i88i.] ORCHARD-HOUSES. 379 



dozen of the best sorts of each were substituted for collections of 

 varieties — and so, we have no doubt, would most owners of gardens. 

 Many people are now anxious to get together a collection of hardy- 

 flowering border plants. The wish is a good one. Small gardens 

 especially should be rich in these, and gardens of a larger size should 

 most certainly have selections added to their floral stores. But it is 

 well to bear in mind that the number of really fine hardy herbaceous 

 plants is limited to a small percentage of the whole ; and to remember 

 that although a border may be filled with a great number of species, 

 out of that number a large quantity may not add anything to the 

 beauty of the whole. I would therefore enter a plea for the extended 

 cultivation of hardy florist's flowers. There are really very few species 

 which can compete in effectiveness and usefulness with the varieties 

 of these. If you plant in a border representative collections of 

 Phloxes, Hollyhocks, Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, PjTethrums double 

 and single. Auriculas of the alpine section, Pinks, Carnations, 

 Picotees, Delphiniums, Gladioli, Tulips, Sweet-williams, Anemones, 

 Irises, Ranunculus, Potentiilas, Roses, and other hardy flowers which 

 the florist has improved, you have .at once the certainty of obtaining 

 a fine display of flowers. In those instances where there is not much 

 space for hardy flowers, I would give these the preference to any 

 other flowers, as they are sure to give the best return for space and 

 labour. At the same time, where labour cannot be spared to cul- 

 tivate these as they ought to be cultivated in order to do them 

 bare justice, it would be quite as well to stick in anything that comes 

 ready to hand into your borders, and allow them to struggle amongst 

 themselves for the mastery ; but such a state of things is hardly gar- 

 dening. Everything is improved by intelligent attention and good 

 cultivation. With florist's flowers these are necessary to their enjoy- 

 ment. R. P. B. 



ORCHARD - HOUSES. 



The disappointments of past years enhance the value of glass 

 protection for hardy fruits; and the value of walls, unprotected 

 by glass, is lessened to a great extent. Our experience is that walls 

 are very expensive items in the first place, and seldom give good 

 interest for the outlay. Taking all things into consideration, we think 

 walls, in the ordinary sense, should be things of the past. Well-man- 

 aged orchard-houses give good value every year : they take up little 

 space, are very pleasant objects in gardens, and are of much value for 

 protection to other produce than that of fruits. Most people know 

 this ; but I think it an undecided question whether trained trees or 

 those grown in pots are the most productive and give least labour. I 

 would fall in with the trained trees — believing that most fruit can be 

 had from such — arched over about 3 or 4 feet under the glass, and 



