JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



( March 12, 1874. 



trees are now brought carefully and set in their places ; the 

 tops of the branches will be found higher than the wall, and 

 must he headed-back to the required length. The roots are 

 next carefully pruned, laid out, and covered with rich, light, 

 sandy soil ; old potting soil is what I generaUy use. This done, 

 proceed to finish the border by putting on S or 10 inches more 

 soil. It is well to cover the whole surface with a coat of leaves 

 and dung. The best time to carry on this work is undoubtedly 

 as early as the leaves assume theii' autumnal hue. 



Young gardeners in adopting this system must be guided by 

 circumstances, there is no hard and fast rule. The great and 

 all-important thing to know is, What is best to do in any par- 

 ticular situation ? This is not sufficiently studied. We see 

 this system of ventilating borders of incredible benefit here ; 

 we may go to the next garden where it is carried out and find 

 positive harm done ; we may even see in one garden advantage 

 and disadvantage from its adoption. Let us suppose that the 

 garden is on the side of a hill — one part, say the south, may be 

 standing high and dry — would you aerate that border because 

 you have seen one in the neighbourhood which has been so 

 treated and the trees are doing well, and without considering 

 the natural position of the two gardens ? Certainly not. Then, 

 again, because the south wall does not require such a border, 

 must you suppose that the north or any of the other aspects 

 would not bo benefited by it ? Now, supposing this wall should 

 be situated at the bottom of the hill, and therefore receive the 

 whole of the drainage water, the trees being thus kept wet at 

 their roots, without sun for their heads, does not common 

 sense tell that while it is better for the health of the trees that 

 the border should be sunk below the surface in a part of the 

 garden which is high and dry, what moisture it receives being 

 at once drained away naturally, yet in another part of the same 

 garden trees would be greatly benefited if they were planted 

 above the surface, or with the border ventilated? I have really 

 experienced this in a walled garden of five acres, trees on the 

 south wall being burut-up, whilst those on the north wall 

 refused to do well owing to wet and cold. I wish to make one 

 exception of trees on the south wall — namely, fine, old, gouty, 

 May Duke Cherries producing crops one does not often see. 

 Aerating borders is an excellent system which has been cried 

 down by some, especially with Vine borders, because they have 

 found it turn out quite the reverse in theii' ovm case from 

 what they expected by what they have seen in other places 

 where the conditions were altogether different. 



There are just a few points in connection with removing 

 large trees to which I wish to draw special attention. First, 

 it is almost impossible for a tree of any size to recover if it 

 has not a certain amount of young fibrous roots. It is sur- 

 prising how few will suffice to set all at work and maintain a 

 tree ; they should, therefore, be carefully treated, be kept from 

 being bruised, and not be allowed to be exposed to the sun, 

 frost, or dry piercing winds. No doubt a tree is occasionally 

 removed without any such roots, and yet recovers, when other 

 things are very favourable, but on the whole my experience 

 leads me to recommend a different course. Let it remain for 

 a year or two, and cut-in a portion of its roots, thereby in- 

 ducing it to send out a mass of fibres before it is removed. 

 The two most important conditions to ensure success in 

 moving large trees or shrubs, after duly caring for their roots, 

 are shade and moisture. It will be found necessary for the first 

 summer to scrupulously attend to both ; hundreds of trees 

 and shrubs have been killed by neglect in this respect. Be- 

 sides not allowing the roots to become dry, or the soil to crack 

 (and its doing so can be avoided by a good mulching of long 

 dung after it has been watered; but this covering on any soil is 

 best away in spring and in autumn), a good syringing once or 

 twice a-day in dry weather, with a somewhat slight permanent 

 shading, will work wonders. If I were asked which of the 

 three is most essential, from what I have observed, especially 

 since I took to this place, shade must undoubtedly be placed 

 first ; but in all cases I have used due care with the roots. I 

 have moved some scores of large shrubs, itc, of fifty and 

 sixty years' growth, and many of them much diseased, yet not 

 one percent, have died, and many have improved in an as- 

 tonishing manner. 



There is another important condition to be observed in 

 removing shrubs and trees, and I am not sure but that I 

 ought to have placed it second to shading, it is the mainte- 

 nance of a proper balance between the branches and roots. It 

 is hopeless to expect a tree will re-establish itself quickly if the 

 branches are not few in proportion to the roots, in fact the 

 more roots and the less nead the stronger the growth that 



follows. To obtain the best results with large shrubs a little 

 light rich soil should be placed round the roots before the soil 

 is replaced. — J. Taylor. 



