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JOrEXAL OP HOKTICULTUEE AITD COTTAaE QARDENEK. 



[ May 2, 18C5. 



plant anil instruct purchasers lio^ to manage matters ? 

 Neither are monoxjious. By-anJ-by, when males are more 

 common, it will be as well to have a spray of the male 

 •rafted in the middle of a bush of the female plant, should 

 this be within sijjht of a house. I have lent out to a 

 nurseryman my male to fructify his young females, but hope 

 to have a stray bloom or two left for my omi home plants 

 that are juat opening. 



The Eteagnus variegatus will be a beautiful addition to 

 our lawns. The growth of the refleius is very peculiar. 

 Here it has grown most freely, the shoots of last year were 

 6 or S feet long, and the frost did not hurt it the least. 

 If they had been white instead of the peculiar dark brown, 

 the eifect would have been most pleasing ;"but it is always 

 to be remembered that variegation is but disease, and brings 

 with it the penalty of gi'eater tenderness of constitution. 



The Euonymus ovatus aureus has also proved perfectly 

 hardy here,":. ' influenced by the weather. Its branches 

 being so brightly golden render it more marked in character 

 than the old white variety. 



Euonymus radicans variegatus becomes very charmingly 

 tinted with red after much cold weather. It is as though 

 jevei"y leaf had been shaded with a thin layer of lake. It is 

 very hardy. 



Eurya latifolia variegata I cannot speak of. I saw it in 

 Veitch's collection, and much admired it, but the foreman 

 was doubtful about its hardiness. The old Eurya japonica 

 is perfectly hardy here. 



Osmanthus ilicifolius in its varieties is also quite hardy. I 

 had not seen the aureus till last weel^, and the shading of 

 the leaves is very pretty, not margined as in the white. 

 What are to be the blossoms ? What the natural family ? It 

 looks so like a Holly. 



The Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys), Ketinospora pisifera, 

 and Thujopsis, all recently introduced from Japan, have 

 all "one through the past winter without protection unin- 

 jured ; but this tribe does not fiomish in our valley so well 

 as in drier climates, atid more porous soO, so I have not 

 interested myself in them so much. 



The large-leaved Berberry (Berberis Fortunei) wiU prove 

 a beautiful addition to the shrubbery. Its leaves are 

 brilliantly tinged with red in the winter. WhOe talking of 

 shrubberies I would ask every one to see, and he will 

 admire, Forsythia suspensa. This spring this shrub is most 

 splendid. It far surpasses the old F. viridissima. 



Like many other superficial folk I have written too much 

 upon a subject of which I know but little, and have not 

 referred to the variegated Ivies and the Honeysuckles, also 

 introduced by Mr. Fortune into our gardens. The tender 

 tribes needing protection are beyond my province. My 

 object is only to elicit fvirther information from experienced 

 pens. — B. J. S. 



EAISING NEW V^ARIETIES OF FEUITS AND 

 FLOWERS. 



Thbbb is no class of men more worthy of respect than the 

 really intelligent gardeners of this country, and considering 

 the knowledge, patience, industry, and forethought required 

 to make a good gardener, they cannot be considered a well 

 remunerated bofly. I am not speaking of the conceited 

 ignornmua who in his ovm estimation knows everything, 

 but is far too knowing to let you into his secrets, or the 

 pedantic who talk of Latin and science, but cannot show 

 you a bunch of Orrapes fit to put on a gentleman's table, 

 who think growing a Peach or Apricot in a pot an im- 

 possibility, and theniBelvf-i wonderful men, because by 

 planting thouaanda of Verbenaa, Geraniums, &c., they can 

 produce a blaze of colour for a few weeks in the autumn. I 

 would address myself to the really intelligent gardeners, 

 and say I know aome of you think that in the present day 

 yon are not paid in proportion to what is expected of you. 

