JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 6, 1877. 



When only one is wanted take the first. This season we had 

 it perfectly ripe in a house where there is no means of apply- 

 ing heat by the end of September, and a gentleman told us 

 that the berries were finer coloured than any of the Black 

 Hambnrghs at the Carlisle Show. 



Vines for a Temperate Souse. — The above may be included 

 here as well as the following : Black Alicante, West's St. 

 Peter's, Foster's White Seedling, Gros Column, Duke of Bue- 

 sleuch, Golden Queen, Syrian, Trebbiano, White Nice, Duchess 

 ef Buccleuch, and Dr. Hogg. 



Vines for a Hothouse. — Muscat of Alexandria, Bowood Mus- 

 cat, White Frontignan, MadreEfield Court, CanonHall Muscat, 

 and Gros Guillaume. 



A few more varieties might be added to each of these classes, 

 but as a rule none are of equal merit to those named. The 

 average temperature which would ripen each of these classes 

 might be taken at or between 60°, 65°, and 70°. 



There are other three classes into which these Grapes 

 may be conveniently divided to meet general wants. These 

 are : — Early Grapes — Black Hamburgh, Foster's White Seed- 

 ling, Backland Sweetwater, and Duke of Buccleuch ; Midseason 

 Grapes —White Frontignan, Madresfield Court, Muscat Ham- 

 burgh, Dr. Hogg, Duchess of Buccleuch, and Canon Hall 

 Muscat; Late Grapes — Muscat of Alexandria, Lady Downe's, 

 Black Alicante, West's St. Peter's, Gros Colman, Golden Queen , 

 Gros Guillaume, Syrian, White Tokay, Trebbiano, and White 

 Nice. With the exception of Muscat of Alexandria we have 

 ordered all the sorts here named to plant a late vinery with 

 this winter, and we would have ordered the Muscat too only 

 we have not enough of heat in the house to grow it properly. 

 Golden Queen may be said to be the only one that is on its 

 trial, and I believe it is understood to be a good Grape ; but 

 at the same time, if its keeping qualities are so good as repre- 

 sented, the month of September is a curious time of the year 

 for prizes to be offered for a late-keeping Grape. Showing 

 it well in prime condition in February or March would do 

 much to establish its reputation in this respect. — A Kitchen 

 Sakdeneb. 



WINTEB EMBELLISHMENT OF FLOWER 

 BEDS. 



Many able critics have justly described our flower gardens 

 in winter as cheerless and barren. We must admit that they 

 are so in most cases, for it is seldom that the parterre is 

 occupied with ornamental plants except in the height of 

 summer. This winter decoration of flower beds is a subjeot 

 which deserves more attention than it has hitherto had. When 

 the summer is over the empty beds always produce a de- 

 pressing effect. Little can bo expected in winter in the way of 

 flowers, but many hardy Bhrubs and Conifers are well suited 

 to render the beds attractive. Until the return of spring many 

 hardy evergreens are so distinct and beautiful that they would, 

 if employed, soften the rigour of winter and assist in making 

 our pleasure grounds pleasing all through the year. Conifers 

 alone, with their great diversity of colour and habit, are capable 

 of forming ornamental groups. Who could look upon a bed 

 of young plants of the Cedrus Deodara with their graceful 

 forms without admiration? Cupressus Lawsoniana is particu- 

 larly attractive with its varieties aurea and argentea. The 

 round form of the Biota aurea, with its brilliant golden tinge, 

 is both elegant and bright; then again, as a contrast in form 

 we have the upright habit of growth with equally brilliant hue 

 of Biota orientalis elegantissima. The Irish Juniper and the 

 Italian Cypress are oompact in habit and extremely chaste. 



The Junipers ought to take the lead for bedding, for they 

 are most elegaut when in a small state, and the best for the 

 purpose is Juaiperus virginiana glauca, with its charming Bilvery 

 shoots, slender and delicate ; J. virginiana pendula kisses the 

 ground, and J. virginiana erecta is as upright as an Irish Tew, 

 but of a lively tone of bluish green ; J. phcenieea is of a free 

 branching habit, a mass of delicate green tracery ; J. Sabina 

 variegata is charming to plant as a carpet for a tall specimen 

 of J. chineneis or J. excelsa ; J. fragrans is very beautiful in a 

 small state ; and J. drupaeea, with its rigid leaflets, is sugges- 

 tive of a miniature Araucaria. All the Conifers named may 

 be purchased at a low price and in quantities. They are better 

 for being grown in pots for bedding, for they can then be easily 

 removed to and fro and replanted without being injured ; thus 

 they may be made to do duty in the parterre through the 

 winter, and contribute to the beauty of some other portion of 

 jhe grounde during the summer ; or they may be placed in the 



reserve garden till wanted. With ordinary care and attention 

 they will improve in beauty and value yearly, and when grown 

 too large for the pots and beds they may go to beautify the 

 shrubbery. 



