102 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Febmary 7, 1887- 



nen-es, which ought never to be annoyed in a garden, and with- 

 out danger to the leaves of the plants. 



I have only to add that the first pit was nearly twelve 

 months in being filled, having been comruenced at the fall of 

 the leaves, or October, in one year, and not completed till 

 October in the following year, when the second pit becan to be 

 filled. The first pit. however, is left closed up, like a Potato- 

 pit, for twelve months longer, while the second pit is filling, 

 and is not emptied for use till the October of the third year — 

 i.e., two years from the time when the filling process com- 

 mences, when it lasts for all the purposes required in that 

 autumn and the following spring, and is excellent mould, or 

 " prime stuff " as the men call it. The process of refilling 

 the first pit is commenced as soon aa the second pit is filled, 

 when the latter is in turn hermetically sealed, and so remains 

 for twelve months longer. By this means one pitful becomes 

 thoroughly decomposed and ready for use, while the other is 

 preparing. The stable manure is reserved for hotbeds and 

 kitchen garden purposes. 



I shall be greatly obliged by any further hints or information 

 on this subject from any of your readers, for I am always but a 

 learner, — Philokepos. 



ANNUALS FOR ORNAMENT AND BOITQITETS- 



A coRiiESPONDENT, " H. F. F.," sayp, " I have just been com- 

 pelled to turn my flower garden into a playground, and have, 

 consequently, lost a great number of perennials, bulbs, &c., 

 and in my new flower garden, both for beauty and bouquets, I 

 must trust in a great measure to annuals." Now this is exactly 

 whatmany may say of their gardens besides " H. F. F." The 

 massing or bedding-out system has made such rapid and deep 

 inroads into our mixed borders as to completely stamp out of 

 existence the less troublesome, least expensive, and certainly 

 most useful of all flowering plants — viz., hardy flowering 

 shrubby, herbaceous, and bulbous plants, which, though not 

 affording any striking effect, were ever the resort when a 

 bouquet was wanted. Many of those who advocated such 

 plants being discarded, and consigned to the rubbish heap, 

 have often had to wi^h they had that mixed border to run to. 



Where cut flowers are in request I think no greater mistake 

 can possibly be made than destroying borders of perennials 

 and flowering shrubs so that the space may be devoted to 

 summer plants in masses, for the latter cannot be cut much 

 from without impairiug their beauty and effect. It is folly to 

 compare the two methods — namely, mixed borders of peren- 

 nials, bulbs, annuals, and half-hardy plants, with the massing 

 together of plants of one kind and colour; the systems are 

 very distinct, and neither can be empl>.yed effectively if not in 

 keeping with the surroundings. There are few, if any, gardens 

 that could not well afford a border for herbaceous plants with 

 flowering shrubs at back, and there are many the pleasure trora 

 which would be enhanced were they replanted with a selection 

 of the best herbaceous plants. I consider a good border of 

 perennials, bulbs, and flowering shrubs that bloom in spring, 

 early summer, and autumn, when combined with Phloxes, Pent- 

 stemons. Antirrhinums, Dahlias, Agcratums, Salvias, Pinks, 

 Carnations, Roses, and such bedding plants as Calceolarias, 

 Verbenas, Pelargoniums, etc., with Asters, Stocks, Marigolds, 

 Phlox Drummondi, and other annuals, may be made very 

 effective, to say nothing of its adaptability for certain positions, 

 and the variety it furnishes in contrast to the massing system. 



Annuals at their best are but indifferent substitutes for 

 perennials and bulbs, though they tell well as adjuDcts ; as sub- 

 stitutes they bloom when many herbaceous plants are over, 

 but as adjuncts are indispensable, as they furnish bloom when 

 that of the others is less plentiful. Some annual are of no 

 value for bouquets, though very desirable for decoration : such I 

 shall distinguish with a * prefixed, and to make this paper as 

 useful as possible I propose to give selections of the most use- 

 ful and showy, so as to meet the various wants of the readers 

 of this Journal. 



