April 6, 1876. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTIGULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



273 



adopted. The nnmerona branches sent by Mr. Radolyffe were 

 all heavily laden with Plums; the branches, long ami short, 

 were all literally crowded, and this, we are informed, is the 

 general character of the tree. The fruit is below medium size, 

 about Ih inch long, and rather over an inch in diameter, oval, 

 slightly "narrowed to the stalk, and with a shallow suture. The 

 skin is of a dark purple colour, covered with a thick blue 

 bloom. The stalk, halt an inch long or more, is set in a 

 shallow cavity. The flesh is dull greenish-yellow, juicy, ad- 

 hering to the stone, with a brisk and agreeable flavour. It is 

 a good culinary Plum, ripening about the middle of August, 

 and the tree is very hardy and a great bearer." — {F.lor. and 

 Pom. 3 B., is., 89.) 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS-WHITLOW GRASS. 



A WIDELY scattered race of plants, many of them well adapted 

 to all purposes that flowers can be applied to. Some of them 

 are especially suitable for spring garden decoration. Draba 

 verna as seen on a sunny morning in spring, to me at least, is 

 a charming sight. Draba muralis is of much larger stature, 

 and is met with often on ballast hills and railway embank- 

 ments, but is worthy of a place in our borders. Draba incana 

 is a desirable plant for the manner its seed pods are twisted, 

 and is only to be met with in elevated localities ; but these 

 must give place to others of the family that are in possession 

 of more attractive properties. 



As a spring-blooming plant Dr.iba aizoides may have many 

 rivals, but it will hold its own against all comers. I think it 

 is one of the best of the race, being of dwarf habit, grows 

 freely, bears a good deal of rough usage, is of a pretty yellow 

 colour, continues in bloom for a length of time ; it seeds freely, 

 and all the better for being often transplanted, and is useful 

 alike for indoor decoration, bed, border or rockery. Draba 

 rupestris is a native of Scotland, of dwarf habit, with yellow 

 flowers ; it blooms late in the spring, and is a useful plant 

 for the rockery. Draba beotica or aizoon ought to be met with 

 more frequently than it is. Then we have D. ciliaris from 

 Switzerland — and what a sight to see this gem in its native 

 home ! — and others from the same region. D. alpina, it not so 

 showy as some others, is desirable as a rock or alpine plant. 

 There are many others that might be enumerated of this 

 desirable family. 



All the species are of easy cultivation. The herbaceous 

 kinds are increased by seed and division. The seed may be 

 sown in the spring in sandy soil placed in a cold pit or frame. 

 When the plants are large enough they must be carefully 

 pricked out and attended to as they require. Division may 

 take place either in spring or when the plants have done 

 blooming. They are not very particular as to soil ; sandy loam 

 and peat, with a little leaf mould, with good drainage, and 

 water when they require it, with a sunny aspect, will afford 

 them a favourable medium to develope themselves in. It is 

 to be regretted that these plants are so seldom met with.— 

 Vekitas. 



EFFECT OP TREES IN AUTUMN. 

 In answer to " A Lover of the Beadtifol," we recommend 

 the perusal of a very excellent volume entitled " The Natural 

 Principles of Landscape Gardening ; or, Adornment of Land 

 for Perpetual Beauty." The author is Mr. Joseph Forsyth 

 Johnson, Curator of the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, Belfast. The 

 following extracts are applicable to our correspondent's 

 questions : — 



TABLE OP SPECLAL EFFECTS OF TREES AND SHRUBS.* 



WINTEE DIVISION, 



Oct, Nov., and Dee.l Dee., Jan., and Feb. 



Pyrna, scarlet ber- 

 ries 

 Salix, of Borta* 

 Betula, various* 

 Cedrus Libani 

 Arbutus, of sorts (P) 

 Garrya, of sorts (P) 

 Azalea Ghent vars. 



[scarlet leaves] 

 Althjea friitex 

 Coronilla Emerus 

 Monthly Roses 



Evergreens are now the 

 principal effects, and 

 possess many distinc- 

 tive beauties. 

 Laurnstinns 

 Jasminam nudiflornm 

 Andromeda, of sorts (P) 

 Corchorus Japonica * 



Feb., March, and April. 



Amygdalas cochinchinensis 

 Persica, of sorts [April 



Sambucus, golden foliage in 

 Acer, do. 



Populas, do. 



Abelia floribanda 

 Berberis, of sorts (?) 

 Cydonia japonica 

 Forsythia 

 Furze 



Daphne, of sorts 

 ilahonia, of sorts (P) 

 Kibes, of sorts 

 Persica, of sorts 



* Names marked thus (*) continue their effects until May. (P) means 

 permanent or evergreen. 



