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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  27,  1902. 
rare  Bergamot  Mint  (M.  citrata)  seem  to  have  cultivated  it  in 
Georgian  times  for  the  sake  of  its  powerful  and  peculiar  fragrance, 
resembling  one  of  the  Citron  tribe.  This  Mint  is  smooth,  often 
reddish  purple;  its  flowers,  in  blunt,  rounded  heads,  c-pen  during 
the  autumn. 
Another  species,  common  round  London  and  elsewhere  in  most 
places,  the  Hairy,  or  Water,  Mint  (M.  aquatica),  was  grown  for 
amusement  by  botanists  and  gardeners.  Some  iilants  had  a 
marshy,  but  aromatic  smell,  some  would  have  the  camphoi'ated 
smell  of  Peppermint,  and  occasionally  one  had  the  fragrance  of 
Frankincense.  Many  varieties  were  got,  smooth  as  well  as  hairy. 
A  vei-y  singular  one  had  its  flowers  of  bluish  purple,  not  in  heads, 
but  in  whorls  on  a  spike.  This  species  has  been  called  by  several 
the  handsomest  of  our  native  Mints. 
“  If  you  set  it,  the  cats  will  eat  it ; 
If  you  sow  it,  the  cats  won’t  know  it.” 
This  C|uaint  old  saying  concerning  the  Catmint  (Nepeta  cataria) 
shows  that  people  did  grow  the  plant  formerly ;  but  we  query 
whether  it  made  any  difference  rai.sing  it  from  seed,  unless  it  had 
less  aroma  than  if  transplanted.  Certainly  cats  are  fond  of  the 
plant,  scratching  it  and  rolling  upon  it  when  they  have  the  chance. 
Did  our  ancestors  ever  put  this  plant  into  their  stews  or  salads? 
Possibly,  which  would  furnish  one  reason  for  its  cultivation ; 
yet  one  of  the  old  naturalists  says  that  chewing  Catmint  made 
persons  quarrelsome! 
Of  near  kinship  are  the  Germanders  of  the  tribe  in  the  genus 
Teucrium,  some  of  which,  chiefly  Spanish,  and  rather  incon¬ 
spicuous,  are  amongst  our  garden  plants.  Before  these  exotics 
arrived,  the  Wood  Germander  (T.  scorodonia)  was  occasionally 
cultivated.  Its  flowers  are  in  one-sided  spikes,  greenish  yet  low: 
the  dark  green  leaves  contain  a  bitter,  and  were  sometimes  used 
as  a  substitute  for  Hops.  The  whole  plant  has  an  aromatic 
scent.  Our  probably  native  wall  Germander  (T.  Chaniaedrys)  is 
found  upon  old  walls  in  a  few  places,  and  has  been  planted  for  a 
rock  species  ;  on  the  Continent  it  may  be  seen  as  an  edging  about 
some  gardens.  Its  flowers  are  purplish,  leaves  glo.ssy,  the  whole 
plant  very  bitter,  hence  it  was  recommended  for  fevers.  (We 
note  the  name  of  “Germander”  has  been  given  also  to  a  wild 
species  of  Veronica  abundant  along  many  hedgerows  during  May.) 
Before  the  garden  Sage  and  the  Clary  came  from  the  Con¬ 
tinent  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  when  other  Salvias  we  now  grow 
Avere  unknown,  people  brought  the  Avild  Clary  (S.  verbenacea)  into 
gardens,  it  grew  not  uncommonly  near  London.  We  have  it 
about  Kent  still.  Its  floAvers  are  rich  blue  and  handsome,  but 
they  open  upon  the  spike  in  succession.  Doubtless  another 
reason  why  this  was  cultivated,  besides  its  appearance,  was  the 
medicinal  value  attributed  to  it.  Clary,  it  seems,  really  means 
“  clear  eye,”  a  decoction  of  the  plant  being  supposed  to  cleanse 
or  strengthen  the  eyes  ;  and  it  had  other  uses.  More  beautiful 
still  is  the  MeadoAV  Clarj^  (S.  pratensis),  having  whorls  or  purplish 
flowers,  Avhich  has  been  found  near  Cobham,  in  Kent.  Perhaps 
a  doubtful  native  in  Switzerland,  it  is  abundant  in  some  meadows. 
Fond  of  woods  and  moist  places  is  the  Bugle  (Ajuga  reptans), 
of  creeping  habit.  It  was  not  a  despicable  garden  floAver  at  one 
time,  and  produced  several  varieties.  It  blooms  a  good  while, 
and  looks  well  on  a  sloping  bank.  One  variety  has  white  flowers, 
others  have  very  dark  or  variegated  leaves,  and  sometimes  they 
pass  in  gardens  under  fictitious  names.  Upon  the  mountains  of 
Scotland  and  Wales  occurs  the  Pyramidal  Bugle  (A.  pyramidalis), 
a  many-flowered,  hairy  species,  without  runners. 
