3i2 



JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ Koyomljer 5, 1868. 



could for them to no purpose, yet all the arguments in tbe world 

 couli not convince bis master of the impossibility of flower- 

 ing them in a shady place. Then there is Sir Simon here, he 

 thinks rather too much about his plants, for nearly every day 

 he goes round the houses looking over his plants and counting 

 them up, and saying, ' I cannot tell how it is, Charles, but some 

 or others of your plants always look as if they were doing 

 nothing. And what has become of the White Camellia I bought 

 last year? And where is that Tetratheca verticillata my wife 

 admires so much, with its flax -like flowers? And what is the 

 matter with those Azaleas, are you going to let them die ? Or 

 so and so are poor miserable objects, I would turn them out ? ' 

 But it is of no use. Will, bothering you with troubles you cannot 

 understand, little things not worth noticing, yet many a night 

 ■when I lock up, I think I will look out for keys that turn more 

 easily. Still, somehow or other, a gardener becomes attached 

 to the shrubs and plants he has cultivated, and the old Chest- 

 nut tree that has shaded him from the summer heat, though 

 it be poor and thin of foliage, he likes better than any other. 

 So he works on trying to make the best of his circumstances." 



" It appears, Charles, that all conditions of life have their 

 dark side." 



" Yes, but after all, a gardener, if he is wise, keeps the dark 

 one to himself and a bright one turned ever to face the world." 

 — Maud. 



RESULTS FROM THE PAST SUMIIER. 



I WISH to record some of my own experience diuing the past 

 season. 



Beginning with scarlet Pelargoniums, among all that I could 

 enumerate none has done Letter service than Tom Thumb. 

 In large beds it has made a fine display. Planted out early in 

 ilay in deep well-prepared beds, and with no water afterwards, 

 the plants grew well, tilled the beds early in the season, and 

 ■were a mass of bloom throughout the dry weather until the 

 frost in October put an end to them. There are many useful 

 scarlet Pelargoniums for bedding purposes, but I like Tom 

 Thumb the best. 



Yellow Calceolarias that have become so unmanageable on 

 account of the disease to which they are subject, have done 

 ■well with us, and others in this neighbourhood. They have 

 been free both from the disease and aphis. In my own case I 

 attribute their success to deep cultivation and a cool bottom. 

 If we can keep the Calceolaria free from enemies, I can find no 

 yellow bedding plant to equal it in effect. Though there are 

 in cultivation many other yellow-flowered plants good iu their 

 way, I am inclined to believe we siall be some time ere we 

 meet with a belter subject in nkiKnl hands than Calceolaria 

 Aurea floribunda. Amongft the criasou varieties, I have met 

 with nothing to equal Victor Emmanuel when well grown ; it 

 is just as ifl'ective in its colour as Aurea floribunda. I like 

 decided colours. 



Centauiea candidissima during fiie past season has been one 

 of the most effective white-foliaged bedding plants I have had, 

 and it stands very high in my estimation for all decorative 

 purposes. The late dry season has brought the white-foliaged 

 plants to perfection. 



Lobelia Paxtonii has been a gem this season, as well as 

 many others too numerous to mention. Gold-edged Pelargo- 

 niums have done us good service this season, and are worthy 

 of more extensive cultivation. One of the most useful plants 

 we have grown is Oxalis tropaoloides, producing a pleasing com- 

 bination with almost any colour. It is of very dwarf habit and 

 an annual, and may eitier be raised in pots or sown where it 

 is intended to remain. It is a very desirable plant for dwarf 

 edgings either for beds or borders. In white-edged Pelargo- 

 niums, Bijou has the preference with me ; we have had nothing 

 which could compare with it this season. Planted out in May, 

 and receiving no water but that which the plants had from the 

 heavens, they have far surpassed my expectation, putting 

 Flower of the Day and many others quite in the shade. Brewer's 

 Silver-edged and Mangles's are very useful for covering large 

 spaces. 



In the Tricolor class of Pelargoniums, Mrs. Pollock and 

 Sunset have outshone all others. Many who have seen them 

 in masses and in contrast have exclaimed, " We have not many 

 to beat them yet." They produce a fine effect with Perilla 

 nankinensis and blue Lobelia. Burning Bush has been re- 

 markably fine, and others of the same strain are very useful in 

 many respects for contrast. Being of slow growth, they require 

 planting thickly to make them eff'ective. 



