Pobruary 23, 1877. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



143 



dalons branches (from 2 to 3 feet long), wben coverocl with 

 flowers, renders it useful for various de<!oratiYa purposes. 

 TarniDg out of the conservatory we passed dowu a flight of 

 Btono a'ep-s iuto aaother floscor garden, which Mr. Simpson 

 informed me was generally filled with succulents during the 

 summer. It had a fountain in the centre, and was bounded 

 by Ivy, rockwork, and evergreens. 



It is no mere compliment to say that the good keeping of 

 the place reflected the greatest credit on Mr. Simpson, for iu 

 each department there was the manifestation of superior skill. 

 I am indebted to him for his courteey in enabling me to see 

 the many interesting objects abo&uling on this extensive 

 domain. — Q. K. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



As was stated iu " Notts and Gleanings " on page 103, many 

 mistakes are made by planting largG-gro\\ing Conifers wht-vc 

 there is no room for them to dcvelope. Doubtless those who 

 pUnt them have reajon to admire tbem for the first few 

 years, after which the mistake becomes more apparent, and 

 the great dillituilty aiisej as to which ought to be sacrificed, 

 and many times none are thinned-out, but they are left to grow 

 one into the other, deteriorating in beauty every year. I sub- 

 mit that nine times ont of ten the fault ia that of planting too ■ 

 thickly, and then not watchiog the growth of the shrubs Rutfi- 

 cieutly close and tbiuuiug them out at the proper time. If t'le 

 shrubs are left to become injured t'aey are cot easily remedied. 



I dislike to tee Deodars and o her similar commanding 

 Conifers pressed into a limited space where tbeir true character 

 and beauty cannot bo attained ; rather would I see small com- 

 pact-growing shrubs planted, which would be more suitable to 

 the limited space, and would increase in beauty year hf cer year. 

 The little lawns are then well kept in view, and the gr iceful 

 carves by the paths an well maintiined, and the bacligrouud so 

 prominently kept in sight that the cbaoge in the foliage is seen 

 to perfection. I like to see a handsome Deodar standing in the 

 centre of a circular lawn of moderate size, with sutlicieut scope 

 of grass round it to show it off to advantage, while other parts 

 may be planted with Cupressns Lawsoniana and others of a 

 similar growth. Cryptoaieria elegaos is a grand Conifer to grow 

 as a single specimen ; while there is Jnniperus virginiana, J.ex- 

 celaa and J. chinensis, as well as J. ericoides, one of the prettiest 

 and most compact; while among d.varfer growers there is J. re- 

 cirva and J. densa, while Abies pygmfes, a very pretty dwatf 

 grower and almost an undershnib, but it looks well by itself. 

 Thujas, too, always commend themselves to auy villa residence 

 with small private gronnds. Next we come to the common 

 Yew, Taxus baccata, sad the golden variety, wbii^h really look 

 hindsome by themselves and are easily kept within bounds, 

 Irish Yews take np little room, but when well grown they are 

 handsome sprenians, while as affording contrast is the Swiss 

 Jnniper, erect yet compact growth, and always looks well. 



It will bo seen by the above that there ia plenty of choice 

 among dwarf or small-growing Conifers to tatiafy anyone, aud 

 those named will grow in towns as well as in the suburbs. 

 Those who need dwarfer plants still mny plant the common 

 Savin, Jnniperns sabina, also J. tamariscifolia, both very pretty 

 at all times. 



I will mw mention a few shrubs as commendable for villa 

 gardens. One of the best is the vaiiegated Ancaba, a generil 

 tavouriti in all towns. The Laarnstinus, too, must not be for- 

 gotten; gold, silver, and plain Hollies must be included in the 

 list as fumous town plants. Several varieties of evergreen 

 Berberises, such as B. Darwinii, B. dalcis, and B. japonica are 

 all suitable. The Arbutus, too, sometimes doea well, not for 

 getting the Sweet B-iy and the variegated and green Box. The 

 dark foliage of the I'hillyrea alvays looks well, and it is also a 

 robr.st shrub, doing well iu towns. Ttie common and Poitiigol 

 Laurels may well be mixed among them. Tbe EuonymuE — - 

 the green, silver, and golden-leaved varieties — are handsome 

 shrubs fir town gardens. 



With the above and a few deciduous plants mixed np with 

 them, such as the large-flowering aud Persian Lilacs, some of 

 the Acacias and Maples of the variegated kind, the red Dogwood, 

 tbe white and pink flowering Thorrs, wi'h here and there a 

 plant of Y'ucoa gloriosa, all judiciously planted and tbe colours 

 blended together, an effect would be produced that would be 

 at once cheerful and ought to satisfy the moat fastidious. — 

 TuoM.is Recorii. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



KITCHEN O.IKDEN". 



We have been forking over some of the ground that wis dug 

 or tieached in the autumn iu order to get in the spring crops. 

