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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



[ August SI, 1876. 



village Society, and eventually it was decided that if thirty 

 gardeners could be induced to enrol themselves, the managers 

 of the village Institute would accept them as ordinary members, 

 and, in addition to the general literature would provide them 

 with a certain number of gardening periodicals, permit them the 

 use of the lecture room for the reading of papers and for dis- 

 cussion, and allow them to establish alibrary of gardening books. 

 The stipulated number of members soon became doubled, and 

 the gardeners became a scource of strength to the Society which 

 opened its doors to them, and thus assisting it more completely 

 to fulfil the purpose for which it was established — as an institu- 

 tion for the general improvement of the industrial classes of the 

 district. 



The alliance has been most successful. The Committee and 

 Secretary of the Institute have rendered every assistance and 

 granted every facility in their power for the gardening contin- 

 gent, and the gardeners have already formed a library includ- 

 ing the most practical and useful books in publication. These 

 advantages — the garden and general library and reading room — 

 are at the disposal of all gardeners for the easy subscription of 

 5s. per annum, and in order to participate in them some mem- 

 bers come long distances to attend the meetings and discussions. 

 Especially is this so with head gardeners, who have been quick to 

 perceive the advantages offered, and it is to be hoped that all 

 the young men of the district will follow the excellent example 

 that has been set them. Acting alone and without the aid of 

 the village Institute the Gardeners' Club could not have been 

 in the satisfactory oondition that it now is, and without the 

 gardeners the Institute could not equally well carry out the in- 

 tentions of its founders and managers. Thus the alliance has 

 proved one of mutual help, strength, and benefit. 



The success of the amalgamation may well be recorded, for 

 the plan which was adopted, and whioh has been oarried out so 

 well, is adaptable to other localities, and similar attempts at 

 self-improvement cannot fail in adding to the benefits of those 

 whi" v we are especially desirous of seeing oompetent and 

 pre sperouB — the gardeners of Britain. 



The opening meeting was a very enjoyable one, and an im- 

 petus was given by the remarks of the various speakers to the 

 strengthening of the Sooiety, and making it additionally useful 

 and flourishing. 



Mr. Wright of the Journal of Horticulture was called upon to 

 preside at the meeting, and was supported by Mr. Gordon of the 

 Gardeners' Magazine ; Mr. Casswell, the Seoretary of the village 

 Institute; Mr. Kinghorn, Sheen Nursery, Richmond ; Mr. Oiler- 

 head, gardener to Sir Henry Peek, Bart. ; Mr. Lyon, gardener to 

 A. Schlusser, Esq. ; Mr. Moorman, gardener to the Misses 

 Christy, &c. 



THE ROSE ELECTION. 

 I should be glad of all replies to this as soon as possible, as 

 I am anxious to get the result out before the end of September, 

 and I shall therefore be extremely obliged to all those who 

 intend to kindly assist if they will send me their lists without 

 delay. 



1, Name what you consider the best fifty Roses in cultiva- 

 tion, underlining the best twenty ; and 



2, Which do you consider the best Btook for Roses? — 

 Joseph Hinton, Warminster. 



ASPECTS OF NATURE.— AUGUST. 

 Of all months of the year August isriohest in colour, for not 

 only are the hues of the wild flowers more brilliant than in 

 spring, but the fields of golden grain are at their brightest and 

 offer a splendid oontrast to the surrounding greenery of hedge- 

 row, copse, and wood. The reaper euts both corn and flowers, 

 and beneath his glittering scythe or sickle fall some of the 

 most beautiful blossoms of the floral garland whioh twines 

 with an unbroken ohain the circle of the months. Spenser 

 thus describes August — 



"Being rich array'd 

 In garments, all of gold downe to the ground, 

 Yet rode he not, hut led a lovely mayd 

 Forth by the lily hand, the which was crown'd 

 With eares of come, and full her hand was found." 



Full indeed during this most bounteous month, when not 

 only the cultivated fruits are ripening in every orchard and on 

 every garden wall, but when the clusters of Hazel nuts begin 

 to gain a deeper tint, when the Bramble has its white or pinky- 

 white blossoms, and its pleasant fruit changing from green to 

 deep purple. 



In the corn field the most gorgeous flower of all is the Corn 

 Marigold ; indeed, during this glowing month a bouquet of 

 wildings — as rich in colour, if neither so sweet in perfume nor 

 so large in 6ize as the more favoured oocupants of the parterre 

 — may be oulled. For gold we may gather the brilliant Corn 



Marigold or yellow Oxeye ; for blue, as bright and beautiful 

 as though reflected from the unclouded ether above, the Cen- 

 taurea Cyanus, known by so many names — Cornflower, Hurt- 

 sickle, Blue-bonnet, and which the poet has apostrophised as 

 Love's Oracle. 



