114 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



growing out of doors in the heights of 

 Dumbarton. J 



To EVEBTBODY IM GENERAL, AND NoDODT 



IN PAaTicoLAB. — We receive a great 

 many orders for seeds and plants, none of 

 which are ever executed, for the simple 

 reason that we do not sell plants or seeds. 

 We are also frequently requested to give 

 tlie names of dealers who can supply 

 certain articles. These requests we can- 

 not comply with, because it would be 

 unfair to name A if B, C, and D, and all 

 the rest of the alphabet, can also supply 

 the same things at the same price, and 

 equally good. If we were to name 

 dealers, we should soon be at the seat of 

 war, for we should sit on a hornet's nest 

 instead of filling with proper dignity our 

 editorial chair. We do name dealers 

 sometimes, but only for special reasons, 

 as when B or C have a plant that will 

 grow up a chimney or down a water- 

 spout, or twine round the heart of a fair 

 maiden in the form of a true lover's 

 knot, then it is fair to give publicity to 

 the name of the happy possessor. But 

 to make an end of difficulties of this 

 kind, we are willing to view estates and 

 advise on planning and planting and im- 

 proving them ; but we do not seek en- 

 gagements of the kind, having all our 

 irons in the fire, poker, tongs, and all, and 

 our fingers smeared with chalk for fear 

 of burning them. We never did sell 

 plants, and never will, while we are re- 

 sponsible before the public for opinions 

 concerning them. Our only customer 

 for ofFcastings of the garden is the muck- 

 pit. We do not even give away any- 

 thing that can be bought ; so, when we 

 offer our friends a pinch of seed or a 

 bunch of cuttings, it is of something 

 otherwise unattainable, aud therefore of 

 priceless value. 

 Various. — A. B. — Your shrub is Kerna 

 JaponicH, one of the most useful of 

 hardy plants for walls. At Stoke New- 

 ington it has been in bloom since the 

 end of March. — M. M. T., Ballymogen. 

 — No. 1, a seedling Lastrea filix mas. ; 

 2, apparently an attenuated frond of 

 Athyrium filix foemina. The other is 

 Selaginella denticulata. — No signature. 

 — The blue flower is Plumbago Lar- 

 pentas, on which you will find cultural 

 notes in former volumes ; it is nearly 

 or quite iiardy, and may be turned out 

 for the summer. We have had it out 

 on rockeries several winters in suc- 

 cession near London, where it dies 

 down, and comes up again in spring. 



In Devon and Cornwall it is green all 

 winter. It is most beautiful when it 

 acquires some size. The fern is Poly- 

 podiura vulgare, quite hardy. Mimulus 

 cupreus requires the same treatment as 

 the hardier kinds of mimulus, a moist 

 soil and shady position. Arctotis gran- 

 diflora is unfortunately rather tender. 

 Plant it out in the sunniest spot you 

 have, and take up in October and treat 

 the same as a verbena. Cuttings should 

 be struck in August for the next sea- 

 son's bloom. — A. B. — Chalk may be 

 made into lime by heating it red hot. — 

 Planting a Bank. — W. R. For so 

 limited a space you cannot do better 

 than have a selection of hollies. Go to 

 a nursery and pick them out as they 

 please you by their looks. Now is a 

 good time to plant them. For the bank, 

 purple-leaved Berberis vulgaris, Vene- 

 tian sumach, common sumach, silver 

 birch, aspen, Weigelia rosea, Acer ne- 

 gundo, purple beech, American willow, 

 cut-leaved alder, holly-leaved oak, com- 

 mon daphne, quince, Black Jack oak, 

 Persian lilac, laburnum, variegated- 

 leaved lime and sycamore, snowy Mes- 

 pilus, liquidambar, arbor vita, juniper, 

 aucuba, Spergula pilifera will be fine on 

 the slope. On the wall, Morello cherry, 

 Jefferson's plum, and Thompson's pear. 

 — W. W. C— We do not know any of 

 those you name, but we will look at the 

 catalogues, and, if possible, reply next 

 month. 

 New Books. — The Rose Garden, by Wil- 

 liam Paul. — This is a reprint with im- 

 provements, but without coloured pic- 

 tures, and published at a reduced price, 

 of Mr. Paul's admirable work on roses. 

 Lovers of the " Queen of Flowers'' will 

 of necessity add this to their libraries, 

 if they do not possess it already, and 

 we heartily recommend it. — The Gar- 

 dener's Annual for 1863, edited by the 

 Eev. S. R. Hole. — This new venture 

 will doubtless take a good place among 

 horticultural year books. It has come 

 to us late in the season for annuals, but 

 better late than never, for it is good of 

 its kind, and elegantly got up. The 

 papers on trees by Mr. Rivers, on roses 

 by the editor, Japanese plants by Mr. m 

 Standish, and the lists of select flowers 

 are well worth the price of the whole 

 book. We had put in type Mr. Paul's 

 paper on hollyhocks, but were compelled 

 to omit it for want of room. It shall 

 appear next month. 



