January  18,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
57 
CUSCUTA  CHILENSIS. 
The  profusion  in  which  the  very  pretty  fragrant  flowers  are  borne 
over  the  whole  of  this  leafless  plant  cannot  but  excite  admiration, 
nor  can  its  habit  of  growth  and  the  inevitable  consequence  of  its 
vigour,  when  growing  on  many  of  its  foster  plants,  occasion  any 
but  feelings  of  wonderment.  It  has  been  cultivated  under  the 
erroneous  name  of  C.  chinensis,  a  species  of  only  annual  duration, 
whereas  the  one  under  notice  is  indisputably  a  perennial,  and  it  may 
be  easily  inferred  that  the  confusion  as  to  names  has  arisen  simply 
through  an  inadvertent  clerical  error.  Many  Cuscutas  have  been 
introduced  from  various  countries,  and  these  are  more  numerous  than 
may  be  generally  imagined,  more  than  thirty  being  enumerated  in 
Steudel’s  “Nomenclator  Botanicus,”  and  this  does  not  include  the 
well-known  indigenous  Dodder. 
It  has  been  stated  that  Dodders  grow  only  upon  herbaceous  plants 
and  the  smaller  shrubs,  yet  Shakespeare  employed  the  term  “doddered  ” 
to  the  Oak,  from  which  it  has  been  assumed  that  the  word  formerly 
was  not  only  applied  to  parasites  generally,  but  figuratively,  in 
describing  trunks  of  trees  clad  with  vegetation.  As  expressed  by  its 
name,  C.  chilensis  is  a  native  of  South  America,  and  it  so  much 
resembles  the  Peruvian  Cuscuta,  0.  odorata,  that  it  is  very  probable 
the  question  as  to  whether  they  are  not  identical  has  yet  to  be  deter¬ 
mined.  Those  who  have  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  its  wonderful 
growth  and  effect  when  cultivated  under  favourable  conditions  in  this 
country  may  be  able  to  form  some  idea  of  the  character  of  this  plant 
when  growing  in  wild  luxuriance  on  some  of  the  most  fitting  of  its 
foster  plants,  and  readily  realise  the  regard  in  which  it  is  held  by  the 
Spanish  Creoles,  who  have  applied  to  it  the  popular  name  of  Cabelloa 
de  Angel  (Angel’s  Hair).  Whether  this  exotic  parasite,  which  appears 
to  have  been  introduced  from  Chili  in  the  year  1821,  is  capable  of 
being  acclimatised  is  uncertain,  but  should  it  prove  to  be  so  it  would 
be  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  undesirable  plant  to  introduce  amongst 
some  of  our  field  crops.  It  certainly  is  sufficiently  hardy  to  withstand 
8°  or  4°  of  frost,  but  flowering  as  it  does  rather  late  in  summer,  when 
growing  in  this  climate  out  of  doors,  there  does  exist  for  agriculturists 
the  assurance  that  it  would  only,  in  very  exceptional  seasons,  ripen  its 
seeds ;  were  it  otherwise  they  might  fairly  be  appalled. 
When  observed  in  a  small  state,  growing  on  some  suitable  soft- 
wooded  plant  to  which  it  has  been  allowed  to  attach  itself  for 
preserving  it  through  the  winter  months  under  glass,  there  is  nothing 
particularly  striking  in  its  appearance,  and  under  such  a  condition 
there  is  relatively  nothing  to  suggest  the  extraordinary  spectacle  it 
will  present  when  its  growth  is  fully  developed.  It  is  only  necessary 
to  have  an  established  piece,  even  though  it  be  growing  on  such  a 
plant  as  would  ordinarily  occupy  a  5-inch  flower  pot,  and  so  soon  as 
the  late  spring  frosts  are  over  to  remove  it  to  a  suitable  place,  to 
demonstrate  its  amazing  characteristics. 
Supposing  it  to  have  been  placed  close  to  a  dwarf  Ivy-clad  wall, 
sheltered  and  shaded  by  deciduous  and  evergreen  trees  of  a  large 
growth,  here  and  there  a  Lilac,  a  Flowering  Currant,  or  Box  tree,  and 
then  large  Elders,  the  latter  perchance  draped  with  that  always 
picturesque  British  climber.  Traveller’s  Joy  (Clematis  Vitalba),  in  such 
a  place  as  this  the  Chilian  Cuscuta  would  soon  manifest  its  prodigious 
growth.  Attaching  itself  to  the  nearest  plant,  herbaceous  or  otherwise, 
its  nude  stems  presently  embrace  those  of  others  within  reach  one 
after  the  other,  in  snake-like  coils,  sometimes  singly,  but  not  unfre- 
quently  in  twos  and  threes,  and  in  its  progress  completely  fixing  itself 
by  penetrating  their  epidermis  with  its  root-like  tubercles.  The  more 
it  becomes  established  the  more  vigorously  it  grows,  sending  out  strong 
thong-like  lateral  shoots,  in  some  cases  several  feet  in  length,  and 
these  soon  take  possession  of  the  branches  of  surrounding  shrubs  and 
trees  for  a  distance  as  much  as  15  feet  from  the  spot  where  it  was 
originally  placed. 
