January 14, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
31 
Mistletoe. 
There is a quaint attraction about this plant growing as it 
does in a quite extraordinary way, never sending out its rootsi 
into the ground, but drawing its nourishment from other trees 
where its homes and its seed within the same have been placed 
either by the agency of man or by birds. I do not think there 
is any other way in which Mistletoe could be conveyed to the 
bark ot a live save as before mentioned. It might, of course, 
be carried by mice in the case of Ivy growing on an Oak tree, 
or by squirrels which may have detached the sticky berry on 
their feet, but I have never seen these means suggested. Wo 
have it m many places in this neighbourhood (Ilolywood, 
County Down) and on the following trees:—Apples, Pears, 
Limes, Poplars, Thorns and Mountain Ash ; and I know it is 
grown on Sycamores, Oaks, and Firs, but does not so readily 
take to these trees. 
The method of propagation is very simple; the berry is 
merely rubbed or pressed into the bark by the point of the 
finger. Its viscous, sticky constituents make it adhere to the 
bark and soon the radicle commences to pierce its way through. 
April is said to be the best month for propagation, but from 
January onward I think would be followed bv success. There 
are two sexes of plants represented in the Mistletoe, the male 
and the female ; the latter may readily be distin¬ 
guished from the former by containing the berry. 
It does not take very long to make a clump in an 
orchard. There is one in this neighbourhood on whose 
trees Mistletoe berries were attached some four years 
ago. In many cases large clumps may now be seen. 
Mistletoe in winter looks vety attractive with its 
thick leathery greenish-yellow foliage and pearl 
berries and about Cliristmas-time proves popular and 
is in great demand, giving as it does a little latitude 
as regards the fairer sex wnen under it. 
There is another shrub which appears to be very 
akin to it, which in the south of Europe is seen fre¬ 
quently on Oak trees; it is named Loranthus euro- 
paeus. L. odoratus is another species which is pos¬ 
sessed of very fragrant flowers : also in America there 
are many different species which go under the names 
of Phoradendron. The Druids who were the priests 
of the ancient Celtic people are perhaps more inti¬ 
mately connected with the Mistletoe than any other 
sect or class of people ; but they did not commit their 
lore to writing, thinking it was unholy to do so. 
They appear to have been well versed in the magic 
arts and the mysterious powers connected with 
plants. When engaged in a religious rite connected with 
Mistletoe, a Druid clothed in white mounted the tree and with 
a knife of gold cut the Mistletoe, which was recovered by 
another standing on the ground, who was also dressed in a 
white robe. The word Mistletoe is said to be derived from 
Anglo-Saxon ‘ Mistel gloom,” and Webster notes the Saxon 
word " mistelta,” and states it is a plant or shrub that grows 
in trees and was held in great veneration by the Druids. In 
Sweden a ring made of its wood is considered to be a great 
charm from things evil, and, of course, among those great 
lovers of sentiment and poetry—the Celts—Mistletoe is 
greatly venerated and prized. We are sending to America for 
some berries in order to propagate it here, and if possible -we 
shall procure some also of Loranthus europaeus, as it will be 
interesting to see the difference between our native variety and 
these plants. Walter Smyth. 
Holywood, County Down. 
Kew Guild Journal. —We are requested to make it known 
that, in comolianoe with numerous requests by those interest? 1 
in Kew and Kewites, a few copies of the “ Journal ” are this year 
available for purchase by non-members of the guild. Applica¬ 
tion for copies should be made to the secretary (W. N. Winn), 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Price, Is. per copy. By post, 
Unwholesome Vegetables. 
Wo begin this month with a very practical letter from a 
correspondent who has unusual opportunity of collecting in¬ 
formation on the subject of which she writes—one of import¬ 
ance to all housekeepers: — 
“ Miss Braithwaite in her article on 1 Luxury’ in the ‘ Vege¬ 
tarian Messenger,’ says that the Cauliflowers sold on the 
English market during the winter come from Italy, and 
cannot therefore be so wholesome as English ones, because 
they must be at least three days old before they come on the 
table. This, however, is not the greatest danger Italian vege¬ 
tables bring with them. Many epidemics of typhus, diph¬ 
theria, and other illnesses are no doubt due to them, for in 
order to make them grow well and bring them on early, they 
are copiously watered with a semi-liquid and most disgusting 
substance pumped up from the cesspools of the towns (hospi¬ 
tals included). No Italian will touch raw salad, Tomatos, 
Radishes, Celery, or any uncooked vegetable, and numbers 
of the cases of typhoid in Italy are no doubt owing to the 
unsuspecting foreigner eating vegetables in their natural state. 
The vegetables are so saturated with this liquid manure that 
even when they are cooked they have a curious taste easily 
detected by the sensitive palate of the vegetarian, and it is 
Quercus coccinea sflexdens. (Peep. 29.) 
especially the finest and earliest, specimens that are treated 
thus. The writer lias repeatedly brought these facts to the 
notice of English doctors and others, especially after an un¬ 
explained outbreak of typhoid or diphtheria, but apparently 
nothing has been done to prohibit the sale of such poison- 
soaked food. 
I have been told by a traveller in China that disease is 
caused there, and the greatest precaution is necessary in 
eating raw vegetables, the custom being to use sewage in the 
way indicated above. Ever since hearing this, the practice of 
eating raw r vegetables of uncertain origin has seemed to me a 
doubtful one from the health point of view. There is so much 
competition in bringing things forward for the market that 
we may be sure no means of hastening growth are left untried, 
and the use of any sort of liquid manure in this connection 
may be oojectionable. 
We certainly know that in England Watercress grown in 
impure water has caused typhoid, and many people will not 
touch it on that account. This is easy enough for us who 
have gardens, but it is a hard saving for those who have none 
6f their own. Metchnikoff, I believe, objects to all uncooked 
or unsterilised food, owing to the risks of what he calls “ wild 
microbes.” But if such foods are eaten (and who could for¬ 
swear salads, Celery, etc?) at least the utmost care should be 
exercised in cleansing them—a point which is often neglected 
by those who should know better. 
