§74 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ M»y U, 1876. 



Dr. Balleyn stood forward the patriotic, and we may add the 

 Bnccesefal opponent; for aUhoagh the error would naturally 

 have a tendency to correct itself, it in too much to consider 

 that the opinion of a man of his estimation would be delivered 

 without effect. From this period our practical horticulture 

 wa'" more attended to, and with its improvement the embassies 

 to Holland for a salad cea'ted. 



His " Government of Health " is a dialogue between John 

 and Humfrey. The latter often replies in verse. It contains 

 a few gardening notes, such as, " There is a kind of peares 

 growing in the city of Norwich called the Blacke friers peare, 

 very delicious and pleasant." Of Applfs he knew " the Cos- 

 tard, the Grene Coate, the Pippen, the Qaeene, and so farth." 

 In his " Eegiment against tbe Pleurisy " he gives as his role 

 of life — " Diat, quiet and meriman, and where verie neede is to 

 nse phisickc, and not for every trifle." Balleyn cured Sir W. 

 Hilton's wife from a tympany with a bread madp of aniseed 

 and heibas ; he also testified for the same " disease to the 

 virtues of Dittany of Crete, which grew plentifully on the rocks 

 of Tynemouth." This probably was T.'pidium latifolinm — 

 Broad-leaved Dittander — which is there pleutiful. Writing of 

 the Daisy he says, " With this herb BcUis and other good 

 medicines I did recover one Bellisis not only from a spice of 

 the palsie, but also from a fjuarten, who afterwards sought 

 divers wayes to hav.' murthered me." This was B. Bellasis of 

 Jarrow, Durham. The grave in which Bulleyn was buried in 

 St. Giles's, Cripplegate, contains also the remains of his cleri- 

 cal brother Eichard, and of Fox the martyrologist. A Latin 

 inscription commemorates them conjointly, of a part of which 

 the following is a translation : — " Under this sacred stone rest 

 three intermingled bodies of William Bullen, physician, and of 

 his brother Eichard, and of John Fox; which three, believe 

 me, were in learning surpassingly excellent, and equals in 

 piety. William Bullen was ever ready to administer medioine, 

 equally to the poor as to the wealthy." 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS-WOOD SORREL. 

 Since the introduction of Oxalis stricta to our collections of 

 plants, said to have been in 1653, what additions have been 

 made 1 JIany of them, I fear, are only known to exist on paper. 

 To how many countries we are indebted for many of our 

 choicest border flowers 1 Though numerous, the Oxalis family 

 is far in the background as regards being known and seen 

 in cultivation, or shall I say less oared for now than formerly ? 

 And again we may come across a kind or two that will live 

 in spite of being neglected. In some of our old establishments 

 these plants used to be oared for, but with the old-fashioned 

 gardener the old-fashioned plants too have passed away. It 

 would require a more expert pen than mine to tell of all the 

 merits of this charming race of plants ; suffice it to say that 

 in my youthful days it afforded me much pleasure to tend 

 Oxalis Boweana as a stove plant, and was well repaid by its 

 profusion of lovely flowers on a sunny morning in spring, but 

 this plant of late years has done us service as a border flower, 

 and in favourable places will stand our winters ; but the safest 

 plan is to lift the plants in autumn, pot them in spring, and 

 plant them out at leisure. They should be carefully dried 

 and kept in sand in a cool dry place free from frost. This 

 will apply to the bulbous kinds. They succeed well in a 

 sandy loam with well-decomposed dung or vegetable matter. 

 Preferring a moist but not wet situation, they should be 

 provided with thorough drainage, yet be watered when re- 

 quired. 



I think that Oxalis acetosella points in the above direction, 

 hiding itself in the shade and moist hedgebanks. Oxalis 

 floribunda is a most desirable kind. I believe it is perfectly 

 hardy, a most profuse-blooming kind, its beautiful pink flowers 

 claim for it a first place in our estimation. In lines or patches 

 this is a very effective plant, so are many of the other kinds. 

 They make a grand display on the rockery. They are deserv- 

 ing of far more extensive cultivation than they are at present 

 receiving. Perhaps the best-knowu plant in this family is 

 Oxalis tropojoloides rubra, which does us good service in the 

 bedding department. I cannot dispense with it where dwarf 

 plants with bronzy foliage are required. 



These notes are submitted as supplementary to the remarks 

 on this family of plants which appeared on page 325. — Veritas. 



chair, the following candidates were duly elected Fellows of the 

 Society— viz., Edward Bright, Miss E. Campbell, Eaginald J. 

