354 



JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTUSB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



I May 23, 1867. 



planted too near the base of a wall or fence, they do as well on 

 its east side, exposed to the morning sun, as on the west side 

 with the afternoon sun ; and they are not affected by any 

 ordinary vicissitude of our climate, if they have the shelter of 

 a wall, hed?e, or belt of trees, which, whilst it affords them 

 protection from wind and cold, is not so near as to deprive 

 them of the sun's rays, expose them to drip, or rob the soil 

 by roots extending into the border. 



The most suitable soil, being that in which a majority of the 

 species thrive best, is a good, moderately light, sandy loam, 

 from 18 inches to 2 feet in depth, and if there is a bed of gravel 

 beneath all the better. Any good ordinary soil will, however, 

 grow them well, but it must be well drained, and trenched to a 

 depth of not less than 2 feet. If it is heavy a quantity of old 

 mortar rubbish, sand, and cinders should be mixed with it; 

 whilst if it is of a very sandy nature a dressing of manure will be 

 advantageous. Many of the species, to succeed well, require a 

 particular description of soil, which is best afforded by filling the 

 holes with it at the time of planting. Some require calcareous 

 soil, which is best secured by mixing with the soil of the border, 

 at the places where they are to be planted, chalk broken rather 

 finely, or old mortar rubbish ; and in a similar manner peat, 

 grit, or sand shoidd be added as may be necessary. If the soil 

 of the border is altogether unsuitable to the particular plant, re- 

 move the soil and replace it with some of the proper kind. A 

 few species require very well-drained ground, and that should be 

 afforded by placing a one-foot layer of brickbats or stones be- 

 neath the soil at the spot which the plant is to occupy. Some 

 additional hints on soil will be given along with the names and 

 descriptions of the different plants. 



The planting of herbaceous plants is in a great measure 

 regulated by the height they attain. The tallest should be 

 placed in the back row, and others gradually diminishing in 

 height towards the front or walk, along which should be planted 

 the lowest growers, or those from 6 to 9 inches high, and not 

 exceeding a foot. Hardy perennials vary in height from 6 inches 

 to C feet or more : hence a border of them may contain as 

 many as six rows of plants, nnd the distance between the rows 

 and plants in each row should be equal to the full height of 

 the plant ; but as this would be too great a distance for the 

 toll and pyramidal kinds, unless some half-hardy plant, such 

 as Dahlias, were placed between them, they may, when the 

 ' habit of the plant will permit, be planted more closely together. 

 The plan which I as well as some others pursue, is to plant, at 

 C inches from the edging, and 1 foot apart, a line of clumps, 

 consisting of Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Crocuses, and Si- 

 berian Squills, being careful to mix the colours ; and as the 

 foliage decays in summer advantage is taken of this circum- 

 stance to sow a line of "Mignonette in April, which will take the 

 place of the spring plants in summer, and make a fragrant edging 

 to the border. The next row is 1 foot 6 inches from the edging, 

 and consists of early spring and summer flowering plants not 

 exceeding 1 foot in height. The third row is 18 inches from 

 the second, and consists of plants not more than 2 feet in 

 height, herbaceous P.-conies predominating. The fourth row 

 is 2 feet from the third, and consists of plants attaining a 

 height of 3 feet; the fifth row. 3 feet from the fourth, is for 

 those gi-owing 4 feet high ; and the sixth and last row, 4 feet 

 from the fifth, serves for the tallest-growing sorts. A border 

 .for perennials should therefore be 12 feet from the walk or 

 edging to the last row, and that should not be less than 3 feet 

 from the background, whether it be wall, hedge, or shrubs. 

 !Por borders of greater width I would not exceed the number of 

 lows, but allow more room between them, and plant a line 

 between eacli of hardy and half-hardy annuals. The borders, 

 of course, may be of any width, but the number of rows and 

 the distance from plant to plant should be proportionate to the 

 width of the border. 



The best times to plant herbaceous plants are from the third 

 week in September to the 1st of November, and from the 

 middle of March to June ; but preference should be given to 

 early spring planting. It should be done during showery 

 weather if possible, and yet it is far better performed when the 

 ground is dry than when it is wet and cold. If dry weather 

 set in after planting the plants should have a good watering at 

 the time, as well as occasional waterings afterwards. During 

 dry periods a good watering of the whole of the border will 

 encourage growth and prolong the flowering, one good soaking 

 being of greater service than a dozen sprinklings. 



