DECEMBER. S61 



Best six Pompones : 1st, Mr. Weatherill, with La Sultana, La 

 Gitana, Bob, Drine Drine, Kequiqui, and Cedo Nulli, the latter the best 

 specimen in the exhibition ; 2nd, J. Edwards, Esq., with La Vogue, 

 Cedo Nulli, Drine Drine, La Gitana, Conite Achille Vigui, and 

 Madame de Vatry ; 3rd, Mr. Scruby, with Cedo Nulli, Bob, Modele, 

 Crostignac, Bijou d'Hurticulture, and Helene. Large-flowering va- 

 rieties : 1st, Mr. James (the Treasurer), with Pilot, Christine, Che- 

 valier Dumage, Madame Bucharest, Annie Salter (the best specimen), 

 and Defiance. Twenty-four blooms : 1st, Mr. Oubridire, with Duke, 

 Themis, Madame Gordereau, King, Aregina, Nonpareil, Pio Nono, 

 Beauty, Lysias,Formosum, Dupont de I'Eure, Madame Audry, Plutus, 

 Hermione (a pleasing new sort), Arc-en-Ceil, Stafford, Virgil, Leon 

 Laquay, Rosa mystica, Anaxa, Miss Kate, Defiance, Two-coloured 

 Incm'ved. Other good specimens were Versailles Defiance, Queen of 

 England, Racine, Gem, Yellow Defiance, Plutus. 



A noble seedling named Alfred Salter will doubtless prove desirable 

 to those who cultivate for exhibition ; its colour, a deep lilac blush, with 

 bold petals, and very double ; when grown with more vigour it may 

 assume the incurved character, and would then be a fitting match 

 for the well-known variety. Queen of England, introduced by the same 

 person, ]\Ir. J. Salter, of Hammersmith. 



The best six Anemone varieties were produced by Mr. James, viz., 

 Gluck, Fleur de Marie, Margarette d'Anjou, Sulphureum pallidum, 

 Margarette de York, Astre du Matin. 



DRAINING OF FRUIT TREE BORDERS. 



The present being a favourable time for effecting draining and altera- 

 tions in gardens, a few remarks, intended merely as hints, may not be 

 miacceptable to the less experienced of your readers. 



The proper condition and quality of the soil may be considered as 

 the very groundwork of all improvements ; and on which depends, in 

 no small degree, success in gardening. The fertility of soils depends 

 on their mechanical properties, and their capacity for retaining or 

 parting with water or heat, and possessing all the chemical constituents 

 of plants. 



The first point for consideration is, to examine the quality of the soil 

 and subsoil. The next point is, to see if there be any drainage or not. 

 If there is none, or even if there is some which is not effective, no time 

 should be lost in making the drainage complete ; for unless this is 

 thoroughly efficient, all our other labours will prove unsatisfactory. 

 Now there are very few gardens having a flat surface and retentive 

 clay soil that are properly drained ; this should not be so, especially 

 when we consider the few acres that are comj)rised in most gentlemen's 

 gardens. The expense is not so very considerable ; but, even if it 

 were, it ought to be incurred, so absolutely necessary is thorough 

 drainage to the successful issue of all our ojieralions. In gardens 

 having a flat surface and retentive clay subsoil, draining cannot be too 

 well done, more particularly the borders intended for the growth of 

 fruit trees. 



