File:Cassell's popular gardening (1884) (20728883616).jpg

Title: Cassell's popular gardening
Identifier: cu31924002871253 (find matches)
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Fish, David Taylor, 1824-1901
Subjects: Gardening
Publisher: London, Paris, New York Melbourne, Cassell & company, limited
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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38 CASSELL'S POPULAR GAjiDENING. the saddle trellis (a, h, and c), the middle one («) to he out away as the trees at each end require space, and two " riders " (d and e) wUl he sufficient for the back wall. The span-roofed houses can he planted with half' or full stan- dards eighteen to twenty-
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Fig. 9.—Single Cordon. feet apart for permanent trees, and single cor- dons (Figs. 9 and 10), previously grown to a fruiting state, intro- duced between them, will give an immediate supply of Peaches until the others come into bearing; If cordons are not in favour, then some other kind of tree should be intro- duced as a supernumerary; their first cost is but trifling, and they soon give a return. Fig. 10.—Branoli of Pig. 9, Enlarged. CHOICE HAEDT BOEDER PLANTS. By EicHjyKD Dean. Aconitum (Monkshood).—This is a very large genus of strong - growing perennials, varied in character, some of them having stout, erect steins five feet in height, while others are two feet or less, aU bearing numerous helmet-shaped flowers, difier- ing in colour; some are blue, others yellow, white, purple, &c. Many of them are exceedingly orna- mental. They are, in the main, European plants, though a few have come from regions further remote. They are related to the Crowfoots (JSanun- The generic name—Aconitum—is said to be de- rived from Acona, the plant being plentiful about there. The English name Monkshood^ which is more' particularly applied to Aconitum Napellus, a plant found frequently in borders, is said to have been derived from the resemblance of the upper sepal to the cowl of a monk. But it has another English name, viz., Wolf's-bane. This is of great antiquity. The true Wolf's-bane is A. lycoctonum, a Japanese plant, and a noble late-flowering peren- nial, blooming in autumn, of a pale creamy-yellow colour, and growing to a height of three and a half feet. It does best when planted iu the borders of shrubberies and naturalised in woods in semi-wild' places. Wolf's-bane means Wolf's-poison, so called' because, says Gerarde, " the hunters which seeke after wooUes put the juice thereof iuto rawe flesh, which the wooUes devour, and are killed." In Sweden, a decoction or powder of the root of this plant is used for destroying flies and other insects. In his book on " Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics," Mr. E. Folkard states that " by the ancients (who were unacquainted with mineral poisons) the Aconite was regarded as the most virulent of all poisons, and their mythologists declare it to be the invention of Hecate, who caused the plant to spring from the foam of the many-headed Cerberus, when Hercules dragged him from the gloomy regions of Pluto." With this venomous plant the ancients were wont to- poison their arrow-heads when engaged in war, and also iu pursuit of wild beasts. Ovid was of opinion that the Aconitum derived its name from growing on rocks almost barren. In Greece the Wolf's-bane is credited with many malignant influences, and the- fevers so common in the neighbourhood of Corinth were attributed to it. Until the Turks were dis- possessed, the aga proceeded every year in solemn procession to denounce it and hand it over to- destruction. A species named A. ferox, which grows iu North India, is used as a poison for arrows, the poison which is obtained from the roots being of remarkable virulence and activity when infused into the blood. It is necessary to name only a select few of the- Aconituras as worthy the attention of the amateur gardener. They are—A. autumnale, from Southern Europe; height three and a half feet, the flowers pale blue, tinged with lilac, produced in August and on to N'ovember; it does well on the fringe of a shrubbery border, in light garden soil. This is the- Autumn-flowered Monkshood. A. cMnense is a native of China, a large and stately species, height four feet to six feet, flowers bright blue, produced in large- compound racemes, in summer; should be planted on a warm border, in sandy loam. A. ja/ponicum is- the Japanese Monkshood, a noble-flowering late species, being from two and a haU feet to three feet in height; flowers produced in autumn, large, deep blue or lilac; and it does well in borders, and here and there among low shrubs in fine, deep, sandy

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