Our  English  Basil  (Clinopodium  vulgare)  we  first  read  of  as  a 
species  associated  with  grief,  and  often  planted  upon  graves ; 
afterAA'ards  it  seems  to  have  found  its  way  into  gardens,  possibly 
put  there  in  memoi’y  of  the  dead.  Elsewhere,  in  Italy  and  the 
East,  for  instance,  some  species  of  Basil  was  similarly  used ;  also 
it  was  sometimes  symbolic  of  hatred.  It  is  a  plant  mildly 
aaromatic,  with  soft,  hairy  leaves,  and  a  few  bright  crimson 
flowers  on  wavy  stems.  Though  generally  distributed,  it  has  not 
been  common  near  London  for  many  years.  Then  we  have  a 
Balm,  which  people  cultivated  becau.se  they  supposed  it  had  a 
likeness  to  the  Oriental  species  of  great  repute.  It  groAvs  chiefly 
in  the  south  and  Avest  of  England.  It  also  was  a  pretty  plant,  the 
leaves  being  large,  deep  green,  and  the  variegated  flowers  in 
pairs  along  the  stem.  The  tea  made  from  it,  if  not  useful,  was 
certainly  harmless. 
The  Self-heal  (Prunella  A-ulgaris)  is  another  of  the  tribe  AA’hich 
was  cultivated  for  its  beautiful  purple  blossoms,  as  well  as  for 
its  curative  powers.  Gerarde  puzzled  some  folks  by  his  mention 
of  what  he  calls  “  organie.”  This  is  his  form  of  the  Latin  name 
for  the  Avild  Marjoram  (Origanum  vulgare),  used  in  cooking  as  a 
substitute  for  the  exotic  species ;  also  recommended  for  “  scabs 
anl  scurviness  when  put  into  a  bath.”  Like  the  wild  Thyme,  it 
is  a  great  attraction  to  bees,  but  has  not  the  trailing  habit  of 
that  species,  the  crimson  flowers  being  on  a  tall,  much-branched 
stem.  But  the  Thyme  (Thymus  serpyllum)  was  a  greater 
favourite  in  gardens  than  the  Marjoram,  one  variety  having  a 
Lemon  scent ;  another,  with  larger  flowers,  was  called  the  Mother 
of  Thyme.  An  emblem  of  activity.  Thyme  was  also  a  token  of 
friendship. — J.  B.  S.  C. 
Notes  from  Ireland. 
The  brief  visit  of  winter  merged  into  very  fine  weather,  and 
gardeners  are  now  active.  The  bulbous  plants  are  vigorously 
advancing  Crocuses  and  Snowdrops  being  in  profusion.  Of  the 
former,  I  noticed  some  fine  clumps  of  that  peer  amongst 
Crocuses — Imperati,  a  native  of  Italy,  although  from  the  native 
type  many  garden  varieties  are  always  discernible.  Amongst 
the  Galanthuses,  that  neAv  introduction  Romeo  is  at  present 
flowering  freely  in  the  gardens  attached  to  Trinity  College.  _  Its- 
large,  pendulous  blooms  are  borne  on  stems  about  18in  in  height, 
which  renders  it  doubly  useful,  whether  grown  for  effect  amongst 
grass  or  for  decorative  purposes.  From  the  former  vieAv,  its 
height  and  size  of  bloom  gives  it  a  picturesque  effect.  It  be¬ 
longs  to  the  plicatus  section,  from  whence  the  most  distinct 
advances  have  been  made.  In  proximity  to  the  many  borders  of 
early  bulbous .  types,  the  heavily-dowered  Cornelian  Cherry 
Qrammatocarpus  volubilis. 
(Comus  Mascula),  with  its  yellow  inflorescence,  suggestive  of 
some  Acacia  blooms,  is  extremely  handsome  and  useful. 
Irises  have  come  to  stay.  The  old  waif,  I.  stylosa,  permeates 
our  gardens,  amid  the  shelter  of  kindly  handglasses.  I.  Dan- 
fordise,  Arith  its  orange-yellow  flowers,  blooms  at  ease  in  & 
secluded  comer  where  no  inclement  blasts  can  enter.  I.  reti¬ 
culata  carpets  the  ground  with  beauty.  The  newer  one,  with 
Violet  perfume,  emanating  from  the  garden  of  Herr  Max 
Leichtlin  in  Baden-Baden  (now  introduced  by  Messrs.  Kelways, 
of  Lan^ort),  is  steadily  coming  into  popularity,  and  justly  so. 
There  is  probably  no  prettier-hued  floAver,  excepting  the  un¬ 
assuming  Violet. 
A  mode  of  culture  found  effective  is  groAving  it  in  a  sheltered 
comer,  in  a  light  soil  of  peat,  sand,  and  leaf  mould,  and  let  it 
remain.  The  plants  are  never  lifted,  so  that  the  bed  is  gradually 
increasing.  The  newer  varieties  of  Hellebore  have  enabled 
gardeners  to  have  a  supply  doAvn  to  March.  One  finds  them 
very  handy  when  cut  floAvers  are  much  in  request.  Their  long 
stems  and  shapely  perianth  is  strongly  in  their  favour,  though 
brilliant  hues  are  yet  absent.  In  the  congemal  warmth  that 
pleasing  Mexican  shrub,  Centradenia  rosea,  is  radiant.  The 
