EOCK, ALPINE, FERN, AND WILD GARDENING. 



327 



or shorteniDg the length, of fruit-bearing Apple- 

 spurs, as shown in Fig. 19. In some senses this is 

 the highest form of pruning, and it hecomes the 

 more important now that fertile stocks — small trees 

 — and systems of culture that force fertility to the 

 uttermost, have become the rage in fruit-growing. 

 This thinning of fruit-spuis has become an abso- 

 lute necessity to preserve the health and prolong the 

 life of the trees, and obtain produce of the highest 

 quality, under the modern high-pressm-e system of 

 fruit-growing. 



It now only remains for us to note and illustrate 

 the various steps by which Apple and other fruit- 

 trees may be pruned and trained into fertile Cordon, 

 Bush, Pyramid, Espalier, wall, or orchard trees. 



This diversity and variety of form not only gives 

 great additional interest to the culture of hardy 

 fruits, but enables far more to he grown in less 

 space, and much of the highest quality to be pro- 

 duced in gardens of too limited area to have held 

 one old-fashioned Apple or Pear-tree. Several 

 Cordon Apples may even be backed up against an 

 area waU. 



EOCK, ALPINE, FEEN, AND WILD 

 GARDENINa. 



ALPINE PLANTS. 

 Bt EDWiBD W. Badger, P.E.H.S. 

 Iiist of Alpines {concluded) . — The plants marked 

 with an asterisk {*) aie those most easily grown. 



* Geranium argenteum (Silvery Craneshill). — A 

 dwarf plant with silvery-grey foliage and large rosy 

 flowers, produced in May and June. Soil, good 

 loam ; most readily propagated from seeds. Native 

 of the South of Europe. 



Geranium cinereum (Grey Cranesbill). — A plant 

 worth a position on the choicest portion of the 

 rockery. Growth dwarf ; flowers flesh-coloured, 

 veined with purple. Readily raised from seeds. 

 Soil, sandy loam. Native of the Pyrenees, &c. 



* Geranium sangiiineum (Blood Geranium). — A 

 pretty native species, suitable for planting among 

 the larger rock plants. Flowers large and handsome. 

 Will grow in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated 

 by division and from seeds. There is a pink-flowered 

 variety, G. s. lancastriensSf "well worth growing. It 

 is not quite so vigorous as sanguineum. 



* Globularia nana (Dwarf Globularia). — A very 

 dwarf trailing evergreen plant, bearing tiny spherical 

 blue flowers. Should be grown in an open sunny 

 position, in sandy soil, with which some broken 

 sandstone has been intermingled. Increased by 

 division. Native of the Pyrenees. 



* HeUuiitJiemitm vtdgare (Rock Rose).— A native 

 plant which, under cultivation, has yielded a great 

 number of beautiful varieties. All grow vigorously, 

 and should be planted where they will have plenty 

 of room. If allowed to hang over the front of a 

 bold piece of rock, they wiU soon grow into hand- 

 some plants. The flowers are variously coloured, 

 but all are beautiful. Easily propagated by cuttings 

 and division, and from seeds. Will grow in any 

 soU. Should be planted in sunny positions to be 

 seen to the greatest advantage. 



* Selleborua niger (Christmas Rose).— For shaded 

 positions of the rougher parts of the rockery this is 

 a most desirable plant, both in its ordinary form, 

 and in the varieties which are to be found in many 

 nurserymen's lists under conflicting names. The 

 most noticeable are H. n. maximus, the flowers of 

 which are rose-tinted ; H. >i. major, hearing some- 

 what larger flowers than the type ; S. ii. minor, 

 which in all respects is smaller than the type, and 

 very distinct ; S. n. scoticus, a kind for which the 

 world is indebted to Miss Hope, of Wardie, who 

 found it at Aberdeen; -it bears large pure white 

 flowers, and is deserving of general cultivation ; if. 

 «. Jmernis (St. Brigid's Chiistmas Rose), an Irish 

 variety of the very highest character; and M. n. 

 angustifoUus (Mr. Brockbank's Christmas Rose) : this 

 is a very desirable kind, and has very pure white 

 flowers. The Christmas Rose is thoroughly hardy 

 and of great value, because its lovely flowers come 

 at a time when flowers are most precious ; they are 

 at the same time very beautiful and enduring. The 

 Christmas Rose will grow in any good ordinary soil ; 

 but in a well-enriched one, with which some fibrous 

 peat has been intermingled, it will thrive best. The 

 most suitable situation is a somewhat shady one, 

 rather moist than dry. As the flowers are produced 

 from Christmas onwards they should be protected 

 with a bell-glass [cloche), and will by their enhanced 

 beauty repay the attention. As cut flowers, they are 

 as useful as Eucharis, and very lasting. Easily 

 propagated by division and from seeds. Native of 

 Austria. 



* Hepatica angulosa (Large Hepatica). — The flowers 

 are much larger than those of the more common 

 kinds, and of a lovely sky-blue colour. It should 

 be grown in good soil and somewhat sheltered to 

 be seen at its best. Propagated by division once 

 in three years. A native of Transylvania. 



* Hepatica triloba (Common Hepatica). — There 

 are a number of varieties of this favourite spring 

 flower, all of which are worth growing : the single 

 and double blue, single white, single and double 

 pink or red, and some others not so common. Will 

 thrive in almost any soU, but best in a shady situa- 

 tion. This is one of the choicest of our old-fashioned 



