634 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



October x> m% 



A 



Morning Mixture. 



Diluculo surgere scduberrimum est. 



piece— responsible for my wrong-doing. Will this terriw* 

 forward and be twisted and tumbled in the Yorkshire riddle T**™ C ° me 



FROM time to time i is my custom to jot down ideas for treatment in * am the first, my critic says, to state that maltreatme 



this column at a convenient or opportune moment. Frequently such 

 ideas seem at the moment of their inception to be of the utmost brilliancy, 

 But, unfortunately, before the convenient or opportune moment arrives 

 a change has taken place. Usually it is brought about by Peter. 

 I make a practice of submitting them to him in advance, for the reason 



that his opinions are held in such high estimation by readers of this tree ? *** th f e * eal ^ hi ? St ' those , 8T°wmg in 0 ld orchards 



paper, but in nine cases out of ten he pours cold water on them with 



Let me put the case in the form of an aphorism, and as I am ilTi y ' 

 in so weighty a luxury, perhaps the printer will favour me for !m„fn* 

 way, with italics : Roots do not create food, but food - - - Ce m a 



in accordance with Mr. Riddell's advice. 



without 



Jr _ jr __, ■ ~ j -I . lb annuitiiy uu^ ; a uc iuuis ui me former are never intprfp*-^ ui7 



an unsparing hand, after which he proceeds to develop an alternative yet they dwindle. The roots of the latter are lacerated by the f 

 scheme, supported by arguments of the most decisive, not to say dogmatic, digging, yet they flourish. Why is this? It is because th* 



scheme, supported by arguments of the most decisive, not to say dogmatic, 

 nature. When he has done I am at liberty to say as much as I like, but 

 under no conceivable circumstances does it make the slightest difference. 

 The fiat has gone forth, and there is an end of it 



books, provided for, why 



My latest idea was to create a discussion on the best way in which to 

 arrange for winter study. The long nights, I pointed out, were coming 

 on, and it was of the most vital importance to every young man to learn 

 how to employ them to the best advantage. Now, if a course of study 

 could be marked out beforehand, and the necessary equipment, such as 



- But here Peter gave vent to a very loud 

 sniff, the meaning of which was only too well known to me. With a 

 chill and sinking feeling I paused, and begged to know if he could 

 suggest anything better. I believe I imparted a touch of irony 

 to the question, which may or may not have had an effect upon 

 him if he had perceived it As he did not, speculation is useless. 

 Could he ? An indulgent smile spread itself over his face. Well, if he 



couldn't, he'd, he'd , but a simile did not come, and I was spared. 



Eventually, with the air of propounding something desperately and 

 triumphantly original, Peter suggested as a topic — Greens ! 



Far be it from me to belittle this great subject. As developed by 

 Peter it is one of no common character. He raises greens to the dignity 

 of a national institution, and their culture to a Fine Art. Not only, he 

 contends, does it present a subject that has been unaccountably neglected 

 in the horticultural Press, but it affords a field of study during the coming 

 winter calculated, if prosecuted vigorously, to raise the moral and intel- 

 lectual standard of our young gardeners to an extraordinary degree. 

 Nevertheless, I am not altogether convinced that he is right. If he is, 

 why then, parodying the parodyist, we may cry : 



lc Hurrah for the curly savoy ; 



Hurrah for the young budding sprout ; 

 Winter greens are my only true joy, 



So I'll leave all the book learning out." 



The 



course, I brought it on myself in a measure, but when I go out of my way 

 to say a word on behalf of the poor, helpless cottager, it is somewhat 

 distressing to have such a painful charge as " tremendous trumpeting " 

 flung at me. One might really imagine from this that the Mixture, which 

 I have always regarded myself as the true reflex of a peculiarly modest 

 mind, was the vehicle for exaggerated laudation of the works of Peter. 

 In reply, I can only say that far from over-estimating the merits of that 

 remarkable man, I only half do him justice. I have now sought his 

 opinion on this onion question. His reply is characteristic, and simply 

 crushes 14 A. D." (if that hardy old warrior is capable of being crushed). 

 He says— but what he says demands the distinction of a paragraph to 

 itself— 



" Now about this 'ere Ail-sir and Cranston's Sell-sir for autumn sowing. 

 Well ! all I can say is as we've tried 'em, and its all very well o' these 

 young beginners to try a teaching of us. About the Ail-sir ; well, its a 

 good name I allow, for it always ails something. And as for Cranston's, 

 why 'tis a sell, sir, there's no getting away from it, 'cause it won't keep 

 nohow. Now I ask— What do we grow Tripolows for ? Why, for early 

 use ; very well. What do we want 'em to keep for ? If we want onions 

 to use in winter and spring, we can get 'em by sowing in March. Very 

 well ; then what do we want to sow seven or eight months earlier for, 

 giving ourselves a lot o' unnecessary trouble, and occupying ground that 

 would carry another crop? My idea is that this here * A. D.' is one o' 

 them young fellers what's got mixed up with them there certificates, else 

 he wouldn't talk about sowing onions eighteen months before they was 

 wanted. We can grow 'em in nine months, but, o' course, not having no 

 certificate [biting sarcasm here— Lux] we're no good." 



Having demolished "A. D.," I was disposed to turn Peter upon Mr. 

