602 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
December  31,  1903. 
CARDEN^  Ci(EANlNCS 
The  Sea  Buckthorn. 
Hippophiie  rliamnoides  (the  Sea  Buckthorn)  delights  in  a  moist 
soil,  and  planted  in  a  mass  it  forms  an  appropriate  object  for 
the  waterside,  whether  pond,  lake,  or  stream;  in  summer  the 
leaves  cast  a  silvery  sheen  over  the  water,  while  the  berries  in 
winter  form  orange-coloured  ropes  along  the  branches.  The 
current  year’s  branches  are  covered  with  minute  scales,  and 
these  furnish  exquisite  objects  for  those  who  are  fortunate 
enough  to  have  a  microscope. 
A  Garden  at  Ayr. 
The  garden  is  that  which  surrounds  the  magnificent  and 
beautiful  statue  to  Robert  Burns  at  Alloway,  distant  two  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  “Toon  o’  Ayr.”  Electric  traincars  convey 
thousands  of  visitors  and  excursionists  to  the  Monument  during 
each  of  the  summer  Aveeks,  and  those  Avho  have  had  the  enjoy 
ment  of  a  journey  there  must  have  felt  gratification  to  see  the 
garden  of  flowers  that  surrounds  the  architectural  memorial.  I 
was  informed  by  the  ticket  collector  that  further  extensive 
additions  are  to  be  made.  A  hotel  with  tea  gardens  has  been 
provided  close  by— between  Alloway  Kirk  and  the  Auld  Brig 
o’  Boon,  and  the  spot  has  become  a  place  of  traffic  for  many 
unintelligent  roysterers. 
Yew  hedges  are  planted  about,  and  give  an  air  of  cosiness 
and  peace  to  the  garden,  and  here  one  finds  Tree  Pmonies, 
Rhododendrons,  Thujopsis  dolobrata,  Cryptomeria  elegans, 
also  Gynerium  or  Pampas  Gra.ss,  Aquilegias,  Negundo 
aceroides,  Arbutus  in  berry,  variegated  Elder,  Veronicas, 
Antirrhinums,  Roses,  Clematises,  Chrysanthemums,  Violas,  and 
“  Geraniums,”  all  in  the  pink  of  condition.  The  Burns  Monu¬ 
ment  was  erected  in  1820  by  public  subscription,  King 
George  IV.  heading  the  contribution  list  with  fifty  guinea.s. 
The  Monument  and  gai’dens  are  noiv  under  trustees,  and  a 
charge  of  2d.  per  person  is  made  on  entry. — W. 
Jumping  Beans. 
The  so-called  “Jumping  Beans”  of  Mexico,  California,  and  Brazil 
are  neither  round  or  triangular;  they  are  a  sort  of  go-between.  They 
remind  one  of  an  unroasted  Coffee  bean,  a  Cherry-stone,  a  flattened 
Pea,  or  a  Beech  nut.  Generally  at  first,  when  they  are  exposed  to 
view,  the  onlooker’s  face  is  full  of  gloomy  doubt ;  but  this  soon  gives 
Avay  to  impatient  curiosity  and  satisfaction  as  the  yellow-grey  seed-like 
bodies  dash  themselves  against  the  sides  of  the  box,  or  send  the  others 
spinning  round  by  being  dashed  against  them.  And  all  the  time  the 
unseen  impulse  is  from  within,  and  this  is  Avhat  makes  the  plantlets 
look  alive,  and  to  possess  definite  will  poAver.  If  a  large  portion  of 
the  rounded  part  be  cut  aAvay,  the  real  cause  of  the  drumming  and 
dancing  Avill  be  seen  to  be  a  little  moth,  not  half  so  formidable  as  its 
scientific  name— Carpocapsa  saltitans.  The  tapping  of  the  moth’s 
tail  against  the  sides  of  the  Bean  supplies  the  dynamic.  They  soon 
travel  ucross  a  heated  plate,  or  table  top,  causing  immense  fun.  They 
are  just  the  thing  to  supplement  or  take  the  place  of  a  parlour  game 
during  the  Avinter  evenings.  By  this  jumping  they  get  away  from  the 
parent  trees,  but  whether  this  is  for  the  safety  of  the  moth  or  the 
dissemination  of  the  seeds  1  am  unable  to  say.  Their  movements  and 
tappings  are  even  more  mysterious  than  those  of  the  “fortune  telling” 
fishes  made  of  gelatine  paper — another  very  interesting  and  instructive 
plaything.  As  to  how  the  insect  finds  its  Avay  into  the  interior  of  the 
Bean,  the  generally  accepted  theory  is  that  the  moth  lays  its  eggs 
inside  the  fruit  or  seed,  Avhilc  the  structure  is  soft  and  cellular,  and 
before  the  covering  groAvs  over  the  eggs,  gradually  becoming  dry  and 
hard  and  Avoody.  Others  suppose  that  they  give  another  beautiful 
example  of  symbiotism,  and  others  for  the  protection  of  the  moths 
from  their  enemies,  or  for  the  dissemination  of  the  seeds,  as  previously 
hinted.  They  live  for  many  Aveeks  in  their  peculiar  seelusive  home. 
The  Avriter’s  supply  came  from  Wiles’  Bazaar,  38,  Market  Street, 
Manchester.— S.  Fielding. 
Yuletlde  FloAwers. 
Our  centre  illustration  this  week  shows  what  a  considerable 
variety  of  exotic  floAvering  plants  there  are  in  general  culture. 
