April 29, 1876. I 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



335 



mark out another drill a foot from the first ; this is for Stocks. 

 It is important to have the colours varied as much as possible 

 for the sake of contrast. lu sowinft I proceed as though I 

 were sowing Onion seed, and at the end of each kind I place a 

 label ; this keeps each colour separate, and is also convenient 

 to make any notes when they are in bloom. I make it a point 

 to cover the seeds lightly with silted ashes from a burnt 

 rnbbish-heap. It is best sprinkled on by the hand from a 

 flower pot or saucer. Perhaps some may think this is a very 

 rough way, and would prefer to have the borders nicely levelled 

 and raked, but I think I shall be able to show that these drills 

 or trenches are of great importance. Little details are often 

 the secret to success, and these trenches are a provision for 

 watering ; if this is not required by the watering pots the drills 

 will better retain Nature's watering. Seed beds are often 

 raised in the centre, and are smoothly levelled ; but mark the 

 results of this plan after a smart shower of rain, followed by a 

 parching sun and drying winds. The result is a hard-baked 

 surface, particularly so if the soil is of a strong binding nature. 

 If the weather should continue dry, waterings will be required, 

 but it will be found that through this dry and hard surface the 

 water will not readily penetrate, but will be found to run off, 

 and to make it enter under such circumstances the Dutch hoe 

 or fork tines must be used ; but suppose the seeds are germi- 

 nating they are apt to be rooted-up by the operation. Now, if 

 I had a circular bed to sow I would begin at the centre and 

 make circular drills at a certain distance apart. 



The seeds should be thinly sown, I say thinly because Stocks 

 and Aster seeds are too costly to be lavishly sown ; indeed, 

 sowing too thickly is often attended with bad results ; it is a 

 waste of seed, and the plants are drawn-up thin and weakly. 

 In such cases they ought to be thinned early. Many half- 

 hardy annuals might be raised by placing good-sized inverted 

 flower pots on borders, and sow under them, and after germi- 

 nation gradually inure the plants to the light and sun, but 

 cover at nights if there is frost. The covering will have its 

 advantage by keeping at bay slugs and other enemies until 

 the plants gain suiEcient strength to do without any protec- 

 tion. Stocks and Asters, particularly the former, by not sow- 

 ing too thickly can grow on for some time without injury, 

 indeed until they begin to show their blooms ; then is the time 

 to thin — that is, by weeding-out the single flowers. 



Snails are particularly fond of Stocks, and the best advice I 

 can give is to catch and kill them. An hour or two after dark 

 they will be found emerging from their abodes to make their 

 night attack, then with a lantern and a flower pot make the 

 sortie on their lines. The first week in May is soon enough to 

 sow the seed. In referring to my diary of last year they were 

 sown on the 16th of May, but that was too late, and it was 

 delayed owing to the dry weather ; but by the middle of Sep- 

 tember they were a grand sight, and at no time of the year are 

 they seen to better advantage, for they last so much longer, 

 and their colours stand much better than in summer. This 

 border is for cut flowers, for we rarely cut any from the flower 

 garden. 



Just a word or two about watering. This is a very import- 

 ant question. When watering is necessary let it be done 

 thoroughly. A good watering two or three times a-week is 

 much better than giving dribblets every day. Water should 

 never be allowad to run off in streams. I think that watering 

 is of toner done than is really necessary ; for that reason I avoid 

 watering as long as possible, for when ouco begun it must be 

 continued. 



Those who have neither hotbed or frame need not be de- 

 terred from sowing half-hardy annuals in May. The plan is 

 commendable for many reasons. First, it lessens labour ; 

 second, the plants receive no check after sowing ; third, they 

 will bloom better and last longer, as the sun will have less 

 power, and the weather a little cooler. When sown on hotbeds 

 or in seed pans they are, as a rule, sown thickly, become 

 drawn up weakly, and are often, through pressure of other 

 work, left too long in a crowded state. In such cases they are 

 ill adapted to bear the fierce rays of a May or .June sun, so 

 that those sown in the borders will often run a close race with 

 those sown earlier. Asters, when sufficiently large to bear 

 handling, may be planted elsewhere. They will stand the 

 operation better than Stocks. As I have remarked, leaving 

 the Stocks thick is simply for the purpose of selecting the 

 double flowers for a permanency. The hotbed plan has its 

 advantages to those who want early Stocks and Asters, and 

 those who wish to prolong the season can do so by sowing as 

 I have stated to give a succession to the end of the season. 



