used to blanch 
their Dandelions and Nettletops and offer them to 
the cock as a salad or vegetable much more 
frequently than nowadays is the case. We have 
more superior vegetables in their stead ; yet as an 
experiment the Dandelion might be grown to see 
what demand it meets with. Here is how the leaves 
should be used :—(1) Gather the leaves when young 
and tender; wash several times in cold water; bunch 
the stem ends together in the hand, and with a sharp 
knife cut very fine ; sprinkle with sugar, salt and 
pepper, and dress with mild vinegar. (2, with 
Onions). Prepare as above; mixed with sliced 
green Onions ; make a dressing of cold cream with 
a little vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.” 
Cocoanut trees t3ke from ten to twelve years to 
produce a crop. Many of the nuts come from 
Ceylon. 
THE SPRING CATALOGUES. 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Ltd. 
The catalogue of seeds, &c., for 1901, sent out by 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, ranks 
as one of the smartest and most reliable publications 
of the horticultural trade. The get-up of the cata¬ 
logue is on the same lines as last year, the covers 
being white, the front being stamped with the re¬ 
presentation of a large shield. Every page is 
illustrated with beautifully finished engravings, 
while in addition a coloured plate of the varieties of 
Cineraria polyantha (Cruenta hybrids) is furnished. 
This latter attraction is about as fine a model of 
colour printing as we have ever admired, and repre¬ 
sents the cut inflorescences as though one had just 
gleaned a bunch from the plants. Veitch’s New 
Hybrid Streptocarpus are well depicted, as are also 
Schizanthus retusus albus, the Star Primulas, and 
Kalanchoe flammea, all of which are conspicuous 
among the newer meritorious plants or types brought 
forward during recent years. The new Phyllocacti 
hybrids are both illustrated and described. It may 
be noted in passing that many of these new 
hybrids are becoming much more persistent in 
bloom, as well as very varied in colour. The 
Heliotropium New Giant, as ihis catalogue shows, is 
a great advance on the older types, and ought to 
spread rapidly. Gloxinias, Cyclamen, Aquilegias, 
and Begonias all call for reference. In the vegetable 
section there are a number of new varieties pre¬ 
sented whose presence the vegetable grower will no 
doubt be quick to notice. The novelties among 
them will be found summarised on the first leaf in¬ 
side the front cover. The catalogue is easy to trace 
through, and with so many illustrations enlivening 
the clearly printed pages on thick paper the publica¬ 
tion is as attractive as it is useful. 
Messrs. James Carter & Co. 
With so vast a business connection in all domains of 
gardening and farming it is fit that the spring seed 
catalogue of Messrs. James Carter & Co., High 
Holborn, London, should stand amongst the bulkiest 
and best of those that are now appearing. The 
compilation for 1901 of the Holborn firm extends to 
140 pages, these being 12 in. deep by 10 in. broad, 
within stout French-white covers, and nowadays, 
when so many floral and vegetable novelties annually 
appear, the traders in plants and seeds must needs 
illustrate these, which again means that the pages of 
the catalogue present subjects of interest from be¬ 
ginning to end. Parts of the Messrs. Carter's cata¬ 
logue are, indeed, like a volume of specimen 
engravings, but each illustration in this “gallery of 
art ” contains something of technical interest that 
one soon discovers. As a whole this catalogue seems 
indispensable to the gardener and garden lover, and 
ought to furnish a volume to which he can refer for 
much up-to-date knowledge that cannot always be 
had in real book publications. We notice the 
Petunias are not forgotten here, and the new strains 
of the best greenhouse and florists' flowers are both 
described and shown to view in their proper places. 
One of the best features of the illustrations is that 
they are nearly all from life-photographs of the plants 
as they have been grown. Thus the true character 
of the subjects is presented in the truest form. The 
section devoted to grass seeds is very interesting. 
The vegetables, especially Peas, Potatos, and 
Onions, are described with characteristic thorough¬ 
ness, and one has only to use his or her judgment to 
acknowledge the high standard of quality that is 
here offered. Where everything is good the puzzle 
is what to choose and what to discard. One thing 
is agreed to, however, by most growers that progress 
is continually being made, and that the new varie¬ 
ties of flowers and vegetables are more likely to be 
worthy of patronising than some of the past-time 
favourites. We commend Messrs. Carter’s sumptu¬ 
ous catalogue to the notice of any who may not have 
seen it hitherto. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons. 
The Swanley firm are out betimes with their seed 
guide in its bright green covers. We notice on the 
back cover that the Silver-gilt Knightian Medal has 
been won three times in succession for a collection 
of vegetables shown before the Royal Horticultural 
Society. In the body of the catalogue there are 
figures of a number of sterling novelties besides of 
course a liberal selection of various other subjects. 
We remember how well the Messrs. Cannell showed 
the annual Asters at some of the summer shows. 
Among the first blocks that meet one's eyes is that 
