156 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDEXlXa. 



in perfection. In some way, then, a continuous supply 

 of moistui'e at the roots is a necessary condition for 

 the successful cultivation of hog-plants : it is not a 

 large quantity that is required, so long as it is never 

 ahsent ; it is therefore desirable, in order to econo- 

 mise the supply of water to the utmost, that arrange- 

 ments should be made to insure it trickling from the 

 source of supply as gently as possible, and in such a 

 manner as to insure its regular diffusion over the 

 entire area devoted to bog-plants. 



One way of securing this result is to arrange a little 

 rock}^ basin at the highest available level, into which 

 the water should be fii'st discharged, and from which, 

 being margined by gently-sloping stones, the water 

 will pass by gra^dtation to the lower level on which 

 the bog is situated. The bog-bed may be made of any 

 size, accordiag to requirements and space available — 

 a few square feet or yards, or on any larger scale de- 

 sired. As a rule, small bogs only will be made where 

 the water has to be supplied with some difficulty, but 

 the principle of construction will be much the same 

 whatever the size. 



The first thing to do after ha\ing fixed on 

 the site, will be to remove the ordinaiy garden soil 

 to a depth of from twenty to thirty inches at least, 

 over the entire area of the bed. This space must 

 then be filled with peat, peaty soil, or such substi- 

 tutes in the way of vegetable mould, decayed leaves, 

 and some peat, as the ease or difficulty of obtaining 

 these ingredients may render most convenient. 

 As it is impossible to provide by general directions 

 for all possible combinations of circumstances, we 

 shall content ourselves with a statement of such first 

 principles as are ap]Dlicable to all cases, and which only 

 need applying with intelligence to lead to success. 

 When peat or peaty soil is easily procurable, it is 

 always to be preferred. "Where it can be obtained 

 only at considerable cost, as in districts where it is 

 scarce, a fairly good substitute will be found in soimd 

 turfy loam and leaf -mould, in about equal propor- 

 tions, for the lower part of the bed, the pure peat 

 being reserved for the uppermost six or eight inches. 

 In fact, the uppermost layer may consist of one-half 

 peat, and sharp sand and leaf -mould in equal quanti- 

 ties, well mixed together, and many plants will thrive 

 in it. For other plants for which peat is indispens- 

 able it must be provided if they are to be grown; and 

 the system of pockets abeady described will enable 

 the cultivator to isolate such peat-loving plants, and 

 secure the proper soil for them at the smallest pos- 

 sible cost, by limiting its use to tho^e pockets where 

 these plants are to be grown. 



As already indicated, it will be invariably ad- 

 vantageous to place the bog-bed on a lower level 

 than the surrounding surface, so as to utilise to 

 the utmost all moisture derived from natui'al 



or artificial soui'ces. The emplo^Tnent of rock 

 for making pockets and ledges, and to isolate the 

 plants from one another, is strongly to be recom- 

 mended, and the rock may be so introduced as to aid 

 in producing artistic effects, as well as providing 

 secure foothold when weeding or planting has to be 

 done. Some of the Gentians will thrive in such a 

 bed, so as to repay all the trouble and expense in- 

 cm-red ; indeed, Gentiana bavarica and our lovely 

 British G. Tneumonanthe (the ]\Iarsh Gentian) will 

 thrive only in such positions. G. acauUs (Gentia- 

 nella) planted at the edge of the bog-bed will thrive 

 much better than on the ordinary rockery. Our 

 common Buckbean [Menyanthcs trifoUata), the Butter- 

 worts [Pinguicula), the Grass of Parnassus {Parnas- 

 sia jxdustris), the Sundews {JDrosera), many Orchises, 

 Cypripediums, &c., are mentioned here, to indicate 

 the class of lovely plants for which bog-beds must 

 be provided if it is desii-ed to grow them in our 

 gardens in the highest perfection. Along with these 

 plants may be most appropriately intermingled Irises, 

 Narcissi, and many other interesting bulbous plants, 

 which thrive in a moist peaty bottom. In the im- 

 mediate neighbom-hood of the bog many plants will 

 thrive better than elsewhere, for though not needing 

 as much moistui-e as the natural occupants of bogs, 

 they seem to benefit by the constant presence of 

 moistm-e in the aii\ In the list which will follow, 

 these will be indicated by some such phrase as 

 " Plant near bog-bed." 



Alpines in Ordinary Borders. — There are 

 many positions in gardens other than on rockeries 

 where some Alpine plants, and among them not a few 

 of great beauty, may be properly planted, and where 

 they will keep in health, and thrive. These positions 

 will be in the very front line of the mixed border, in 

 full exposure, away from the larger and coarser 

 plants, and where they will not be liable to be over- 

 grown. All the hardier kinds, which grow freely, 

 are suitable for such positions, and will certainly 

 adorn them. The dwarf hardy Heaths, many of the 

 Saxifrages, Sedums, and Semper-snvums, the Forget- 

 me-nots, Saponarias, Hepaticas, Silenes, the dwarf 

 Campanulas, and many others, may be used to form 

 the most charming of front rows in the choicest and 

 most select mixed borders. The larger and more 

 %'igorous kinds such as the Sun-roses [Selianthemmm) 

 will find congenial positions on raised sunny banks, 

 fringing diives, and on the. margins of shrubbery 

 borders, where they are not overshadowed by trees 

 and shrubs. 



Alpines on Window-sills. — Where a broad 

 window-sill — especially a stone one — exists, there, 

 particularly if full}' exposed to the south, any of the 