Many of the commoner shrubs can be made objects of beauty 

 by the exercise of a little taste in planting them in beds. They 

 can be grown without pots and without risk of being injured 

 by transplanting provided proper care is taken in their manage- 

 ment. The Hollies are amongst the most useful for this 

 purpose. They bear cutting, and can be grown as standards, 

 pyramids, or any other shape that taste may dictate. The 

 variegated kinds cause the best effect, particularly when laden 

 with red or yellow berries, as we see them this Beason. The 

 Berberis, or Mahonia as it is now called, is admittedly one of 

 the most beautiful of evergreens. At this season its rich dark 

 foliage is quite distinct. The Golden Yews are also well 

 adapted for planting in beds when in a small state, and shine 

 more conspicuously in a group than a mixed shrubbery ; and 

 we must not forget the Aucubas, for they contribute cheerful- 

 ness wherever they are seen. The Laurustinuses, with their 

 ruby buds and white flowers, are as fresh and bright as the 

 summer flowers. They give effect the moment they are 

 bedded, and continue attractive for a length of time. The 

 same may be said of the Arbutus or Strawberry Tree. The 

 next in utility among hardy shrubs are the various kinds of 

 Euonymus. It is astonishing how much variety may be 

 attained by the varieties of this plant alone. We have 

 E. japonicus, E. angustifolius, E. argenteo-variegatus, E. aureo- 

 variegatus, E. latifolia albo-variegatus, and some others ; but 

 E. radicans variegatus is perhaps the most useful of all. It is a 

 prostrate-growing species, excellent for edging, the constancy 

 and beauty of its silvery white variegation, which is occasion- 

 ally tinged with pink, giving it a striking appearance not 

 possessed by any other plant. It is highly suitable for winter 

 decoration, and is a general favourite. There are many more 

 ornamental shrubB that might be used with a good effect, such 

 as the Variegated Buxus, Daphnes, Osmanthus, and others 

 which may be turned to valuable account, yet I do not advise 

 the planting of the whole of the beds with shrubs. We must 

 have a good share of them planted with bulbs and other spring 

 flowerB. My object is to show that people, after gratifying 

 their taste with gay flowers in summer, need not have barren 

 gardens in winter. 



In arranging the shrubs we must be guided by the number 

 of beds and the scenery around them ; for instance, if there 

 are only one or two beds, and these not in the neighbourhood 

 of a shrubbery, the beds may be planted on the mixed system ; 

 but if there are many beds, and in close proximity to a mixed 

 shrubbery, we must not plant more than three kinds in a bed 

 thus — the principal groups, the edging, and the carpet. Even 

 if the beds are numerous they may all be made distinct with- 

 out giving a shrubbery-like appearance to them. The follow- 

 ing examples are submitted as effective arrangements : — 



A bed of Golden Variegated Holly, a carpet of one of the 

 dwarf Junipers, with a margin of the Silver Euonymus radicans. 



A bed of standard Silver Hollies, a carpet of the Golden Box, 

 with an edging of Variegated Ivy. 



A bed of Cupressus Lawsoniana, a carpet of small Aucuba, 

 with an edge of Erioa herbacea carnea, E. vulgaris aurea, or 

 E. mediterranea. 



A bed of Golden Tews, a csrp9t of the silver-leaved Euonymus 

 japonioua albo-marginatus, with an edge of Vinca elegantissima. 



We can exercise our taste to any extent and execute some 

 bright examples of shrub embellishment, which will impart a 

 cheerful tone to the garden in the depth of winter. — Nathan 

 Cole, Kensington Gardens. 



HELLEBORUS NIGER. 



Allusion having been lately made to this interesting hardy 

 plant, I may remark that I reoently observed a very fine 

 Bpeoimen in an amateur's garden. The garden alluded to 

 was partly in grass, with a belt of evergreen and deciduous 

 shrubs at one side, and between these shrubs, or rather in 

 front of them, this Hellebore was growing, and it had evi- 

 dently not been disturbed for several years ; for at the time I 

 met with it, it wa3 a dense mass of foliage, about 4 feet in 

 diameter, with scores of flowers of the very purest white, quite 

 equalling the Eucharis amazanica. They were juBt on the 

 point of expanding during the last week in November, and 

 some that had been gathered opened in water, while the others 

 were opening on the plant. I certainly never met with so fine 



