50 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ends of the poles in it for two or three weeks rather than to paint it on, 

 and when treated thus the poles are well-nigh imperishable, but it is 

 not innocent of causing root injury. A safer plan is to get ordinary coal 

 tar, ready boiled, paint it on the bottoms of the poles, and dust with sand. 

 This answers well, and is considerably cheaper than creosote, enough for 

 a considerable number of poles being obtainable for 5s. A third and still 

 more economical way is to char the ends of the poles in the garden fire. 



The question now arises : Where shall we get the material ? Obtain- 

 ing poles is not so serious a business as is generally supposed. They 

 can often be got at timber yards in the larger country towns where good 

 nurseries exist. Or they may be obtained at timber sales, which are held 

 in many districts in autumn. For a 15-foot to 18-foot larch pole, rough, 

 one might pay Gd. at a sale, and for a 22-foot pole at the timber mer- 

 chant's 2s. to 3s. Even at the higher price, viz. 3s., one cannot say it is 

 dear, as two 11 -foot poles are thus obtained for Is. 6d. each. In districts 

 where there are woods, dead spruce may often be obtained cheaply by 

 getting into touch with the forester, and it can be made good use of. 

 So far as durability is concerned oak is undoubtedly the best, but it is 

 very expensive, 11 -foot posts costing 3s. to 4s. each. Even an oak post 

 needs the base dressing. When putting arches together one wants a 

 certain amount of short, gnarled, crooked, rough material for the upper 

 part. This is often difficult to get, but it can be obtained at many wood 

 yards in districts where there are large gardens. 



A special word should be said about pillars. They form a most valu- 

 able feature in flower gardens. Clothed with Clematises, as at Kew, they 

 are exceedingly beautiful, and for giving variety they are splendid. An 

 excellent plan is to have three good pillars in a rough triangle, 3 feet to 

 4 feet apart, of good, stout material. 



Pergolas are annually becoming more popular. I might describe a 

 pergola as a connected series of arches. It may be constructed in various 

 ways, and one of the most solid and attractive that I know of may be 

 briefly described. It is in the garden of the mayor of Canterbury, Mr. 

 Bennett Goldney. On the top of each of the upright poles that form the 

 supports for the pergola is laid a stout piece of unpeeled larch, about 

 18 inches long. On this meet the ends of three horizontal poles — two 

 forming the continuation of the top side lines and the other connecting 

 the two sides of the pergola across the walk. These three ends abut. 

 On them lie the ends of two more poles — namely, the top diagonals. All 

 these are securely spiked together, forming an absolutely taut, substantial, 

 and homogeneous erection. 



The ordinary pergola has the upright poles 8 feet out of the ground 

 and 8 feet apart, but of course this can be varied considerably to suit 

 individual requirements. The upright poles on each side of the path are 

 connected by two lines of horizontal poles, and these in turn are con- 

 nected with cross poles of lighter weight ; 6-inch material for uprights 

 and 3-inch or 4-inch for cross poles are generally used, but of course much 

 more substantial structures are erected where cost is not the first con- 

 sideration. 



We now come to the important question of the most appropriate kind of 

 plants for arches pillars, and pergolas. One cannot recommend the same 