Tagetes pumila is very useful, and has been very fine with 



us, no doubt owing to the heat and drought. Brachycoma 

 iberidifulia has done well as a blue bedding plant ; it may 

 either be prepared in pots or sown where it is to remain, it has 

 done well in both ways. Phlox Drummondi, both selected and 

 mixed, has been very fine. Atriplex hortensis rubra has 

 answered well for bedding where kept pegged down and pinched. 

 It makes a good contrast with many other plants ; but I have 

 not as yet met with a plant of its class to equal for all purposes 

 Perilla nankinensis in our exposed and windy locality. Beet, 

 that we hear so much about for decorative purposes, I have 

 not tried. Here I must confess that a prejudice against it has 

 taken possession of my mind. I like to see good Beet in the 

 kitchen garden, and hope to grow it there for some time. 



Fine-foliaged plants, such as Coleus, Amaranthus, and other 

 tender subjects for flower-garden decoration, will not bear oui 

 northern climate ; therefore we are obliged to content ourselves 

 with those of more robust constitution. 



Ageratums, Heliotropes, Variegated Alyssums and Arabis, 

 Fuchsias, Salvias, and many others have done us good service. 

 Verbenas, considering the season, have been very fine, and 

 none has been more prominent than Foxhnnter, Mrs. Holford, 

 and Purple King, 



Viola montana has done well, but its undecided colour is a 

 great drawback. If it cuuld be improved in colour and the 

 lower petal obtained like the upper petals, I should like it much 

 better. My opinion of it at present is, that it is a good ribbon 

 plant whicli wants to be seen at a short distance, and contrasted 

 with other plants of opposite colours ; then it will pass muster. 

 It is a free-growing and free-flowering plant, and continues 

 long in flower, but will not bear close inspection. I think the 

 herbaceous border or rockery is the best place for it. 



Viola lutea has done well, but at best it is but a moderate 

 plant for flower-garden purposes — it looks common. Perhaps 

 this may arise from seeing its type so plentiful in many corn 

 fields. I like it best on the rockery. 



Bellis aucuba;foIia is very fine iu a damp bed or border, but 

 it cannot bear drought. Bambusa Fortuni is rather pretty foi 

 dwarf edgings. Uactylis glomerata variegata is a plant that 

 appears to do well iu almost any situation, and is very effective. 

 Poa trivialis variegata has not succeeded so well as I could 

 have wished. Perhaps the season has had some effect on it. 

 Golden Feather Pyrethrum is a very effective plant for bedding, 

 or as an edging, doing good service everywhere. Lamium 

 aureum I think will prove useful for bedding, but I have not 

 had sulficient experience to speak of its merits as yet. Lonicera 

 aureo-reticulata trained as an edging is very fine, and ought to 

 bo more frequently met with than it is at present, especially 

 in exposed situations. Some of the variegated Ivies are well 

 adapted for the same purpose. 



I do not know whether the variegated variety of the common 

 Thyme is used much as an edging plant, but I am of opinion 

 that it might prove very effective in many places, being of easy 

 culture. It might vie with many plants at present in use. I 

 find it very useful. Its hardiness is one of its chief recom- 

 mendations. Farfugium grande does well in moist sheltered 

 situations. Polemouium ceruleum variegatum is really a first- 

 rate plant for decorative purposes, and is worthy of very exten- 

 sive cultivation, being hardy. When better known I have no 

 doubt it will become a general favourite. Portulacas have 

 been remarkably fine with us this season. Beautiful as they 

 all are, I give the preference to P. Thellusoni. They do well 

 in light sandy soil, and may be raised in pots or sown early in 

 summer where they are to remain. The Cupheas are plants 

 that succeed well here and resist the weather well. Nierem- 

 bergia gracilis makes a good edging and does well with us. — 

 M. H., Acldam Hall, MiddUshorougli-on-Tees. 



POMOLOGiaVIi GLEANINGS. 



We have received a Seedling Apple from Mr. William Pa^ul, 

 raised from the Fair Maid of Taunton fertilised with Brough- 

 ton. It is far larger than either of its parents, and, judging 

 from the specimen sent, is of the size and shape of a large 

 lemon, h.aving the same swelling at the stalk as that fruit; 

 but ihe colour is entirely of a beautiful pale salmon streaked 

 all over longitudinally with broad lines and broken streaks of 

 deep crimson. The eye is small and slightly sunk. The flesh 

 yellowish, tender, juicy, sweet, and well-flavoured. It is a 

 handsome fruit, and would be highly ornamental in a dessert. 



Mp.. Wells, of Southend, has sent us a fine Black 



Hamburgli Vine in a pot, the cane of which is 7 feet long, and 

 bearing nine large bunches. This Vine was grown in one of the 



