^  England’s  National  Flower/ 
;•  In  o)3long.  light  blue  boards,  with  gilt  lettering  and  design, 
the  outer  appearance  of  this  book  is  indeed  cbarniing.  And  we 
dip  within,  finding  there  tiie  chosen,  honeyed  sentiments  of  tlie 
poets  in  their  eulogies  of  this  queen  of  flowers.  Poetry  and 
sentiment  are  borne  on  many  pages,  indeed  almost  every  second 
one.  and  adornment  of  another  kind — that  of  pliotographic 
)  illustration — is  found  wherever  these  extracts  from  the  authors 
\  are. 
t  The  poem  in  which  Jupiter  requests  Flora  to  Search  m.v 
star  called  Earth,  and  cull  from  thence  the  sweetest  flower,” 
r  which  results  in  Flora  saying,  “  That  I  proclaim  the  sweetest 
flower  of  Earth,  if  one  alone,  to  be  Britannia’s  Rose.”  is  wisel.v 
■  chosen.  Flora  takes  the  Rose  to  Jupiter,  who  is  charmed,  and 
,  henceforth  grants  to  mortals 
Power  to  cultivate  tlie  Rose, 
To  beautify  my  planet  Kirtli, 
And  by  their  skill  to  give  new  tilth 
To  beauteous  blended  races 
That  .shall  excel  the  parent  forms, 
'  As  Ph(ebus  in  his  might 
Both  overshine  the  stars  : 
,  ,  And  Britain,  though  among  the  least 
;  Of  my  unfathomable  realms, 
Shall  lead  the  world  in  worship  of  thy  choice. 
But  the  practical  has  not  been  subordinated  to  the  poetical  in 
the  composition  of  Air.  Bunyard’s  book,  for  he  has  prepared  a 
careful  treati.se  on  the  various  aspects  of  the  culture  of  Roses. 
Their  propagation,  their  proper  arrangement  in  beds  and  borders, 
and  dells  and  coppices,  and  in  other  situations,  and  the  be.st 
method  of  arranging  them  in  vases,  has'  been  told  in  text  and 
shown  in  illustrations.  The  li.sts  of  varieties  suitable  for  all  the 
various  positions  that  Roses  are  planted  in,  or  that  have  marked 
^  characteristics,  are  a  strong  feature  of  the  work :  and  there  is  a 
chapter  on  enemies  and  diseases  of  the  Rose,  and  another  on  how 
-  to  make  pot-pourri. 
^  The  Heather  in  Love,  Lyric,  and  Lay.' 
How  little  does  the  shepherd  or  the  sportsman  know  of  the 
wonderful  story  that  hangs  about  tlie  pretty  little  Heather  bells 
they  so  often  tread  to  earth!  Indeed,  how  great  is  the  ignorance 
s  of  all  of  us  is  shown  in  Air.  Wallace’s  book.  And  if  testimony 
were  needed  as  to  the  strong  national  di.stinctiveness  and  homo- 
geneity  of  the  Scottish  people,  a  study  of  the  innumerable 
r  beautiful  lyrics  and  poems  comprised  in  the  pages  of  this  book 
'  Avould  surely  be  convincing. 
The  fairies  that  dwell  in  the  Heather  bells  and  the  genii  of 
the  Highland  hills  must  have  woven  their  mystic  influences 
subtly  round  the  heart  of  Air.  Wallace,  that  he,  in  the  midst 
of  bustling  Xew  York  life,  should  have  been  drawn  to  do  what 
none  of  Scotia’s  sons  at  home  have  attempted.  But  Air.  Wallace 
:  is  an  “  exile  from  home,”  and  we  know  that  the  .sympathies  are 
sharpened  and  deepened  when  the  echoes  of  the  homeland  ring 
onl.v  in  one’.s  memory. 
The  Heather  plant  has  here  been  written  of  from  all  points 
of  view,  and  we  find  a  chapter  on  the  etymology  of  the  name 
fj-  (which  is  of  uncertain  origin),  and  on  its  botanical  history.  Tlio 
Heather  (Calluna  vulgari.s)  differs  slightly  from  the  Ericas, 
^  though  it  originally  was  named  Erica  by  Linneeus.  When 
•-  Salisbury  made  the  change  in  1801  the  rule  of  priority  was 
departed  from,  because  it  was  easier  to  re-name  one  plant  and 
make  a  new  genus,  tlian  to  re-name  all  the  Ericas. 
