Jjecembei' 12, 1903. 
The Gardening World 
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\ May 30. — DENDROBIUM NOBILE 
ROTUNDIFLORUM and D.n. NOBILIUS. 
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ROEZLII. 
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MRS. GEORGE D. JUDGE, 
MAUDE DU CROS, 
MERSTHAM YELLOW, 
{ AND 
5 WILFRED H. GODFREY. 
Views and Reviews. 
The Purple Heather.* 
The name of the magic mountain, flowed 
of Scotland is, a. favourite on© with author's, 
many of whom have used it in the titles of 
their works, the contents of which lia.ve no 
reference whatever to, the ivell-known, plant 
itself or to itsi associations. Such is the re¬ 
cognised magnetic power and charm of the 
Heather. In the work before us, however 
the author, who is a, Scotchman, furnishes 
a detailed history of the plant, from a, 
botanical and horticultural point of viewq a,s 
well as treating on. its economic uses, its folk¬ 
lore, traditions, poetry, legends, etc. 
It is. not generally known that, the Heather 
has been, found growing wild in some parts of 
the United States, and also in Canada, An| 
account of the discovery of the plant on the 
American continent, and of the discussion, 
ensuing thereon, is here fully given, forming 
a most interesting pare of the volume. Every¬ 
body know® the White Heather is the symbol 
of “ good luck,” but there are other and 
equally sweet' sentiments connected with this 
very rare plant, all of which are dealt with 
in the present work. 
A most enjoyable portion, of the book isi 
that devoted to the poetry and songs of the 
Heather. Many of Scotland’s, sweetest soingl 
writers and poets have dilated on the beauty 
and charm, of their country’s favourite moun¬ 
tain wilding, and a, large collection of the®© 
patriotic and sympathetic ditties and poems 
have been herei got together for the delec¬ 
tation of those who love Scotland and all 
things Scottish. Selections have been made 
from the poetical works of Ossian, Burns, 
Scott, Hogg, Leyden, Tannahill, Blackie, 
Stevenson, and many others of the Scottish 
poets and song writers not so familiarly 
known, the whole demonstrating the warm 
place held by the Heather in the affection of 
the men whose writings' have added lustre 
to the name and fame of Caledonia, 
* “ The Heather, in Lore, Lyric, and Lay." By Alexander 
Wallace. Publishers: A. T. De La Mare Printing and Pub¬ 
lishing Company, Ltd., 2 to 8, Duane Street, New York. 
Full cloth, 280 pp. : freely illustrated, the frontispiece being 
a beautiful representation of sprays of white and purple 
heather, in colour, from a painting by a prominent New 
York artist. Postpaid, 6s. 3d. 
Then there are selections from the prose 
works of Queen Victoria, Buskin, Carlyle, 
Scott, Smollett Pennant, Macmillan, Logan, 
Leyden, Black, Professor Wilson, Dr. John¬ 
son, Boswell, Burke, Munro, William Winter', 
Ur. Van Dyke, and other well-known authors. 
In his preface the author explains that 
his aim has been “ to cull from the many 
references, to the Heather abounding in Scot¬ 
land and other literature, and to weave the 
sprays thus gathered into a literary garland, 
the beauty and attractiveness of which shall 
lie in, the depth of the sentiment pervading 
it. and in, the aroma cf patriotic love that it 
exhale®.” That he has succeeded well in his 
task the volume before us fully testifies. 
The work has been done carefully and tho¬ 
roughly. The book breathes the fragrance 
of Scotland’s mountains and hills, and is 
sure to find favour not alone with the sons 
and daughters of that much-written-abo'Ut 
country now absent from the land of their 
nativity, but also' with lovers of good and 
interesting literature everywhere. 
The first and subsequent finding of the 
Heath in various parts of North America, in¬ 
cluding the United States, Canada, New¬ 
foundland, Cape Breton, and Nova Scotia, 
has been the subject of much discussion ; but, 
after all, the question of the Heath being 
native to' America is a question which is 
very much a, matter of opinion. The most 
important station; is undoubtedly that at 
Tewkesbury, Massachusetts, where the plant 
is spread over half an acre of ground. A 
Scotollman on a neighbouring farm waa 
accused of having sown it, but he denied all 
knowledge cf it, and said if he wanted to 
grow Heather he would have sown it on his 
own. land, which was just as suitable. It 
was definitely recorded in 1861, but the 
former owner of the land remembers the 
plants in 1810, and from deductions 1 , the 
committee of the Massachusetts Horticul¬ 
tural Society believe that they existed there 
in 1700. 
The Callilna advance® to the extreme 
western, coast® of Europe, and has also been 
found in, Iceland and the Azores, these two 
latter place® being thei nearest undoubted 
approach to America. Considering how 
little evidence that it was actually sown or 
