September 11, 1666. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



203 



Whether lie accomplish the object by crossing with some exist- 

 ing garden ornament, or by improving them, must, be left to the 

 skill of the operator, subject of oourse to such natural laws as 

 cannot be overstepped. However, I trust that these Geraniums 

 will in some way be made USB of, ami 1 have more hopes of 

 seeing a blue Geranium than a yellow one, although the latter 

 has the start, and already has a representative by name. 

 Perhaps other species of Geranium may also be the subjects 

 of experiment. I think some one ought to take a step out of 

 the beaten track ; the breeding-in-and-in system has continued 

 so long that great advances can hardly be looked for ; but a 

 new field presents itself in the way here indicated, and I trust 

 that experiments will result in something entirely different 

 from what we now possess. 



Apart from tho above, but, nevertheless, recommended as a 

 useful auxiliary to the Bower garden, is Viola cornuta, respect- 

 ing which Mr. Wills invites opinions. Unfortunately, I can- 

 not on my experience give so decided an opinion as I would 

 like, for having unfortunately planted it in a situation to which 

 rabbits had access, they have eaten off all tho flowers, or shoots 

 that would have, produced bloom. I can therefore only give 

 my opinion as to its habit, which is all tbat can be desired, and 

 the plant seems as easy of culture as the Cerastium. If it 

 should prove as free a bloomer as it is good in habit, it will be 

 a great boon to the numerous class of flowor gardeners, who 

 have already overcharged their means of keeping tender plants 

 during the long winter months, and who will gladly accept a 

 plant that requires so little looking after as this Viola. Its 

 flowering capabilities, however, must decide its merits, and for 

 the reasons above given I am, unfortunately, unable to say 

 anything about the plant in that respect. — J. Robson. 



If I recollect aright, this Lobelia when first sent out was 

 described as equal to Lobelia speciosa, but Sir. Drabble has 

 given its true character. I have tried it this summer, fortu- 

 nately on a limited scale, and I have seen it in several other 

 places under more or less favourable circumstances, and in 

 every case it has been condemned. It does not approach 

 Lobelia speciosa either in habit or bloom. It seems to be of 

 the Ramosa race, is of a thin upright habit, a spare bloomer, 

 and when seen at its best has a dirty shabby appearance. 

 Where its colour is an object, I do not think any one will use 

 it in future wlro can procure either Alyssum or Cerastium, 

 which are infinitely superior to it as bedders. — J. S. Wortley. 



MANURING FOR STRAWBERRIES. 

 In reply to your correspondent " Agnes," as to whether 

 Strawberries like manure or not, perhaps I may be allowed to 

 give my opinion on the subjeet. Certainly they do like ma- 

 nure, and plenty of it too, if it only be of the right sort, but 

 formerly it was, I believe, thought a mistake to give them 

 manure at all, for I well remember when I first had to do with 

 Strawberry planting, that the only manuring the land received 

 previous to planting, was a good dressing with some of the 

 strongest clay we could procure, and that was the best way 



to obtain a crop of fruit on that land, as it was a very light 

 peaty soil. 1 have now proved that on any still soil (such 

 as I havo to deal with), Strawberries will be all the better if the 

 soil is well manured in addition to being very deeply trenched, 

 for the land which 1 planted last season received a dressing 

 of thoroughly rotten cowdung, such as I nover saw laid on, 

 land for any crop. Tho result was that the plants this sum- 

 mer produced a "crop of fruit far surpassirJi ,r saw 

 here or elsewhere, for sizo, quantity, and quality, "and they did 

 not suffor in the least from drought. I havo' no doubt'that 

 this was owing to deep trenohingand tho good manure. Cow- 

 nianure is, I think, far better than horse-manuro, as the latter 

 tends to make the ground light, and I am convinced that it 

 cannot be kept too firm and solid, for heavy as my soil is, I 

 always give it a good treading prior to putting in the young 

 plants. 



I am glad to notice that Mr. Keane recommends a similar 

 method of planting. — W. Lawbensoh. 



