THE GARDENING WORLD 
495 
March 30, 1901. 
I may add that the soil at Barton is a very fine 
joam—indiggiDg up a sod the ammonia from it is very 
refreshing. It must have been pastured with sheep 
for many years.— William Carmichael, 14, Pitt Street, 
Edinburgh. 
-* 5 -- 
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS 
FROM OTHER LANDS. 
I think it will be agreed that even those who spend 
their whole lives in cultivating ornamental exotic 
plants, would find a very great difficulty in answer¬ 
ing the most common or simple questions put to 
them about any of our everyday commercial fruits 
and grocery products, although it ought reasonably 
to be expected that they (i.e. gardeners).should know 
a good deal about them. I do not pose as an oracle, 
nor do I know nearly so much as I would like to 
about such essentials of our present day existence as 
Tea, Coffee, Cacao or Cocoa, Arrowroot, " Allspice,” 
Nutmegs, and other well-known articles. Still the 
following notes may have a certain value andinterest 
to those who look at broad Nature as their garden, 
and do not merely confine themselves to the limited 
acreage of an English garden. 
Allspice or Pimento. —The name Allspice is 
merely a trade conventionality and is applied to the 
dried berries of a West Indian shrub notanically 
named Pimenta officinalis, Lindl. These berries 
as sold by the grocers are globular, and the common 
name of Allspice is said to be derived from the 
curious compound flavour of them, representing that 
of Cloves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. The tree is very 
beautiful, growing often 30 ft. high and may be con¬ 
veniently described as closely resembling a Myrtle, 
in which genus Linnaeus indeed, placed it. Since 
the decline of the sugar industry in Jamaica, this 
tree or shrub, has, in common with other tropical 
allies, received a great deal of attention, and is at the 
present day largely cultivated (10,000 acres) in 
Jamaica and other West Indian islands. The 
racemes of green berries are picked before they are 
ripe and are dried in the sun ; a practice which is 
resorted to in order to preserve the essential oil, 
which chiefly resides in the shell. The smaller and 
most fragrant berries are most esteemed. 
Almonds of several varieties are imported from 
the littoral of the Mediterranean chiefly, though our 
own colonies in South Africa and Australia have 
successfully attempted their culture. 
The Sweet Almond (Amygdalus communis var. 
dulcis, L. or Prunus Amygdalus dulcis) ; the Jordan 
(corrupted from the French word jardin, garden, that 
is, cultivated), Valencia, Italian, Barbery, and the 
two kinds of Bitter Almonds—the French and the 
Barbery—are the most commonly grown. The Bitter 
Almond is merely a variety of the common species, 
the same as the Sweet Almond is, and can usually be 
distinguished from the latter by the odour they emit. 
Barbery Sweet Almonds are the first to arrive, usually 
in September. 
Arrowroot. —This farinaceous material is obtained 
by an elaborate mechanical process from the rhizomes 
or thick fleshy roots of several species of West 
Indian Aroids. The most common are Maranta 
arundinacea (L.) Canna indica, also a species of Tacca 
(or Atacca) and Manihot utilissima, Pohl, the latter 
being a Euphorbiaceous plant. The warm and 
beautiful regions of Natal also grow this plant, but 
the product is infeiior. 
Canary Seeds are furnished by the Canary grass 
(Phalaris canariensis), which may be grown in our 
own gardens as an ornamental grass. The seeds were 
originally imported from the Canary Islands where 
the natives use them as flour. It is now largely 
cultivated in Europe for birds ; the new season's 
crop arriving about October. 
Caraway Seed or " Carvies ” as they say in the 
south of Scotland, is the produce of a biennial plant 
that is largely cultivated in Suffolk and Essex ; also 
Holland. It is an umbelliferous plant (Carum Carui, 
L.), to which order also belongs the Coriander whose 
Mustard-like seeds are used in making chutneys. 
Angelica (A. officinalis),also Umbelliferous, furnishes 
the stalks that are made into a candied sweetmeat. 
Cocoa or rather (as I have been informed it should 
be pronounced) Cacao, must not be confounded with 
the Cocoa-nut, for they are products of altogether 
different trees. The latter of course is the fruit of a 
Palm (Cocos nucifera L), and is largely in vogue for 
barter at country fairs. The Cocoa (Cacao) is 
enormously grown in the West Indies, especially in 
Barbados since the decline of sugar cane culture. 