 Many of your class have turned nurserymen and florists to 

 try and batter their condition ; some have succeeded, and 

 many more have miserably failed. How is it so few of your 

 body try to raise seedling fruits and flowers, or of tho small 

 numbers who do raise a good thing, how is it so few reap 

 tho advantage? , . ^ >r 



I wish to c.ill your attention to the subject. >o master, 



I think, would object to see a dozen seedling Tines in his 

 houses, a batch of seedling Geraniums on a spare shelf, or 

 a few seedling fruit trees in a corner of his garden. Such a 

 pursuit wotild keep up the interest and hope of a clever 

 man. 



But, some wUl say. What if we did raise a good thing, how 

 ai-e we to make money of it ? Xot, I would say, by giving 

 a cutting to a friend or two, on condition of their keeping 

 it to themselves, or selling the stock to the first man who 

 oUers you a ^£5 note for it. Few of otu- best gardeners have 

 any idea of the value of a really good seedling of any popular 

 fruit or flower. 



ily advice would be, Choose a respectable nm-seryman, 

 give him the plant, and get an agreement in ivi-iting that 

 he should propagate and sell, taking all the trouble, and 

 keeping an accurate account of all sales, and that in most 

 cases you ought to equally divide the amount received. 

 It is astonishing how many good things have got out with- 

 out any ono being much the better for their having been 

 raised. Nor would the gardeners only be benefited by the 

 plan proposed. It would be equally beneficial to masters, 

 because it would tend to secure the services of superior men. 

 Some one has said, that " virtue withers unless watered 

 with rewards." — J. B. Pearson, Chilwell, Notts. 



PEESEEVING DAHLIA TUBEES. 



As I hear th.at during the last severe winter many persons 

 have lost most of their Dahlia tubers, I think a few remarks 

 upon my own experience may be useful. I have for some 

 years endeavoured to find out the best plan for keeping 

 th^se tubers. I have tried Apple-rooms, lofts, and all sorts 

 of coverings to protect them from the frost, damp, and too 

 rapid growth, but have always lost many of them. Last 

 autumn I placed them on the ground in a Potato shed, and 

 bvu-ied them in ashes, and although we have had a most 

 severe winter, I have not lost more than one in fifty. The 

 ashes of ovu' Welsh culm, which are composed of burnt coal 

 and clay, may be superior to other ashes. They have cer- 

 tainly answered the purpose well with me. — A StrascRiBEE 

 or Some Yeabs, Cardiganshire, South Wales. 



THE GAEDENEES' EOYAE BENEVOLENT 

 INSTITUTION. 



I NOT only wish to draw the attention of all gardeners to 

 the great claim the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution 

 has upon them, but also to enlist the sympathies of all con- 

 nected with horticultural pursuits for its assistance. I do 

 so confident of its great usefulness, judging from the past, 

 forming, however, but a small fraction of what this insti- 

 tution would be capable of effecting did it but receive that 

 support from those for whose benefit it was originally estab- 

 lished which might be expected from them. Why gardeners 

 are so very lukewarm with reference to the institution I 

 am at a perfect loss to know — why so wanting in that sym- 

 pathy as a whole. At a very moderate computation there 

 are at least eight thousand gardeners who have each the 

 abUity to support this excellent institution, and yet what is 

 the fact ? Of these and many more the number entered as 

 subscribers is a little over three hundred ! The pensioners, 

 almost wholly gardeners and widows of gardeners, are as 

 ono to every six subscribers of the same class and callino'. 

 Tho subscriptions are but 21s. jier annum to constitute a 

 member, no other expense whatever being necessary for 

 entry, &c. Truly a trifle, yet what comforts it is capable of 

 securing ! 



Now, as to the good this Society has already done sines 

 it was first instituted in 1838, I will quote the statement of 

 the Secretary, Mr. Culler. He says : — " In reply to your 

 inquiries, this institution first commenced granting pensions 

 in the year 1840. The number of pensioners who have been 

 pensioned since that time is l."?!; and the amount which 

 lias been paid away in pensions from January, 1840, to 

 Christmas, 1864, is no leas than .£11,745 13s. 8d. The 

 amoimt paid in 18K) was £0 6s. Hd., and the amount paid in 

 18G4 was je773. This will give an average payment for the 

 twenty-five years of about .£468 4j. 8d., and an average 



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