384 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 26, XS63. 



Verbena, in case the flowers of the Geranium should not be thick 

 enough, bordered with Purple King Verbena. 



2, Stella (Beaton's), and Golden Chain Geranium. 



3, Newlii, and Cloth of Gold Geranium. 



4 and 5, Scarlet Globe, and Bijou Geranium. 



6 and 8, Calceolaria, stiff plants of Aurantia multiflora, and 

 purple Heliotrope, the latter chiefly for the scent near the 

 windows as well as the colour. 



7 and 9, Calceolaria Aurea floribunda, with blue Anagallis 

 next, and then a band of Lobelia speeiosa. 



10 and 11, Christine Pink Geranium, and Tropseolum elegans, 

 12 and 14, Boule de Feu Geranium, fringed with white Ver- 

 bena, and that with Christine, a rich puce. 



13, 15, Brilliant Geranium, Bkirted with Variegated Alyssum, 

 and that bordered with Charlwoodii Verbena— a stiff upright 

 grower, with small purple flowers, and though one of the oldest 

 one of the best for effectiveness, the habit being so good, and 

 the foliage so small. The other side with the fifteen beds is 

 planted the same, so that each group is balanced from the centre 

 square 1, and then each group as a whole is a counterpart of the 

 Other, from which it is separated by the broad piece of pavement. 

 Beyond the walk in front is a grass terrace, bounded by the 

 border to which we referred last week. As we want effect Boon, 

 these squares were planted thick, and some of the Verbenas were 

 not very large. The Geraniums were nice stiff plants showing 

 flower; but nine plants did not do more than fill the outside 

 lines of the eighteen-inch middle square. 



_ But for time we would have described the planting of some 

 ribbon-borders ; but perhaps it would be as well to reiterate two 

 or three particulars in our planting. First, most of our plants 

 being raised from temporary beds, there is no trouble in loosen- 

 ing the balls, which is a necessary operation if the plants are 

 turned out of pots which they had filled with their roots. Lifted 

 as ours are, the rootlets are quite ready to run away into the Boil 

 of the bed. Of course the plants feel tbe moving the first week 

 or so. Secondly, we have never been able to dung our beds or give 

 them leaf mould as we would wish, or even do much as respects 

 changing the soil; but we make amends for this by changing 

 the crop generally every year. The beds being poor, and the 

 Boil generally rather rough, we make it a point to give every 

 plant a handful of rich light Boil to start in, and anything par- 

 ticular gets two or three handfuls. When we can do bo with 

 small things we place some of the prepared compost on the bed, 

 and draw it in round the plant with the trowel or the hand as 

 planting is going on. We seldom can afford to be so extravagant, 

 so generally as the planter makes the hole and sets the plant in 

 it, a little boy pitches down to him the little soil as he goes on. 

 This compost is formed of two parts of road-drift and road- 

 Bcrapings, chiefly for the ground flint they contain, though we 

 get weeds with it. ThiB is turned several times during winter 

 and spring, and then sifted through an inch sieve. To this is 

 added one part of sifted leaf mould, ditto sifted old Mushroom 

 dung— and this is why we required to clear the Mushroom-beds 

 out— and one part of burnt earth, elay, and charred materials, 

 generally pretty hot, which thus makes the compost when well 

 turned very comfortable as respects temperature. If the burnt 

 elay, &c, do not settle the worms that may be in the leaf 

 mould, &c, a little lime is added. This mixture is thus both 

 light and rich, and the roots go into it at once ; and thirdly, 

 almost every plant except those pegged-down is staked and tied 

 as soon as planted, the stakes preferred for all bedding plants 

 being the twiggy branches of the Spruce Fir that have lain the 

 best part of a twelvemonth. The more twigs there are on them 

 the better. If the branches have been used aa the bottom of 

 Btacks all the winter they will be nice and straight from the 

 weight above them. These hurdles burn so beautifully that we 

 have had to threaten the lad that attends to the mess-room fire ; 

 for when he wanted the kettle to boil he forgot about our bedding 

 plants. We have these made into bundles from 1 foot to 2£ or 

 3 feet in length, according to the size of the plants to which they 

 are applied. We have had the same twiggy sticks for a number 

 of years ; but for nice purposes they are not so effective as new 

 ones, as the small twigs get rotten and broken off. This staking 

 adds greatly to the labour ; but in Bueh an exposed place as this 

 we shou!d have things swept off without them. On last Tues- 

 day we had Borne things broken and cleared off, but mostly 

 when untied. For a month or bo the Btioks are rather prominent, 

 but then the object is seen, and that gives them at least the 

 commendation of fitness, and the beds also, if well twigged, have 

 a certain amount of shelter. When the beds come to be at their 



best the sticks are all concealed, and the shoots are so interlaced 

 among the twigs that it would require next to a hurricane to 

 displace them or roll them into bundles. — R. F. 



TJRADE CATALOGUES KECEIVED. 



Catalogue of Choice Plants, Azaleas, Oerankims, Dahlias, 

 Hoses, tfc. — Dillistone & Co., Sturmer, .Essex ; and William 

 Dilhatone, Munro Nursery, Sible Hedingham, Essex. 



