1869.] MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 191 



FRENCH versus ENGLISH FLOWER-GARDENING. 



E are in a likely way soon to be Cannaized, as well as Haussmannizecl, if the 

 present rage for French gardening goes on. Already certain of our most 

 respected old, and, as we considered, staunch gardeners of the old school, 

 find something in it to make them look wise ; but a little goes a long 

 way with most people. I may be wrong, but if so, I am willing to be corrected, 

 in expressing my opinion that any practical gardener will find more of French 

 gardening in Battersea Park than in all the parks of Paris, — added to which, let 

 me say, they will also find better taste, and an infinite amount of variety, which 

 they would do well to imitate, by adding to the limited selection of plants at 

 present in general use. 



My object, however, in introducing this subject was to ask how are we to 

 benefit from this ? Already taste has come forward to rescue us from the too 

 prevalent system of half-hardy nursery lines, and to show, by every sign, that the 

 time is come to rout this out, as was formerly the case with old neglected 

 herbaceous borders, which latter had through neglect become eye-sores, containing 

 plants that never bloomed in consequence of bad usage, and spaces never filled 

 in consequence of neglect, while bare places were left in the shrubberies to be 

 made gay with a variety of weeds, which might have been most appropriately 

 filled with some of the many free-growing handsome plants of this neglected class. 

 But are we to find the only remedy in these jacks-in-the-green ? Have we not 

 been putting in odd out-of-the-way corners our Boses, such helps as they are, too, to 

 lighten up our shrubberies, and such ladies' pets that they are never out of place ? 

 Then there are our Sweet Peas, Hollyhocks, Foxgloves. Phloxes, Cloves, Pinks, — 

 all more or less neglected. Even Mignonette can scarcely be accommodated with 

 a spare corner, and Annuals are out of the question. 



Is not a Hollyhock leaf as interesting as that of a Castor Oil plant ? Is not 

 a bunch of Sweet Peas as beautiful as a tuft of Cannas ? Paris parks seem 

 made up of everlasting Cannas, in masses that look as if they were grown as 

 green crops for the cattle. Anon. 



MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 



jHE Gardeners' Examination of the Society of Arts was held in April 

 last, when the following young gardeners were judged worthy to receive 

 the various Certificates and Prizes offered, as stated in the following 



summaries : — 



Floriculture. 



Society of Arts. 1st prize (£5) > Michael MlDDLETQN, aged 22, Richmond Parochial 



Royal Horticultural Society, 1st prize (£5) (" Library. 



Society of Arts, 2nd prize (£3) > Richard Irwin Lynch, agad 19, Richmond Parochial 



Royal Horticultural Society, 2nd prize (£3) )" Library. 



Fruit and Vegetable Culture. 

 Society of Arts, 1st prize (£5) ) Michael Middlbton, aged 22, Richmond Parochial 



Royal Horticultural Society, 1st prize (£5) \ Library. 



Society of Arts, 2nd prize (£3) 

 Royal Horticultural Society, 2nd prize (.C3) 



