220 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



particularly from any lack of pollen on very early plants, but unless the 

 air of the house is dry and buoyant it is difficult to free it properly from 

 the anthers and hence the great importance of "setting" the blossoms 

 at mid-day. On a bright sunny day, simply giving the plants a good shake 

 will -uthciently distribute the pollen; but if it be dull and gloomy and 

 damp, transference by camel's-hair brush may become necessary. It 

 should be borne in mind that Tomatos will not set freely if the growth is 

 \ . tv gvofifl 01 if the plants are over-watered. 



Sub-tropical Gardening. 



Nothing has pleased us more in recent years than the rapid and 

 parallel growth of Hardy Gardening and of a more Natural Gardening. 

 Twenty to thirty years ago gardens were far too Formal and the plants 

 tar too Tender, and the tendency seemed to be to become more and more 

 formal and tender, the tiniest little plants being used, and their poor little 

 heads being clipped week by week with the scissors or the shears ! But, 

 like everything carried to excess, a time of revulsion has set in, and 

 now everything must be Hardy, and everything in a more Natural style. 

 Good! It pleases us well. And yet it would be a pity to run to the 

 opposite extreme and overlook the fact that there are positions and places 

 where Formal Gardening may well be retained, and positions and places 

 where Tender and even semi-tropical plants may with advantage be 

 used in this country. The Rock at Torquay (figs. -40 and 41) affords 

 an admirable instance of the latter. There you may find Bananas, 

 StreUtzia, Agaves, Yuccas, Palms, &c, with beds of brilliant Begonias 

 and delightful little pools of clear water with goldfish, the whole effect 

 being most beautiful and most restful, and providing a change which even 

 the most prejudiced would surely welcome in situ, though he might have 

 no desire to transplant it to his own home garden. The photographs 

 were kindly sent us by the Kev. W. J. Packe, M.A., Vicar of Feering. 



Plants and Shrubs for growing under Trees. 



We are frequently questioned on the best things to plant under the 

 shade of trees, and the answer must always depend on the place on which 

 tin tree or trees are growing. If an isolated tree on a lawn, nothing is 

 much better than Ivy, which will keep green and healthy for many 

 years, if cut back a little every spring, and a mulch applied immediately 

 afterwards of well-rotted manure; for unless this is done the Ivy often 

 becomes weak and miserable-looking, until it eventually dies. Should 

 ivy not meet with favour, Poa annua and Poa ncmoralis will thrive 

 under deciduous trees : the former is a very dwarf-growing grass, and the 

 latter rather tall. Periwinkles, St. John's Wort, and Berberis Aqnifolium 

 are all excelled lot -rowing under single trees, or under a mass of trees. 

 W hen there are a quantity of trees growing together, and undergrowth 

 is wanted, there are a few things better than the Sloe, or Blackthorn, 

 as may be seen in most of the game coverts about the country. Other 

 shrubs that are all more or less satisfactory are Rhododendron ponticum, 

 Privet, Iiox, Hollies, Common and Portugal Laurels, Berberis buxifolia 



