I04 



TRTSH GARDENING. 



feature. There is an improved variety called 

 A. rivularis gigantea. 



Astilbe rubra, an Indian species, with rose- 

 coloured flowers, is a desirable plant deserving of 

 cultivation. The pink or rose-coloured kinds, 

 whether species or hybrids, are very effective, 

 and in the species under notice we get a fair 

 height, about 4 feet, which in some positions is 

 an advantage. 



Astilbe simplicifolia has recently secured 

 considerable notice from hardy plant lovers, and 

 deservedly so. It is the smallest of the genus, 

 not exceeding 12 inches. It is thus a very suit- 

 able species for a moist, well-drained position in 

 the rock garden. The leaves are not divided 

 as in the larger growing kinds, but are deeply 

 lobed and all basal, none being borne on the 

 flower stem. The slender panicle is composed 

 of small pure white flowers of much beauty. 



Astilbe Thunbergii, from Japan, is a com])ara- 

 tively old species growing about 2 feet high, 

 bearing compound leaves and branched panicles 

 of white flowers. It is also used for forcing in 

 pots. Among the hybrids mentioned earlier 

 there are many of surpassing beauty flowering 

 in June and July and even into August. They 

 are mainly the product of Astilbe Davidii used 

 with some of the older species and hybrids, and 

 a good many of them are of Continental origin, 

 raised by Arends, and known as Astilbe Arendsii. 

 The coloiu-s are mostly shades of pink and rose , 

 the dense feathery plumes creating quite a fine 

 effect when in flower. Some of the best are — 

 Ceres, Vesta, Venus, Pink Pearl, Silver Sheaf, 

 Salmon Queen, Panache and Nuee Kose. 



Genista spathulata. 



This rare and beautiful species is one of the latest 

 flowering of the dwarf Brooms, coming into flower 

 in late May and continuing well to the end of June. 

 It forms a small bush 1-1 i feet high, with slender 

 arching branches. It carries flowers of a rich 

 glowing yellow which, though not .so large as in 

 .some of the other Brooms, are boi'ne in such pro- 

 fusion as to conipletely hide the foliage. This 

 Bulgarian shrub delights in full exposure to sun, 

 and planted so that its flowering shoots trail over 

 a large rock it presents, when in flower, a very 

 striking appearance. 



Globularia incanescens. 



Quite the brightest plant flowering in the moraine 

 in early June was a healthy little tuft of this 

 uncommon Alpine. It is a very dwarf plant, 

 reaching little more than 2 inches in lieight, with 

 small green s]ioon-shaped leaves. On stiff stems, 

 well above the leaves, are carried the heads of 

 light blue flowers over half an inch across. It 

 flowers very freely, the number and size of the 

 flowers being out of all proi)ortion to the size of 

 the plant. In a sunny ])ocket of the moraine it 

 thrives best. 



The Cultivation of Pansies and Violas 

 by Allotment Holders. 



In the neighl)ouilio(j(l of ilounslow (.Middlesex) 

 and ])erhaps more especially at Hatton, a little 

 hamlet noith of Feltham, the cottagers and 

 allotment holders sup])lement their income by 

 glowing Pansies and Violas for what might be 

 called the suburban gardeners' trade. Nearly 

 all the cottages have their strij) of garden in 

 spring covered by either Pansies or Violas, or 

 both, while in some allotments, which cover an 

 area of 15 acres, most of the ])lots are devoted 

 to growing the same plants. 



Dxiring the summer these plots and gardens, 

 which are from 15 to 20 rods in extent, grow the 

 ordinary garden crops — potatoes, beans, jieas, 

 tV:c. — and, when the occujner can obtain it, they 

 are maniu'ed with farmyard dung. The seed is 

 usually saved by the grower from the previous 

 season, and is sown about the liist week in 

 August in a small plot, if ])ossible with a northeily 

 aspect. When the resulting seedlings are suffi- 

 ciently large to handle, they are transplanted to 

 the garden or allotment, which by this time has 

 been cleared of its sununer crop and dug over. 

 Having been ])lanted out 4 inches apart each 

 way, tbey are left for the winter. This year, 

 owing to the mild weather, many are already in 

 bloom. Their normal time of blooming is March 

 or April, according to the season, and when 

 suburban residents start gardening operations, 

 hawkers make their way to Hounslow and Hatton 

 with hand and donkey carts, and buy up the 

 Pansies and Violas. The plants are sold in boxes 

 usually containing two dozen, and the average 

 price ])er box is 6d., but in some season.s^ — c-O-, 

 191 1 —the price w as only 2d. ])er dozen. By carrying 

 them into the western and south-western suburbs, 

 the hawkers are enabled to retail them at about 

 one penny each, but some of the ])Iants with finer 

 blooms are readily sold for lid. and 2d. each. It 

 is necessary that the ])lants should have com- 

 menced blooming, for the amateur gardener likes 

 to see what he is buying. At the rate of ;^d. per 

 dozen it is possible for a man to make £7 or £8 

 profit from his crop on a small allotment. In the 

 case of a garden, his takings are mostly profit, 

 since he pays no extra rent and does the necessary 

 cultural o])erations himself in his spare time. 

 Although it by no means follows that a man with 

 an acre of land would make a proportional i)rofit. 

 it affords an example of what a man can do with a 

 small ]iiece of land by s])ecialising in one parti- 

 cular ]ilant for which he has a good market close 

 at hand. In this case there are no outgoings for 

 labour, little or no rent, for the allotments are 

 chea])ly let, and no railway expenses or salesman's 

 commission.^ — Journal of the Board of AgricuUnre. 



^* ^* t^^ 



The Rev. W. F'lemyng, Coolfin, Portlaw, Co. 

 Waterford, sends some flowers of the Ghent 

 Azalea, and writes : — " I have been raising 

 Azaleas for several years, and think them the 

 most beautiful of all flowering slirubs — finer to 

 my mind than Bhododendrons. I have many beds, 

 one containing over 90 plants. Azalea mollis 

 is splendid in ]Jots. I find they do best in pure 

 loam, without any ijcat." The trusses of flower 

 were fine and large, varying in colour from 

 yellow to a])ricot and salmon pink. Unfortunately 

 these shruhs are not a success where there is 

 much lime in the soil. 