LOBELIA SNOWFLAKE. 



In reply to a letter published in TnE Journal of Horticul- 

 tup.f. of August '28th, respecting the failure of Lobelia Snow- 

 flake, I now write to say that it was planted in our garden 

 round Cerise Unique Pelargonium, but by its bad form of 

 growth it completely spoiled the look of the border. I should 

 be glad to know of any free-blooming white flower, suitable for 

 an edging in a summer garden, white-leaved and variegated 

 plants not answering the purpose. — L. H. M., Pule Bill, near 

 Uxbridge. 



I have grown the above Lobelia, and as far as my experience 

 goes i; has proved a failure for bedding-purposes. With me 

 it grows too tall — in many instances 18 inches high, and its 

 flowers being on slender footstalks fall with the first shower, 

 never to rise again. It is not a free bloomer, and the seed- 

 pods are so large as to make it an unsightly object. I have 

 proved it to be a good pot plant. I intend to try it from cut- 

 tings if possible, in order to keep it dwarfer and to make it 

 flower more freely. Unlike your correspondent Mr. Drabble, 

 I have not found it liable to die off ; on the contrary, it is too 

 free in growth. — Thomas Record, Hawkhurst, Kent. 



EFFECTUAL THOUGH ECCENTRIC. 



" A Correspondent," probably a schoolmaster, writes to us 

 thus — 



"I have no fault to find with the working abilities of a 

 jobbing gardener whom I employ, but I do complain of his 

 orthography, notation, and making a hoe an interjection ! For 

 a week's work, some Lobelias, and his boy's help, he charged 

 22s. after this fashion — 



" Wun wick 51 



Lubbeelers G 



Sun's ohiu^ 2 



We sympathise with our correspondent, but his pain may be 

 assuaged by finding that another gentleman, an American, had 

 his love of the correct still more grossly outraged by the follow- 

 ing account being sent to him : — 



" aosafada 1 50 



atacinonimomagiii 50 



P.ule, Josef Ju\n 2 00 



" The items of that bill are not apothecaries' articles, as 

 might be supposed ; but merely, ' A horse half a day and a 

 taking of him home again. ' " 



The correspondent we have quoted from, concludes with this 

 backhander to parochial seminaries : " My ma* was a national 

 school scholar." The 1 nly just inference'from the facts is, he 

 did not make good use of his advantage. Not so, a co-labourer, 

 who is said to have sent the following to his employer : — 



lirautbimi, October 5. 



Mr. W- 



To W. W- 



Fivo days work nt digging Docks, 

 Pileing Bean stalks into corks, 

 Drawing Leeks and trimming ditto, 

 (Easy work tbat I could sit to;, 

 Hugging Carrot tops away, 

 To be burnt another day, 

 Turning manure With a stick up, 

 Irish Apricots to pick up, 

 Many other trifles also, 

 Work that Hand will hardly call so,' 

 But 2" tilink, as I hope to thrive, 

 There's quantum suff. for shillings five. 



5 a 



CULTIVATION OF THE FIG TREE ON OPEN 

 WALLS. 



The cultivation of the Fig has been frequently noticed in these 

 pages, still we often see trees covered with useless spray, having 

 little fruit, and causing the amateur much disappointment. 



The Fig will generally bear an abundant crop, which will 

 ripen in September or October if attention be paid in June to 

 the pruning. The top of every spring shoot of a tree with one 

 stem should be pinched off after it has attained three or four 

 leaves. From the pinched shoot two or three short-jointed 

 shoots will be sent forth, each of which will produce two or 

 three Figs in the following year. The Fig which is produced 

 at the base of the midsummer shoot should be removed as 

 soon as it appears, for the ripening of the second crop in the 

 open air is not to be expeoted ; but the third crop, which will 

 be rather larger than Peas in the autumn, will, provided the 

 tree be protected in the winter, become ripe in the July or 

 August of the following year. These, however, are generally 



