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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  17,  1901. 
CARDER  GKEANINCS3 
*  • 
Algerian  Grapes. 
The  British  Consul  in  Algiers,  in  his  annual  report,  sajs 
that  the  question  of  supplying  fresh  Algerian  Grapes  to  the 
London  market  is  being  studied,  and  no  doubt  an  effort  will  be 
made  to  create  a  market  for  the  Grapes,  which  could  be  delivered 
foy  sale  easily  by  the  end  of  July,  whereas  the  earliest  Spanish 
Grapes  are  ready  only  at  the  end  of  August.  “  What  finer 
Grape,”  says  the  Consul,  “can  one  eat  than  the  ‘  Chasseles  ’  of 
Fontainebleau  grown  in  Algeria?”  The  Pande-Musques  are 
also  excellent.  These,  however,  ripen  later,  but  as  the  skin  is 
thicker  they  will  stand  keeping  longer,  and  could,  no  doubt,  be 
preserved  in  cork  dust  for  the  winter  months. 
The  Witch  Hazel  in  Therapeutics. 
In  medical  botany,  Witch  Hazel  has  a  wide  renown.  Strange 
to  say,  for  all  the  extended  use  of  extracts  and  preparations  in 
general,  there  are  eminent  medical  men  who  regard  it  as  of  no 
real  efficacy.  Its  use  in  medicine  was  introduced  through  its 
extensive  employment  by  the  Indians.  They  used  the  bark  in 
decoction  for  tumours,  inflammatory  swellings,  and  hemorrhages. 
This  would  indicate  the  presence  of  considerable  tannin  in  the 
bark,  as  this  is  the  main  acting  principle  in  remedies  for  these 
troubles.  The  Indians  of  the  South  ate  the  seeds,  and  made 
pretty  ornaments  from  them.  In  the  same  natural  order,  there 
is  apparently  nothing  of  medicinal  value  unless  it  be  the  Liquid- 
ambar,  or  Sweet  Gum,  a  species  of  which  is  so  much  admired  in 
ornamental  gardening.  This  is  said  to  exude  a  balsamic  resin. 
Amelanchier  canadensis. 
At  two  seasons  of  the  year  this  North  American  tree  forms 
■one  of  the  most  effective  features  of  gardens  where  it  is  grown. 
In  spring,  when  laden  with  its  lovely  racemes  of  white  flowers, 
which  smother  the  tree  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  leave  a  branch 
showing,  and  again  in  autumn,  when  the  leases  have  changed  to 
a  brilliant  red,  or,  in  some  instances,  orange-scarlet,  it  is  a 
lovely  object,  and  it  is  difficult  to  decide  at  which  time  it  is  most 
attractive.  In  size  and  shape  it  varies  considerably,  some  forms 
making  bushy-headed  trees  after  the  manner  of  a  large,  weak- 
branched  Apple  tree,  and  others  again  making  dwarf  bushes 
which  throw  up  numerous  suckers,  and  in  time  make  a  dense 
mass.  In  either  way  it  is  very  effective,  and  is  well  worthy  of 
note  as  a  subject  to  be  planted  in  the  coming  winter  by  possessors 
of  gardens  where  it  is  not  already  found.  As  regards  cultivation, 
it  gives  no  more  trouble  than  an  ordinary  Crab  Apple,  an 
occasional  thinning  after  once  well  established  being  all  it 
requires.  In  addition  to  being  a  good  outdoor  plant,  it  makes  an 
excellent  subject  for  forcing  for  conservatory  decoration  in  early 
spring. — W.  D.,  Ivew. 
Crocus  speciosus. 
There  must  exist  a  lack  of  knowledge  of  this  beautiful  species, 
else  one  would  surely  see  it  more  frequently  in  gardens.  I  shall 
never  forget  a  huge  patch  of  it  I  once  saw  at  the  old  Chihvell 
Nurseries,  in  the  lifetime  of  Mr.  J.  It.  Pearson.  It  was  when 
the  clump  was  a  mass  of  bright  green  foliage,  the  latter  coming 
in  spring  and  the  former  in  autumn.  Mr.  Pearson  gave  me  a 
few  corms  of  it,  and  I  have  never  been  without  it  since.  It  was 
planted  under  a  west  wall,  and  there  it  remains,  but  disturbed 
occasionally  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  a  few  of  the  corms  to 
someone  who  had  admired  it.  The  lovely  pale  blue  purple 
blossoms  well  repay  inspection  ;  the  exquisite  pencillings  on  the 
interior  of  the  petals  should  be  noted.  A  little  top-dressing  of 
some  fertiliser  is  occasionally  given  to  the  clump,  and  in  dry 
weather  occasional  waterings,  with  alternate  doses  of  weak 
manure  water.  It  is  on  the  whole  a  vigorous  growing  species. 
It  appears  to  do  well  in  any  good  loam,  and  wants  to  be  un¬ 
disturbed.  I  have  seen  it  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall,  but  in 
imperfect  character,  as  many  of  these  things  too  often  are.  It 
is  readily  attainable,  it  is  not  expensive,  and  it  might  with 
advantage  take  the  place  of  some  meaner  things. — R.  D. 
