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JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ May 27, 1875. 



lonias, Thujas, Gorae, Laurustinus, Evergreen OakB, and 

 coarse Hollies are more or less eaten. Amongst deciduous trees 

 and shrubs I have only observed Birch, Blackthorn, Elder, 

 Sea Buckthorn, Laburnums, and Dogwood entirely escape the 

 ravages of ground game, though Elm, Alder, and Horse Chest- 

 nut are seldom attacked except in very severe weather. Of the 

 Fir tribe Finus Laricio and P. insignis are rarely if ever touched. 

 Pinaster, Scotch and Silver Firs are more or less eaten, and the 

 Austrian Pine worse than any other sort. Fuchsia Kiccartoni, 

 Weigelas, Deutzias, Willows, and Hydrangeas are often eaten. 

 Hares are more generally destructive than rabbits ; for in- 

 stance, Aucubas, Portugal Laurels, Bays, and other plants are, 

 I believe, seldom if at all eaten by rabbits, but are often de- 

 stroyed by hares. It is easy enough in many cases to tell 

 whether the mischief is done by rabbits or hares. — J. Ellam, 

 Bodorgaii, 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS— TRILLIUMS. 



It would in all probability be a difficult matter to find a 

 family of plants less known than are the Trilliums, for though 

 introduced a great many years ago we seldom see them in cul- 

 tivation. On one occasion, being desirous of possessing some 

 of them, application was made, but the answer received was, 

 " We only have the store plant, and should not like to part 

 with it." It was quite right to keep the stock, but why should 

 one of Nature's choicest gems be so far in the shade ? Is it 

 that they are not known, or that they are not cared for, or 

 both? Perhaps the truth is that they are little known and 

 loss cared for or understood ; if so, no wonder that we so 

 seldom meet with them in cultivation. There is sometimes 

 less success in thought than in action. Thinking that a plant 

 or subject is difficult causes us to pass by what we ought to 

 attempt. Some thirty years ago, when looking over Mr. 

 Backhouse's nursery at York, I noticed a plant standing on a 

 path evidently intended to benefit by the genial atmosphere of 

 a lovely April morning. The thought arose. What have we 

 here ? The label denoted TrilUum graudiflorum. I shall never 

 forget that plant. The TriUiums are a very singular as well 

 as a very beautiful race of plants, and they certainly should 

 be exteneively cultivated. 



It is said they are increased by seed, but to the present time 

 I have not been fortunate enough to secure seed. They may 

 be increased by division, but it almost unnerves one to attempt 

 the operation ; but as the old adage has it, " Nothing venture 

 nothing have." They may be grown in pots as alpiues, but 

 should have thorough drainage, and be kept plunged where 

 they can enjoy the sunlight and be protected from the wind. 

 They will succeed on a sheltered part of the rockery, but it is 

 well to protect the crowns in the winter. Much time, care, 

 and patience is required to work up a stock, and when once 

 well established let well alone and do not needlessly disturb 

 them. They are quite at home in the cold fernery under glass. 



Alter thorough drainage has been secured, a compost two 

 parts sandy peat, one of good fibrous loam, a little leaf mould, 

 a good sprinkling of silver sand, and charcoal dust with knobs 

 of freestone, well mixed together, will afford them a good 

 medium for their roots. White and red are the prevailing 

 colour of the flowers, and in a mixed group they produce a 

 grand effect. I have never seen them fully exposed in the 

 ordinary border. If taken in hand they would prove an addi- 

 tion to the early spring exhibition. 



Trillium grandiflornm is most common, and one of the best. 

 T. atropurpurenm I have not yet seen. T. sessile has much 

 the same appearance as graudiflorum. T. pumilum is of 

 dwarf habit, and desirable for contrast of colour. There are 

 other species, but they are only to be seen in very choice col- 

 lections. They ought to be taken in hand by some clever 

 hybridist, and let us have a more sturdy race, for they ought 

 to be seen in every garden where choice plants are in request. 

 — Veritas. 



[Trillium graudiflorum staged by Messrs. RoUisson & Sons 

 at South Kensington on the 12th inst. was one of the most 

 attractive plants in the Exhibition. — Eds.] 



PACKING GRAPES, NOT TO BE EXHIBITED. 



