432 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



My mode of treatment is as simple as it appears to be effectual. During the 

 summer, at the growing season, I water plentifully ; during the winter, when at 

 rest, it is watered only occasionally — just enough to keep the soil moist. Occa- 

 sionally I top-dress the plant with peat and sand as required ; the constant water- 

 ing duriug summer tends to wash away the soil from the roots. It is well to 

 thoroughly top-dress at the beginning of winter, just as the summer supply of 

 water is withheld; then the newly-added soil gets pretty well settled about the 

 roots by the time growth commences in the spring. 



I get a supply of flowers about nine months in the year ; and it seeds freely, 

 some of the pods hanging on the plant for a considerable time. The plant makes 

 vigorous growth, and during the past summer has made shoots 16 feet in length. 

 It has been in robust health, and made wood freely. 



I find it necessary to shield the young growing* ishoots from the attacks of 

 woodlice and snails or slugs. These young shoots come up through the ground of 

 a character similar to those of the Asparagus ; and as soon as there is a slug or a wood- 

 louse in the house, it will find its way to it, and eat away the tip of the shoots. If 

 this happens, the growth of the shoot is checked directly, and it rarely if ever 

 starts again. As soon as I perceive a shoot coming through the soil, I place a 

 lamp-glass over it, and keep it there till it has made sufficient growth to be 

 out of reach of the foes. 



I think a very pretty effect could be secured by blending the white with the 

 rose-coloured variety in the interior of the roof of a suitable house. At present 

 the former is very scarce and expensive ; when it becomes cheaper, it will no 

 doubt be grown as much as the other and older form. George Venner. 



The Grove Gardens. Hanwell. 



ON. COLOUR, IN THE TREE SCENERY OF OUR 

 GARDENS, PARKS, AND LANDSCAPES. 



(Read before the Horticultural Congress at Oxford, July 21, 1870.) 



Last year I had the privilege of reading a paper at the Manchester Congress of 

 this Society "On the Improvement of Races," which subject may be said proper- 

 ly to belong to the " science " of gardening. To-day I have the pleasure of sub- 

 mitting to you my thoughts " On Colour in the Tree Scenery of our Gardens, 

 Parks, and Landscapes ; " and here I find myself dealing more directly with the 

 "art" of gardening. While fully recognising the progress both in the art and 

 science of gardening which has taken place in my day, I yet think that in this 

 outlying but important province our professors have not made so free and effec- 

 tive a use as they might have done of the various tints of foliage which are to be 

 found amongst trees and shrubs. Lest I should be misunderstood, permit me to 

 state at the outset, that I hold the prevailing green with which the earth is 

 clothed to be the best colour that could have been devised for the purpose, as 

 blue is the most appropriate colour for the sky. But the sky, which is beyond 

 our reach and power, is naturally subject to constant and considerable variation, 

 and is singularly free from monotony. It is not altogether, or long together, of 

 one colour. There are light fleecy clouds continually breaking up the hemi- 

 sphere of blue ; varying in substance and colour ; sometimes hanging motionless, 



