May 7. 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
385 
the teaching of instructors in their neighbourhoods. Small 
holdings are also being sold to cultivators in some parts, of 
the country, and we think these are likely to become more 
numerous in the near future, and such people might, wish to 
benefit from scientific instruction available in their vicinity. 
Teachers are also required to know about suitable flowers 
for cottage gardens and their methods of propagation, together 
with flowers suited for allotments. Window gardening inside 
and out is also an item in the knowledge required. 
Cactus Dahlia Dainty. 
{See Supplement.) 
Last autumn our fancy was taken by a. beautiful Caofeuq 
Dahlia, which might be described as a bi-color, owing to the 
distinct arrangement of the two colours. The flowers might 
be described as prin^Se-yellow overlaid with pink. The 
yellow is the ground colour, and as. the flower expands this is 
the dominant one. The pink hue, begins to develop on the 
outer florets, so that by the time the bloom is. fully developed 
and in its prime the outer florets are of a. beautiful pink hue, 
while all the centre of the bloom is pale yellow. 
The variety belongs to the true Cactus type, and to the meet 
interesting section of that type. The florets are long, and so 
much rolled up at the sides that they appear quite slender and 
acute. A few of the florets in the centre are short and flat¬ 
tened out, as may be. seen by reference to our coloured plate', 
■ which was prepared from a. bloom supplied us by Hobbies, 
Ltd., Norfolk Nurseries, Dereham, Norfolk, in whose stand we 
first noted the variety on. October 6th last year. On. this 
occasion it was shown at the early exhibition of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, but. we believe the National Dahlia 
Society had a. meeting at the Crystal Palace on that occasion. 
A number of societies recognised the value of the variety 
last year, for it holds First-class Certificates from the National 
Dahlia. Society, the London Dahlia Union, 'the Shrewsbury 
Floral Fete, the York Dahlia. Society, and the Sandy Horti¬ 
cultural Society. It also received an Award of Merit from the 
Iloyal Horticultural Society, this 1 being the highest award they 
I give to a purely florists’ flower. 
When well grown for exhibition purposes the bloom measures 
6 in. in diameter. The plant grows 3 \ ft. high, is very flori- 
ferous, and holds its blooms well above the foliage. For this 
reason it will be useful both for exhibition, for cut flowers, and 
for garden decoration. The raisers have good reason to be 
proud of it. 
>i 
Some Useful Vegetables that Grow Wild. 
In many counties which have a clay soil the hedges on low 
grounds are often covered with wild Hop. The plant, looks: 
almost, exactly like the cultivated variety, but the vine is 
smaller. Probably very few persons, are aware that the young 
tops of the wild Hop can be boiled and served on toast exactly 
like Asparagus tops. They are very nice and most wholesome. 
In fact, the hedgerows and fields are full of vegetables for those 
who have the slight knowledge of botany necessary to be able 
to distinguish between our various common wild plants. I 
shall mention, one or two of the earliest wild vegetables. 
The Nettle: may be cut at the first sprouting in February 
and March, which, if boiled and treated like Spinach, is a 
! capital substitute for that vegetable. Charlock (a common 
weed in Cornfields), commonly called wild Mustard, is another 
Spinach substitute. The leaves must be picked young, and 
are extremely tender. So-, too, are the new shoots of the Hedge 
Mustard, which grows in spring on the banks of dry ditches. 
The stem is a couple of feet or more in height, and the leaves 
heart-shaped. The plant has a. slight odour of garlic. It is a 
welcome addition to> a piece of boiled bacon or salt beef. 
Shepherd’s Purse is another useful wild vegetable. It is 
quite unnecessary to grow Cabbage, except fop winter use, in 
localities where the Shepherd’s Purse grows. The leaves,'when 
cooked, resemble most strongly those of a young tender Cab¬ 
bage. They are esteemed so much in other countries that in 
Transylvania acres of Shepherd’s Purse may be seen carefully 
cultivated and growing to a great size. 
The Sow Thistle is well known to be appreciated by rabbits. 
They delight, in its; tender stalks. There are two varieties, one 
prickly and the other smooth. The young tops of the latter 
make excellent greens. Among other wild plants which make 
excellent and good substitutes for Cabbage or Spinach may be 
mentioned the wild Rocket, the Ox Tongue, the Willow herb, 
the Sea Orache, and the Fat Hen. The latter, which grows 
best on old cultivated land, has leaves which can. really not 
be: distinguished from Spinach. Many other wild plants have 
edible roots. Possibly some readers of The Gardening World 
have heard of Portland Sago 1 . This is made of the roots of the 
common Arum, found almost anywhere in hedgerows and 
woods, where the soil is fairly rich. The children call them 
Lords and Ladies. The plant, has a bulbous root, a little 
larger than a nutmeg. This is dried and ground up, and used 
to make puddings. It. gains its name of Portland Sago from 
being most common in the peninsula of Portland. The root 
is used as a cosmetic, also the so-called Cypress powder being 
prepared from it. 
The Mouse Pea isi a. plant with yellow and white blossoms, 
which is found growing on heaths. Its roots 1 are about the size 
of a Chestnut. They have a sweetish taste, and when cooked 
form a tasty dish. In Scotland the roots are sometimes used 
for making a fermented liquor. They are also (I believe:) 
chewed as a substitute for tobacco. 
What is probably the most nourishing food of any of the 
wild plants is the root of the Early Purple Orchis, found chiefly 
in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, on dry, light soils. It 
blooms in late June or early July. The tuber should be dug 
up, roasted for about ten minutes, and then dried. One ounce 
of this, mixed with 1 oz. of beef jelly, will make a. day’s; food 
for a man. The dried root is also used for preventing milk 
from turning sour, and,for making a drink known as “ Salop.” 
Stewed earth or pig-nuts form a. dish which no. one need 
despise:, while the common Comfrey is another plant of which 
both stems and tubers are pleasant to eat, and wholesome. 
Wild Tansy has a root shaped like a, Parsnip. Some people 
consider it. poisonous. So far from this being the case:, these 
roots, well cooked, make a dish very much resembling boiled 
Parsnips. One beauty of this plant is that it. flourishes best in, 
the most worthless soils'. The Sea Pea, of which the fruit is 
edible, also grows on poor and sandy soil. . ^ 
Just a. line or two on salads. (I am sorry to: be trespassing 
on, your valuable space.) Their name is legion. Samphire, a 
sea. plant, makes not only delicious salads, but a capital pickle. 
Burnet, common on chalky soils, has leaves with a Cucumber¬ 
like flavour—[and smell.— Ed.] Stonecrop resembles Purslane, 
and is much eaten in France. Common Sorrel has; leaves of a 
most delicate, slightly acid flavour. The young leaves of the 
Ox-Eye Daisy are prized by Italians' as. a salad, while the 
Speedwell, Butterwort and wild Parsnip may also 1 be mentioned 
as salad plants. Trevor. 
Eucharis or Amazonian Lilies 
are usually increased by division of the bulbs. Employ well- 
drained pots and compost of two part® loam, one' each of leaf 
soil and peat, with plenty of sand added. Eucharis should not 
be potted too frequently, once in two or three years being suffi¬ 
cient. Shade from sunshine: is- essential ; also a. humid at¬ 
mosphere. Where a. quantity are grown they may be had 
in flower nearly all the year round by careful resting and start¬ 
ing into growth. They must be kept, periodically sponged to 
keep down mealy bug, to which they are subject. 
E. Steele. 