Asters.— /'^jr Exhibition :— Reid's Improved Quilled, Truf- 

 faut's Perfection Pa?ony-flowered, and Victoria. For BeiU and 

 Front Line's in Borders: — (The above do well at the back, as they 

 grow taller). — Pompone Imbricated, Dwaif Pyramidal Bouquet, 

 Dwarf Chrysanthemum-flowered, and Miniature Bouquet. 

 Three Best 7w7u?.5;— Reid's Improved Quilled, Truffaut's Perfec- 

 tion P^ony-flowered, and Dwarf Chrysanthemum-flowered. 



Stocks. — Large-flowering German Ten-week, and Pyramidal 

 Large-flowering Ten-week. 



Phlox Drummondi in variety, along with Stocks and Asters, 

 is invaluable for cut flowers, and no plants afford so fine a dis- 

 play as these when in full bloom. They furnish nearly every 

 shade of colour. 



TWELVE HALF-HABDT ANNUALS. 



SlnriRoM, French, vnriowg, IJ foot. 

 Tugotes signata pumila, orange, 



1 foot. 



•Venidium calcndulaceum, orange 



yellow, 1 foot. 

 Zinnia elegans, doublo, rarioas, 



2 feet. 



Calceolaria scabiosiefolia, yellow, 



2 feet. 

 Alousoa Warscewiczii compacta, 



scarlet, 1 foot. 



•Petunia hvbrida (perennial) vara*, 

 li loot. 

 Schizanth.us Grahami, red and 

 ornnge. 2 feet. 



•Lobelia erinus speciosa (a peren- 

 nial), blue, ^ foot. 



•Heliophila arnboides, blue. ^ foot. 



•Abronia umbellata, rosy lilac, 



trailer. 

 Ageratum mexicanum CEemleiun, 

 blue, l\ foot. 



TWENTY-FOUn HALF-HARDY ANNUALS. 



The pvcceding twelve. 

 Salvi;i Rcemcriaua, scarlet, 1 foot. 

 •Lobelia gracilis rosea, rose, i foot. 

 •Brachycome iberidifoiia, blue, 1 ft. 

 Datura chlorantha, double, yellow, 



3 feet. 

 Marigold, Africaii, yellow and 



orange, 2 feet. 

 Salpiglossis, mixed, 2 feet. 



Salpiglossia, Dwarf. 1 foot. 

 Martynia frngrans, purple, 2 feet. 

 •Oxalis rosea, rose, 1 foot. 

 •Nemesia coinpneta, blue, i foot. 

 Schizanthtis retusus, scarlet and 



orange, 2 feet. 

 Portulaca grandiflora, doublet 

 Tarious, \ foot. 



HALF-HARDY EVERLASTINGS. 



Acroclinium rosenm, rose, I foot. 



roseum lilbum, white, 1 foot. 

 Helipternm corymbiflorum, white, 



I foot 

 Snudf( 



jforili, yellow, -J foot. 



Pihodanthe maculata, pink, yellow, 



and crimson, ll foot. 



HALF-HARDY PLANTS WITH 



(Anniial^f, or Perennials provinff 



Perillanrtnkinensi.=;, purple foliage, 



1^ to 2 feet. 

 Amarnnthus melancholicus ruber, 



blood-red foliage, 1^ to 2 ft. 

 Oxalia tropieoloides i O. cornicu- 



lata rubra), dark bronzy 



folinge, h foot. 

 Salvia argtntea, silvery foliage, 



2 feet 

 Marvel of Peru, Gold-striped, 2 ft. 

 Cineraria maritima, silverj* fo- 

 liage, li foot. 

 Solannm texanum, scarlet fruit, 



2 feet. 

 Canna indica aurea vittata, golden 



flowers, 4 feet, 

 superba, scarlet, 3 feet. 



Rhodanthe maculata alba, white, 

 U foot, 

 maculata atrosanguinea, ciini' 



son, 1^ foot. 

 Manglesii, rose and white, 1 ft. 

 Waitzia coiymbosa, white and 

 amaranth, 1 foot, 

 acuminata, yellow, 1^ foot. 



ORNAMENTAL FOLIAGE. 



elective in the first season.) 



Canna Warscewiczii, Ptriped, 4 ft. 