This border is usually doing good duty when the flower garden 

 is on the wane. — G. R. Allis. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Street Gardens and Spring Flowers.— What I mean by 

 street gardens are those small enclosures generallj' to be foTiad 

 attached to residences outside of the business portion of a 

 town. These are admirable places for a display of miniature 

 tasteful gardening of a humble kind. True, there are many ex- 

 amples one can easily observe as we travel on where the simple 

 yet pretty flowers are cultivated, and where neatness and nice 

 arrangement is prevalent ; but by far the greater portion of these 

 enclosures are not managed as they ought to be and could be, 

 with very little trouble, by using some of the humble flowers of 

 the season. A person passing by one of these little gardens that 

 is cared for and kept in a creditable order will quickly see wliat 

 a cheerful aspect it gives to the place, to say nothing of the 

 enjoyment that the residents obtain from its appearance and the 

 healthy exercise they derive from attending to the work of it. 



It may be that some plants will not flower in some of these 

 places, as their position is occasionally adverse to the well-doing 

 of many plants, principally, perhaps, from the want of sun ; but 

 there are plants that will suit any place in any position, and 

 every place does at least offer a little scope for neat arrangement 

 of the soil, such as laying out miniature bed.^ and narrow paths, 

 all of which must be guided by the shape, size, and condition of 

 the enclosure. This once done according to taste, and it is easy 

 to edge the narrow borders with a few plants of Thrift, double 

 red Daisies, or even the common yellow Primrose or a narrow 

 strip of turf, all of which make capital and attractive edgings. 

 Then, it there is room, a plant or two of the Ribes or red 

 Flowering Currant, and two or three standard Roses, and perhaps 

 an evergreen or two, such as Thuja aurea or an Aucuba japoaioa, 

 both of which suit town gardens and in most cases grow well, 

 and then to clothe the ground around them with a few patches 

 of Musk and Mignonette, which both thrive in either the sua or 

 shade. Common blue and white Violets and Hepaticas, which 

 are excellent spring flowers, and deserve a better patronage 

 among gardeners as well as amateurs, should be freely planted. 

 Other flowers not to be omitted are Forget-me-nots, Pinks, Lily 

 of the Valley, Sweet Williams, Antirrhinums, Polyanthus, 

 Stocks and Wallflowers, as well as Crocuses, Snowdrops, Tulips, 

 common white and other Lilies. Many other plants, of which 

 there is no lack, might be mentioned as easy to grow and inex- 

 pensive to purchase. 



I have purposely refrained from naming anything difficult to 

 buy or grow, believing that for the purpose I have in view— 

 which is to induce people to give a little tim*^ aad attention to 

 these enclosures and have the pleasure nf doing a bit of garden 

 work of their own— that simple hardy flowers are undoubtedly 

 the best to begin with and the most certain to secure success. 



It may be that some would fancy arranging the space as a 

 miniature rock garden in a simple form, the materials for which 

 might be easy to obtain ; if so, there are suitable plauts for that 

 sort of garden. On spots where the sun cannot shine a garden 

 of this kind would be sure to please. It is very nice to build up 

 a little mound of stones or burnt bricks, cliukers, roots, &a., 

 and to see such charming plants as Arabis albida aud Aubrietia 

 purpurea, one a white and the other a blue flower, dangling 

 down and over at places with their multitudes of flowers to 

 grace the spot. The commoner sorts of hedgi Ferns planted 

 here and there will enhance the pleasure and beauty of this 

 garden ; so would the St. .John's Wort. Some of the large and 

 small-leaved Saxifragas are very suitable for covering rocks ; 

 most of the Sedums, too, cling very closely to such materials, 

 and clothe the place in winter as well as suoimer. Places might 

 also he found for Musk, the yellow as well as the green-leaved 

 Vincas, patches of Violets, Lily of the Valley, Solomon's Seal, 

 Forget-me-nots, and many more ; and daring the summer several 

 flowers of a more tender nature may be placed here and three 

 each of which would add a speck of lieauty to the little spot. 



To this garden add a window or two decorated with plants, 

 with all things kept in good order, aud there would be much to 

 be proud of, and many might have a spice of envy at so nice an 

 arrangement with such common materials. — Thomas Record. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND AVORK FOR THE 



PRESENT WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 

 The weather has permitted us to have all the work well for- 

 ward, but it still continues cold with frost at night. On 

 Wednesday morning the 2l8t the wind changed to the west, 

 and the day opened fine, but just as we were rejoicing ia the 

 delightful change the weathercock gradually veered round, and 

 before sunset the old biting east wind was blowing. It is well 

 that the sun has an opportunity to shine so that the ground 

 becomes warm in the day, and tho radiatim from it by night 



