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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 30, 1876. 



Pontederia eordata. It has been there for Eome years, and 

 although it is killed down to the surface of the water every 

 winter, it has never failed to grow again in the spring, and 

 much more vigorously than it is usually seen in English Btoves. 

 This plant having proved thus hardy in Belgium ought also to 

 be hardy in England. 



An account of this interesting nursery would be incomplete 

 without an allusion to Mr. Van Geert's mode of manufacturing 

 manure and applying it to the soil. The manure manufactory 

 is of a very homely character, and the process is extremely 

 simple, yet very effectual. There is no digging of farmyard 

 manure into the ground in the ordinary manner; first, because 

 manure of that character is unsuited to this class of plants 

 and trees ; and secondly, some of it would be placed in the 

 ground where not wanted. The plan adopted is first to obtain 

 a Bupply of what is suited to the soil and crops, and then to 

 apply it exactly where wanted and nowhere else. The manure, 

 then, must have as its base vegetable matter, yet must be 

 rich — that is, a minimum amount of the material must con- 

 tain a maximum quantity of food. The manure is prepared 

 somewhat as follows : — A shed is erected which contains bags 

 of chemical manures, and beneath the shed is a tank or pond, 

 in this .the " artificials " are mixed at a tolerable strength. 

 Into this liquid decayed and decaying vegetable matter of all 

 kinds is placed and left for saturation. After remaining for 

 a time it is taken out and placed in a heap, and fresh refuse 

 is placed in the tank. Leaves, weeds, and rubbish have a 

 soaking in this rich liquid. The saturated mass is subsequently 

 turned over frequently, and in the course of time resembles 

 leaf soil, and when in this state and sufficiently dry it is ready 

 for use — an enriched, light, friable, vegetable compost. It is 

 used as follows : The soil is light and sandy, and is not regu- 

 larly dug over, but rows of holes are made of a sufficient size 

 and depth for the different sized shrubs, &c. In these holes 

 is placed a little of the compost — say a lining of an inch or 

 two in each hole, and the planting is completed. It is to be 

 remembered that this is a nursery, and the trees are subject to 

 removal at any time, and masses of fibrous roots " close at 

 home " are of the greatest importance, ensuring the safe and 

 speedy re-establishment of the shrubs, &c. This compost and 

 mode of applying it causes the emission of these masses of 

 spongioles with the greatest certainty. I saw many Conifers 

 taken up, hundreds being in the course of removal, and I 

 never before saw such satisfactory roots. Shrubs so perfectly 

 furnished with innumerable feeders could not fail to flourish 

 if ordinary attention were bestowed in removal and planting. 



The principle of applying the manure is a sound one. If 

 the roots cannot find food near they will travel in search of 

 it, and become long, straight, and comparatively destitute of 

 fibres ; but if nourishment of the right kind is provided 

 numerous fibres are formed to appropriate it, and which 

 remain in the feeding ground to the advantage of the subjects 

 and their owner. It is so with plants of all kinds, from the 

 Vine to the Cabbage, from the " Cedar of Lebanon to the 

 Hyssop growing on the wall." To his care in preparing this 

 compost and applying it Mr. Van Geert attributes much of 

 his success, for shrubs and Conifers so prepared have proved 

 what are known as "certain growers," and have established 

 the reputation of the nursery. It is worthy of mention, and 

 may in a modified form be advantageously adopted in the 

 removal of trees and shrubs in private gardens, a little fresh 

 generous compost to which is a great incentive to the emission 

 of fresh roots. I apprehend it is in some such manner as 

 above shadowed that the Belgian leaf soil is prepared in which 

 Camellias, Azaleas, &i., root so freely and grow so luxuriantly. 

 Certain it is that more attention is given to the preparation 

 of light stimulating vegetable soil in Belgium than in England. 

 Mr. Van Geert's home nursery was described in vol. xxiii., 

 page 429, and is much in the same state now as then ; so is its 

 owner — hale, courteous and hospitable, an excellent English 

 scholar, and esteemed for his probity at home and abroad. 

 He is ably assisted in his business by his son, Mr. Charles Van 

 Geert, jun., who is a diligent and devoted horticulturist. — J. W 



which might almost cheat us into the belief that a long season 

 of soothing rest was at hand ; but sudden changes are frequent 

 during November, and a day of pleasant sunshine is often 

 followed by wet or frosty nights ; or sudden tempests rise, till 



" O'er the Bky the leafy deluge streams, 

 Till, choked aDd matted with the dreary shower, 

 The forest-walks at every rising gale 

 Boll wide the wither'd waste and whistle bleak." 



