CURRENT GARDEN LORE. 



437 



gallon of the preservative fluid wanted, the rule being to 

 add T.)i ounces of sugar or glycerine to the preservative 

 fluid for each degree shown by the spindle in the fruit- 

 juice. — From Circular by Prof. Hilgard of the Cali- 

 fornia State University. 



Pyrus malus floribunda. — This is also known as 

 Mains ndcrocarpa /loribunda. It is highly ornamen- 

 tal during May. Besides its use in the shrubbery or 

 pleasure-ground, it also submits read- 

 ily to farcing, and appears as florifer- 

 ous then as in the open ground, and 

 the flowers are almost as highly col- 

 ored. When forced it will flower 

 about April i, but the heat 

 necessary to flower it earlier 

 would probably cause the flow- 

 ers to be short-lived and poor 

 in color. It is a shrub rather 

 than a tree, with a mass ol 

 slender, twiggy shoots, which 

 give it an imposing appearance 

 when in bloom, because oi 

 their profusion of flower-buds. 

 It comes from Japan. The 

 leaves are small, oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, bluntly toothed and 

 thickly set in tufts on numer- 

 ous, short, spur -like 

 branches. The flowers 

 are relatively large when 

 fully expanded, and heav- 

 ily tinted with rosy red 

 outside. They appear 

 almost crimson while yet 

 in the bud, and the shrub 

 is very conspicuous from 

 the time the buds swell 

 until the petals drop. (Si 

 tration.) — Gardeyiing World. 



Terrace-Gardens. — In the 

 formation of gardens on rising 

 ground, terraces are sometimes 

 necessary, and where there is plenty of 

 length and breadth, especially the latter, 

 a great deal may be done, in the lavmg 

 out and planting, to hide much of the 

 stiffness and formality inseparable from 

 such artificial surroundings. In the ac" 

 companying engraving (next page) this 

 appears to have been the aim, for at one 

 side of the terrace raised beds of simple 

 form break the monotony of the flatness without destroy- 

 ing the breadth, as a set of beds of more formal pattern 

 running through the center or on each side would have 

 done. Stone edges are used for raising the beds shown, 

 and where natural undressed stone is to be h.-_ no bet- 

 ter dead edging can be found, as if properly formed it 

 retains the soil and forms a happy hunting-ground for 

 many plants, which succeed better in such a position 



than they do on the flat or with a freer root-run . Amongst 

 these the sedums ( stonecrops ), mossy saxifrages and 

 sempervivums hold pride of place, and with these alone 

 an excellent effect, agreeable alike in winter or in sum- 

 mer, can be produced. In edging the beds tlie stone- 

 crops are largely used. Some of the neater kinds of ivy 

 are also very suitable for this purpose. Many of the 

 mossy and other neat-growing saxifrages, if fair spaces 



Twig of Pyrus malus ploribunda. 



be left for them and a little suitable soil given to start 

 them, will soon grow dense enough to keep the soil 

 from dribbling through tbe edge, and for some of the 

 delicate varieties the well-drained position would be the 

 best that could be chosen, especially in a climate 

 naturally humid. In these beds are also used the sand- 

 worts, aubrietias, the smaller campanulas, the money- 

 worts, and best of all, for very mild climates, the bt-auii- 



