230 



horticulture: 



February 22, 1908 



flowers and the majesty of the trees appeal. in vain. 

 Flowers spring from the, ground, live, blossom, and 

 fade away; trees' burst into their drapery of green and 

 fade away in regal splendor of purple and gold, but to 

 such it has no meaning. Their eyes are nature-blind 

 and that they cannot see. 



The garden makers' function, therefore, is not mere- 

 ly to reproduce for us matchless combinations of color 

 and eifect with the various resources at his command. 

 If this were all, his task would indeed be limited. It 

 is his to trace for us the beauty and majesty revealed to 

 us in the world around. ■ Hence the true garden none 

 the less reveals, but also seeks to convey the beauty and 

 sacredness of that which is unseen, and the garden 

 maker is the interpreter or High Priest of Nature. 



If I have made myself clear in my deductions as to 

 what is really meant by Art and Nature in garden mak- 

 ing I may go still further and give an instanve where 

 they exist in perfect harmony with each other. The 

 accompanying illustration depicts a winter scene at 

 York Cottage. Sandringham, England, the beautiful 

 country residence of tjie Prince of Wales. I would like 

 to draw the reader's attention in particular, to the 

 water effects. You will observe that there is an entire 

 absence of anything which might be called extreme. The 

 mere fact that they are the work of the garden maker 

 and therefore in a sense artificial, does not conclusively 

 prove that they are an imperfect copy of Nature. I 

 should sav rather, tliat the scheme as a whole was an 

 intelligent interpretation of the wishes of Nature. The 

 garden maker has here aspired to something more re- 

 fined than mere imitation, and I venture to say that he 

 has more than succeeded. He has given us a beautiful 

 outline combined with well balanced effects. Perfect 

 harmony in effect, perfect peace, perfect art. Nature 

 perfect. 



"That lier fair form may stand and shine. 



Make bright our da.vs and light our dreams. 

 Turning to scorn with lips divine 

 The falsehood of extremes." 



— Tennyson. 



■-^t%% 



North Easton, Mass. 



British Horticulture 



SOIL INOCULATION 



From time to time reports have reached this country 

 with regard to the remarkable results produced by the 

 bacterial treatment of the soil in America, The sur- 

 prising results obtained were received with some in- 

 credulity by horticulturists on this side. These doubts, 

 however, have been dispelled by the successful experi- 

 ments which have been conducted in this country by 

 Prof. Bottomley. In Scotland an inoculated acre 

 yielded 3,070 pounds of bean-s*, against 1,800 pounds 

 from an acre not inoculated — a gain of 70 per cent. 

 In Leicestershire, half an acre inoculated, yielded 180 

 stones of peas, against G6 stones from a half-acre not 

 inoculated. Professor Bottomley has gone further than 

 the American experimentors, having evolved cultures for 

 various plants which were never expected to be amenable 

 to the attacks of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It was 

 shown that inoculated tomatoes grew more strongly than 



those not treated, and ripened their fruits during the 

 jjast year, while others did not. Strawberries showed 

 an increased yield to the extent of 45 per cent., and 

 came to perfection earlier. 



FLORAL NOVELTIES 



There is a bewildering array of novelties in the nur- 

 serymen's catiilogues; a complete list would fill the 

 pages of Horticulture. Amongst the most notable 

 are White Pearl Gypsophila — an improvement on G. 

 elegans, the blooms being larger and snowy-white. A 

 miniature-leaved smilax will be found very useful for 

 ilecorative work. Sweet ])ea hybridists have been work- 

 ing for a good yellow. Further progress in this direc- 

 tion has been made by the introduction of James 

 Grieve, which is described as a three-flowered sulphur 

 self. From Germany a new Christmas or winter-flow- 

 ering sweet pea in various tints is being sent out. In 

 recent years a great advance has been made in the size, 

 color and form of the pyrethrums. Lady Godiva is the 

 name of a new double of a pretty, flesh-colored tint. In 

 the single section the new comers comprise Simpliciter, 

 bright rose; Betrothal, crimson with a white ring 

 around the disc ; Pinkie, bright pink ; Carmenita. deep 

 rose; Cherry, bright cherry, and others. New intro- 

 ductions of gladioli include Lady Inchiquin, orange- 

 salmon ; Mrs. Chatham, flesh rose violet, striped ; Peace 

 Envoy, white, orange centre with violet stripe, and Kel- 

 way's Triumph, crimson-white. In the begonia section 

 we have Mrs. J. B. Blackmore, of a taking shade of 

 salmon, and attractive form; Millicent, a new shade of 

 rich flesh-pink color; Purity, a pure white of ideal 

 form; King Alfonso, rich crimson-scarlet, and Lady 

 Wenlock, rose-pink. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES 



Santa Claus is the appropriate name given to a pear 

 ripening at Christmas. In shape it resembles a Beurre 

 Diel or Doyenne du Comice, and the fruit averages 

 from eight to ten ounces in weight. The new culinary 

 peas are numerous. Sutton's Beading Wonder is an 

 early dwarf variety, and Sutton's Incomparable is a 

 fresh second-early suitable for table or exhibition pur- 

 poses. Carter's Advancement is a new first-early ob- 

 tained as the result of a cross between Daisy and Amer- 

 ican Wonder. A Bussian Kale is being offered which 

 has received an award of merit and a first-class certifi- 

 cate after a trial bv the Boyal Horticultural Society at 

 Wisley. The leaves are rather remarkable in form 

 somewhat resembling a deer's antler, and are of a curi- 

 ous green color. Since the decline in the potato "boom" 

 there has been a falling off in the number of new as- 

 pirants for fame. Daniels' Prince Edward, one of the 

 few fresh introductions this season, has been obtained 

 as the result of a cross between the Duke of York and 

 The Factor. It is a second early which has done well 

 in the trials. Talisman is a white round main crop 

 potato which is being distributed by a northern firm. 

 A new melon, ' Ideal, is likely to receive the attention of 

 growers. This has been produced as the result of a 

 cross with Ingestre Hybrid and Boyal Favorite. Fid- 

 dler's ^lodel is the name of a new beet being sent out. 

 It is considered an improvement both in form and qual- 

 ity on the old Egyptian turnip-rooted variety. A great 

 advantage apparently is the early date at which it 

 arrives at maturity. 



>t?y. ^di^ 



