80 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GASDSN'ER. 



[ July 27, 1876. 



turning the pile over. The larger the proportion of ashes used 

 the more rapidly the desired change will proceed. In the de- 

 scription of one of the methods above alluded to, a peck of 

 slated lime and a peck of sal soda are added to every barrel of 

 nnleached ashes, and this mixture is packed in alternate 

 layers with the bones in a tight box, and the whole well 

 moistened, as usual. It is stated that with such treatment the 

 bones will become softened in from four to six weeks, so that 

 they can be easily crumbled with the spade. In another mode 

 of treatment, where ashes alone are used, a few months are 

 required to soften the bones. According to still another 

 method of treatment a pile is made of alternate layers 6 inches 

 thick, of bones and unslaked lime ; the pile is covered with 

 earth, and water is poured in from time to time through holes 

 made in this covering, the whole quantity of water added being 

 considerably larger than what is required to slake the lime ; 

 the heating of the lime, together with the action of the caustic 

 milk of lime that results from the use of a large quantity of 

 water, unite to convert the bones into a soft friable mass in a 

 short time ; the pile heats and ferments for six weeks or more, 

 and it is to be inferred, though it is not so stated directly, 

 that the operation is completed in this time. It is likely that 

 if unleached ashes were used also in this case, together with 

 the unslaked lime, the operation would be finished in a shorter 

 time, and a more valuable product would undoubtedly be 

 obtained." 



" We had," writes a gentleman to us from Lincoln- 

 shire, "the most extraordinary ioe showee on the 21st inst. 

 that I ever saw in winter or any other season. The ice fell in 

 all shapes — zigzag, indented squares, oblongs, and in all angles. 

 Some of the pieces were 1J inch wide and some an inch thick. 

 I have made drawings of many of them. Nothing of the sort 

 has occurred within my memory before. It was quite a phe- 

 nomenon." 



From many districts accounts have reached us of the 



disastrous result of the late thunderstorms. Glass has been 

 broken, flowers have been destroyed, branches have been cut 

 from the trees, and grain crops have been much injured. Yet 

 the storms have been by no means general, for while soma 

 localities have been flooded, others not far distant from them 

 have remained unrefreshed and garden crops are withering 

 under the burning sun, pastures are scorching up, and the 

 leaves are falling from many deciduous trees, owing to the 

 long-continued heat and drought. 



■ At the annual exhibition of the National Carnation 



and Piootee Sooiety the collections of twelve blooms must be 

 shown in boxes of the following dimensions — from centre to 

 centre, 3| inches ; from centre to outside, 2J inches, outside 

 length, 15f inches ; width, 12 inches ; depth, 4-f inches ; to be 

 painted a bright green. A good exhibition is anticipated. . 



At Deeside, Aberdeenshire, a few weeks ago, opposite 



Ballater, where the channel of the river Dee divides and forms 

 two small islets each being 300 to 400 yards long by 100 

 broad, the surface of both of these islets was completely 

 clothed with Lupinus polyphyllus in full flower. It was a 

 most gorgeous sight. On inquiring of the landlord at the 

 hotel at Ballater how those plants had become apparently 

 so naturalised there, he could only say they were "Lupines," 

 and it was supposed that the roots had been thrown-out from 

 some gentleman's garden farther up the river, and had been 

 carried down by the river and settled in those localities. — 

 J. F., Haddington. 



[This Lupine is quite hardy and produces a large quantity 

 of seeds, and these would soon cover a large space with plants.] 



NIEREMBERGIA GRACILIS. 



Some years ago this plant was extremely popular as an 

 edging plant, also for hanging baskets, vases, &a. Latterly it has 

 appeared to have gone out of fashion, succulents and Lobelias 

 being regarded a. the "correct things" in edging plants. 

 That these j '. t nts are attractive is freely admitted, but that 

 they are so much o as to drive out of gardens Nierembergias 

 cannot be conceded. 



The chaste and compact growth of Nierembergia gracilis, its 

 slender foliage and conspiouons yet delicate flowers, constitute it 

 an edging plant of the first rank. Especially is it effective.during 

 the present hot and dry season — surpassing, indeed, almost 

 any other edging plant in the garden. It appears to rejoice 

 in heat, and drought does Dot harm it ; and for light soils in 

 dry districts it is certainly worthy of extended cultivation. 