As regards support, which some of the plants require, it should 

 be afforded early, and nothing is so good as iron stakes. These 

 should be of various sizes and heights — viz., 2 feet and 2 feet 



inches long, of quarter-inch wire ; 3 feet and 4 feet long, of 

 thrce-eighth-inch, and 5 and feet long, of halt-inch rod iron. 

 All should be pointed, and 1 foot of the lower part painted with 

 three coats of red-lead paint, the upper part receiving a priming 

 of red lead and two coats of green paint. These are the most 

 durable stakes that I have used. The next best are those made 

 of Pitch Pine, which, being straight, tough, and free from 

 knots, makes good stakes ; they should be varnished. The 

 canes of the Bamboo are also good, and so are rods of red deal, 

 the part thrust into the ground and 3 inches higher being 

 slightly charred over a wood fire, and whilst hot dipped to the 

 extent" charred in boiling coal tar. The upper part will of 

 course require to be painted green. 



The plants should be staked in good time, for it does more 

 harm than good to tie them up after they have fallen down and 

 rested on the ground. Those which have many small stems 

 should not be tied up like a sheaf of corn, but have three or 

 more stakes put in around them, and the tying material passed 

 round these, so that the stems may rest against it. Plants 

 with strong stems should have a stake to each, and in all cases 

 they should be tied loosely, at least until they have attained 

 their full growth. More than two or three stems should never 

 be tied to one stake, and anything like a bundle should be 

 avoided, as it destroys the effect and impairs the blooming 

 qualities of the plant. The plants should be gone over every 

 week or ten days, in order that all those requiring it may ba 

 staked or tied before they are damaged by wind. 



The border will require attention as regards weeding, and 

 should be frequently hoed and gone over to remove decayed 

 foliage. If any troublesome-rooted weed, such as Dandelion or 

 Couch grass, make its appearance it should be forked out, and 

 if it has found its way amongst the roots of the plants a dnpli- 

 cate of the species or variety should be obtained and the plant 

 taken up and freed of the roots of the weeds. In autumn as 

 the foliage decays the plants should be cut off close to the 

 ground, but not until their tops are quite lifeless. From any 

 of the evergreen species having the foliage injured by frost the 

 dead part should not be removed, as its remaining over the 

 winter will serve as a sort of protection to the crowns from frost. 



Early in October, during mild dry weather, the border should 

 have a general trimming. All plants that have grown too large 

 should be reduced in size unless wanted for propagation, in 

 which case it will be best to take them up and divide them. 

 Any that have raised themselves out of the ground so as to ex- 

 pose their roots, as is often the case with Primroses, Auri- 

 culas, itc, should be taken up and planted deeper in the soil. 

 The evergreen kinds should not be disturbed in autumn but 

 may be lifted in spring, and if necessary divided then, always 

 provided it is not their season for flowering. The herbaceous 

 and bulbous plants are best divided in autumn, as if it is done 

 in spring when they are recommencing growth they are con- 

 siderably weakened for the season's bloom. Towards the end 

 of November a mulching of leaf mould from 1 to 3 inches thick 

 should be applied, a peg of heart of oak, 1 inch square and 

 15 inches long, being placed by each of the bulbous and herba- 

 ceous plants to show their positions when the borders are being 

 dressed in spring. Early in March the ground around the 

 plants should te broken fine with a steel fork, and if the soil is 

 heavy it should likewise be forked up in autumn before mulch- 

 ing it with leaf mould. The mulching should not be placed 

 over the evergreen species, but be put closely around them. The 

 bulbous and deciduous plants may be covered. — G. Abbey. 

 (To be continued.) 



HOEING AND STIRRING THE SOILS SURFACE. 



I OBSERVE in the Journal every week, in " Work for the Week" 

 great stress is laid on the importance of constant hoeing in the 

 kitchen garden. Whenever I try to impress this on any of my 

 neighbours, they object to it as " letting in the drought" aiid 

 say that except "to destroy weeds, the less light land is hoed in 

 summer, the better. 



Our land is a light very sandy soil. Do you think it correct 

 to keep the surface of such soil constantly open ? Would it be 

 better to keep the surface firm as my neighbours advise?— -A 

 SiTFoLK Subscriber. 



[ Beyond a doubt, the best practice is to keep the surface of 

 the soil loose, whether that soil be light or heavy. The follow- 

 ing extract from "Johnson's Science and Practice of Gardening" 

 explains why the practice is beneficial : — " Hoeing is beneficial 

 in consequence of its loosening the soil, as much, or more, as 



