570 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



portion of the blooms fell off without bearing fruit. A neighbouring gardener, to 

 whom I gave some of the seed, and who grew it last summer, assured me that 

 but for it he should have been quite destitute of Beans, as the other kinds, both 

 dwarf and runner, had quite given out. The seed of it is about the size of that 

 of a large French Bean, is reddish in colour and quite distinct in character. The 

 plant usually grows from 5 to 6 feet in height, and as a cropper is wonderfully 

 abundant. To market-gardeners it must be most useful, and as it is very sweet 

 and soft to eat, must soon become a favourite with the public. I like to use 

 moderately-high pea-sticks to stake it with, as they seem to be better adapted to 

 its habit of growth than very long straight sticks are. I am not sure that it is yet 

 largely in cultivation, but when it is it will prove to be one of those sterling 

 things that have but to be known to be appreciated. A. D. 



My Garden in Winter. — Your January number gave this interesting subject, 

 with a promise of a farther contribution in April, which has not been forthcom- 

 ing. Having your volumes nicely bound for reference, I like a promise or system 

 fairly carried out. The article on the Aster in last number is truly useful. My 

 half-crown's worth of seed was just money, time, and labour thrown away this 

 season; and now I shall request the seedsman, next time I apply to him, to supply 

 me with the four sorts named. As to the diversity of opinion on the Briar and 

 Manetti, I tried my hand this year on the latter for the first time, cutting the 

 usual ~T for the reception of the bud after removing the earth from the stem with 

 an old tooth-brush ; but somehow or other the bud was eventually thrown 

 out, and the cut looked a large wound instead. Do the buds on the Manetti 

 require different treatment to those on the Briar as to tying or otherwise? 

 Will A. D. give us any more contributions, as promised ? — Amateur. [Open 

 the earth more boldly at the roots of your Manetti stocks, and bud as low as you 

 possibly can. It is more difficult to bud on the Manetti than on the Briar, as the 

 place in which the bud is inserted on the Briar is more readily under command. 

 The garden of our correspondent A. D. was so completely wrecked by the hot 

 weather and drought that set in so unusually early, that he was prevented from 

 giving his promised contribution. Whether he will continue to detail his expe- 

 riences must depend entirely on the new editorial arrangements for the coming 

 year, now in course of being made. — R. D.] 



Aubrietia purpurea fol. aurea. — There is now to be seen at the Chiswick 

 Gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society a capital golden-leaved sport from 

 this fine old winter and spring blooming plant that seems likely to be as useful 

 in the spring garden as the golden-feather Pyrethrum is in the summer gar- 

 den. It will be a very useful companion to the pretty golden-tipped Sedum acre, 

 or Stone Crop. 



Sempervivum — (Miss Angel). — Use S. Californicum in conjunction with 

 Echeveria secunda glauca. You will find it better than the combination you 

 tried during the past summer. 



Weeds on Walks (P. A.) — Weeds on walks are often the most troublesome. 

 Wherever a loose shingly grav3l is used, or one that does not bind, hoeing and 

 raking are permissible ; but it is very undesirable in the case of walks, like those 

 about London, which bind thoroughly, and when well made and dusted over with 

 a little shell are the best walks known. If the traffic is not sufficient to keep them 

 free from weeds, they must be either salted or hand-picked. Salting is the best 

 plan, but it cannot well be applied where there are Box or other living edgings, 



