270 THE GARDENER. [June 



plan is so beneficial as what is termed "mulching," that is, laying a 

 covering of grass, manure, cocoa-nut fibre, spent hops, or any like 

 material, on the surface of the ground, which should always be done 

 after soaking rains. This practice prevents the evaporation of mois- 

 ture to a great extent, and keeps the temperature of the ground much 

 more regular than any system of watering could do. The great objec- 

 tion to " mulching " is the slovenly appearance it gives to a garden, so 

 that it cannot be done in flower-gardens generally ; still I would rather 

 make use of something of this kind than be compelled to adopt the 

 laborious and uncomfortable practice of watering. Many persons 

 think that much more benefit is derived by the plants from even judi- 

 cious waterings than I am inclined to suppose is the case. To satisfy 

 myself on this point, a few years ago, on an occasion of dry weather 

 setting in, in the early part of the summer, I made a practice of water- 

 ing an onion-bed three times a- week with water from a pond. Another 

 bed by the side of it, growing under similar circumstances and sown 

 at the same time, was left entirely to nature. The bed which received 

 the attention spoken of in about ten days looked much superior to the 

 other, the Onions being greener and growing much quicker ; but when 

 the rain came, I was pleased to see the neglected bed was inclined to 

 make up for lost time, which it most certainly did, the crop eventually 

 being quite equal to that of the favoured bed — plainly showing me 

 that I had been working to no purpose. C. J. P. 



GARDEN RECORDS. 



NO. VI. 



SWYNCOMBE PAEK, HENLEY-ON-THAMES, THE EESIDENCE 

 OF THE REV. C. E. EUCK-KEENE. 



{Continued from x> a U e 223.) 

 "Whatever else of interest may belong to this charming place, situate in one of 

 the most pleasant parts of the fine agricultural county of Oxfordshire, it has 

 come to be regarded as the home of the glorious Bougainvillea speciosa. It is 

 now cultivated in many parts of the country ; but here the visitor can see a 

 specimen of it so grand in development and ravishing in appearance, that he can 

 only stand by it wrapt in mute wonder, and be filled with gratitude that he has 

 been permitted to look upon such a wondrous floral vision. The plant at Swyn- 

 combe was bi'ought here from South America, in 1857, by the Comte de Rouelle, 

 and was then so small as only to have two or three leaves on it. It was pushed 

 on into growth by Mr Daniels, the gardener at Swyncombe, and in 1860 it had 

 attained a considerable size, and bloomed profusely, throwing out from each 

 terminal spray a number of lovely mauve-coloured bracts in the form of an 