Trinidad, Mexico, Central America, and the northern 
parts of South America also yield large supplies of 
the Cocoa fruits whose seeds we grind to a powder 
and use as a liquid refreshment or as confectionary. 
The seeds are very rich in oil; in the shelled state 
they yield about fifty per cent, of a thick buttery oil 
which is sold as cocoa butter. These seeds are 
contained in large oval fleshy fruits. There are 
many varieties of the Cocoa tree, hence, no doubt, 
the primary differences in the commercial article. 
Coffee (Coffea arabica) is the seed of a shrub that 
attains a height of 15 ft. to 20 ft., growing in the 
form of a pyramid, with pure white flowers resem¬ 
bling a Jasmine. The Coffee tree is generally raised 
from seeds sown in drills a foot and a half apart. In 
about ten weeks they germinate, and after awhile 
they are thinned out. Coolies, Chinamen or the 
native labour at command in the regions where they 
are cultivated, are kept constantly at work hoeing 
between the drills. Shade plants, which grow about 
the Coffee trees, are now employed as they have 
been found efficacious in preventing much of the 
Coffee disease. The Coffee begins to yield fruit in 
three years ; and plantations have been made in most 
of the tropical or warm parts of the world. In 
Arabia the fruit is never picked, but is shaken off the 
trees on to clothes spread beneath them. This 
practice however, is not followed elsewhere. A pulp 
surrounds the nuts or seeds, and this is got rid of by 
machinery, or by drying. 
(To be continued.) 
PLANTING UNDER TREES. 
One of the sorest trials that many gardeners have is 
that of endeavouring to keep the shrubberies present¬ 
able where the subjects have to grow under the drip 
and shade of trees. A good deal can be done by 
keeping the trees overhead as well pruned and as 
open as possible. It is far easier, and much less 
costly, to preserve the first crop than to raise a 
second crop on the same ground. There are some 
trees, of course, so dense above that nothing will 
grow in the shade of them. All evergreen trees are 
more or less deleterious. They are dense, as stated, 
and they are surface-rooting trees to a large extent. 
Furthermore, they drop a tremendous quantity of 
“ needles ” and pinnules which coat the surface of 
the ground around them and smother out anything 
that may be growing beneath them. Among decidu¬ 
ous trees the Beech and Horse Chestnut are the 
most injurious to vegetation growing under them. 
Under most other kinds of trees, however, ligneous 
growth can be got to succeed fairly well. Holly and 
Yew, Rhododendron ponticum, Berberis Aquifolium, 
and Box are amongst the best evergreens for general 
shady and dry places. Even these, however, feel 
the pinch of very dry situations. Rhododendrons do 
very well, indeed, beneath trees if the ground is cool 
and moist. Soils containing calcareous matter are 
quite unsuitable for the growth of Rhododendrons. 
Saline matter, in like manner, is very injurious to the 
health of the Box tree or shrub. The Mahonia 
(Berberis Aquifolium) is as easily suited as any 
shrub we possess, and is very useful and ornamental 
indeed. The Yew will not stand either a very dry 
nor a damp root area. Hollies, or rather the Common 
Holly, does well on dry soils, so long as they are 
deep and not impure. 
The Common Bay Laurel, the Portugal Laurel, 
Aucuba japonica, Evergreen Privet, Arbutus, and 
Laurustinus are excellent shrubs, and do well under 
moderate shade. They are liable to attack from 
rabbits; and frost sometimes tries the durability of 
the Aucuba, though the others are quite hardy. Of 
smaller shrubs one might name Euonymus radicans 
variegata, Periwinkle (Vincas), the large flowered St. 
John’s Wort, and other species of Hypericum, Ivies, 
Common and Butcher’s Broom, Furze (Ulex), 
Spurge Laurel, and Cotoneasters. These are all 
useful in this connection in various soils and situa¬ 
tions. In all cases, where it is desired to get up a 
good undergrowth, it is necessary to thoroughly pre¬ 
pare the soil in the first instance. This will give the 
shrubs a start, and when they have developed some- 
wfiat they should be kept in vigour by heavy top- 
dressings. During the first summer after planting it 
may be necessary to water the shrubs frequently — 
D. F. M. 
Wheat, Eye, and Turnip crops are decreasing 
in England ; Barley, Oats, and Potatos increasing. 