" AUTUMN EFFECTS. 



" The hues worn by tho trees in autumn have already been 

 alluded to. The Maples, Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), and 

 others, assumo the very richest tints. As on a soft bright day 

 we survey some woodland scene, bathed in golden sunshine, 

 with leafage all aglow, it would almost seem as though some 

 high festival of Nature were in preparation to celebrate the 

 happy fruitions of the year. 



" DiiJerent varieties of what are termed Ghent Azaleas im- 

 part a very pleasing autumnal warmth by their leaves giving a 

 bright scarlet ; while among others the Althroa fratex displays 

 its pretty blossoms even as late as October and November. 



"The Rose, commonly termed Monthly Rose, in mild seasons 

 and in sheltered situations will yield abundant flowers through- 

 out October, November, December, and January. In most 

 gardens a place suitable for these plants can be found. It wiU 

 often prove advantageous to have some early Chrysanthemums, 

 in spots not too conspicuous, however. Large groups of Tritoma 

 Uvaria afford an excellent display, and, when in good condition, 

 the foliage proves effective during a great portion of the year. 

 The flowers themselves, indeed, are very handsome, and often 

 a single plant will present as many as thirty spikes at one and 

 the same time. Many places may be suitably occupied by these 

 plants, which harmonise well with more permanent growths. 

 The Viburnum Tinus, the Andromeda floribunda, and others, 

 assist the autumn and winter effects. 



" The coloured stems of some trees — the Salicea, for example, 

 and the Betula alba — often help to brighten our winter land- 

 scape. The scarlet Dogwood (Cornus alba), is excellent in park 

 scenery. There are very good maaaes of this plant at Caledon 

 Park, Armagh. The Deutzia crenata flore-pleno has a pala 

 yellowish bark in winter, and much variety in this respect 

 subsista amongst deciduoua growths. The Jasminum nudi- 

 flornm are of great importance as regards the winter effects of 

 climbers." 



MANURES FOR POTATOES. 

 For most soils and in average seasons farmyard manure 

 must be the base. The only exceptions are soils very rich in 

 humus, and these, except in gardens, are few. Ten to fifteen 

 tons of manure per acre ploughed-in in the autumn and sup- 

 plemented in the spring at planting time with fertilisers is a 

 sound principle to work upon. In wet strong lands the sup- 

 plement may consist of fifty to one hundred bushels of lime 

 per acre, with artificial fertilisers as a top-dressing. The land 

 which grows the greatest crops of the best quality, and con- 

 tinues to do so under a series of many years' cultivation, is 

 warp, and which contains a large natural admixture of gypsum, 

 supplying lime and sulphuric acid, which, taking tuber and 

 haulm together, form the largest proportion of the compo- 

 nents of the Potato. On most soils farmyard manure in 

 autumn, in quantity varying with the poverty or richness of 

 the land, and a spring dressing of 2 cwt. of superphosphate, 



1 cwt. of potash salts, and 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda per acre, wiU 

 be found a profitable application. 



But another manure seldom recommended is found, taking 

 into consideration bulk of yield, and comparative freedom from 

 disease, to be a valuable assistance to Potatoes with or without 

 dung — namely, kiln-dust. This on medium and heavy loams 

 has proved itself, taking one season with another, a moat reli- 

 able application in sound Potato p: eduction judged in com- 

 parison with other dressings. No manure is found to produce 

 such uniformly valuable crops year by year as ten to twelve 

 tons of farmyard manure applied in the autumn, and one ton 

 of kiln-dust spread-in with the sets at the time of planting. 

 As an instance of its value, a cottager's allotment became 

 vacant in a field of sixty occupants, which was planted with 

 Potatoes, receiving as a dressing kiln-dust at the rate of 

 11 ton per acre. In the field other plots were manured with 

 guano, nitrate of soda, superphosphate, and farm or pig 

 manure in liberal quantities ; but incomparably the best plot 

 in the field was the one under kiln-dust. The plants kept 

 their foliage healthy the longest of any, and disease was 

 scarcely to be seen. The next best plot received at the rate 

 of 10 tons of pig manure per acre, and a further dressing of 



2 cwt. of nitrate of soda. 



It would be instructive if others could communicate their 

 experience with kiln-dust as a manure for Potatoes, or could 

 mention any other fertilisers which have added to the value of 

 this important crop. — J. M., Yorksliire. 



The first Exhibition at the Eoyal Aquarium, Westminster, 

 which opens on the 12th inat., is being anticipated with a con- 

 siderable amount of interest. The schedule is judiciously 



