Dooombor 10, isefj. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUUE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



139 



Dark Perpetnals appear to bear seed more freely than the 

 light kiudB. The very hot Kuinmer of IHIO, protluceit a LirRe 

 harvest of Koee seed, and I have now before me n memorandum 

 of the varieties, forty of tliem, anioiif; which 1 see nine were 

 Hybrid Perpetuals, at the head of which stand Madame 

 LaUay, Mrs. Elliott, La Koine; seventeen Uoiirbons, and 

 fourteen Hybrid Bourbons, but fully three-fourths of these 

 have now passed away from our lists. 



In conolusiou, I would press on our French friends not to 

 grow any more reds or darks for us after the present season, 

 but devote their immediate and utmost attention to the pro- 

 duction of white-striped and yellow Perpetnals. I sincerely hope 

 they will take this advice, as they will Und it very profitable to 

 themselves and us. — Heney Cuhtis, Devon Jtoscnj, Torqnaij. 



ARRANGING AND PLANTING SHRUBS. 



{Continued from page 310.) 

 DECicnoTis shrubs ought not to be removed so early as ever- 

 greens ; their wood should be ripe, their growth at an cud, and 

 their leaves falling or fallen. From that time to the swelling of 

 the buds in spring is a good period for planting deciduous 

 shrubs, but the operation should be done in mild weather 

 only, and the earlier in autumn the better. Avoid planting 

 ■whilst the ground is a soapy mass, as it generally is for some 

 days after a thaw, and above all secure the shrubs from high 

 winds, for if they are moved to and fro the rooting is retarded, 

 whilst by securing the head the roots are maintained in the 

 position given them at planting, and the new fibres are then 

 not liable to be broken and destroyed. 



If planting is practised early in autumn or late in summer, 

 also late in spring, the shrubs should have a good watering 

 afterwards, and water may subsequently be given as required, 

 but not until the soil is becoming dry, for nothing so injuriously 

 affects the rooting of a shrub as saturating the soil with water. 

 Instead of watering newly-planted shrubs so frequently at the 

 roots, as is sometimes done, it would be far better to sprinkle 

 the head with water from an engine two or three times. So 

 long as the soil is moist, giving water, instead of promoting 

 the rooting, hinders it by causing the roots to imbibe water 

 through the cuts or broken portions, and then the waste by eva- 

 poration from the leaves is not so well restored as it would be 

 by sprinkling overhead. 



It is well not only to properly prepare ground for planting, 

 but to be careful in the selection of the shrubs. Some like 

 strong plants, and generally choose those which have made 

 good growths. Now this is a mistake. Strong growths are 

 one of the greatest evidences we have of the shrubs not having 

 been recently transplanted, and unless they have been, the 

 chance of successful removal is doubtful, and still more so 

 that of their growing well the first year. I am no advocate 

 for the planting of large shrubs at any time, and I would sub- 

 mit that unless they have been removed every second, or at 

 least every third year, the chances of their growing are small ; 

 and the same remarks apply to shrubs of less size. If the 

 shrubs have not been transplanted every two or three years, 

 have not had space allowed for their growth, so as to be sturdy 

 and well furnished, their roots are bad, long, and fibreless, and 

 such plants are not worth the trouble of planting. Years must 

 elapse before they attain a good size. No better criterion of 

 the value of the two kinds of plants can be had than their 

 commercial value : shrubs frequently transplanted and allowed 

 room to grow are worth twice as much in the market, and to 

 the planter they are the only ones worth his notice. 



The distances adopted in planting are determined by circum- 

 stances and the habit of the shrubs. If immediate effect is 

 wanted more must be planted than are intended to remain ; 

 but in this case, those which are to be permanent must be 

 planted in their proper places. Shrubs of spreading habit, 

 when planted for individual effect, should be allowed a distance 

 apart equal to the height they attain ; for groups of one 

 species, varieties of one species, or species of one genus, half 

 the height to which they grow will be suitable ; whilst shrubs 

 of upright growth, as the Irish Yew, may be planted no more 

 than half the height they will reach apart. Their distance 

 from the edge of the grass or walk should he half the height 

 they usually attain. Though immediate effect may have due 

 consideration, it is, nevertheless, desirable to place the per- 

 manent plants at once, and leave them to their proper growth. 

