Plants from Europe.

S. F. Bulletin.

W. B. West, of Stockton, whose letters from France and Spain to the Bulletin have been read with much interest by horticulturists, reached home a few days ago. On his travels through Spain, France and Italy, he has acquired a great deal of information, which he has not yet published concerning the cultivation of the orange, lemon, Olive, walnut, filbert, etc., and the production of raisins, figs and prunes, with the publication of which the fruit-grows of the State would no doubt be benefitted. He has brought back a stock of trees and vines of the most desirable varieties in each class for propagation, which will prove of great value to the fruit-growing interest.

Among the more important of his list may be mentioned the shipping grape of Almeria, known as the Loja. It is large, white, firm, pulpy variety, which keeps until April or May, and is shipped, packed in ground cork, in immense quantities to other parts of Europe and to the United States. As it is the only European grape that our shippers have to compete with in New York and other eastern markets, it is important that it should be grown here. Another good shipping grape, a large, white, firm-fleshed, Italian variety, from the vicinity of Naples, described in some French book as Doigt de Donzelle (damsel or maiden finger). The collection also includes the Uva Larga, which is used to some extent in Spain for raisins where the muscat will not thrive. It may prove of service in such localities on this coast, although it is capable of producing only a second class raisin.

Mr. West recognized an old acquaintance among the grapes in the markets of Valencia and Cartagena. This was unmistakably the well known Mission variety of California, and was the product of the vineyards in the vicinity of those cities. The grape known here as Flame Tokay he also found as a market variety in the towns on the eastern coast of Spain.

Of walnuts, he has secured several of the best, including the Mayette, a large nut of good quality, and very productive, which reproduces itself from seed. The Tardif de la Saint Jean (late St. Johns), so named from the fact that the flowers do not put forth until St. John's Day, thus escaping entirely the late spring frosts, which often blast the crop of other varieties, is very productive, and is highly recommended by several French writers. Other varieties embrace Noix a Bijoux, so named from the shell of the nut, which is of extraordinary size, being hinged together by jewelers as a receptacle for various trinkets, and the Prœparturiens, which is remarkable for commencing to bear the third year from the seed. This is not, however, the first importation of the variety.

A stock of plants of the best Barcelona and Naples filberts was secured, including seven of the leading kinds, besides a quantity of Neapolitan chestnuts and cork oak acorns for planting.

The selection of fruit trees include, the best Spanish and Italian oranges from Seville and Sorento, Malaga Lemons, and an assortment of the page 42 finest varieties of olives, both for pickling and for oil, besides a large quantity of ornamental trees and shrubs.

Our nurserymen, grape growers and orchardists are spending large sums of money to obtain everything of value that is adapted to this climate, and it will not be long before the California fruit grower will be able to select the most desirable plants of all civilized countries from the stocks grown at his own door.