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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  December  12,  1901, 
Ceropegia  Gardneri. 
The  species  of  Ceropegia  named  by  “K.,  Dublin,”  in  a  recent 
note  is  the  one  we  illustrate.  It  is  an  interesting  climber  for  a 
warm  stove,  and  grows  quickly.  The  peculiar-looking  flowers  are 
produced  in  profusion.  Cuttings  root  freely  in  clean  sand,  given 
slight  bottom  heat  in  a  stove  temperature.  Another  species, 
C.  Sandersoni,  is  of  a  more  fleshy  habit  of  growth,  and  also,  with 
stapeliseformis,  deserves  a  place  in  all  gardens  where  plants  of  a 
botanical  interest  are  appreciated. 
Gooseberries  and  Currants. 
The  best  manner  of  growing  Gooseberries  and  Red  Currants 
on  walls  is  in  the  form  of  cordons.  They  must  be  planted  when 
young,  and  with  single  stems.  If  only  one  stem  is  allowed  to 
a  plant  they  may  be  planted  6in  apart.  If  three,  one  on  each 
side  a  central  stem,  18in  apart,  each  cordon  branch  having  a 
space  of  6in  between  it.  Should  spur  growths  not  form  freely 
on  the  main  stem,  shorten  the  latter  at  each  winter  season,  and 
carry  up  a  new  leader  in  summer  until  the  limit  is  reached. 
The  side  growths  in  summer  must  be  shortened  to  four  leaves, 
and  further  shortened  at  the  present  season  to  within  an  inch 
of  their  base.  1  nlike  bushes  in  the  open,  the  winter  pruning 
may  be  carried  out  now.  When  the  cordon  branches  become 
old  and  worn  out,  a  young  shoot  should  be  encouraged  near  the 
base,  and  eventually  trained  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  one. 
— Rufus. 
The  Yellow  Wood. 
It  is  stiange  that  a  flowering  tree  of  such  marked  beauty 
as  the  Yellow  W  ood,  Cladrastis  tinctoria,  or  Yirgilia  lutea,  as  it 
has  been  erroneously  called,  remains  so  uncommon.  Possibly 
the  somewhat  ungainly  growth  in  youth  (says  “Meehans’ 
Monthly  )  is  accountable  for  the  lack  of  interest  shown  in  it ; 
and  also  that  it  does  not  seem  to  seed  freely.  Young  plants 
in  a  nursery  are  invariably  passed  by  as  the  intended  purchaser 
looks  for  something  pretty  for  a  lawn  specimen.  But  a  ten 
or  twenty-year-old  specimen  has  quite  a  different  effect.  Then 
one  sees  a  fine,  symmetrical,  small  tree  of  spreading  habit,  the 
ends  of  the  branches  almost  pendulous,  and  the  whole  distinct 
in  character.  The  leaves  are  pinnate,  but  broadly-rounded. 
In  June,  drooping  racemes  of  white,  pea-shaped  flowers  are  pro¬ 
duced  in  sufficient  profusion  to  look  neat  and  showy  without  an. 
appearance  of  over-doing  the  decoration.  These  flowers 
harmonise  with  the  light  green  leaves  and  general  character, 
and  are  very  pleasing.  Cladrastis  tinctoria  is  a  native  of  the 
United  States,  but  is  not  widely  distributed — another  cause  for 
its  being  but  little  known.  It  is  grown  well  in  the  Royal  Gardens 
at  Kew. 
The  Worth  of  Potatoes. 
It  would  be  a  curious  thing  were  it  established — not  at  nresent 
seriously  suggested — that  the  humble  Potato  is  a  counter-active 
to  cancer,  and  highly  satisfactory  too,  because  for  three  centuries 
in  several  European  countries  a  most  malicious  prejudice  existed 
against  the  wholesome  tuber.  When  first  brought  from  Peru,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  it  was  given  out  in  France 
and  currently  believed  that  thq  Potato  caused  leprosy,  and  when 
this  fiction  was  disproved  it  Jvas  held  in  the  next  century  to 
generate  fever.  The  superstition  was  a  fine  illustration  of  the 
readiness  of  mankind  to  believe  without  evidence,  and  it  per¬ 
sisted  down  to  the  time  of  Louis  XVI.  Parmentier  had  demon¬ 
strated  that  the  Potato  was  a  sound  and  useful  food,  and  King 
Louis  glorified  it  in  the  eyes  of  Court  and  crowd  by  appearing  in 
public  wearing  in  his  buttonhole  Parmentier’s  little  mauve 
flower.  It  will  be  a  surprise  to  many  persons  probably  to  learn 
that  in  Germany  Sir  Francis  Drake  was  regarded  as  the  first  to 
introduce  the  Potato  to  Europe.  At  Offenburtr  in  Baden,  a 
statue  to  Drake  was  erected  in  1853  for  having  brought  the 
Potato  from  America  in  1586.  In  strict  order  of  priority  the 
several  introducers  would  be  the  Spaniards,  Hawkins,  Drake, 
and  Raleigh. 
Cherry  House. 
Structures  that  are  to  be  employed  for  supplying  ripe 
Cherries  from  the  middle  of  April  onwards  must  now  be  closed. 