TODEA (LEPTOPTEKIS) SUPEBBA. 



Veey seldom do we see a good specimen of this lovely Fern , 

 and yet it is of most easy culture. Description must fall short 

 of conveying an adeijuate notion of its beauty. In offering 

 these notes on its culture I do so knowing that there are many 

 readers of our Journal who have their ferneries in smoky 

 cities, and who may think this gem beyond their means. To 

 such I offer these notes on its culture. 



It is a native of New Zealand. The fronds are of a pleasing 

 green, transparent, lanceolate, spreading gracefully, ai'ching, 

 and feathered down to the very base. The segments are 

 very crowded, and instead of having the usual flat growth of 

 other kinds they are so much turned upwards as to give the 

 fronds a very rich and Moss-like character. I grow it under a 

 bell-glass, and when it is well established and too largo for the 

 bell-glass have it in a frame made with doors to open in the 

 front. It loves plenty of moisture, and care must be taken 

 to secure a good drainage, formed of a layer of coarse 

 crocks, and on these plenty of charcoal about the size of 

 walnuts. On this place some pieces of sandstone and a few 

 pieces of Derbyshire spar, and arrange them artistically, 

 leaving a space on the top for the Fern, using a compost of 

 good fibry loam and peat in equal parts, silver sand, and a 

 good sprinkling of charcoal. Plant Lycopods here and there 

 among the sandstone, as Selagiuella apoda, S. denticulata, 

 S. denticulata variegata, S. Poulterii, S. etolonifera.with Pteris 

 serrulata, and a few choice Adiantums. They have a natural 

 and pleasing effect. 



Never allow the sim to shine upon this Fern or it will fade. 

 Every morning, if sunny, shade it directly, and use the syringe 

 freely. I have grown it successfully in the stove, also in a cool 

 house. — F. P. LncEHCHST, Jilill Bank Hall. 



K 



TIFFANY PROTECTION FOR WALL TEEES— 

 POTATO CULTURE. 



I HAVE this afternoon put up a very simple, cheap, and I 

 hope effective, tiffany shading for my wall trees, the details of 

 which may be useful to some of your readers. First my 

 ironmonger made me some iron brackets of this shape, 

 being, in fact, lengths of iron about three-quarters of an 

 inch wide, bent to an angle and just turned up at the end, 

 each side or limb being about 6 inches long. The upright 

 one is pierced with two good-sized nail-holes the width of a 

 brick (3 inches) apart. These are nailed against the wall at 

 intervals of about 8 feet, care being taken that the naUs are 

 driven for security above and below a " header." On each 

 pair of brackets I laid a deal board 10 feet long by 6.J inches 

 wide, by three-quarters of an inch thick, thus forming a coping 

 which projects about 5^ inches from the wall. On the upper 

 side of this, close to the edge, I fastened my tiffany, turning it 

 over a thin lath, and nailing both together to the coping. 

 Underneath the coping I placed smooth poles leaning against 

 the wall, and secured them by tying to each bracket, so as 

 to prevent their being blown down by March winds. These 

 poles are long enough to stand out from the wall at the bottom 

 about 2| feet. The lower edge of my tiffany— two widths sewn 

 together — is again tacked round a lath, which is secured by 

 screws to each of the poles. By thus putting the tiffany round 

 the laths I hope I have effectually provided against the tearing 

 out at the nail-holes by the wind, which has been so destruc- 

 tive in former seasons. My present arrangement ought with 

 care to last mo for years. 



I ought to add that my garden wall has a row of tiles slightly 

 projecting under the top course of bricks. This of course 

 keeps the coping well in its place. For those, however, who 

 have no such projection it would be easy to have a couple of 

 holes punched in the upper hmb of the bracket, and so to 

 fasten the board on it by nails or screws. 



The brackets, which are well tarred, cost me (jd. a-piece. A 

 coat of Carson's paint on the top will make all look neat. 

 When the need for protection is over all can be easily taken 

 away, the brackets remaining for future service. 



With regard to "D., DcaVs," question about Potato-digging, 

 I wish Mr. Weaver would give us his experience. No man is 

 better worth hearing on the subject. For myself I can only 

 say that, acting on his advice, I have for years insisted on 