 Sellowii, scarlet, 4 feet, 

 bicolor, red and yellow, 2 feet. 

 Fintelraanni, yellow, 3 feet, 

 nepalensis, yellow, 3 feet, 

 pigantea, red and yellow. 7 feet. 

 Ricinus borbonensis, large foliage, 



6 feet, 

 lividus, green fruit, red stems, 



6 feet, 

 macrocai-pus, whitish foliage, 



6 feet, 

 roseus superbus, rose-coloured 



fruit, 6 feet. 

 Panguineus, red foliage, 5 feet. 

 viridis spinosus, green spiny 



fmit, 3 feet. 

 Zea japonica, striped leaves, 6 ft. 



HARDY ANNUALS. — SELECTION OF TWELVE. 



Caudytuft, dark crimson, 1 foot. 



White Rocket, 1 foot. 

 Alyssum mrtritimum, white, X ft. 

 Leptosiphon densiflorus, purple, 



1 foot. 

 Tvop:eolum Tom Thumb, Crystal 



Palace Gem, sulphur, dark 



spots, 1 foot. 

 Prince's Feather, crimson, 2 feet. 



*Clai-kiaintegripetala, double, rose, 

 1^ foot 

 integi'ipetala marginata, rose 

 and white, lA foot. 

 *Nemopbila insigiiis, blue, A foot. 

 Linum grandifiorum roccineum 

 (rubrum), scarlet, crimson 

 centre. 1 foot. 

 'Saponaria calabrica, rose, J foot. 

 Mignonette, Large-flowering, l|ft. 



SELECTION OF TWENTY-FOUR. 



The above, 



Virginian stock, red, i foot. 



Silene pendula. 



Helichrysum monstrosum,varioug, 



i foot. 

 Calliopsis coronata, yellow spotted 



2 feet. 

 Centaurea cyanus minor, various, 



1 foot. 



Erj'simum Perofi'tkianum, orange, 



Ig foot. 

 Scabious, dwarf, scarlet, 1 foot. 

 Seiiecio elegans, double vars., J ft. 

 Larkspur, branching vars,, 2 feet. 

 Centranthu'^ macrosiphon, red, 1 ft. 

 Poppy, dwarf French, vars., 1 foot. 

 Lupiuus uauus, blue and white, 



1 foot. 



SELECTION OF FIFTY. 



The preceding twenty-four. 

 Chrysanthemum cnronarium, dbl., 

 white, 25 feet 

 yellow, 2^, feet 



carinatum, yellow, white, and 

 black, 1^ foot. 

 CalUopsis marmorata nana, mar- 

 bled, 1 foot 

 Cacalia eoccinea, scarlet, 1^ foot. 

 *Clarkifl pulchella, double, rose, 

 1^ foot. 



* pulchella nana alba, white, 1 ft. 



* elegans rosea, double, rose, 



n foot. 

 Kaulfussia amelloides. blue, 5 ft. 

 Efichscholtzia californica, yellow, 



1 foot. 

 Calendula Pongei, double white, 



1{ foot. 

 Collinsia bicolor, purple and 



white. 



♦Convolvulus minor splendens, 



durk violet, 1 foot. 



Lupinus subcarnosus, blue, l.J ft. 



*CEnothera bistorta Veitchi, yellow, 



crimson spot, 1 foot. 

 •Nolana atriplicifolia, blue, white, 

 and yellow, 1 foot. 

 Tropmolnm Tom Thumb, Beauty, 

 or;inge spotted, 1 foot. 

 Tom Thumb Scarlet, 1 foot. 

 Whitlavia grandiflora, violet, 1 ft. 

 •Viscaria splendens, scarlet, 1 foot, 

 Delphinium cardiopetalon, blue. 

 1 foot 

 •Gilia rosea splendens, rose, 1 foot. 

 Invincible Scarlet Sweet Pea. 

 •Venus's Looking Glass, blue, ^ ft, 

 •Sanvitalia procumbens, double, 



yellow, ^ foot. 

 •Godetia roseo-alba, Tom Thumb| 

 roae and white, 1 foot. 



