232 



JOUENAI, OF HOETICCTLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDKNEE. 



[ Marob 21, 1865. 



if I may so call it, of this black stuff. He skimmed the 

 surface of the bog, taking: Heath, roots, and all that grew 

 there, and filled his pit with them, chopping them up, and 

 his Khododendrons flourish and flower there most perfectly, 

 while they fail all round him. I did not hear of this plan 

 until I had left the neighbAu'hood, so did not try it myself 

 as I should otherwise have done. 



I am now living within a few miles of Dublin (south side), 

 on a granite formation, and I find that the numerous nursery- 

 men around get all theu- Rhododendron mould from some 

 mountains eight or ten miles off, paying 6s., or at the least 

 5s., for a small cartload of this. I have myself had to pay 

 at times 8s. a-load. This stuff is, like iny friend's, composed 



of the top, or sm-faoe sod, fi'om 3 to 6 inches deep, with 

 Heath, roots, &o., growing on it; and in this quite pure the 

 hybrids, as well as the common kinds, grow perfectly. AU 

 the neighboui'ing gentry grow them in the same manner 

 and with equal success. The nurserymen tell me that the 

 best substitute for this is leaf mould pulverised; but the 

 growth of the plants in it is so far inferior that they find it 

 well worth their while to pay for this stuff drawn from a 

 distance. In some parts of Ireland Ehododendrons grow so 

 freely without cultm-e that I have had sods of selfsown 

 seedlings sent to me from thence. 



I agree with Mr. Eobson that where the Foxglove grows 

 they will grow. — A. B. 



FLOWER-&AEDEN PLAN. 



North Terrace. 



Tkeraok. 



The above design is from Mr. Thomaa Sampson, Hound- 

 atone House, Yeovil, and is proposed to be planted this 

 year aa follows : — 



1, Centre, Contaarei cundlditHrna. 



Second row, AmBr.intliui riiclinichollciin ruber. 

 Third, or ouulde ro*. Mr<. Poliook Ocranlutn. 



2, Variegated Geranium Almu. 



■" The only alterations we have suggostod are to eontinne 

 the chain along both ends, if the position will admit of it, 

 leaving an opening in the centre of each end; to plant the 

 small circles with upright ovorgreen shrubs; and, instead 



Tlio circles in the centre o[ the chaiD, aioni; each side, Stella Goraulura. 

 Kings Kurrounding the circles, and fonnlriK the I'.haia-pittern, Cineraria 



maritima. 

 A A, Golden Chain Geranium; n b, Centauroa f^rmaooarpa* 



:l, Christine Geranium, pinlt. 



4, Calceolnriii Auroa tloribunda, yellow. 



5, rurpio KtnK Verbena. 



0, The four corneiM yciiow, 



of dividing the four Borolls into separate colours, to plant 

 tlie centre bod and eliain-bordora with scarlet and white, so 

 that the sci-olls miglit be crossed with pairs of purple and 

 pairs of yellow. 



