32 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  GOTTAIE  GABDENER, 
January  9,  1902. 
will  throw  off  their  corollas,  when  the  calyces  close  round 
the  ovaries  ;  a  curious  example  of  plant  irritability. 
Gravelly  and  chalky  soils  suit  the  Black  Mullein 
(V .  nigrum) ;  but  it  is  scarcely  to  be  called  black,  though 
the  stem  is  brown  or  purplish,  and  the  leaves  are  slightly 
downy,  of  a  deep  green,  the  radical  ones  very  long.  It  has 
smallish  yellow  flowers,  being  seldom  more  than  2ft  high. 
In  gardens  people  grow  a  white  variety,  also  another  having 
a  large  copper  -  tinted  corolla.  The  Moth  Mullein 
(V.  Blattaria)  is  an  annual;  it  has  a  somewhat  foetid  smell, 
and  is  said  to  be  attractive  both  to  butterflies  and  moths. 
Its  Latin  specific  name  was  given  because  of  the  belief  that 
it  has  just  the  opposite  effect  upon  cockroaches,  which,  if 
true,  would  be  a  reason  for  cultivating  it.  This  plant  used 
to  grow’  about  Deptford,  near  London,  and  a  white  variety 
is  sometimes  found  wild,  also  in  gardens, 
xiie  Purple  Loosestrife  (Lythrum  Salicaria)  was,  in  the 
olden  time,  so  plentiful  about  marshes  by  the  Thames  and 
liea.  near  London,  that  it  became  a  garden  plant  long  ago. 
feooks  of  a  huncireu  years  since  mention  it  as  being  often 
grown,  and  sometimes  increased  by  cuttings  raised  under 
a  hand-glass  ;  it  is  grown  also  from  seed.  We  admii’e  it  for 
its  beautiful  spikes  of  crimson  or  purple  flowefs,  which  keep 
in  bloom  a  good  while,  and  then  plants  will  reach  the  height 
of  5ft.  Possibly  one  reason  for  its  culture  was  that  the 
presence  of  this  species  in  a  garden,  as  the  name  indicates, 
was  supposed  to  put  a  speedy  end  to  quarrels.  The  name 
of  Loosestrife  was  also  conferred,  we  find,  upon  other  plants 
in  the  Primrose  family  ;  thus  it  is  one  of  those  attached  to 
the  familiar  Moneywoi-t,  Lysimachia  Nummularia.  In  a  few 
English  counties  occurs  the  Hyssop-leaved  Loosestrife,  or 
Grass-r)oly,  which  is  an  annual,  having  smallish  flowers.  A 
capital  variety  of  the  large  Loosestrife  is  knowm  as 
L.  roseum  superbum,  well  deserving  culture,  which  will 
thrive  beside  ponds  or  along  borders. 
Nearly  akin  to  the  exotic  Fuchsias  are  the  Epilobiums, 
or  Willowherbs,  of  Britain,  taking  their  Latin  designation 
from  the  long  pod  containing  the  seeds,  which  is  frequently 
tufted  wdth  down.  The  popular  name  is  suggested  by  the 
usually  slender  foliage.  Such  conspicuous  plants  were  soon 
welcomed  into  gardens,  especially  when  it  was  found  that 
several  species  thrive  in  smoky  towns  ;  indeed,  Avill  some¬ 
times  increase  so  as  to  be  troublesome.  Their  chief  repre¬ 
sentative  is  the  Rose  Ba}^  or  French  Willow  (E.  angust’- 
folium).  I  do  not  know  why  it  took  a  title  from  France. 
Loudon  states  it  was  also  called  the  “  Persian  ”  Willow.  A 
handsome  perennial  which  will  reach  the  height  of  6ft,  dis¬ 
playing  a  profusion  of  crimson  flowers  in  clusters,  there  is 
a  white  variety  to  be  seen  in  gardens,  occasionally  wild  as 
well.  It  is  a  species  fitter  for  the  shrubbery  than  the 
border.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  utilise  the  abundant 
down  by  mixing  it  with  wool,  and  working  it  into  stockings. 
