Pomegranate
(Punica Granatum). A deciduous tree, which ranges from 15ft. to 20ft. in height, and has numerous, slender branches some being armed with sharp thorns. It is a native of Cabul and Persia, and is probably wild in North-west India; it is very commonly cultivated throughout the warmer regions of the globe. The fruit of the Pomegranate will be remembered in connection with Scripture history, where it is mentioned in conjunction with that of the Vine, Fig-tree, Olive, &c. The cultivation of the tree dates back, therefore, to remote antiquity: it is said to have been introduced to this country before 1600, and to have been cultivated by Gerarde. Although such an old occupant of our gardens, it is very seldom that fruits are ripened. The fruits "are generally about the size of the fist, and have a tough, leathery rind, of a beautiful deep golden colour, tinged with red, and are crowned with the remains of the calyx lobes" ("Treasury of Botany"). See Fig. 249. As an ornamental tree, the Pomegranate is much prized in the South of Europe, and in many Eastern countries; but in Britain even its flowering is chiefly limited to the most exceptionally favoured localities. There is a double-flowered variety, and considerable variation of colour exists amongst those both with single and double flowers. The flowers are produced on the ends of branches made annually, sometimes singly, at others three or four together; generally, where they appear at all, a succession is kept up from about June until September. In inland and northern districts, the Pomegranate should be grown against a south wall, or in a tub or large pot in a greenhouse. A rich, loamy soil is that best suited to its requirements. Single varieties may be raised from seeds, and all varieties increased by cuttings, suckers, layers, or by grafting, using the common sort as a stock.