176 



IKISII (;.\1<1)KN1N( 



NOVIMHKR 



Our N:ui\c Watcr^uic IMants. 



Al'O.ND or slu-.iin is a ^ica: assrl m .. i;.uvI,mi or 

 pliMMiro uroimd. TIumv is a pi'cnliai L-liarm in 

 waliM- or moistiiii'-loviii)? plants, and voiy 

 ofiectivo plantinir oan be liono wlu-iv oppoiliuiily otlVrs 

 ill tlio way of suitable j,'roiMKl. Oiiito a lunnhoi of 

 nativo plants may In- utilised in lurnishinif llu- inai>,'in 

 of water-ways or lakes with deliifluful einnips ami 

 masses ol' luxunant and decorative vej,'otHt ion. The 

 jrreater willow herb (EpHohium). a tali plant (six feet or 

 so), with lonjj spikes covered with rosy lloweis, is 

 common everywhere, and is quite easy to establish. 

 Purple loosestrife {Lyfhnim) is also tali, .md wlun 

 ijrown in clumps and covered with bloom denionslrati-s 

 the value of common plants in picturesque i,'ardenini;. 

 Loosestrife {f.ysiin.uliin) is another tall iu-rbaceous 

 perennial closely allied to primro.ses, and carries 

 elongated spikes of beautiful yellow flowers. It loves 

 to ^yow quite close to the water. Motikiv tlowci 

 (Miiniiliis liitcus) found wild in many ilisi ricts in licland. 

 is another useful perennial to plant in wet places. 

 Then what plant is more t^rHceful, with its tall, slender 

 stem.and whoils of thread-like branches, than Kquisetum 

 maximum (Horse/ai/)'^ Tlanted along the margin oi' a 

 pond it gives an effect altogether peculiar to itself. 

 The iris or yellow water flag, of course, must not be 

 forgotten. It is easily established and one of the most 

 useful. In boggy ground quantities of marsh marigold 

 tCaif/ia paliistris) may be planted. Its rich, yellow 

 flowers in sunlight, seen against the large, deep, green, 

 glossy leaves, form a picture that surpasses in loveliness 

 anything else that you are likely to get with the same 

 degree of labour. Also, well worth establishing 

 are: Grass of Parnassus, cotton grass (A'/w/)//^^/-//;//), 

 water forget-me-not {Myosotis palustris), which 

 requires shade to develop the china-blue colour so 

 characteristic of this unique little plant. In the water 

 itself may be established reed mace(7V/'/f<0. sweet flag 

 {Arums calamus), arrow-head {Sagit/aria). and flower- 

 ing rush {Biitoinns tiiiibcllaUis) in the shallows, and 

 along the margins clumps of the great reed ( Phragmilis), 

 bur reed (Spharganium), water dock, and great 

 spearwort, with some of the taller sedges, who.se 

 drooping inflorescences add simple grace to the water- 

 side picture. These are all wild plants as we have 

 have already said, easy to obtain and requiring no special 

 knowledge to establish. There is one thing especially 

 to remember— plant in lavish masses as nature does, 

 and avoid single mixed planting. It is not the number 

 of kinds brought together that will produce a pleasing 

 picture but the judicious selection and grouping, so as 

 to give a natural appearance to the .stream or lake, and 

 not that artificiality resulting from a "dot" or formal 

 system of planting so fatal to all wild-gardening schemes. 

 Again, if the pohd is small it would be a great mistake 

 to cover it with vegetation, as a discriminating writer 

 on this subject says — " when the added beauty of water is 

 vouchsafed to the pleasure grounds, it is of the first 

 importance that it should remain a clear mirror, reflect- 

 ing the various forms of trees, the blue sky and fleecy 



drilling clouds, that the little bree/es should ruffle its 

 laie. f.au/y- winged dragon-flies double their images in 

 t!ie still surface .ind swallow's wing ever and anon stir it 

 into widening rings, but il w.iler vegetation is allowed 

 to spread ami cover the poml these feli.ilous incidents 

 can no more be witnessed." 



Notes. 



Till. \Ai.i i: »M f.AKni-.N Kt iiitisii.- Most, if mn all. 

 soils may be improved by the application o\' burnt 

 garden refuse. It not only improves the texture o\' the 

 soil but supplies aiklilional plant food, and incidentally 

 ;icts as a check ujion the spread of hurtful pests in the 

 g.irden. Charred vegetable material supplies carbon, 

 which is a great sweetener of soil, and ash, which 

 vields, amongst other things, valuable potash salts, 

 iiurnt vegetable refuse is excellent for asparagus beds, 

 .md indeed all crops seem to derive benefit from it. 

 Il is also good as a surface dressing for lawns. Mixed 

 with sool il .acts as a great stimulant to most cn'ps. 

 even in well-manured garden soil. The remains o\ .. 

 bonlire mixeil with farmyanl manure, and used ..-. 

 a fertiliser, will convert a barren plot into a fertile one. 

 This is the time of year to gather up all the buinable, 

 useless material about a garden, and with theaiil of fire 

 to convert il into good fertilising material. 



Al'I'l.l. ri;i:i. Tl-.A. It is pointed o\\\ by cerl.iin And 

 reformers that apple rind contains an acid that may 

 serve a very useful purpose in the body. This aciil, it 

 is said, has the property oi dissolving uric and other 

 poisonous acids liberated in llie blood. It has been 

 even urged that the rind is the most valuable part oi 

 the apple ! Apple peel tea is being recommended in 

 some quarters as being a beverage of the greatest value 

 as a "purifier" of the working tissues of the body. If 

 the plain peel is not tempting enough, then the following 

 directions may be followed : -Take three or four large 

 sour apples and grate them down, including, of course, 

 the skins. .Add a quart of boiling water, and simmer in 

 a porridge (double) pot until soft. Season with lemon 

 iuice, grated lemon peel ami honey, and serve hot. 



International Horticultural Exhibition. 



It has been decided to hold a great International 

 Horticultural Exhibition in London in 191 2, and arrange- 

 ments are being actively made to ensure certain success. 

 The Council oi the Royal Horticultural Society has so 

 far financed the concern with a donation of ;£! 1,000, and 

 with great generosity and public spirit have promised a 

 further ;^4,ooo towards a guarantee fund. A company 

 will be formed with a nominal capital of i;i,ooo, to be 

 contributed in /:i shares. The shareholders will have 

 no privileges or profits, only the satisfaction of aiding 

 in a great educational exhibition. 



The secretary is Mr. Pearson, Editor d the 

 Gardeners Chronicle, Wellington Street, Strand, 

 London, 