Village  gardens  often  show  the  Great  Hairy  Willow- 
herb  (E.  hirsutum),  which  the  children  greet  as  “  apple 
pie  ”  or  “  codlins  and  cream  ”  ;  it  does  exhale  an  acidulous, 
fruity  scent.  Its  abundant  foliage  is  greyish  green,  the 
flowers  being  pinkish.  This  is  a  plant  of  ditches  and  river¬ 
sides  near  London,  and  it  was  very  abundant  along  the 
Lea.  Curtis,  the  botanist,  discovered  E.  roseum  in  Lambeth 
Marsh  ;  it  is  a  rather  scarce  wild  plant,  but  has  been  distri¬ 
buted  about  gardens  by  seed.  It  has  smooth,  delicate 
leaves  and  palish  streaked  flowers,  rather  few,  and  can 
scarcely  be  called  an  attractive  plant.  Very  different  in 
habit  is  E.  montanum,  which  likes  dry  or  hilly  places,  occur¬ 
ring  often  on  old  walls  and  cottage  roofs  ;  this  has  red  stems, 
broadish  leaves,  and  light  purple  flowers.  To  the  Willow- 
herb  order  belongs  the  favourite  flower,  the  Evening  Prim¬ 
rose  ;  but  CEnothera  biennis  is  a  more  than  doubtful  native, 
corning  to  us  from  America  by  way  of  France,  though  clumps 
of  it  grow  seemingly  wild. 
We  southerners  regard  the  common  Mallow  (Malva 
sylvestris)  as  a  wayside  weed  which  now  and  then  appears 
in  gardens,  but  in  some  parts  of  Yorkshire  it  is  often  grown 
by  the  cottagers,  who  use  the  plant  medicinally.  Gerard, 
the  old  botanist,  speaks  of  its  virtues,  and  the  Romans  are 
said  to  have  cooked  the  leaves.  The  flowers  might,  indeed, 
be  considered  handsome  were  the  Mallow  not  so  abundant ; 
cultivation  fails  to  produce  any  change  in  them.  But  the 
finest  of  this^  family  is  decidedly  the  Musk  species. 
M.  moscbata ;  it  is  tall,  and  has  beautiful  pink  flowers  veined 
with  red.  Towards  evening,  and  after  rain,  the  plant  gives 
off  a  perfume  which  has  been  compared  to  that  of  musk  ; 
it  is  not  particularly  from  the  flowers.  Though  local,  it  is 
still  found  wild  about  Surrey  and  elsewhere  not  far  from 
the  metropolis,  and  has  been  a  garden  flower  a  long  while. 
In  borders  the  flowers  tend  to  lose  their  colour,  and  the 
musky  smell  vanishes.  Possibly  one  reason  why  Mallows- 
were  encouraged  in  gardens  was  their  having  a  place* 
amongst  the  plants  which,  when  near,  are  supposed  to- 
prevent  quarrels. 
It  is  observable,  from  allusions  to  it  in  early  gardening 
books,  that  the  “French  Mallow”  was  brought  over  three 
centuries  ago,  perhaps  chiefly  on  account  of  its  curative- 
properties.  This  is  M.  Alcea,  or  now  called  the  Hollyhock 
Mallow,  a  vigorous-growing  perennial  which  has  flowers 
2in  across  in  clusters,  and  flourishes  almost  anywhere. 
Few  native  plants  are  more  stately  than  the  Tree  Mallow, 
Lavatera  arborea,  which  does  actually  reach  the  height  of' 
7ft  or  8ft,  even  more.  It  is  a  biennial,  flowering  from  July 
to  October  on  the  sea-coast,  but  the  seeds  have  been  sown 
in  gardens,  where  the  plants  will  survive  a  mild  winter. 
— J.  R.  S.  C. 
- ■  I - 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
“Here  awa’,  There  awa’.” 
So  soon  as  I  entered  one  of  the  well-constructed  houses  ini 
Messrs.  Cutbusli  and  Son’s  nursery,  at  Highgate,  last  week,  I 
had  the  double  pleasure  of  seeing  the  sweet  little  flowers  of 
Daphne  indica  rubra  (borne  on  a  batch  of  dwarf  and  bushy  plants)  • 
and  of  inhaling  what  to  me  is  a  delightful  fragrance.  In  the 
same  house  were  plants  of  Luculia  gratissima,  whose  large 
clusters  of  soft  pink  flowers  had  passed  till  another  year  ;  but  the 
stock  of  stout-stemmed  representatives  of  this  lovely  greenhouse  ■ 
subject  were  breaking  into  new  growth,  and  promise  handsomely. 