 In any case, the permanent specimens must have the first 

 consideration ; they must all be placed, and then the planter 



can fill up with such shrubs as may be removed with safety 

 when the permanent ones reipiiro tlie whole of the space. 



The tallost shruhs sh'juld be placed at the back of the bor- 

 ders, or in the centres of the ;;roup8 or masses, and the dwarfer 

 sorts in front; and however irregular in width the border or 

 mass may be, the same brcivdth of the dwarf-growing shrubs 

 must bo allowed the entire length of the border and all round 

 the masses. It is a prevailing fashion to border shrubberies 

 with flowering plants. This is productive of anything hut a 

 good effect. If the object wore producing a picturesque effect 

 by mixing trees, shrubs, and flowers indiscriminately together, 

 then the present general practice of fringing borders and 

 masses with flowering plants would ndiait of justification ; but 

 the shrubs being rival objects, and offering a great impediment 

 to the flowers arriving at perfection, they ought not to be 

 planted where these oljjeetions exist. Flowering plants — I mean 

 herbaceous plants — from the shade of the shrubs and the occu- 

 pation of the soil by their roots, do not nearly attain the per- 

 fection they are capable of, and they ought not to be planted 

 where they cannot attain it ; besides, the eSect of shrubs is 

 very different from that of herbaceous plants — distinct in ex- 

 pression, and they ought to be kept so. 



It now only remains to offer a hint as to the grouping of the 

 different shrubs. Mixed borders have always a motley appear- 

 ance, and are poor as compared with masses. I would, in all 

 cases where duplicates have to be planted, plant these together, 

 assorting them according to colour of foliage, of which there 

 are many shades, and of flowers, preserving lines or masses of 

 one colour with a view to harmony and contrast. — G. Aeeet. 



FERN FRONDS,' DISFIGUREI>„ 



On looking through the "Answers to Correspondents" 

 several replies will be observed, which seem to refer to the 

 above evil, suggesting that it is moot probably caused by the 

 thrips. This, however, I have unfortunately very strong reasons 

 for suspecting to be not the case, hut that instead of being due 

 to thrips it is owing to one of our more recently introduced 

 pests, which, I am afraid, will prove to be a far more formidable 

 enemy, as it does not seem disposed to succumb readily to any 

 of the ordinary means now in use. The little wretch in question 

 is a small white fly about the twelfth of an inch in length, and 

 during the summer may be observed sitting with its wingS- 

 folded over its body on the under side of the leaf. It has beeE> 

 known in our gardens for some years past, and is sometimeB 

 designated " the cloud fly " from its issuing in clouds from the 

 bushes when they are shaken. It was at first thought to be 

 harmless, but this was found to be a mistake, yet it appears to 

 have been only within the last few years that its depredations 

 have become so serious under glass. It has now disappeared for 

 the winter, hut when it first reappears in the spring it will then 

 be advisable to attempt some energetic measures lor its 

 suppression. 



An answer headed " Destroying White Fly " is given in 

 No. 345 of this Journal (vol. xiii., New Series) explaining the 

 escape of the insects from the effects of tobacco smoke, by falling 

 to the ground out of its influence, and suggesting a wet floor to 

 receive them ; but this latter is not always practicable. A good 

 plan where it can be done is to strew the floor with wet sawdust 

 or sand, then after smoking sweep it up, and burn it as speedily 

 as possible. I have found incessant syringing from an open 

 nozzle with the finfjer over it so as produce a fine but powerful 

 stream, have some effect in driving the insects away, and thus 

 lessening the mischief produced ; but this is weary work, and in 

 very damp weather not always desirable. It is to be hoped, 

 when attention has been drawn to the character of the pest, 

 that it will not be long before some easy and effectual means 

 will be found for its extermination. — W. Kencely BEiDOMiJJ. | 



CULTURE OF THE DOUBLE ITALIAN 

 TUBEROSE. 

 The Double Italian Tuberose (Poliantheg tnberosa floie- 

 pleno), is not very often cultivated ; in fact, it is a plant that 

 a great number of gardeners are unacquainted with, yet it ifi 

 worthy of cultivation for the sake of its delicionsly-scented white 

 flowers, which resemble in some degree those of the Stepha- 

 notis floribunda, if one could suppose a double variety of that 

 popular stove plant. The flowers of the Tuberose are arranged 

 in pairs on stalks from 3 to 5 feet long. Indeed, the long 

 flowerstalks are rather objectionable, and there are seldom 



