102 



JOURNAL OF EOKTICULTUEK AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 10, 1871. 



fiower3. and ' flowers of the field,' we are reminded in many ways. Thus 

 in Scripture we are tohi that ' we all do fade as a leaf,' and that * we are 

 like the fjrass of the fit^ld ; ' and our blessed Lord, when He delivered 

 His sermon on the slope of the mountain, looking on the choicest 

 of flowers growing on the plain beneath, said, ' Consider the Lilies 

 of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin ; and 

 yet I say unto you that even Salomon in all his glory wds not arrayed 

 like one of these.' Lilies, such as were thus described, are, however, not 

 there to be found ; but what the Saviour no doubt alluded to was the 

 Aoemone, which is a great ornament to that part of the world. The 

 Rose, a plant now cultivated largely by us, was formerly scarcely known 

 in England, and was imported into this country in the first instance from 

 Prarence. The Rose does not grow in the Holy Land ; what is men- 

 tio&ed in Scripture as that flower is either what is now known as the 

 Rhododendron, or more likely the Oleander. That mentioned as the 

 *Eoa6 of Sharon ' is a Cistus ; and the ' A.pples of Sodom ' are more 

 like Potatoes. There is a plant more recently introduced into this 

 conntry and grows very well, the Benthamia. In the summer its leaf 

 ia a lightish green, but as the winter approaches it becomes leathery. 

 Tke leaves did not fall oil, hut on watching it a Httle tinge of green 

 would be seen on the stalk, and this would pass through the whole of 

 the leaf, nntU at last it became as green as it was the year before. It 

 might be a conceit of his, but he had thought, as we might take ser- 

 mens from stones, why not take sermons from plants like this, which 

 appeared to him to have something of a symbol of the resurrection ?" 



Shall I go on? No, but "I have not yet done with Tor- 

 quay." — G. 



be fully seen. In doing this avoid extremes ; looseness is jast 

 as ohjectiODable as over-erowding. Oar aim should be to pro- 

 duce a compact, graceful bouquet without stiffuess or formality, 



3. Use enough greenery among and in contact with the 

 flowers to divide bright colours, and to impart the requisite 

 air of quietness and repose. Everything in Nature is well- 

 balanced ; each cluster of bright flowers has its foil of green 

 foliage, contributing mueh to its beauty. 



4. In arranging the flowers there should be a leaning to 

 massing those of the same kind in moderate quantities, rather 

 than towards indulging in too much sub-division. This refers 

 more particularly to the smaller kinds of flowers. 



Lastly, in order to be really successful in this work, I would 

 say to all learners, Use your eyes, and miss no opportunity of 

 gaining instruction. Many of us have a feeling that we could 

 do great things in the world if we had the chance; let us be 

 I sure, then, that no effort is wanting on our patt to make the 

 I most of everything likely to improve our minds and add to our 

 knowledge and skill. I am quite sure if this were so we should 

 not see such repeated examples of unskilful practice, even in 

 the arrangement of a few cut flowers. — Edwakd Luckhdesi. 



THE ARRANGEMENT OF CUT FLOTN^RS. 



In some minds the conception of the right method of arrang- 

 ing out flowers, particularly as exemplified at horticultural 

 exbibiiions, is extraordinary, and certainly very surprising after 

 the frequent opportunities iiftorded to the public by such exhi- 

 bitions to examine and compare the sprightly elegance of a 

 tasteful well-arranged bouquet with the heaviness and glare of 

 the majority of its opponents. 



Tisiting an exhibition of a provincial horticultural society 

 lately, I was forcibly reminded of this weak point in modern 

 bortioalturists by a particularly glaring example of bad taste — 

 B centre stand for a dinner-table. Tbe maker had evidently 

 eome inkling of the right principles of floral decoration, but 

 it was only an inkling — no more, for it was equally evident 

 that he had not mastered even the first principles of the art he 

 essayed to practise. 



It may be well to describe this flower-stand. It consisted of 

 three oiroular pans or saucers, attached at equal di.itances, one 

 above the other, to a centre stem of about 20 inches high ; the 

 eauoera were almost fl-it, and well graduated in size, the bottom 

 one measuring about 12 inches across, the middle one 9, and 

 the top 6. So far all was as it should be, and one would ask 

 for no better utensil for the purpose ; but each saucer was 

 packed with as many Eoses as could be well crammed together, 

 while from the edges projected a bold fringe of Maiden-hair 

 Fern, It will, therefore, be understood thtt every requisite for 

 the production of a chaste and elegant effect was precent; but 

 owing to the miserably faulty arrangement of the flowers, an 

 tmsigbtly tffdct, the reverse of what it should have been, was 

 the result. 



