42 
House & Garden 
OUTLAND FRUITS FOR 
INLAND GARDENS 
grace’ tabor 
O NE of the striking differences between 
the gardens of, let us say, George Wash¬ 
ington’s time and our own, is the lack today 
of what some of the writers of that period 
dubbed “outlandish” plants—literally, plants 
from “out” lands; in other words, plants 
which are native to other lands and not 
native to our own. 
It was the invariable desire of the gar¬ 
dener of that period to try everything wher¬ 
ever it did not, by nature, grow. Everything 
that was collected anywhere in the world 
and fell into his hands he promptly set out 
or sowed, according as it was a root or a 
seed. When he succeeded in making it 
grow, the earth was that much richer; whilp 
it was no poorer if he failed, and he had had 
the fun of trying out a new experiment. 
Qualifications for Success 
It is doubtful if anything remains to-day 
to be discovered and tried out for the first 
time in a foreign clime; but there are enough 
things already well known that are so rarely 
found in cultivation in our gardens as to be 
suitable subjects of present-day efforts along 
“outlandish” lines. And though they are so 
rarely seen, they are not very difficult to 
have growing, if one has the desire and the 
will to succeed with them. 
To raise one’s own almonds, 
apricots, and figs surely would be 
attended with as much joy as to 
raise a tea rose; but can it be done 
with as little trouble? 
Of course, I might evade the 
issue by saying that it is much 
more troublesome for some people 
to raise tea roses than it is for 
others, which is literally true. But, 
although I do call attention to this 
truth, I shall not stop there, but go 
on to say that those persons find it 
very difficult to grow tender fruits 
successfully — and for precisely 
the same reasons. 
these reasons are largely 
psychological. In the case 
of the man for whom it is 
no task at all, his mind is 
made up to it, and he is pre¬ 
pared and fortified not only 
by this mental attitude, but 
by every material thing that 
he is able to provide to 
carry through his project. 
He anticipates; he has 
studied the question ; he 
knows what to do; and he 
knows when and how to 
do it most effectively. 
Besides the little known 
and grown fruits there are 
the nut trees, which are all 
too seldom planted. One of 
these—the almond already 
mentioned—lies midway, in 
one sense, between the 
“nuts” and the “fruits” ; for 
it grows like a peach and 
botanically is a peach, yet 
the part eaten is the pit, or 
indeed the kernel in the pit. 
Although fig-growing is not usually tried 
north of Philadelphia, it has succeeded in 
Michigan 
Only one of the things here suggested for 
common growth is an indoor plant or re¬ 
quires indoor care; this is the little Kum- 
quat, or Kinkan, from Japan—the baby 
orange, which is eaten whole or made into 
a delicious preserve or marmalade. I have 
included this because it is so easily grown in 
the house and is so lovely as an evergreen 
house specimen, with its scented blossoms in 
early spring and later its golden fruits. Pots 
containing it may, of course, be used in the 
garden during summer, either plunged into 
Figs, Almonds, and other Uncom¬ 
mon Sorts that Will Grow and 
Thrive Under American Conditions 
the earth or simply set about as bay trees or 
any other decorative pot plants are used. As 
a novelty and a desirable addition however 
you look at it, the Kumquat is worth while. 
Apricots and Nectarines 
Apricots and nectarines are so closely re¬ 
lated to the peach that almost everything 
that applies to peach culture applies to both 
of these. At one time it was supposed that 
the nectarine was a distinct species; and 
casually regarding it, one might suppose it 
to be nearer to the plum than to the peach. 
But its place is fixed beyond question by the 
fact that nectarines have been grown from 
peach seeds, and peaches from the seeds of 
nectarines, through the process known to 
science as “bud variation.” 
Like the peach, nectarines will grow in 
almost any kind of soil if the location is right 
and the climate not too severe. That they 
prefer a light soil is so well known as not to 
need mentioning, I am sure; but that a light 
soil is not essential to the growth of peaches 
has been demonstrated so often as not to 
need testimony here. Suffice it to say that 
the finest peaches are raised on soil that is 
light and sandy; but that fine peaches have 
been raised on soil that is neither, when 
proper attention has been given to 
exposure and general culture. 
The great difficulty with all of 
this tribe is that they are naturally 
early bloomers, yet they are also 
extremely susceptible to frost. The 
first warm suns of early spring 
start their buds to swelling; and 
then the last frosty touches of win¬ 
ter nip them, and the peach crop is 
a failure ! How many times do we 
read this—and hear it, if we live in 
one of the great “peach belts.” 
The reasonable thing to do, 
therefore, is to select a site or a 
location for trees of this species 
that is not favorable to early de¬ 
velopment of flower buds. It is 
not the warm corner that 
they should have, and all 
the sun; but the chillier 
place and northern expo¬ 
sure. Proximity to large 
bodies of water is always 
favorable to the culture of 
Primus of all kinds, for the 
reason that such bodies of 
water equalize temperature, 
and prevent premature 
bursting of flower buds. 
Methods of Growing 
So the spot for nectarines 
should not be sheltered and 
warm ; rather the contrary, 
though it should not be ex¬ 
posed to the roughest of 
winter’s winds. Plant either 
as specimen trees, to be al¬ 
lowed to grow for their 
grace and beauty as well as 
for their fruits; or train 
them in the Old World 
fashion, on a wall of the 
garden or the side of a 
Kumquats are like hahy oranges, hut you eat them whole. They 
are easily grown indoors, where their foliage and fragrant flowers 
are most attractive 
English walnuts deserve far more The white mulberry is grown prima- 
attention in this country. Trees and rily for silkworm culture, hut it has 
nuts are alike desirable also decorative qualities 
