70 THE FLORIST. 



all the occupants are of a highly dressed character ; it ill accords with 

 so rude a subject as the Rose, and is used for want of something more suit- 

 able. The old-fashioned Thrift is less discordant ; but a much better 

 substitute for large beds is the Irish Ivy planted round the edge, and 

 twisted together. It requires clipping rather closely just before 

 commencing its growth in the spring, and in the autumn any long 

 straying shoots should be shortened. In the case referred to Ivy upon 

 stumps was used for the large bed in the centre ; but for the others, in 

 consideration of the contiguity of a building, an edging of slate, tile, or 

 wood painted and sanded, seemed most fitting for the purpose. 



William Davidson, 

 Landscape Gardenpr and Garden Architect ^ 



37, Bloomsbury Street, Bedford Square, London. 



PANSIES IN POTS. 



[Continued from p. 56.) 



It is by no means the universal custom, even for those who are well 

 aware of the value of leaf-mould, to prepare it with that care which 

 adds so much to its usefulness ; but some are content with any decayed 

 leaves without reference to the sourness, or the contrary, of the material. 

 I entered, therefore, in my last, somewhat more minutely than other- 

 wise I should have done into this, as one of the ingredients of the 

 compost for Pansies in pots, and to an extent greater than some of your 

 readers may have considered to be w^arranted by so insignificant a 

 subject ; but, it must be borne in mind, that leaf-mould, prepared in 

 the way which has been recommended, is a most desirable soil to have 

 at hand, for other plants as well as the Pansy. Indeed I know of 

 scarcely any soft-wooded plant which does not delight in it. Let the 

 Carnation grower, for instance, make trial of it, and I shall be much 

 surprised if he does not find the health of his plants, and the beauty of 

 their blooms thereby much enhanced. He may mix it to the extent of 

 one-third, and if the loam, at the same time used, be of good quality, 

 for some varieties at least of that beautiful flower, no other manure will 

 be requisite ; nor will running be as frequent as it is apt to be, with 

 the application of more stimulating substances. 



It would be sufficient merely (as has already been done), to name 

 the descriotion ot the loam to be used, were it not that some misunder- 

 standing is apt to arise on the subject of this word " loam." What is 

 loam ? is a question which has been asked frequently, and is not very 

 easy to answer. The substance so named seems to vary much in 

 different localities, and still more so, when we come to speak of separate 

 qualities of the same material. That which is merely called a "heavy 

 loam" in some places, in others would be said to be a clay. The 

 " medium" description in one district, the "heavy" in another. In 

 fact the term is altogether a very indefinite one, at least as employed in 

 gardening phraseology. The strict definition, probably, would be an 