" There is a flower, a purple flower, 

 Sown by the wind, nursed by the shower, 

 O'er which love breathed a powerful spell, 

 The truth of whispering hope to tell. 

 Now, gentle flower, I pray thee tell 

 If my lover loves me, and loves me well, 

 So may the fall of the morning dew 

 Keep the Bun from fading thy tender blue." 



For deep crimson the splendid blossoms of the Saintfoin, 

 which, though it is a cultivated plant and much beloved of the 

 farmer for fodd6r, still escapes and grows up in odd places ; 

 for the white the effective Ox-eyed DaiBy may be chosen. We 

 may gather such a nosegay from plants that grow on either side 

 of many a field path, and nothing will excel its brightness. 



Where suoh strong contrasts are not desired the hedgerows 

 offer numberless plants, less conspicuous doubtless, but scarcely 

 less beautiful, being distinguished by variety of form, colour, or 

 peculiarity of habit. The field Convolvulus now covers many 

 a waste place, clothing with beauty the most unpromising 

 spots, and displaying its pretty pale pink petals day after day, 

 as though the store was endless. But the Convolvulus arven- 

 sis, delicate and pretty as it is, has a favoured rival in the 

 splendid large white Bindweed of the hedgerow, which grows 

 so profusely and luxuriantly. A pretty effect may be produced 

 where this wilding is abundant in garden hedges by placing a 

 few pea-sticks for it to run up ; the Convolvulus will twine 

 gracefully around the sticks, and will repay the kind attention 

 by forming a screen of graceful green leaves and snow-white 

 flowers until frost comes to out down unnotioed weeds and 

 carefuDy tended blossoms indiscriminately. 



On the chalky cliffs which round in the Bay of Broadstairs, 

 in the Isle of Thanet, the beautiful crimson flower commonly 

 known as Rambling Widow grows in profuse red patohes of 

 bloom, which hang over the edge of the cliffs towards the sea. 

 In the same district also, but not quite so near the sea, the 

 lovely blue flowers of the wild Chicory and the pale lavender 

 Scabious — which has so little in common with the cultivated 

 variety, wanting both its velvety appearance and Musk-like 

 scent — may be gathered. The Red Campion is a pretty flower, 

 though its bloom has a somewhat loose and rugged appear- 

 ance ; but it is little known, being outvied in brillianoy and 

 popularity by the scarlet field Poppy. 



The common yellow Goat's-beard of the fields is in many 

 places known only by the characteristic term of " Go-to-bed- 

 at-noon," from the opening and closing of its flowers at 

 oertain hours of the day, and which inspired Linnffius with 

 hie idea of a botanioal clock. Mrs. Hemans has perpetuated 

 the remembrance of the Horologium Floras in the following 

 beautiful lines : — 



" From such sweet BignB might the time have flowed 



In a glorious current on, 

 Ere from the garden, man's first abode, 

 . The glorious guests wero gone. 

 " Yet is not life in its real flight 



Mark'd thus— even thuB — on earth, 

 By the cloBing of one hope's delight, 



And another's gentle birth ? 

 " Oh 1 let as live, so that flower by flower, 



Shutting in turn, may leave 

 A lingerer still for the sunset hour, 



A oharm for the faded eve." 



The Marsh-mallow may now be seen in full flower, and 

 where the petals have fallen the country children pick the 

 round flattish seed vessels and call them cheeses. In France 

 the Marsh-mallow is very highly esteemed as an emollient in 

 cases of Blight cold or cough, and every nurse and every house- 

 wife knows how to make Tisane de Mauve and Tisane des 

 Violettes, both sovereign domestic remedies in constant re- 

 quest during the uncertain spring weather. 



Some of our summer visitors now begin to leave us. The 

 swifts are the first, evidently liking to live in a perpetual 

 spring, for as yet these oannot be driven from our land for the 

 laok of food, for the air is filled with insect life, nor has the 

 warmth of the atmosphere diminished, except during the 

 night. The rooks also, which have remained abroad during 

 the hot evenings of summer, now return to roost in their nest 

 trees ; and the robin, which has with the rest of the merry 

 songsters been silent some time, resumes towards the close of 

 the month his warblings, to oheer the shortening days with hia 

 lively winter notes. The warm autumn nights, when no leaf is 



