260 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



practitioner sliall Lave several strings to his bow. And as for 

 n)istakes of colouring and grouping, they may occur undoubtedly, 

 but they are seen instanter, just as a mistake in making up a 

 bouquet of flowers, and may be as quickly remedied by re-assorting 

 the materials. 



Now, as to the practical part of the subject. The beds and 

 borders selected for the experiment should be cleared of the common 

 soil to a depth of eighteen inches or two feet, but the depth must 

 depend upon their breadth, as in a broad border larger pots will be 

 employed than in a narrow one. It is, perhaps, as well to remark 

 that experience has taught us to employ the smallest pots possible 

 for every plant grown. Thus we flower tiger lilies in 48 size, 

 hyacinths in 60 size, tulips, three each, in 48 size, and our tritomas, 

 now flowering superbly, are in 32 size. The material we employ for 

 plunging in is cocoa-nut fibre refuse, but as this cannot everywhere 

 be obtained, recourse may be had to tan, moss, and even sawdust, 

 though the colour of the last-named material would be objectionable 

 in some cases. To plunge in the common soil of the border is, of 

 course, possible, but it is bad practice, for worms find their way into 

 the pots and spoil the plants, the soil in the pots is apt to become 

 waterlogged, and the plunging itself is a dirty and clumsy busi- 

 ness. There are, of course, some clean, sandy soils, that are 

 well adapted to the purpose, but these are quite exceptional. 

 Box, and other live edgings, need not be injured by the plunging, 

 and if the work is done with care, they will be greatly benefited. 

 But of necessity, in taking the soil out of a bed or border to 

 prepare it for the purpose, the workman would take care not to cut 

 too close to the edging, and to slope the spade away from its roots. 

 Our principal display is in beds and borders edged with Bansome's 

 patent concrete stone, laid very securely on brick footings ; but in 

 another part of the garden, we plunge a collection of plants in 

 borders edged with box, and the regular supplies of water the box 

 obtains in consequence causes it to grow almost too luxuriantly. As 

 our chief display is in an entrance- court heavily shaded by large 

 trees, a live edging would be scarcely likely to thrive, and the stone 

 is more tasteful and appropriate in such a situation. 



The cultivation of the plants is a most important part of the 

 business ; the most important, in fact. To make a constant and 

 frequently varying display, large numbers of plants must be grown iu 

 pots; and greenhouses, pits, frames, and open borders, and reserve 

 grounds will be needed. Yet much may be done in a contracted 

 space, and we imagine that there are some practical folks who would 

 be puzzled to understand how we manage to make so many succes- 

 sive and brilliant displays as we do, having so little space at our 

 command. Only get used to the system, and the practitioner will 

 himself be astonished as much or more than any one else at its 

 capabilities, and the wonderful manner in which it afi'ords facilities 

 for the employment of plants that would be useless otherwise. An 

 example is before us in the bed of lilies and tritomas just referred to. 

 It is edged with small plants of hydrangeas that were struck in 

 jMay last, to make flowering plants next season ; yet, as they stand, 



