548 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



The above list, which is simply copied from the borders without any 

 order, does not nearly exhaust the stock of good things ; but it includes 

 the best species, and may serve as a guide to those who contemplate 

 planting on a moderate scale. Neither have I given the varieties 

 where they are numerous. The reader must select these himself. I 

 may just mention the Iris and Phloxes as forming a numerous variety, 

 many of them of great excellence. Such things as the Menziesias and 

 Ericas are, of course, not herbaceous plants, properly speaking; but 

 they, and many other dwarf shrubs, may very properly be added to 

 the herbaceous border, and also Eoses, Azaleas, and Kalmias, &c. All 

 these we use as well, not forgetting even Rosemary and Lavender. 

 In planting a border, and while looking after variety, general effect 

 need not be lost sight of. The best plan is, first, to calculate the 

 length of your border and the number of rows; then calculate the num- 

 ber of plants for each row; select the varieties according to their height 

 and colour, and plant an equal number of each, or thereabout ; plant- 

 ing alternately, so as to have each kind coming in in succession along 

 the whole length of the border. As an example, a nice and effective 

 front row is formed as follows : Plant about 1 2 feet apart or more, 

 as the case may be, nice tufts of " Golden Feather " Pyrethrum 

 alternately with Viola cornuta, white Arabis, and crimson Daisies. 

 These four varieties themselves produce a rich effect in early spring 

 and summer ; and if the spaces between them are filled up with Auri- 

 culas, Dog-tooth Violets, Phlox prostrata. Grape Hyacinths, Scillas, 

 Primulas, Pansies (blue and yellow), Violets, Menziesias, dwarf Heaths, 

 Iberis, Cheiranthus alpinus, Aubretias, Cyclamens, Lithospermum 

 prostratum, and other and later blooming species, sufficient variety and 

 a continuance of flower will be secured. Most herbaceous plants will 

 thrive fairly in ordinary light garden-soil. If it is heavy it should be 

 lightened with plenty of leaf-mould and sand ; and a few species should 

 have a little special attention in the way of peat, leaf-mould, or sand, 

 as required, just put round their roots. Slugs also must be watched. 

 They are destructive to many varieties, such as Phloxes and Delphin- 

 iums, &c. In our soil here, too, we have a difficulty in getting Lilium 

 candidum to grow. It is attacked by a small grub, just as the plant 

 begins to grow, and the stem, and often the bulb, perishes. We are 

 trying what planting it in sand will effect. A herbaceous border 

 should never be dug indiscriminately. Light top-dressings forked in 

 carefully with a steel fork, in autumn or winter, before bulbs and other 

 things begin to move, will be sufficient in this way. During summer 

 a hoeing occasionally will be all that is required. Raking I am no 

 advocate for, nor a fine surface. A handy man wiU do all that is need- 

 ful in the way of tidiness with a Dutch hoe. J. S. 



