53 



joubnaij of hoktiooltube and cottage gardener. 



t Jannary 15, 1874. 



%n assistant at busy times. It is difficult, however, to give a 

 eorrect estimate of tlie labour required for a garden, for where 

 ane man will be sufficient in some gardens of an acre, others 

 of that size will need two or three, so much depends upon the 

 arrangement and convenience of obtaining everything con- 

 aected with a garden. As an instance I will suppose that there 

 are two gardens of one size — one shall have the water laid-on 

 to every part and the other shall not. Imagine the extra- 

 ordinary difference in the labour attached to it, and in dry 

 summers a man's time might be wholly taken up in watering 

 his crops to the neglect of other things. In my opinion this 

 is the only way to judge of the amount of assistance required 

 whether in a large or small garden. — Thomas Becobd. 



TEA EOSES. 

 There has been of late quite a commotion respecting Tea 

 Boses, and I am very glad to see it, as there is always some 

 good derived from discussion. With regard to Tea Hoses in 

 exhibition stands, I am firmly of opinion that one of these 

 is not complete without the Teas. Where can you get those 

 line tints in the Hybrid Perpetuals as in the Teas, which are 

 delicate in colour-, fine in texture, and very large if well grown ? 

 Where can you find a Hybrid Perpetual equal in colour to 

 Devoniensis, with its beautiful waxlike petals, so chaste and 

 striking in appearance :' Then take Madame Bravy, a charm- 

 ing Rose, very large and almost perfect in form, its colour a 

 beautiful cream, blending splendidly with the hues of tho 

 Hybrid Perpetuals. Then we have Souvenir d'un Ami, Sou- 

 venir de Elise Vardon, Catherine Mermet, and Belle Lyon- 

 aaise, all of the first order for size, substance, and deUcacy 

 of colour. How can we discard them as not to be shown 

 with the Hybrid Perpetuals when they harmonise so nicely 

 with each other? I contend that if such be the case it would 

 be a monstrous blunder. Fancy how monotonous a stand of 

 Hybrid Perpetuals would look (although they might be fine 

 blooms) especially if they were nearly of one colour, as they 

 most probably might be, such as Alfred Colomb, Marie Bau- 

 mann, Leopold Hausburg, Senateur Vaisse, Exposition de 

 Brie, &a. Stands of thirty-six, twenty-four, and twelve, 

 without the introduction of Tea Roses, would be very dull, 

 would want life ; but combine the two families, then you will 

 have variety, contrast, and distinctness of colour. I trust that 

 the separation of Teas from Hybrid Perpetuals will never take 

 place. — Maelon Whittle, Belgrave. 



THE ACHAN PEAR. 



This well-known Scotch Pear, I believe, is held in high 

 esteem, and seems to do remarkably well iu Scotland, but is of 

 little use as a dessert Pear on this side of the Tweed ; indeed it 

 is seldom met with in England. I was, therefore, somewhat 

 surprised to find a tree of it here against a south wall, although 

 we have so many varieties better deserving such a position. 

 This, however, was accounted for by the fact that a Scotch 

 gardener made this garden some sixty years since. When I 

 took it in charge I found this and a few other trees much 

 neglected. Not knowing what the tree might be, I commenced 

 i«novating it by reducing the old worn-out spurs that had 

 formed an almost impenetrable mass about 18 inches from 

 the wall, also a mass at the top, which, with some of the main 

 branches, was displaced, and as much young wood laid-in during 

 the following summer as could be done. By these means 1 have 

 had for the last three or four years an immense crop of fine 

 Urge fruit, but of course useless for the dessert, being dry, 

 almost flavourless, and decaying as soon as ripe. 



Pears being very scarce anything was better than none, and 

 it occurred to me to send in fruit of this variety just before 

 they came to maturity to be used for cooking, and for that 

 purpose they are thoroughly appreciated by the family at 

 table. I do not assert that they are equal to the Catillac, 

 Belmont, or Uvedale's St. (iermain, either in colour or flavour, 

 but a little spice, cochineal, Ac, will make a vast difference 

 and produce an excellent sweetmeat. They are preserved in 

 jars by the score, keep well for months, and are found of great 

 use during the winter when other fruits are scarce. 



I am rather glad that I did not carry out my idea of re- 

 placing the tree above referred to with a better variety. 

 Indeed a young tree had been placed near it to take its place, 

 for I like all young trees if possible to be amost in a bearing 

 tondition before planting them in such places, so that wall 

 apace may not bo idle for at least four or five years. 



I will just mention iu favour of growing this variety— first, 

 that it is a sure cropper, frosts doing but little damage to the 

 blooms when it kills all others ; second, that it is scarcely 

 affected with canker, in proof of which there is the fact that 

 it has stood here for sixty years, when trees of many other 

 varieties have died. — J. Taylor, Maesgwynne. 



FLOWERS FOR OUR BORDERS.— No. 24. 



CAJHPANDLA COKONATA— CRO\raED Campancla. 



Among floral treasures the Campanulas hold a conspicuous 

 place. Scarcely a country within the temperate zone which 

 does not contribute several species to this very interesting 

 genus. Their general appearance is well known, for the gar- 

 dens are few indeed in which some Bellwort is not to be found. 

 In so extensive a genus considerable difi'erences of habit would 



Campanula corouata, 



naturally be looked for; and, accordingly, we find species 

 varying from a few inches in length — as in the elegant little 

 C. pumUa — to several feet, as in the equally well-known C. py- 

 ramidalis. Some of them are trailers, of which class the 

 C. garganica, often cultivated as a window plant, may be cited 

 as an example ; but far the greater portion of the species are 

 of erect growth. A few are annual, and there are about twenty 

 biennial species ; but the genus consists chiefly of herbaceous 

 perennials. White, and various shades of violet, blue, and 

 purple, are the prevailing colours ; there are, however, several 

 yellow species, and also a few of a reddish lilac, but none of a 

 distinct red tint. 



The present plant is a hardy perennial, growing about 3 feet 

 high, and having foliage closely resembling that of the peach- 

 leaved Campanula, C. persicifolia. The white calyx, with its 

 green tips, has a very pretty effect, and we strongly recom- 

 mend the species for general cultivation. It is of easy increase 

 by seeds or division of the roots in spring. — ( IC. Thonqison's 

 English Flower Garden, Revised by the Author.) 



A Gardener's Superstition. — On the first day of this 

 month and year a cook needed Parsley to garnish some dishes 

 of the breakfast-table; but the gardener, an old Lancashire 