Wide  though  the  di.stribution  of  the  Heather  is — and  it 
occurs  through  Europe  and  has  been  found  in  Newfoundland — 
many  will  learn  with  surprise  that  it  does  not  occur  in  three 
r  Scotti.sh  countie.s — Ayr,  Haddington,  and  Linlithgow.  We  feel 
doubtful  of  the  truth  of  this,  but  must  accept  it  meanwhile. 
;•  Naturally  the  Scottish  emigrants  to  the  United  States  of 
Vj  America,  and  to  Canada  must  have  tried  times  and  again  to 
establish  their  favourite,  yet  the  patch  that  Air.  Jackson  Uawson 
E.  discoA'ered  near  Tewkesbury,  Alass.,  was  beTieved  to  be  indi- 
w  genous.  seeing  that  neither  seeds  or  plants  were  known  to  have 
^  been  brought  to  the  locality.  Quite  an  excitement  arose  both 
'y:  in  horticultural  and  botanical  circles,  and  a  special  floral  corn¬ 
et  mittee  was  despatched  in  search  of  further  clues.  They  were 
succe.ssful,  for  plants  were  found  scattered  over  half  an  acre  of 
ground.  This  was  in  1861,  and  from  deductions  the  committee 
f.  believed  that  plants  existed  there  so  early  as  1700.  NowadaJ^s, 
however,  the  Heather  is  propagated  by  American  nur.serymen 
•y  and  gardeners,  and  “not  long  ago  a  landed  proprietor  in 
0;  Alassachusetts  expre.s.sed  the  desire  to  cover  a  hillside  on  his 
*1:.  estate  with  this  plant.”  At  the  same  time,  the  Heather  finds  it 
hard  to  exist  in  various  parts  of  the  U.S.A.,  for  either  the 
*  “Knjrland’s  National  Flower,  a  Book  for  all  Garden  Lovers.”  hy  Georp,o 
iy  Bunyard,  Maidstone.  Published  by  Geo,  Buuyard  dr  Co.,  Ltd,  The 
Royal  Nurseries,  .and  .Simpkins.  lUarsluall,  Hamilton,  Kenti  and  Co.,  Ltd.,  London. 
Price  3s.  6d.  net,  post  free,  3s.  9d. 
t  “The  Heather  in  Love,  lyAidc  and  Lay,”  by  Alexander 'Wallace.  New  Vork  : 
.  A.  T.  de  la  Mare  Printing  and  Publishing  Couipanv,  Limited,  ts)C3.  Price  !=il.50, 
3  post  paid. 
severe  frosts  split  the  stems  or  the  heat  of  summer  causes  their 
collapse.  Neither  in  Australia,  South  Africa,  or  India  does  it 
thrive. 
In  his  chapter,  “  The  Economics  of  the  Heather,”  Air.  Wallace 
shows  that  this  hardy  little  undershrub  is  almost  as  useful  as, 
the  Bamboo  is  in  another  sphere.  The  fragrance,  elasticity,  and 
cleanliness  of  Heather  beds  are  dilated  on,  copious  extract.s 
being  made  from  writings  both  of  the  present  day  and  of  tiine.s 
past.  Nor  are  the  humble  besoms  and  scrubbing  bnushes 
omitted,  Avhile  the  use  of  the  young  shoots  in  the  making  of  a 
dye,  is  here  explained. 
As  a  forage  plant  and  as  a  bee-feeder  we  know  the  value  set 
upon  Calluna.  “  With  Scotland’s  natural  advantages  in  large 
areas  of  Heather  available,  it  has  been  a  matter  of  wonder  to 
some  why  apiculture  was  not  carried  on  to  greater  extent  by 
tho  Scottish.  Highlanders  than  it  is.”  The  custom  of  taking 
the  hives  to  the  hills  is  dying  out,  however,  owing  to  the 
attendant  expense. 
And  here  is  a  reference  to  strengthen  the  arguments  of  those 
who  urgently  advise  re-afforestation; —  “Chambers,  in  his 
‘Caledonia,’  published  in  1807,  .says:  'It  will  scarcely  be 
credited  that  many  bleak  moors  which  npw  disfigure  the  face  of 
the  country,  and  produce  only  barren  heath,  were  formerly 
clothed  with  woods  that  furni.shed  useful  timber  and  excellent 
pasturage:  yet  it  is  the  fact  clearly  proved  by  the  positive 
.Tanuary  28,  1904. 
OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
71 