Be  sparing  of  fire  heat  at  the  commencement,  not  employing 
it  unless  necessary  to  maintain  the  temperature  at  from  35deg 
to  40deg  at  night,  and  40deg  to  45deg  by  day,  ventilating  when 
the  temperature  is  at  50deg.  Syringe  the  trees  and  other 
surfaces  early  on  fine  afternoons,  so  as  to  admit  of  the  buds 
becoming  dry  before  nightfall.  The  border  will  be  sufficiently 
moist  for  some  time  through  the  removal  of  the  root-lights.  If 
not,  it  must  be  brought  into  a  thoroughly  moist  state  by  applying 
water,  or,  if  weakly  trees,  liquid  manure.  Trees  in  pots,  if  at 
all  dry,  will  require  repeated  supplies  of  water  to  secure  the 
thorough  moisture  of  the  soil  to.  the  base  of  the  pots. — 
Practitioner. 
The  Green  Mullein. 
Writing  td  a  Midland  contemporary  in  August  last,  Mr. 
George  Martin,  of  Bellman’s  Cross,  Shatterford,  states  that  he 
then  had  three  plants  of  the  Green  Mullen,  or,  as  Culpepper 
spells  it,  Mullein.  The  largest  grew  about  6ft  high  (blossom 
yellow) ;  it  came  as  a  weed.  He  let  it  stop  to  see  what  it  would 
come  to.  It  started  something  like  a  Foxglove,  and  grew  a  tall 
stalk.  The  leaves  at  the  bottom  are  about  18in  long,  and  Tin 
to  8in  wide.  They  get  smaller  gradually  to  the  spike  at  the  top, 
which  is  20in  long  and  full  of  seeds,  something  like  Indian  Corn. 
There  are  six  or  eight  smaller  spikes  lower  down  the  stem.  It 
was  nearly  covered  with  caterpillars  that  grew  nearly  2in  long. 
This  rare  plant  grows  wild  about  Shatterford  (Kidderminster). 
Plums  and  Sweet  Cherries, 
The  best  form  of  trees  for  walls  is  undoubtedly  the  fan- 
trained  form.  This  form  of  tree  readily  admits  of  branches 
from  any  part  being  easily  renewed,  so  that  it,  is  quite  possible 
to  remove  worn-out  branches  and  fill  up  the  vacancy  with  a 
vigorous  young  growth.  The  trees  may  be  furnished  with  a 
regular  number  of  branches,  which  ought  not  to  be  too  thickly 
disposed,  but  sufficient  to  cover  the  available  training  space. 
The  side  shoots  growing  out  from  the  main  branches  should  be 
stopped  during  the  summer  at  the  fourth  leaf,  which  will 
encourage  the  production  of  fruit  spurs  at  the  base,  to  which 
the  growths  may  be  shortened  at  the  winter  pruning.  During 
the  extension  of  the  main  branches  some  shortening  must  be 
carried  out  at  this  season,  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
growth  made  and  the  disposition  the  shoot  has  towards  its  base 
to  form  fruit  buds.  However,  the  most  vigorous  leaders  will 
not  require  leaving  longer  than  2ft,  and  others  in  proportion  to 
their  strength.  Spaces  which  may  be  bare  of  spur  growths  may 
be  filled  by  allowing  side  growths  to  extend,  but  the  aim  must 
be  not  to  overcrowd. — Solent. 
Valuable  Economic  Plants. 
.  1  •  > 
To  the  Indians  of  South  America  the  \yorld  is  mainly  indebted 
for  such  articles  as  tobacco,  cocoaj,  maize,  potatoes,  cotton, 
quinine,  manioc,  vanilla,  indiarubber,  and  sarsaparilla.  Dr. 
Bertoni,  the  director  of  the  Agricultural  College  at  Asuncion, 
Paraguay,  states  that  they  are  also  acquainted  with  a  tree  whose 
sap  is  alcoholic  and  similar  in  taste  and  colour  to  a  rough  red 
wine.  Another  plant  which  they  use,  and  of  which  they  have 
until  now  carefully  kept  the  secret,  is  a  sweetening  plant  of 
remarkable  power.  This  latter  plant  was  discovered  a  short  time 
ago  by  Dr.  Bertoni,  and  some  leaves  of  it  were  sent  to  the  Royal 
Gardens  at  Kew  by  the  British  Consul  at  Asuncion,  Mr.  Cecil 
Gosling.  The  plant,  which  is  said  not  to  be  found  further  south 
than  the  highlands  at  the  source  of  the  River  Monday,  is  a 
modest  shrub  a  few  inches  in  height,  growing  side  by  side  with 
weeds  and  luxuriant  grasses.  The  leaves  are  small,  and  the 
flowers  still  more  diminutive.  The  Indians  call  it  “  Sweet  Herb,” 
a  few  leaves  being  sufficient  to  sweeten  a  .strong  cuup  of  tea  or 
coffee,  and  giving  also  a  pleasant  aromatic  flavour.  The  dis-< 
coverer  believes,  however,  that  the  sweetening  power  bears  no 
relation  to  the  saccharine  properties  of  sugar,  and  accordihg  Jo 
one  of  the  Kew  Bulletins,  the  officials  have  not  succeeded  in 
identifying  the  plant  with  any  other  in  the  Kew  Herbarium. 
There  is  stated  to  be  “  no  doubt  that  the  plant  possesses  very 
strongly  the  power  of  stimulating  the  sensation  of  sweetness, 
for  the  smallest  piece  of  a  leaf  causes  a  persistent  sweetness  in 
the  mouth.” 