 Riddell. Ah ! I picture that gentleman beginning to quake. But I will 

 let him off more lightly ; I will tackle him myself. This shows I am in a 

 merciful mood, not by any means put out by the genial banter, anent 

 somnolency. Let me assure our good friend (i) that I was not dreaming 

 when I wrote of celery on the vine borders 5 (2) that Peter does not sun 

 K~ J? 11 * s a vision of the future. It is an accomplished fact We 



good ea 

 grapes 



Is this really so astonishing a fact ? Are we alone in it ? I 



own 



famXea C r y d«;n e n r de S d ' l a V ite sure that? could put my hand on one 



trick off him. Mr. Riddell must be induleent He must put me down 

 as poor, mnocent little Oliver, and holdtfif & man-the F Fagin of the 



,S rl ■ U is because the digging 

 More food is rendered soluble and more 



digging, yet they 



facilitates the admission of air. w ,„ 1VUUC1CU auiuulc ana roor 



roots form to appropriate it. One famous nurseryman tears bushels of 

 roots from his pot peaches every year, as I have said, but the results are 

 the admiration of everyone who sees his work. 



Riddell his trees ought to die. 



According to Mr. 



Now take the case of our celery. Perhaps in forking manure into the 

 vine border we pull away some roots. To begin with they are mainly 

 the dead fibrils of the previous year. But even if a certain number of 

 permanent fibres are lacerated, no harm is done that is not balanced by 

 the root-creating medium (manure) applied. Further, it is to be remem. 

 bered that the vines must benefit enormously by the sewage applied to 

 the celery in the summer. I doubt very much whether the border would 

 get it if the celery were elsewhere, because the supply is limited. But it 

 is practically certain that the celery does not take up all that is applied 

 What escapes its clutches enriches the soil around it, and myriads of 

 feeders are pushed out by the vines to take advantage of it Hitherto 

 we have never earthed the celery, but have blanched it with paper. 

 Earthing is a step in advance that may tempt an experiment ere long. 



Lux. 



Daffodil Planting. 



The time of year is at hand for the examination of those most popular 

 bulbs, the daffodils. They should be lifted at once, if not already done. 

 A garden spade is the best tool to use, placing it right under the bulbs, 

 but taking very great care that they are not cut or bruised in any way. Some 

 of the varieties increase very fast, so off-sets will require removal 

 away from the mother bulb, and to increase the stock must be 

 planted again. Where a large collection is grown, a reserve garden will 

 be very useful for growing small bulbs in until they have attained a 

 flowering size, which will be from two to three years. The daffodil 

 delights to grow in a moist, loamy soil, of good depth, as the bulbs send 

 out their roots to a considerable distance. Most of the choicer varieties, 

 such as Madame de Graaff, which is one of the largest of the white 

 trumpet forms, and is of exquisite beauty, with drooping habit, have a 

 Of strong constitution, and are good ones to increase. Mrs. J. B. M 



vvuuaiii ijuiuring, cernuus puicner, ana ine Angeis iwi^ v" 1 ,7 , j 



triandrus albus), Gloria Mundi, with the nearly new Lulworth, all like to 

 be situated on a sloping bank with plenty of sand round about their 

 bulbs ; the position should be open to the sun's rays during the whole day. 



The earlier the bulbs are planted the better it is for them, as they 

 soon begin to make new roots from the bases of the bulbs. WnerC j: 

 great quantity are grown a wooden dibber is the best tool to plant them 

 with, always having the ground trenched beforehand ; and if the soi 

 seems at all poor, or very light, a good thickness of decayed cow-manur 

 should be worked in each trench, but at the bottom, so as not to come 

 into contact with the bulbs. The manure is very beneficial, as it « n J^ 

 keep the bulbs cool and moist. Some of our trade growers pretei ■ 

 dust, which, I should say, is a good manure, and indeed ha ve found it s 

 for pot culture. The bulbs require planting about four or five in. en 

 deep, and the same distance apart, taking care to let the bulb res< : aii 

 bottom of each hole made by the dibber, for if only dropped halt- way 

 down there would be quite a cavity underneath, and the bulbs w0U '° 

 very little good. The ground should be made quite firm before P^JJg 

 and afterwards raked over to fill up any holes that remain, yarei ^ 

 place a number or name against each variety, so that it may aiwd) 

 recognised. 



A list of a few of the best varieties to grow may not be out : of place, 

 ltting the most expensive sorts. Taking long * rom PV Tohnstonl. 



omitting the most expensive sorts. Taking long trumpet v *'7;7" tonii 

 there are Emperor and Empress, Golden Spur, Henry Irving, t joi a 

 Oueen of Snain. a mncf A* ^ctinrt flnwer. N. maximus, M . n J' n " u " 



Q 



N 



>5i eiegant ana aisunci nu wci , » . yr ' p j? jjarr 

 J. Elwes, N. obvallaris (Tenby daffod 1), P. ^ ^ 



the star narcissi choose N. Incomparabilis var. Autocrat, U J. ^ Watk j n 

 Beauty, Cynosure. Frank mh^c nneen Bess, very early ; . _ 



Titan, and Stella. In the Barri group select N. Bam 

 Maurice Vilmorin, Miriam Barton, Golden Gem, JJJ Lecdsi> 

 Murray, and Flora Wilson. Among Leedsi forms the best are ; . . ^ 

 Minnie Hunne, M. Magdalene de Graaff, Mrs. Langtry, nma^ 



me later sorts, such as N. poeticus, N. p. ornaiub, 

 recurvus, and N. poeticus plenus (the old double white;. 



These 



cheap 

 Hall Gardens 