 It is a free-growing plant, and is rarely affected by insects or 



disease. For window boxes, vases, and hanging baskets it is 

 one of the very best of plants that can be employed. For 

 greenhouse and conservatory decoration in spring and early 

 summer large plants of it are most effective ; indeed, both for 

 house and garden culture it is a valuable plant, and when well 

 grown will never fail to have many admirers. 



A stock may be provided by taking cuttings at the present 

 time, inserting them in sand and placing them in a close 

 frame. These may be wintered in a light greenhouse, and be 

 potted-off in spring ; and the stock may be further increased at 

 that time, when cuttings strike readily in heat and speedily 

 grow into flowering plants. 



As the propagating season is at hand let me urge that a few 

 potfuls of cuttings of this elegant plant be struck, and especi- 

 ally by those who have light soil to deal with and reside in 

 dry localities. In such a soil and district edgings formed of 

 this plant are by far the most satisfactory and attractive in the 

 garden. — J. J., South Notts. 



MIXED BEDS. 



By mixed beds I do not mean the old English mode of plant- 

 ing a great variety of plants in the same bed or border, but 

 simply the mixing of two plants together, each of which 

 heightens the effect of the other. Perhaps ' ' duplicate bedding " 

 might be an appropriate term to use, for it is filling one bed 

 with two kinds of plants. 



An occasional bed of this nature may be seen in most large 

 gardens and public parks, and beds which have been probably 

 so planted because plants of a given kind have not been suffi- 

 ciently plentiful for forming " self " beds. They may have 

 been planted with regret — a regret, however, which in many 

 instances has been succeeded by admiration. I know more 

 than one garden where mixed beds, planted in the first 

 instance from necessity, are now systematically arranged, 

 and the effect they produce is of the most pleasing character. 

 Since Violas (Pansies) have proved so adaptable for bedding, 

 these plants are now freely associated with Geraniums, and 

 the effect of such a combination is not only extremely good, 

 but the beds are gay during a longer period than could possibly 

 be the case where their mixture has not been adopted. Take 

 any of the free-flowering blue or purple Pansies and associate 

 them with variegated Geraniums, and the bed is gay from the 

 day it is planted until the season for flowers has passed away. 

 The value of Pansies for this mode of decoration is undoubtedly 

 great, and cannot fail to contribute powerfully to the attractive- 

 ness of a garden. 



Other mixed beds are also very beautiful. Plant, for instauce, 

 a large bed with Centaurea ragusina and Verbena veno3a, and 

 it will probably be considered the best bed in the garden. 

 The rich purple trusses of the Verbena resting on the silvery 

 ground have a most agreeable effect and cannot fail to be 

 admired. The old MangleBii Geranium, which is one of the 

 finest of all variegated bedding plants, associated with Purple 

 King Verbena makes a remarkably attractive bed ; and perhaps 

 even more rich is a combination of the same Geranium with 

 Crimson Eing Verbena. Gnaphalium lanatum mixed with 

 blue Pansies and purple Asters produces an effective arrange- 

 ment — the Pansies doing duty ia early summer, the Asters 

 continuing their beauty into the autumn. That mixture makes 

 a very fine bed. Yellow Pansies mixed with Iresine Lindenii 

 or Perilla produce an exceedingly rich combination, and if 

 white Asters are also dotted in the bed in autumn it is as attrac- 

 tive as it was in the summer. A bed of mixed Pansies dotted 

 with mixed Pentstemons has a long and attractive charm, and 

 is full of interest and real beauty for at the least six months. 

 A large bed planted with these two plants alone is almost a 

 flower garden ia itself. 



There are other effective mixtures, but these named have 

 been noted as having given great satisfaction to the numerous 

 visitors to a large and celebrated flower garden. Those having 

 proved other combinations to be specially attractive would by 

 mentioning them convey useful information, for this mode of 

 occupying flower beds is, I am told by a gentleman who travels 

 a great deal, growing and spreading. — J. McK. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



HARDY fruit garden. 

 We have in previous numbers remarked that when wall or 

 other fruit trees are in good health there is little danger to be 



