430 



JOI'RNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



subsequent cHapters have much to tell us of what to do to make the 

 most of the space available. 



This book is really the notes and thoughts, practical and critical, of 

 a working amateur, and is the result of nearly thirty years of gardening. 

 The knowledge has been gained by experience, step by step, until, 

 as the author puts it, " Each new step becomes a little surer, and 

 each new grasp a little firmer, till, little by little, comes the power of 

 intelligent combination, the nearest thing we can know to the mighty 

 force of creation. ' ' 



A chapter is devoted to each month of the year. Thus in January 

 we find the following points considered: "Beauty of Woodland in 

 Winter: The Nut Walk; Thinning the Overgrowth; A Nut Nursery; 

 Iris stylosa : Its Culture : Its Home in Algeria : Discovery of the 

 White Variety; Flowers and Branches for Indoor Decoration." 



A few items from the April chapter are the following: — " Wood 

 land spring flowers ; Daffodils in the Copse ; Grape Hyacinths and 

 other spring bulbs : How best to plant them ; Flowering Shrubs ; sweet 

 scents in April; Auriculas; Tulips; Primroses ; Lent Hellebores, &c., 

 &c., &c." Again, in October, " Michaelmas Daisies: Arranging andj 

 staking; Spindle-tree; Autumn colour of Azaleas; Quinces; Medlars;,' 

 Advantage of early planting of shrubs ; Hardy flower border ; i 

 Lifting dahlias ; Dividing hardy plants ; Plants difficult to divide, i 

 &c., &c., &c." 



The reader can readily understand from this method of dealing withj 

 gardening matters that the work is thoroughly practical, and should! 

 be very helpful to the inexperienced amateur who is seeking for inform a-i 

 tion and who desires to carry out each item of seasonable work in 

 proper fashion, and in the hope of beautifying his or her own garden 

 by adopting somewhat similar measures. 



If proof of the practical value of this entertaining book were needed,' 

 it would be only necessary to quote from a portion of the October 

 calender which reads, as follows: — "During the year I make careful 

 note of any trees or shrubs that will be wanted, either to come from ihi 

 nursery or to be transplanted within my own ground, so as to plant 

 them as esrly as possible. Of the two extremes it is better to plant' 

 too early than too late. I would rather plant deciduous trees before the,' 

 leaves are off than wait till after Christmas, but of all planting times th^ 

 best is from the middle of October till the end of November, and th^ 

 same is the best for all hardy plants of large or moderate size." | 



Valuable and instructive is the chapter devoted to the consideratioij 

 of " Large and Small Gardens. " In this treatise there are considerecj 

 among others such subjects as "A well-done villa garden; a small towi| 

 garden ; two delightful gardens of small size ; a large country housj 

 and its garden; terrace ^a^^'n; parterre; tree garden; a window gardeni 

 &c., &c., &c." The comprehensiveness of the theme convinces thj 

 reader that the author has advised or assisted many who have, no doubii 

 freely sought this famous gardener's advice and assistance for year 

 past. 