 Cocks, Arthur Bake Coleridge, and tha Tiverton Horticultural 

 Society. Charles May, gardener to J. S. Bjckett, E^q., Stam- 

 ford Hill, was elected as a bond-ride gardener paying 10s. 6d. 

 per annum. 



NOTES ON VILLA, and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



As the season ia advancing activity in every department must 

 now be the order of the day, and nothing must be r.eglected for 

 the want of a few hours' extra work. In the kitchen garden 

 all crops in a sufficiently advanced state must be either hoed 

 and earthed-up as the case may be, and the plants of Onions, 

 Tarnips, Beetroot, Parsnips, and other crops must be thinned 

 out in time, as by that the crops have a much better chance 

 to grow oat than if they were left to crowd each other, as is 

 lifien the caee. WitnebS the effect upon a crop of OuioDS 

 if left too long without thinnins;. If luft too long it is impos- 

 sible to perform tbe ttjinning without injary to thofe remaitiing. 

 The same may be said with regard to other crops in proportion 

 to their habits of growth. Hasten on the early Cabbages by 

 planting them out at once, and the plants frnm the earliest 

 sowing of Brussels Sprouts must be pricked out forthaith. 



Chicory, so useful for t-alads by forcing in wiuter, must be 

 sown at once on rich ground. No doubt many will be trying 

 the Witloof this season, a very vigorous and prodnoiive kind 

 of Chicory lately bro ght before the Fruit Committee of tbe 

 Royal Horticultural Society and approved of by them. Make 

 another Bowiog of Turnips, Peas, and Beans, and bow the main 

 crop of Scarlet Runners. This vegetable is made the most of 

 about London and other large towns, for nearly every piece of 

 wall which can be made available is covered during the summer 

 with Scarlet Runners, which are both ornamental and pro- 

 ductive. 



Advance as much as possible the crop of Celery by having 

 the plants pricked out on a shady border, and in the meantime 

 dig all tbe trenches out and let the space between them be 

 utilised fur some early-maturing crop. 



In the flower garden let the beds be finally prepared for tbe 

 plants, and put out all half-hardy plants for edgings ; and if the 

 plan of planting has been decided upon, such plants as Golden 

 Feather Pyrethrum, Gazaniae, Calceolaria, Lavender Cotton, 

 Pansies, and many other plants usually grown for summer decora- 

 tion may be planted at once, leaving the general bedding-out for 

 a week or two longer until the weather is more settled and warm 

 nights come on. In the mixed border many plants may be now 

 put out among and to succeed the spring flowers that are now 

 in bloom, more especially if the borders are sheltered. Put 

 stakes to Sweet Peas and other tall-growing plants in these 

 borders. It enhances the pleasure of those places where every- 

 thing is kept trained and tidy instead of being allowed to fall 

 about. 



In the rock garden where Alpines are growing and flowering, 

 see that they are not overgrowing each other, or to the exclu- 

 sion of the more delicate kinds. Here, too, no doubt there are 

 places which may be fiUed-up with plants that wiU flower later 

 on. In the hardy fernery it will be best to put a stick to each 

 of the delicate and more tender plants as they spring up, so 

 that they may be looked to, and not be buried by the coarse- 

 growing sorts. Many are annually lost in this way. 



In the greenhouse there will now be a little more to look to. 

 For instance. Heaths and Epaorises that are making growth after 

 being cut back may now be potted, and for a time kept slightly 

 shaded and warmer, though not by any means in strong heat. 

 They require to be potted firmly on account of the fine nature 

 of their roots. Take care that before potting is done that they 

 are not wanting water, as if so when they are turned out half 

 of the roots will stick to the sides of the pot and the plant 

 become injured. Azaleas out of bloom may, if commencing 

 growing, be potted. These like firm potting and to be freely 

 syringed daily in a little heat— sun heat will be sufficient if the 

 house is closed early in the afternoon. Deutzias and other 

 plants that have ceased flowering may also be potted if neces- 

 sary. A close frame for a time does them no harm, though it 

 is not absolutely necessary ; but it is only on account of the 

 plants having been forced into bloom, and are probably intended 

 to be forced again, t'uat the frame is recommended. 



Attend well to young Fuchsias intended for autumn decora- 

 tion, likewise to ."Vchimenes, Gesneras, Balsams, and ChryEan- 

 themums, and any other plants intended for the same purpose. 

 — TH0MA3 Record. 



BoYAL HoRTicuLiDBAL SooiETY. — At a general meeting of 

 the Society held May 3id, Lord Alfred S, Churchill in the 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



The largest proportion of our fruit trees in the kitchen garden 

 are pyramids and dwarf bushes. It was necessary to go over 

 all the Cherry trees last season to cut out many of the branches 