ARDENING gflSCELLANY. 
MOSCHOSMA RIPARIUM. 
In the above we have a beautiful new introduction 
from the highlands of British Central Africa. 
Several plants are in flower in the greenhouse at 
Kew at the present time. The inflorescences remind 
one of some of the Spiraeas. They are about 1 ft. in 
length, and lilac pink in colour. The plants have a 
nice branching habit, with leaves almost like those 
of stinging Nettles. The plant strikes readily from 
cuttings; but before long it will be as well known as 
the new Coleus thrysoideus. 
THE CONGO PLATYCER1UM. 
Amongst the most remarkable Ferns that travellers 
meet with in the Congo region are several species of 
Platycerium, whose strange foliage adorns the 
trunks of the beautiful forest trees which grow by 
the sides of rivers. To Professor Laurent, of Gem- 
bloux, belongs the honour of having first introduced 
to Europe that beautiful variety of P. aethopicum 
named angolense.aod of having re-introduced the type. 
He brought them back after his second journey to 
the Congo in 1896. There is an admirable specimen 
of P. ae. angolense at Kew which has been often 
admired. It is of great beauty with its large 
fertile leaves which hang gracefully downward, 
while the sterile fronds hold themselves erect. These 
latter are of a beautiful pale green colour, and 
charmingly veined. In point of culture, it is an 
error in practice not to expose Platyceriums to the 
sun. It is said by those competent to give an 
opinion, that they are never found growing in the 
depths or shaded parts of the forests, and never on 
either bushy or very old trees. The reverse to 
other Ferns, such as Polypodium, Nephrolepis, and 
Asplenium, which develop marvellously on aged 
trees in the most humid places, the Platyceriums fix 
themselves on the most vigorous trees. Neverthe¬ 
less grand specimens are found on dead trees. 
Further more they seem to prefer young leguminous 
trees, with light foliage and very hard wood. 
Curiously too, the natives of the Congo never cut 
down trees on which these Ferns grow "It is a 
tree that shall not fall " they say. 
TOMATO CANAPES. 
Dip slices of bread, from which the crust has been 
cut, into batter, and fry in butter or oil. Drain well. 
Put half the contents of a tin of Tomatos through a 
sieve, add six beaten eggs, and bring slowly to boiling 
point. Serve on bread croutons. 
SEMI DOUBLE ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 
I freely admit that during the dull months of the 
year the single Zonals make a better display than 
these, but at the same time are not of the same 
value for cutting because they drop their petals so 
readily. It is quite true that by gumming the flowers 
they will hold on well. At the same time double 
and semi-double varieties do not require this 
attention. They can be cut and handled with the 
utmost freedom. In looking over a limited but good 
selection the other day I noted the following as 
being among the bestGustave Emich, Le Con¬ 
stable, Amy Heniiot, Dorothy Smith, Mdme. Leon 
Dalloy, Mdme. Vaudry, King of Denmark and 
General Dodds.— W.B.G. 
THE SILVER BIRCH. 
There is much to be said respecting the beauty of 
this tree, but my present purpose is to point out a 
use which can be made of it, which is, I take it, 
generally overlooked. In traversing commons and 
roads through woods, I frequently notice various 
devices to guide those who may be traversing them in 
the dark—for instance posts painted white, heaps of 
chalk at stated intervals ; and it occurs to me that if 
silver barked Birch were planted at intervals along 
carriage drives, which pass through wooded planta¬ 
tions, they would serve as landmarks alike to coach¬ 
men and pedestrians, and would incur no expenses in 
either painting or renewing. They would also add 
to the beauty of their surroundings. This tree, 
plentiful as it is in some places, is scarcely repre¬ 
sented in others. There need be no formality resemb¬ 
ling an avenue of Birch, but just one here and there 
introduced to guide the wanderer from getting out 
of the beaten track,— W. B. G. 