At no time would one ask for better materials for the decora- 

 tion of a dinner-table stand than a well-assorted selection of 

 partly-expanded E pses, with a fair proportion of buds and 

 clean, health; foliage. These should be so arranged that ench 

 flower may have ample space to show the full beauty of its 

 combined charms of form and colour, both in foliage and 

 blossom, and thus, while attracting attention as objects of rare 

 beauty individually, the whole of the flowers used would con- 

 tribute to the general effect in the best possible manner. A 

 few Pern fronds may always be introduced with safety, and 

 frequently with advantage. In the example I have quoted, if 

 fewer flowers had been used and a little of the Maiden-hair 

 Fern mingled with them, the fltt heavy effect might have been 

 altogether avoided. Tbe crowding together of a quantity of 

 cut flovers in a confused mass is opposed to good taste and 

 oSent-ive to the eye, which, instead of being attracted and in- 

 terested, soon tires of the glare and confusion, and turns to 

 objects of quiet grace and chaste simplicity for that enjoyment 

 which it sought for and would have found in a well-made 

 banquet. 



By way of application I will offer one or two simple rules 

 for the arrangement of cut flowers. 



1. Iq selecting the fl 'Wers, let the colours be few, distinct, 

 find Buoh as will harmonis^e with each other, 



2. Do not croi7d the flowers ; let each have space enough to 



A PEACH-TREE BOEDER. 



" An old story retold." The excellent article of " J. Mo.D." 

 in No. 540, page 85, has reminded me forcibly of the follow- 

 ing article, written by Mr. Elvers in his " Miniature Fruit 

 Garden," page 102, sixteenth edition, many years since. It 

 seems so apposite and so in accordance with what should be in 

 practice, that, with permission, I send it to you for insertion 

 if you think it " a word in season" and worthy of a place. — 

 Constant Beader. 



" la our southern counties, where light sandy soils abound, 

 the difliculty of making Peach and Nectarine trees trained to 

 walls to flourish is well known ; in spring they are liable to the 

 curl and the attacks of aphides, in summer they are infested 

 with the red spider, so that the trees are weakened, and rarely 

 give good fruit ; they seem, indeed, to detest light soils. The 

 following method of preparing borders for them in such soils 

 may be well known, but I have not seen it described by any 

 gardening author. 



" The idea has come to me from observing Peach trees 

 trained to walls refuse to do well in the light sandy soil form- 

 ing a part of my nursery, except near paths, and to grow and 

 do well for years in the stiff tenacious loam forming another 

 part. My bearing trees in pots, for which I use tenacious 

 loam and dung, rammed down with a wooden pestle, also bear 

 and flourish almost beyond belief, and so I am induced to re- 

 commend that in light soils the Peach-tree border should be 

 made as follows : — 



" To a wall of moderate height, say 9 or 10 feet, a border 

 6 feet wide, and to a wall 12 feet high, one 8 feet wide, shiuld 

 be marked out. If the soil be poor and exhausted by cropping, 

 or if it be an old garden, a dressing of rotten dung and tenacious 

 loam or clay, equal parts, 5 inches in thickness, should be spread 

 over the surface of the border; it should then be stirred to 

 2 feet in depth, and the loam and dung well mixed with the 

 soil. The trees may be planted during the winter, and in 

 March, in dry weather, the border, all over its surface, should 

 be thoroughly rammed down with a wooden rammer, so as to 

 make it like a well-trodden path ; some light half-rotten manure, 

 say from 1 to 2 inches in depth, may then be spread over it, 

 and the operation is complete. This border must never be 

 stirred, except with the hoe, to destroy weeds, and of course 

 never cropped. Every succeeding spring, in dry weather, the 

 ramming and dressing must be repeated, as the soil is always 

 much loosened by frost. If this method be followed Peaches 

 and Nectarines may be made to flourish in our dry southern 

 counties, where they have hitherto brought nothing but disap- 

 pointment. 



" The two grand essentials for Peach culture are stiff loam, 

 or a very firm soil, and a sunny climate." 



TACSONIA VAN-VOLXEMI. 

 Is the fruit of tbe above magnificent climber eatable ? I 

 have a plant which is producing an abundance of fruit about 

 the size of a hen's egg and of much the same shape. The 

 flowers are exceedingly striking and showy, on account of the 

 brilliant crimson colour. The flower-stem, or stalk, is very 

 i slender, Irom 9 inches to a foot in length. This plant ought 