Thus the pale descending year has many aspects. Soft 

 balmy days, seasons of high winds, driving rains, and frosty 

 mornings alternate in so capricious a manner that it were 

 impossible to assign characteristic weather to the variable 

 month ; nor lately has its customary description of " gloomy " 

 been entirely deserved, for bursts of spring-like sunshine have 

 lit up the landscape, and brought into conspicuous notice each 

 plant and flower that still linger to deck the brow of the dying 

 year. 



On the common the Farze stands out in bold dark green 

 masses, and under its sheltering cover smaller plants nestle 

 and bring forth a few late blossoms. One of the most con- 

 spicuous features of the landscape at this season is the number 

 of spiders' webs that are hung on almost every branch and 

 leaf. The gossamer webs are woven between the pendant 

 boughs of the Bramble and over the spine-covered Gorse ; they 

 twinkle in the early light with myriads of dewdrops left by the 

 misty night, and seem to be fairy curtains hung on every 

 bough. 



" The lengthened night elapsed, the morning shines 

 Serene, in all her dewy beauty bright, 

 TjDfolding fair the last autumnal day. 

 And now the mounting sun dispels the fog; 

 The rigid hoar frost melts before his beam ; 

 And, hung on every spray, on every blade 

 Of grass, the myriad dewdrops twinkle round." 



When the great November wind has passed over the country 

 and stripped the trees of all their foliage, and left them. 

 standing like so many gaunt sentinels watching over the 

 wintry nakedness, what numbers of places are exposed to view 

 which in summer time were totally hidden beneath an em- 

 bowering screen of dense foliage — the winding river, the dis- 

 tant hill, the village church and isolated cottage, Which a few 

 short weeks ago were quite shut out from view. On the leafless 

 hedges the birds congregate in great numbers to regale them- 

 selves with food from the bounteous store of berries which 

 now are seen on Thorn, Privet, wild Rose, and Holly. The 

 eddying brook bears ou its swiftly flowing current many a 

 tiny bark in the form of some withered leaf which the rude 

 wind has blown upon its breast ; and on its banks the tall 

 Sedges and Reeds keep up a monotonous moan, played upon 

 by the wintry wind. 



As the month advancss the sunny days become fewer, and 

 rain falls continuously for some time. 



" In the stormy east wind straining 

 The pale yellow woods are waning ; 

 The broad stream in its banks complaining, 

 Heavily the low sky raioing." 



And the season well merits the epithet of dreary ; yet the poet 

 finds something to call him forth to the abiding places of 

 Nature even at this dull season. 



" In pensive guise 

 Oft let me wander o'er the russet mead, 

 And through the saddened grove where scarce is heard 

 One dying strain to cheer the woodman's toil. 

 Haply some widowed songster pours his plaint 

 Far, in faint warbliogs, through the tawny copse; 

 "While congregated thrushes, linnets, larks, 

 And each wild throat, whose artless strains so late 

 Swelled all the music of the swarming shades, 

 Bobbed of their tuneful souls, cow shivering sit 

 On the dead tree, a dull despondent flock ; 

 With not a brightness waving o'er their plumes, 

 And nought save chattering discord in their note." 



— T. S. J. 



ASPECTS OF NATURE— NOVEMBEB. 



11 Now the leaf 

 Incessant rustles from the mournful grove ; 

 Oft startling such as, Btadious, walk below. 

 And slowly circles through the waving air." 



The above description is true of the first days of November, 

 when there is, as it were, a stillness and repoBe about nature 



FERN-LEAVED PARSLEY. 

 No crisped, crested, or finely divided Fern can vie with this 

 Parsley in the density of its crests and curls. So finely divided 

 are its parts, that this Parsley is comparable only with the 

 finest of our wood mosses. A plant of this Parsley in a 6 or 

 7-inch pot would be admissible as a table plant, and befitting 

 a prominent place in an arrangement of ornamental-foliage 

 plants ; whilst for association with ornamental foliage and 

 flowers in a cut state I know of no more suitable groundwork 

 than that formed of its green moss-like leaves. Its colour — 

 a pleasing light green — renders it much superior as a garnish- 

 ing plant to the ordinary varieties of curled Parsley, and its 