At  the  same  time  a  portion  of  the  parasite  will  be  luxuriating 
amongst  the  Ivy,  elevating  itself  above  the  branches  in  the  most 
fantastic  fashion,  some  of  the  more  thread-like  stems  coiling  themselves 
round  the  larger  ones,  and  together  eventually  forming  an  inextricable 
densely  matted  mass  of  as  curious  an  example  of  vegetation  as  it  is 
possible  to  conceive.  It  is,  perhaps,  on  Ivy  that  it  best  displays  itself, 
so  incredibly  luxuriant  does  it  become  as  to  almost  conceal  it,  and  it  is 
from  a  spray  of  this  plant  that  the  accompanying  illustration  (fig.  11) 
has  been  produced.  As  has  been  stated,  it  does  not  commence 
flowering  until  somewhat  late  in  the  summer,  but  then  its  delicate 
diaphanous  flowers  are  produced  in  clusters  over  the  whole  of  the  plant 
in  the  greatest  abundance.  These  are  clear  white  faintly  spotted  with 
a  purplish  hue,  and  emit  a  fragrance  suggestive  of  both  Iloya  and 
Heliotrope. 
The  rather  uncommon  species  of  Cuscuta  deservedly  claims  attention 
as  worthy  of  cultivation,  not  only  on  account  of  its  being  so  free 
flowering,  but  as  well  of  the  fact  that  there  are  very  few  flowers  that 
can  vie  with  it  for  retaining  a  fresh  appearance  when  cut  and  placed 
in  water,  more  especially  if  a  portion  of  its  foster  plant  be  cut  with  it, 
in  which  case  it  will  remain  a  pretty  object  for  as  much  as  thi-ee  or 
four  weeks.  In  combination  with  other  flowers  for  table  decorations  it 
can  be  made  to  present  quite  a  unique  appearance,  and  for  this  pur¬ 
pose  its  value  cannot  be  over-estimated. — S.  S. 
The  wanderings  of  Mr.  PETER  BARR,  V.M.H. 
A  FEW  weeks  ago  (page  494,  December  7th,  1899),  in  connection 
with  the  subject  of  Irises,  we  made  reference  to  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Peter  Barr,  in  which,  among  other  things,  be  described  a  visit  to  the 
Iris  fields  in  Japan.  The  letter  was  alluded  to  as  a  remarkable  one, 
as  penned  by  a  writer  seventy-four  years  of  age,  because  it  contained 
3000  words  on  three  sheets  of  note  paper.  That  was  a  slight  error. 
Four  sheets  were  used,  and  they  contain  over  6000  words ;  size  of 
sheets  8^  by  inches.  We  know  of  writers  who  could  inscribe  with 
admirable  clearness  more  matter  into  the  same  space,  but  they  are  not 
septuagenarians,  nor  could  they  describe  similar  experience.  The 
narration  is  not  limited  to  gardening  by  a  very  long  way,  but  is  little. 
if  any,  the  less  interesting  on  that  account.  It  is  just  a  free  and  easy 
description  of  scenes  and  situations,  also  men  and  women  that  were 
met  with  by  a  close  observer  with  a  good  memory,  and  who  can  record 
without  much  trouble  his  impressions,  while  not  being  altogether 
lacking  in  the  critical  faculty.  Though  not  written  for  the  purpose 
of  publication,  we  have  no  hesitation  in  inserting  a  considerable 
portion,  as  a  change  from  ordinary  literary  fare,  and  commence  with 
one  of  the  sheets  of  the  chatty  communication. 
On  the  Way  and  in  the  U.S.A. 
I  fear  you  will  think  me  a  strange  fellow  after  all  your  kindness 
and  your  very  friendly  letter  of  April  4tb,  1898,  not  to  have  written 
to  you  sooner.  Should  you  ever  leave  off  editing  a  paper  and  take  to 
travelling  and  give  yourself  up  to  pleasure  and  relaxation  you  will  find 
out  how  difficult  it  is  to  find  time  to  do  correspondence,  especially  if 
your  feet  be  directed  to  the  United  States  ;  and  as  far  as  my  wander¬ 
ings  have  yet  led  me,  the  U.S  A.  is  the  one  country  for  a  man  to 
travel  in  who  desires  to  study  men,  manners,  and  the  development 
of  the  human  race. 
Before  leaving  England  (the  British  Isles)  I  thought  it  best  after 
