30 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
A SELECTION OF TREES FOR WATER SCENES. 
EARLY all large-growing hardy trees thrive in the neigh- 
bourhood of water, although it is not so stated in the 
books. But for positions commonly too moist for a 
large selection, willows, birches, alders, and elms are 
the most useful. Of willows the most ornamental are 
Salix americana pendula, S. babylonica, S. caprea tricolor, and the 
Kilmarnock willow. All the birches are beautiful, but the most 
choice are Betula alba pendula, B. papyracea, B. nigra, B. rotundi- 
folia. Amongst the alders, the best are Alnus glutinosa aurea, A. g. 
laciniata, and A. niontana. The common elm need not be named 
here, as it is well-known as one of the grandest of forest trees. But 
the Camperdown elm, TJlmus campestris camperdown, and the twiggy 
elm, U. c. viminalis, are less known than they deserve to be, con- 
sidering their beauty. The common hydrangea attains to magnifi- 
cent proportions in the neighbourhood of water. 
NOTES FOR AMATEUR GARDENERS. 
O make a Hyacinth Bed. — Dig the ground at the 
end of September, and ridge it up for the atmosphere 
to sift through it freely. After a week or ten days, 
take out the soil to the depth of a foot, and lay down a 
stratum of fresh cow-dung four inches thick, or, 
wanting that, half rotted stable-dung, the shorter the better. When 
the dung is laid down, replace the soil, breaking it very fine, and 
mixing with it about an eighth part of gritty river-sand, or, if that 
is not obtainable, sea-sand may be used, but coarse yellow pit sand, 
which is so often used, is the worst thing that can come into the 
vicinity of a hyacinth. Those who question my advice as to fresh 
cow-dung — and it may startle some — are advised to try it one season 
with some bulbs on which they set little value ; they will assuredly 
treat their choicest stock in the same way the year following, and 
this will come to be the orthodox way of manuring hyacinths. It 
is all they require to bloom superbly, and retain their strength for 
years ; but it should be remembered that the dung should be eight 
inches from the surface, as it then attracts the roots downwards, 
gives the plant a stimulus just as it wants it — namely, when nearly 
flowering — obviates the need of frequent watering, by keeping a cool 
moist bottom, and affords the strength requisite to the production 
of strong offsets, and the forming of blooms for the next year. 
About the end of October is the time for planting. Plant early, 
and five inches deep. 
To pkevent Fogging oef. — Cuttings in heat, and seedlings 
pricked out, are very liable to damp off, if in a confined air, with 
too much moisture. The best mode of treatment, is, as soon as 
evidences of damping appear, to give more air, and increase the 
temperature five degrees, and, at the same time, to sprinkle the 
surface of the soil with a mixture of silver-sand and powdered peat, 
crumbled to the fineness of snuff. 