The  Cutbush  people  grow  fruited  Oranges  (Citrus  aurantiacum)  ■ 
in  5in  and  Gin  pots,  somewhat  extensively.  Many  of  these  had  . 
a  fine  array  of  their  “  Golden  Apples  ”  (to  quote  from  the  ancient 
geographer,  Scylax)  already  brightly  coloured  and  ready  for  the 
decorative  uses  to  which  they  are  put  in  the  many  “  furnishing  ” 
contracts  which  the  firm  has  in  and  around  the  metropolis. 
Recognising  the  persistence  and  attractiveness  of  these  plants, 
one  might  with  justness  expect  to  see  them  much  more  liberally 
employed  by  gardeners  and  amateurs. 
Messrs.  Cutbush  and  Sons,  Highgate. 
I  referred  to  the  decorative  contracts  of  the  Messrs.  Cutbush. 
For  the  proper  supply  and  execution  of  this  branch  of  their  busi¬ 
ness  they  are  obliged  to  grow  very  large  quantities  of  the  well- 
known  plants  used  in  this  connection.  Hence  one  finds  many  • 
long,  span-roofed  stnictures  filled  from  end  to  end  on  either  side 
with  Kentias,  Phoenix  species,  Latania,  Livistonias,  Chamaerops,  , 
and  such  other  Palms ;  also  beautifully  striped  and  variegated 
Aspidistras  ;  Araucaria  excelsa  by  the  score;  with  A.  e.  compacta, 
a  very  distinct,  close-growing,  green  and  pleasing  variety,  and, 
the  glaucous  coloured  species  that  derives  its  name — glauca — 
from  this  character.  When  properly  developed,  we  can  always 
admire  Araucaria  glauca.  While  naming  this  special  line  of 
plants  one  must  include  Eurya  latifolia,  which  is  nearly  hardy, 
and  bears  tricoloured  leaves,  bronzy-yellow*  predominating ; 
Aralia  Sieboldi  and  its  vai'iegated  form;  A.  Veitchi  and' 
A.  elegantissima  ;  Ficus  repens  variegata,  a  splendid  twining  sub¬ 
ject  so  effective  when  wound  around  a  lichen  or  moss-covered' 
stump;  Dracaena  (Cordyline)  indivisa;  D.  Doucetti,  with  long 
recurving  leaves,  an  inch  broad,  and  tinged  a  metallic  and 
lustrous  brow’uish-red.  The  foregoing  are  all  grown  in  quantity. 
Acacia  armata  and  A.  grandis,  in  small-sized  pots,  seemed 
likely  to  provide  a  display  later  on ;  and  near  by  them  were 
better  grown  samples  of  the  pretty  Bottle-brush  flower  than 
I  have  seen  for  many  days.  Ophiopogon  jaburan  variegata,  so 
useful  at  the  spring,  summer,  and  autumn  shows,  or  for  hall  and 
lobby  decoration,  was  on  view,  and  brightly  coloured  they  w’ere, 
too.  Smilax  and  Asparagus  Sprengeri,  each  in  Sin  and  Gin  pots, 
trained  to  neat  stakes,  will  prove  useful  material  to  anyone  who 
may  require  such.  There  were  also  groups  of  standard  and 
pyramid  Ribes  (Flowering  Currants)  with  stout  growths,  well 
ripened — as  evidenced  by  the  dark,  healthy  bark — ready  for 
forcing  now,  or  later  on,  as  required.  Spiraea  grandis,  S. 
confusa,  Deutzia  crenata  fl. -pi.  ;  Thorns  (Crataegus),  Viburnums, 
Hydrangea  paniculata;  Prunus  sinensis  alba  fl.-pl. ;  Pyrus  Malus, 
and  the  variety  floribunda;  Laburnums,  and  Magnolias,  all  in 
fine  form  (to  be  had  either  as  standards  or  pyramids  in  the  bushy 
form)  were  here  seen.  The  hardy  and  greenhouse  Rhododendrons, 
dwarf  in  habit,  splendidly  set  with  large  buds,  and  quite  estab¬ 
lished  in  Sin,  9in,  and  lOin  pots,  could  not  fail  to  gain  passing 
attention ;  nor  could  one  miss  the  graceful  Arundinarias.  The 
hardy  and  half-hardy  Bamboos  are  gaining  steadily  in  favour,  and 
soon  every  garden  wdll  possess  at  least  the  commoner  species. 
But  here  the  printer  points  out  that  a  column  is  only  lOin  long, 
and  I  must  stop  here  for  the  nonce ;  and,  as  usual,  will  sign  my¬ 
self — Wandering  Willie. 
