206 THE ROCK GARDEN. [Jan. 



sometimes two are occupied in raising it to a height of three or four 

 feet. When once on wheels, the difficulties are mostly got over, 

 strength only being tlien required to get it through soft fields to a 

 road. Kjrkcudbeight. 



THE ROCK GARDEX. 

 II. 



ALPINE plants are kept very dry in the winter months by the 

 snow enwrapping them in their mountain homes, and the 

 succcessful cultivator must artifically imitate such natural conditions. 

 So, according to Mr. Boyd of Taldonside, the cold frame must be 

 resorted to for the preservation of many such plants usually growing 

 on the rockery during the winter months. Potted in small pots, 

 and sunk in ashes to prevent intrusions from worms, many delicate 

 beauties may thus withstand our moist climate, drops from the 

 glass of the cold frame being rigorously avoided, and many pots 

 going into a little space. Campanulas, such as C. zoysii, C. alpina, 

 and C isopliylla, are best thus housed till summer. Erodium 

 Eicharcli, a dwarf geranium-looking plant never more than about 

 two inches liigh, is well worth growing on the rockery, but requires 

 such winter treatment. Silcnc 'pumilio, a rare species, ■with beautiful 

 rose-coloured flowefs, never rising more than two inches from the 

 ground, and best grown when planted between flat stones, likewise 

 demands the cold frame in winter. But the saxifrages are at their 

 Ijrightest and Ijest as regards the leaves during the autumn and 

 winter months. Thus in collections numbering more than fifty 

 species, varying even more in the different tints of green during 

 winter than the flowers of the different species do in sununer. 

 They are all easily grown, and only suffer during the spring in dry, 

 cold -winds, or during a great drought in summer, when a little 

 water revives them. 



ArpoiNTMENT. — Mr. A. T. Paterson, son of Mr. Paterson of 

 Hunstrete, Bristol, has been appointed to the management of the 

 Estate of New Hall, near Salisbury, the property of Alfred 

 Buckley, Esq. 