Alex. Gibb, Panmure Nursery, Broughty Ferry, N.B. — 

 Catalogue of Florists' Mowers, cfc. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* # * We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the " Journal of Horticulture, Coitage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing ttiey 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to The 

 Editors of the "Journal of Horticulture, tiro." VdA, Fleet 

 Street, London, F.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sneet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and iiee subjects, it they expect to get them answered 

 promptly and conveniently, but write tnem on separate 

 communications. Also never to send more than two or 

 three questions at once. 



We cannot reply privately to any communication unless under 

 very special circumstances. 



Polyanthus with Leafy Calyx.— A reader of The Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture would be very glad to communicate with " C. Daniel" respecting 

 the Polyanthus spore with a leafy calyx, mentioned at page 350. 



Plant Case (A Three-and-a-half-years Subscriber). — We grow tender 

 Ferns, Hat\»nta tigrina, variegated-leaved Begonias, and dwarf CaladiuniS 

 Bhnilarly variegated.. We use the Bijou Plant Case, manufactured by Mr. 

 Stocks, 14, Archer Street, Kensington Park, W. 



Ferns for a Glass Case {J. M., Dumfries).— For a room scarcely ever 

 having a fire in it we do not think that your selection lor the case is suitable. 

 Adiantuui curvatum is a native of Brazil, and requires a euol stove or a 

 warm greenhouse. Asplenium adiantum nigrum is very suitable, being a 

 British species delighting in a shady place and growing iu vegetable mould, 

 brick rubbish, and pebbles. It is almost au evergreen, it not quite so. 

 Lastrea bulbilera, or Aspidium bulbiferum, is a North American species, and 

 suitable for the case. Adiuntum cupillus- Veneris is also suitable, being the 

 Bush Maidenhair. Adiantum gracile, do not know ; but tear it will be too 

 tender. Adiantum formosum we think might answer, though it would be 

 better of more heat. In such a coul case the fronds would get brown and 

 withered in winter, but come fresh in spring and summer. Acrophorns 

 hispidus, do not know it, aud therefore cannot say if suitable; and fear 

 we must say the same of Davallia longifolia, as all the Davallias we know 

 are natives of warm climates. Instead 01 these tender ones, we would 

 recommend such British Ferns as Allosorus enspus, or Parsley Fern, which 

 should be planted shallow, and be kept well drained and moist. The fronds 

 will always come green in spring; and such Aspleniums as .ontanum, lan- 

 ceolatum, viride, and marinum, all require peat, heath soil, broken bricks, 

 and a little lime rubbish ; and the latter the least of aalt in the water. 

 Cystopteris alpina and Trichomaues radicans, or Killarney Fern, require 

 also to be shallow-planted in peat aud moss, and kept in a cuol, damp, close 

 atmosphere. We think that with these you will succeed belter and be 

 better satisfied than with tropical exotics. Instead of planting in leaf 

 mould and water sand, drain well, use a little old sweet leaf inuuld, but 

 chiefly heath soil, and mix all with broken pieces of pots and bricks; and 

 lor sorts that cling to walls use pieces of stone. We would not leave the 

 bell-glass off long at a time, but would merely elevate it a litlle ; in fact, 

 we would prefer a moveable top, so as to give a little air at pleasure. We 

 would also daub the glass next the window and the top of ihe case to beep 

 too bright sun out. The glass inside being dewed with water is all right 

 enough. If you had a moveable top, and turned it the reverse way in the 

 morning, the tenderest Ferns would not be injured by dripping. 



Verbena to contrast with Purple King (M. M. I*.).— We should 

 select Evening Star ; but Miss Mildmay or Loveliness would suit you 

 among the older kinds. We do not know the best mauve-coloured that 

 would thus contrast. Lord Leigh is a noble crimson scarlet with yellow 

 eye, sent out by Messrs. Perkins, of Coventry, figured in the Florist and 

 Pomologist of March, along with a beautilul purple, Lord Craven, now 

 sent out by Downie & Laird. 



Fuchsia Shoots Injured (Three-years Subscriber).— There are signs of 

 thrips having been on the iuchsias. It would be safest to take tliem away 

 from the rest and Bmoke them. There are also signs of the soil having got 

 sour with stagnant moisture about the roots. If none of these are the 

 causes, we are at a loss as to the reason. 



Melon Leaves Diseased (Cucumis melo). — We think it is likely that 

 there is too much bottom heat for these hardier kinds of Mielons, which 

 might be neutralised by a good layer of rubble between the p pes and the 

 sun. We can see nothing wrong in the treatment, more especially as other 

 varieties answer so well ; but, if not tried, we should adopt leaving a little 

 air on all night, or, at least, giving air the flrst thing in the morning, 

 however small the quantity, so that all moisture shall be dissipated from 

 the leaves before the sun strikes them. Some of the Persian kinds will 

 thrive in au amount of atmospheric moisture that would ruin some of the 

 older and hardier kinds. We shall be glad to hear how you get on with 

 them. 