Home  grown  Liliums, 
Mr.  McOnegal,  herbaceous  foreman  to  Messrs.  Mawson  Bros., 
The  Nurseries,  Windermere,  sends  a  boxful  of  splendid  Lilium 
bulbs,  large,  fleshy,  and  firm,  with  the  following  notes: — “  I  have 
great  pleasure  in  forwarding  you  sample  bulbs  of  Lilium 
lancifolium  roseum,  that  have  been  grown  in  our  Windermere 
nursery.  They  have  been  in  the  ground  for  two  seasons,  in  new 
soil  of  a  stiff  nature  but  very  open,  being  well  drained,  the  land 
being  very  stony.  We  also  have  L.  Browni,  L.  1.  Melpomene, 
and  L.  1.  Kraetzeri,  etc.,  in  like  proportion,  in  fact  the  majority 
of  Liliums  do  exceedingly  well  with  us.”  This  is  most  pleasing 
news.  In  the  south  of  England  growers  are  successful  in  raising 
mighty  fine  samples  of  Lilium  auratum.  We  are  gratified  to 
know  of  the  success  attending  the  efforts  of  our  northern 
friends. 
Iris  tectorum. 
This  beautiful  Iris  species  is  now  blooming  in  American  col¬ 
lections.  It  was  first  described  by  the  Russian  botanist, 
Maximowicz,  in  1871,  who  received  the  specimens  from  Japan. 
The  leaves  are  strong  and  vigorous,  much  in  the  line  of  the  well- 
known  Japanese  species,  I.  K.  laevigata,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  I.  Ksempferi ;  yet  it  is  quite  distinct.  The  flower  does 
not  extend  beyond  the  leaves,  but  is  large  and  showy,  the  three 
outer  floral  leaves  or  sepals  being  3in  long  and  about 
Hin  broad.  They  are  of  a  violet  colour,  prettily  marbled 
with  purple,  and  have  a  very  prominent  white,  purple- 
mottled  fringed  beard  in  the  centre.  The  three  sepals,  or  second 
series  of  corolla  leaves,  says  a  writer  in  “  Meehans’  Monthly,”  are 
nearly  as  large  as  the  sepals,  and  the  three  flattened  stigmas 
forming  the  inner  series  are  purple  with  white  margins  and 
prettily  fringed  at  the  apex,  making  a  very  showy  flower.  It 
has  proven  itself  very  hardy,  and  suitable  for  dryish  locations. 
Apple  King  Harry. 
The  following  letter  was  received  from  a  Fifeshire  correspon¬ 
dent  more  than  a  month  ago.  She  says: — “  I  here  send  you  an 
Apple,  which  I  obtained  at  Bath.  I  got  the  Apples  at  the 
principal  fruiterer’s,  and  he  informed  me  that  as  far  as  he  knew 
only  one  man  in  the  district  had  them.  I  thought  so  highly  of 
the  Apple  as  an  early  eating  one  that  I  made  inquiries,  and  found 
that  the  grower  did  not  know  anything  about  them,  or  the  name. 
I  am  with  difficulty  getting  some  grafts,  and  will  be  much  obliged 
if  you  will  name  the  Apple  for  me.”  The  variety  was  the  King 
Harry  Apple,  named  by  us  in  the  answers  to  correspondents 
column  a  week  or  two  ago.  In  the  “  Fruit  Manual  ”  Dr.  Hogg 
described  it  thus:  “Fruit  small,  2-iin  wide,  and  2in  high; 
roundish  oval,  even  and  regular  in  outline.  Skin  lemon-yellow 
all  over,  and  thickly  strewed  with  large  russet  dots.  Flesh 
yellow,  tender,  juicy,  sweet,  and  of  fine  flavour.  A  dessert 
Apple  of  high  quality,  in  use  from  October  till  the  end  of 
November.” 
Figs  under  Glass. 
Figs  are  receiving  more  attention  now  than  for  some  years 
past,  which  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as  ripe  Figs  are  very 
wholesome,  and  early  fruit  very  much  prized  for  dessert.  The 
varieties  Early  Violet  and  St.  John’s  are  reliable  first  croppers, 
and  to  succeed  them,  Brown  Turkey  has  no  equal  for  general 
purposes.  Trees  intended  for  affording  fruit  at  the  close  of  April 
or  early  in  May  will  now  need  dressing  with  an  insecticide,  all 
those  advertised  being  efficacious  when  properly  applied,  if  the 
instructions  are  implicitly  followed.  Very  little  pruning  will 
be  necessary,  the  trees  having  been  regularly  stopped  during 
the  growing  season,  but  if  the  growths  are  too  crowded  and 
irregular,  they  may  be  thinned  to  render  the  trees  symmetrical. 
The  house  in  which  the  trees  are  forced  should  have  the  wood¬ 
work  and  walls  washed  with  hot  water,  afterwards  lime-washing 
with  hot  lime  and  sulphur,  a  handful  of  the  latter  to  each  pailful 
of  lime-wash.  A  mild  bottom  heat  is  almost  a  necessity  to  a 
successful  swelling  and  perfecting  of  the  earliest  crop,  the  pots 
being  raised  upon  loose  brickuark,  pedestal  fashion,  in  the  posi¬ 
tion  they  are  to  occupy  in  the  bed,  and  so  that  the  rims  of  the 
pots  will  be  slightly  above  the  level  of  the  pit  edges.  The  depth 
of  the  pit  should  be  about  3ft,  and  filled  with  Oak  or  Beech  leaves 
pressed  firmly.  Care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  over-heating,  a 
temperature  of  60  to  65  degrees  about  the  pots  being  sufficient  to 
commence  with. — A. 