Take a garden basket of the ordinary shape, with sloping 

 not straight sides, line it with cotton wool bottom and sides, 

 and pack the Grapes stalk upwards as tight as they will go ; 

 tie tape to distinguish the stalk of the last bunch put in, as 

 it is the first that should come out, and pat paper over the 



basket. No guard or porter can turn it on its aide or lift it 

 otherwise than by the handle, and the said handle prevents 

 anything being put on the top of it. — E. T. F. 



THE DORONICUMS. 



WuEKE hardy, free-growing, bright yellow flowers are re- 

 quired in the month of May, no genus will supply them better 

 than this. For a bold mass of yellow even the proverbial 

 "sea of Daffodils" cannot surpass the glittering effect of a 

 wavy expanse of Doronicums. The plants are very old, very 

 hardy, and of very easy culture. They are not at all particular 

 as to soil, and will grow both under trees and in exposed 

 situations. Before the advent of spring gardening they were 

 regarded as of little value, and the clumps were left to struggle 

 for existence in the cottagers' plots and shrubbery borders 

 where they happened to be situated. They are now considered 

 worthy of better care, and have even won a place of being 

 exhibited in pots at the Eoyal Horticultural Society's Gardens. 

 For bold masses of colour, for distant effect particularly, they 

 are admirably adapted. Their collective effect is greater than 

 their individual beauty, and hence they show to advantage in 

 large clumps and broad lines. 



They are composite flowers belonging to the natural order 

 Asteracea), and are increased by root-division. They may be 

 removed safely with balls of earth as soon as they have done 

 blooming, and can be replanted in their flowering quarters in 

 autumn or very early in the spring. D. Columnas grows about 

 2 feet high, and D. austriacum, D. oordifolium, and D. caucasl- 

 cum about a foot high. These are the best, and flower in May. 

 D. dentatum and D. scorpoides are also early bloomers. 

 D. altaicum is a white summer-flowering variety, but the 

 spring-bloomers are the most useful and recommendable. 

 The Doronicums are the brightest hardy spring-flowering 

 plants we possess, and being in perfection at the same period 

 as Aubrietias, Arabis, Hepaticas, Polyanthuses, &c., enhances 

 their usefulness. 



These plants are likely to be more extensively used in the 

 future than they have been in the past ; and those who are 

 anxious of keeping abreast of the times, and who covet a share 

 in the " latest fashion " of garden decoration, would do well 

 to add Doronicums to their list, or if they already possess 

 plants to increase their stock by dividing the roots. When 

 the plants have done blooming, north or partially-shaded 

 borders are good positions for increasing and preparing these 

 plants in summer, from whence they can be transferred to 

 their blooming sites when the beds or borders are cleared of 

 their summer occupants in the autumn. Patches or lines in 

 shrubbery borders if left undisturbed will continue to bloom 

 freely for many years. For such positions these hardy spring 

 flowers are very suitable, and should be planted freely wherever 

 bright flowers in May are coveted. — W. 



HELLEBORDS FCETIDUS. 

 It is exceedingly rare that Mr. Robson either overcolours or 

 overestimates a plant or subject. Probably on no writer of 

 the day is more reliance placed than on the veteran contributor. 

 He is generally regarded as a "safe" man, a compliment which 

 all writers would do well to win by an expression of plain 

 practice, sober experience, and correct judgment. Yet 1 am 

 inclined to think he overestimates (see page 344) this plant as 

 a hardy ornamental early spring ilower. I do not mean to 

 assert that it is not what he describes it to be — viz., hardy, 

 and in general appearance ornamental. It is indeed extremely 

 hardy, and its foliage and habit of growth is agreeable, but 

 the flowers — of which too much may be expected by those not 

 knowing the plant — are dingy and devoid of any effect which 

 is usually looked for in spring plants. I have grown it as a 

 spring bedding plant, but my employer told me not to grow it 

 again. It is interesting but too dull — sombre rather than 

 cheerful — therefore not likely to become popular. — A Town 

 Gardener. 



Wistaria conseqdana. — In the gardens here, Brynkinalt, 

 Chirk, North Wales, the seat of the Bight Hon. Lord A. E. 

 Hill Trevor, M.P., there is at present (May 21) in full flower, 

 and has been so for the last three weeks, two plants of Wistaria 

 consequana (sinensis) which for size and profusion of bloom 

 I have not seen equalled. Such cover a space of wall 56 by 

 13 feet, and carry, roughly calculated — as it is almost impos- 

 sible to do so accurately — about 2200 racemes of their lavender- 



