72 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE, 



January 27, 1912. 



first, put it on one side. Then, having 

 done this, dig over the soil in the bottom 

 of the trench to the desired depth, and 

 turn it over into the first trench, 

 well incorporating the manure in the 

 process. This having been done place 

 the top spit from the third trench 

 on the top of the soil in the bottom of 

 the first trench and mix with it such 

 manure as may be considered advisable. 



Leave the surface as rough as possible for 

 the action of frost to pulverise the lumps 

 and reuilei- it friable. It is an advantage 

 to trench the ground early in the autumn 

 to allow the soil to settle down quite firmly 

 by the time the plants are put out. But 

 if the ground is at once trenched in accord- 

 ance with the directions here given, the 

 soil Avill become sufficiently consoUdated by 



or sulphate of potash may be used at the 

 rate of 2oz. of the former or loz. of the 

 latter to the square foot, superficial, of the 

 soil. The value of potash as a dressing to 

 light soils in which sweet peas are growm 

 is made very evident in dry seasons by the 

 pro'onged vigour of the plant and the 

 abundant production of flowers. 



Such soils need liberal quantities of 

 man\ire^ but it should be evenly mixed with 

 them. Some poi-sons will dig out a 

 trench one foot wide, two feet deep, filling 

 it nearly with manure, and covering it with 

 soil sufficient to receive the seeds or plants. 

 This is quite a wrong idea, the plants 

 plants grow vigorously for a time, but the 

 roots quickly run through the light manure 

 to the sides of the trench, and if a spell 

 of dry weather sets in, the plants suffer 



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SWEET PEA CHAELES FOSTEK. 

 A beautiful mauve and pink variety. 



1 



of lightening the surface ami 



tlie time for planting to enable tlu^ plants 

 to f^row freely and to make stout and short- 

 jointed haulm. 



Surface Treatment and Light 



Soils. 



Over the surface spread a compo^t three 



inches thick oi old potting soil, decayed 



vegetable rfd'use and wood a^he^ <\ mean^ 



rrndei-inn: 



the soil favourable to rof)t development. A 

 surface dressing of quicklime apjilied dur- 

 ing dry Aveather and lightly forked in 

 ■will make the surface still moj-e friable, 

 and more favourable to growth. In 

 the case of light soil cow or 

 dung is an excellent stimulant tending 

 also to retain the moisture in the soil. 

 Light soils are usually deficient in potash, 

 and as the growth of leguminous plants is 

 much promoted by a fi-ee ^up|)ly of this 

 fertiliser, an application sheuhl i)e mad** 

 when the ground i« being prepared. Kainit 



for want of 

 we all know 

 fungus. 



moisture, mildew follows, and 

 the result of an attack of that 



K. MOLYNEUX. 



pis 



Pruning Raspberries.— In estab- 

 lished i)lant.ations the ruttin:* out of old 

 wood, and tying in of bearing (•ane8 calls for 

 t'arly attention. If not aheady done, the 

 unri]>oii['d ti])s Khonld be I'emoved. If the 

 ranes arc left too long the lower buds usually 

 fail to break, and the base will be bare. 

 Clear away mulching material, and where 

 pointing of the land between the rows is re- 

 sorted to apply a dressing; of well-rotted 

 manure, as to the advisability of digging or 

 lio-htlv pointing the land between the rows 

 the condition of the roots will prove the betst 

 guide. AVhere the roots liave formed a den^^e 

 mass near the surface tb- less they are in- 

 terfered with the lietter. Hie necessary food 

 can be given in the form of liquid manure, 

 vuitable artiticials, and a mulching of hor-o 

 f.r row manure later in the season. — U. 

 Messenger. 



WINTER HEATHS FOR THE 



ROCK GARDEN. 



The lover of gardening is never satisfied 

 unless he has in his garden something in 

 flower. In this climate of ours, save in the 

 more favoured parts of the three kingdoms^ 

 it is almost impossible to secure this in the 

 open^ and thus many, to satisfy their long- 

 ing tor tlu^ ph^asures of flowers, seek to 

 compass their ilesire by growing plants 

 under ghiss. This is not possible for every- 

 one, and the lover of hardy flowers is 

 anxious to make his garden itself a place 

 where he can enjoy some bloom at every 

 season. 



In compassing this he has no greater boon 

 than some of the few Heaths^ or Ericas, 

 wdiich, despite the hard weather, bloom on 

 cheerily, and give an acceptable brightness 

 to the garden. , 



The gem among the few we own is Erica 

 carnea, a perfect gem indeed and a true 

 jewel of the first water. It is a lovely thing 

 wdien employed as an edging to other shrubs 

 or heaths, but it is, I think, still more fasci- 

 nating when it is in masses or groups among 

 the Tockwork, or massed in beds by itself 

 on the grass. Then its pretty pink flowers, 

 coming when we have tew other plants in 

 bloom, afford us a special pleasure, and 

 agree well with the vSnowdrop and the Win- 

 ter Aconite, and the few other subjects 

 which dare the inclemency of the season. 

 A plant which we may have in bloom be- 

 fore Christinas in the milder parts of the 

 kingdom, and early in the iNew Year in 

 other places is a veritable boon to the out- 

 door garden. 



The flesh-coloured flow^ers of what is 

 known as the typical Erica carnea are veiy 

 beautiful indeed, and the deeper-hued one, 

 called rubra, gives an additional warmth to 



No less beautiful is the white 

 variety, E. carnea alba, which looks at a 

 distance as if its spiny green branches had 

 been powdered wdth small flakes of snow. 

 It comes a little earlier, and is a real 

 beauty. 



of securing other varieties of Erica earnea, 

 said to exist in its native habitats, and it is- 

 whispered that such are likely to be oITcr^id 

 by-and-by. If so, they will be covered by 

 all who love these heaths, and Avho appre- 

 ciate their worth for the winter garden. 



In Erica hybrida, Avhich, w^e are told, has- 

 a share of the blood of botlx E. carnea and 

 E. mediterranea within it, we have another 

 and a truly indispensable heath. It \^t_ 

 perhaps, not so perfect in its habit of 

 growth, and not so neat in its way, but it 

 genei-ally comes into bloom before E. car- 

 nea, and lasts in flower for a very long 

 time. The writer has had it in bloom from 

 eailv November untU April, and very de- 

 lightful it is with its pretty red floweis. 

 It. is more erect and taller than Yl. { arnea. 

 and is a plant whirh sliould he in every 

 garden in which winter flowers are enjoyed 

 It and E. carnea are ])(Mfectly haidy, and 

 it is but rarely tbat the writer has seen 

 even ^he blooms injured by the most sevi^ro 



frosts of several decades. 



These heaths are not difficult to cultivate 

 in almost any soil, although lime should, it 

 possible, he avoided. Peat is not esseutnd, 

 and in a good loam, with exjntsure to the 

 sun. these lovely shrubs will give the highest 

 satisfaction as the seasons come round fm" 



the garden. 



The writer has long been desirous. 



their blossomiufi. 



S. Arn'Ott. 



^^Eock Gardens and Alpine Plants'' bids 

 fair to »)e one of our most popular Horticul- 

 tural Manuals. It is beautifidly printed and 

 illustrated, and we strongly recommend the 

 book. If yonr book-eller has not a copv 

 in stock, Hcnd 2s. lOd. to our Publisher; it 

 will be po^rted by return. 



