COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



99 



the surface. The first to flower was a variety of I. lupina, which bloomed 

 on May 31, followed a few days later by one or two other species. 



" At present (July 14) the plants are growing vigorously and do not yet 

 show any signs of going to rest. As soon as I see any signs of this I 

 shall cover the plants with a light for a few weeks, and then, I think, store 

 the same roots again, planting them, however, about a fortnight earlier than 

 I did last season. The flowers were undoubtedly small, but the growth 

 has been so far successful that there is at least some hope that this may 

 be a method of acclimatising newly imported rhizomes ; for hitherto it has 

 probably been common experience that the first winter is the most critical 

 period, and that plants which survive that ordeal have subsequently proved 

 easier to cultivate." 



Barren Strawberry Plants. 



Every year we have complaints about the non-fruiting of strawberry 

 plants, but this year the complaints are more numerous than usual. We 

 think there are two principal causes — (1) propagating from barren plants 

 and (2) a want of fresh stock. It is well known that barren plants 

 produce the earliest and strongest runners, and the man sent to layer or 

 take runners usually selects the strongest and best he can get, irrespective 

 of whether the parent plant was fruitful or not. These are planted in beds 

 or rows, and a greater number of plants are unfruitful than usual. 

 Runners are again taken, the best being selected, until the majority of 

 the plants in the beds bear no fruit. Some years ago we carefully 

 chose runners from barren plants, giving them special attention, but not 

 one runner developed into a fruitful plant. We again took runners 

 for two years following, but in every case the result was the same. 



We all know how essential it is to change our seed of corn, potatos, 

 and other crops, and unless we can give, a change of soil it is equally 

 necessary to occasionally introduce fresh stocks of strawberries, if we 

 desire to maintain vigour and fertility. Some varieties, like Royal 

 Sovereign, will go on bearing very satisfactory crops for much longer 

 periods than others, but we think, the quality suffers. Another cause of 

 failure, or partial failure, is the planting of Strawberries where Strawberries 

 were grown before. No good gardener permits this to happen, but we 

 find it occurring sometimes, and if the result is disappointing the blame 

 is entirely the planter's. By a little management even in a small garden 

 a fresh place can be given for the new Strawberry bed, instead of replant- 

 ing upon the site of the old. 



Spartium junceum. 



Shrubs that flower freely in July and August are none too plentiful, 

 and yet how seldom do we see this beautiful old plant ? In many gardens 

 even of considerable extent not one is to be found, and yet what a 

 splendid effect it makes, either as a single bush or in masses ! This is the 

 true Spanish Broom, though sometimes the early yellow Broom is called 

 the Spanish, but this is far better both in size and brilliancy of flower. 

 Again, the flowering season of Spartium junceum is much later, coming 

 when few shrubs are in blossom. To see the plant at its best it should 

 be planted on a bank or mound in full sun ;jthere it grows rapidly, and 



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