 It is very wet, indeed wetter than we cv^^r remember to have 

 Been it before at this period of the year. When our light soil is 



in this state what can be said of wet districts where tire soil ia 

 heavy? Even i£ sefds are of the very best quality, it ia more 

 than probable that a large portion of them will be destroyed by 

 the wet cold soils. In large gardens, or even gardens that aie 

 not large, there is always refuse loam which accumulates from 

 various sources, such as spent soil shaken from the roots of 

 bedding plants which have been transferred from cutting-boxes 

 to pots or other boxes, the surface of Vine or Peach bordera, or 

 the old soil of Cucumbers or Melons. If this is kept under 

 cover and sifted it is of great value iu auoh a season as this; 

 a little of it under and over the seeds will make all the differ- 

 ence between perhaps no growth at all and a healthy lot of 

 young seedlings. Tbe seeds ought to have been brought iu long 

 before this time, but many delay purchasing until the feeds are 

 required for sowing, and tbeu grumble if tho seedsmen cannot 

 supply them at a few hours' notice. For our own part we order 

 early, aud take care not only to order from a good house, but 

 also give the beat price ; bad seeds are not worth having at any 

 price. Some amateurs and yonng gardeners are also apt ti ruu 

 after novelties to the exclusion of other proved sorts. Now it 

 is quit^ right to try as many new varieties of plants or vege- 

 tables aa one can find room for, but it is not wise to trust 

 entirely to them. Those varieties which have done us good 

 servico must be retained until we are quite certain that the new 

 varieties are better than the old. 



Wo have siwn Early Scarlet Horn Carrots, Hicks' Hardy 

 White Lettuce, and the oliva-shape 1 breakfast Radish u der tbe 

 ground vineries. It would have heen useless sowing iu tbe 

 ordinary soil, but tbe fine dry refuse loam, &c , was valuable 

 for covering the seeds. We also planted out the Cauliflower 

 plants which have been preservnl in cold frames during the 

 winter; thej' have growu so much, even with the lights off 

 night and day, that it was certainly better to plant them out . 

 Ttie weather may change speedily to froat, and perhaps cold 

 eist winds will try the plants very much ; but they have beeu 

 planted iu drills, and if uecesFary some manure laid over tho 

 surfice of the ground will keep tbem safe from injury. 



It will now be comparatively e-asy to keep-up a supply of 

 forced vegetables in succession to those that are now going off. 

 Asparagus roots put in a little heut will soon grow up aud be 

 ready for use. Seakale may readily be fu-ced by placing blanch- 

 ing pots or boxes over the roots, aid enough manure or leaves 

 to cause a gentle heat. Succession pots of Dwatf Kidney Btar.s 

 can be brought on rapidly in any house, but they are better 

 when the p its can be placed near tho glass, as the stems are apt 

 to draw up leggy in the early stages of the plant's growth. They 

 like rich soil composed of good loam and a little decayed 

 manure. The leaves suffer much from tho altacka of red spider 

 and thrips, but spider will not bs likely to gain a foothold upnn 

 them if they are frequently syringed with tepid water and they 

 do not suffer for want of water at the roots. If plants are well 

 attended to with water and judicious air-giving they are mt 

 so apt to suffer from insect pests aa are those which are badly 

 cultivated. 



VINEUIES. 



The late houses have been made ready for forcing in the way 

 that has been already recommended. At many places the fruit 

 is not keeping very well, it could hatdly be expected to dj so 

 after so much wet and muggy weather,' We are now reduced 

 to Lady Downe's Seedling, which have now been cut for t vo 

 months nearly, and the stalks put in bottles of wa'er. Afew 

 berries have become mouldy, but the^e are promptly removed. 

 The largest proportion cf the bunches are almost in aa good 

 condition as on the day they were cut, the berries are plump 

 and the foolstalka quite green. 



There is now considerable improvement in the early honaes. 

 When it was observed that the buds did not start freely they 

 were not forced into growth. Now that the Vines show signs of 

 vigorous development the temperature at night of the Ilam- 

 liurgh house is 65'^, aud that of the Muscat house 70°, with a 

 proportionate rise by day. There ia now plenty ot work tying- 

 d iwn and stopping the lateral growths, llxcept the leaders tho 

 other growths are stopped two leaves beyond the bunches. Wo 

 are very careful with the tyiog-down ; it doea not answer to pull 

 the strong rapid. growing sbooti too much down at one time, 

 as they are apt to snap either at the time of tying or afterwards. 

 The Eeedlings raised by Mr. W. Thomson, also Canon Hall 

 Muscat, have very strong yonng wood and require greater care 

 than most other varieties. With increased warmth more mois- 

 ture is required in the atmosphere ; tho evaporatinj: troughs are 

 kept full of v.ater, and in bright sucsbire tbe walls and paths 

 of the house are sprinkled with water two fu* three times a-day. 

 We have placed fermenting materi.il (stable manure), in the 

 earlieet housei, but when the souug leavis appear it is very 

 dangerous to allow even a small portion of rank steam in the 

 house, as the leaves might be destroyed thereby, or at least 

 suffer considerable injury. Those who have berries ready for 

 thinning ought to lose no time in attending to it. One who has 

 had sufficient practice iu this work can thin-out a sufficient 

 number of berries all at once. It ia not possible to do the work 