Cyclamens,  Carnations,  Bouvardias,  Stephanotis,  China  Primulas, 
Ericas,  Roman  Hyacintlrs,  Violets,  Camellias,  and  many  other 
SAveet  flowers,  too  numerous  to  name  in  this  place,  are  in  evi¬ 
dence.  A  glance  at  our  list  of  subjects  in  the  market  list  on  a 
back  page  serA’es  to  shoAV  what  choice  the  floAver  buyer  has,  and 
the  lists  we  lately  published  of  plants  floAvering  in  the  greenhou.se 
at  Kew  will  further  emphasise  the  fact  that  CAmn  at  Yuletide 
there  need  be  no  scarcity  of  beautiful  and  fragrant  blossoms. 
Christening  a  Rose. 
A  new  variety  of  Rose,  raised  in  Michigan  by  a  nurseryman 
named  Breitmeyer,  and  AV'hich  has  received  eulogiums  Avherever 
shown  during  the  last  feAV  months,  has  been  formally  christened, 
and  bears  the  name  of  La  Detroit.  The  following  paragraph 
from  a  Chicago  contemporary  makes  interesting  reading  :  — “  The 
mayor  ....  then  introduced  Katherine,  the  little  seven- 
year-old  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Breitmeyer,  Avho, 
standing  on  a  pedestal,  formally  christened  the  Rose  by  the 
sprinkling  of  champagne  on  a  vase  of  .specimen  blooms  and  re¬ 
citing  the  folloAving :  .  .  .”  lYe  Avould  add  that  a  great 
banquet  folloAved,  and  long  orations  floAved. 
New  American  Carnations. 
The  F.  Dorner  and  Sons  Company,  of  Lafayette,  Ind.,  offers 
two  highly  meritorious  novelties  this  season,  namely.  Lady 
Bountiful  and  The  Belle.  Both  are  Avhite,  and  have  been  highly 
spoken  of  as  commercial  varieties,  the  former  having  earned 
especially  favourable  comment.  Amaze,  the  dazzling  scarlet 
seedling,  which  Jerome  Suydam,  of  Flatbush,  N.Y.,  Avill  dis¬ 
seminate  the  coming  season,  gives  good  promise  '  of  being  a 
remunerative  Christmas  Carnation.  It  is  well  knoAvn  that  a 
scarlet  variety  must  do  most  of  its  work  pi'evious  to  January  1, 
as  after  that  date  the  colour  finds  but  little  demand.  Mr. 
Suydam’s  houses  at  present  are  fairly  ablaze.  The  flower  is  of 
medium  size,  but  all  the  other  characteristics  required  in  a , 
Carnation  to-day  appear  to  be  present,  and  it  is  growing  equally 
well  on  shallow  bench  and  solid  bed.  The  variety  is  noAv  in 
its  fourth  year. 
Rhubarb. 
In  clearing  off  my  Rhubarb  bed  recently,  says  a  writ-er  in 
“  The  Gardener,”  I  found  some  of  the  crowns  decayed ;  this 
indicates  that  the  bed  is  getting  Avorn  out  and  requires  renovat¬ 
ing.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  select  a  suitable  piece  of 
ground  and  trench  it  from  two  to  three  feet  deep,  working  in 
a  quantity  of  decayed  manure  and  leaves,  as  Avhen  once  a  bed  is 
planted  it  is  not  easy  to  manure,  other  than  by  surface  dressing. 
If  it  is  thought  that  the  old  bed  Avill  only  give  sufficient  to 
supply  the  folloAA'ing  season,  it  Avill  be  found  better  to  purchase 
strong  croAvns  of  varieties  like  Early  Albert,  Hawke’s  Cham¬ 
pagne,  or  Victoria,  the  first  and  second  named  to  be  planted 
not  less  than  2Jft  apart  every  Avay,  and  the  latter  3ft  to  3Jft. 
When  planted,  give  a  good  mulch  over  the  croAvn.s — in  fact,  old 
beds  should  haAm  a  good  coating  of  manure  in  autumn,  as  it 
protects  the  croAvns,  and  the  rains  carry  the  food  to  the  roots. 
It  will  be  Avise  not  to  pull  any  the  first  season,  but  let  the  plants 
go  on  to  strengthen  root  and  croAvn,  Avhich  Avill  greatly  increa.se 
subsequent  production.  Ahvays  use  judgment  in  pulling — that 
is,  not  pulling  every  stick,  as  done  by  many,  especially  among 
cottageiAS  and  allotment  holders,  as  this  results  in  the  croAvns 
being  ruined.  I  consider  that  more  Rhubarb  should  be  groAvn, 
particularly  by  cottagers ;  for,  looking  at  the  matter  from  a 
profitable  point,  one  can  say  that  no  other  crop  gives  such' good 
and  sure  returns.  If  the  good  houseAvife  looks  ahead  to  Avinter, 
she  Avill  not  hesitate  to  make  a  quantity  of  preserves  for  her 
family,  e.specially  in  a  season  like  the  pa.st,  Avhen  there  is 'a 
scarcity  of  most  fruit.  Those  Avho  have  heated  houses  are  in  a 
better  position,  as  a  supply  can  be  forthcoming  by  Christmas, 
Avhen  it  Avill  be  most  appreciated.  The  sjrace  under  stages  is 
often  wasted,  but  if  strong  croAvns  are  procured  and  put  in  boxe.s, 
pots,  or  even  stood  on  an  a.sh  bottom  under  the  stage,  Avith  soil 
thrown  over  them,  they  Avill  give  an  early  supply  of  Rhubarb 
Avith  a  minimum  of  trouble. 
