2S8 
CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS. 
rough, peaty soil, and placed in a cool situa- 
tion, where it can be kept constantly and 
moderately moistened, they will grow and 
flower profusely, with the shelter of a frame 
in winter. The flowers of this plant are 
Avhite, tinted with rose — one variety bright 
pink— and deliciously scented ; in shape they 
are like inverted pitchers. 
Turfing Fruit Tree Borders. — This 
plan is recommended by some — where the 
cropping of the borders can be dispensed with 
— as a substitute for mulching, or at least as 
securing all the advantages of mulching, the 
turf in addition giving the borders a neat 
and agreeable appearance, and the roots of the 
grass keeping the soil in the state of porous- 
ness and texture which is suitable for the 
roots of the trees. The arguments by which 
this plan is chiefly recommended, are these : — 
" look at our hardy trees growing in meadows, 
and consider the fruitfulness of our orchards, 
where the roots are never disturbed at all." 
It has been suggested, instead of allowing 
the border to remain entirely open as a grass 
plat, to introduce low trees — of the finer kinds 
of pears for example — along the border, at a 
proper distance from the wall, in which situ- 
ation they would derive benefit from the 
reflected heat and shelter of the wall. The 
dwarf standard pendulous trained pear trees 
would be very suitable for such situations, and 
would also have a very ornamental effect, if 
kept neatly trained. This plan is, of course, 
only practicable where the borders are not 
required to be cropped ; and in that case, we 
consider it to be the best means of disposing 
of the surface of the borders, not only as 
regards appearance, but also the well-being of 
the trees. Besides, an advantageous situation 
is gained for the other trees. 
Lycopodiums. — Tiie cultivation of lycopo- 
diums is by no means difficult. The hardy 
kinds succeed perfectly when planted out in 
moist peaty soil. A piece of flat rock work, 
constructed in a damp situation, and so that 
the spaces for the plants may be made to re- 
semble a morass, would no doubt be found to 
be more than any other situation adapted to 
these. The tender kinds grown in pots, suc- 
ceed well in turfy peat soil, and are best set 
into pans or feeders of water. They however 
grow freely when suspended in baskets, and 
also suspended, with their roots merely en- 
veloped with damp moss. In short, wher- 
ever moisture is abundant, and there exists a 
sufficiently elevated temperature to meet the 
wants of the several species, there need be no 
apprehension cf their success. Some of the 
slender trailing kinds may be very aptly ap- 
plied to cover the baskets, pots, and other con- 
trivances in which Orchidaceous plants are sus- 
pended ; and the more liardv of these trailing 
species form interesting objects, as edgings to 
vases, in which ornamental plants are set. Lyco- 
podium denticulatum, a species of this habit 
is well suited for a greenhouse temperature ; 
L. cesium is perhaps the most handsome of 
any, from its blue-green hue ; L. stoloniferum 
is stronger growing ; and some of the smaller 
kinds, as L. apodum, L. cordifoUum, L. bra- 
siliensis, &c. are well suited for planting 
among orchids. — M. 
Red Spider. — The red spider is often found 
very troublesome in frames. To destroy them, 
it is a good plan to wash the frames — round 
the front especially — with some clay mixed up 
with soapsuds to a paint, adding a handful of 
sulphur to a gallon of the mixture. A com- 
mon painter's brush will apply it. If the 
frame smells very strongly during hot sun- 
shine, air should be speedily given ; for in 
extremes, it may possibly cause damage to 
the plants. 
Dwarf Dahlias. — What a pity it is that 
those who make it their business to raise new 
varieties of these favourite autumnal flowers, 
do not avail themselves of the most desirable 
properties of that kind known in gardens as 
Dahlia glabrata — the D. Merkii of Leh- 
mann. Cross impregnation with this dwarf 
species could hardly fail to give rise to a class 
of varieties both dwarfer and smaller in their 
structure than those we now possess, and 
such varieties would be specially desirable in 
flower gardens, even if they were no boon to 
the florist. Probably the cross would tend to 
decrease the size of the blossoms a little, and 
if so, florists would not think it worth their 
while to encourage such a race. Under these 
circumstances, gardeners should attend to it 
for themselves. D. glabrata grows about 
two feet high, and is altogether of lighter 
and more elegant habit than the varieties 
of D. variabilis. A race of varieties em- 
bracing these characters would be very 
desirable. — M. 
The Daisy. — How few persons even know 
the variety which distinguishes this humble 
class of flowers. Their cheapness is some- 
what against them, it is true ; but if any gar- 
dener would take the trouble to get all the 
leading varieties, and plant them about in 
patches in the common borders, they would be 
found objects of much greater interest than 
many give them credit for. The flowers 
come out among the earliest of the spring, 
and the colours, which vary from pure white 
to very deep crimson, render a border, planted 
with daisies, in good proportion to the crocus, 
snowdrop, daffodil, primrose, and similar early 
flowers, much more effective than any body 
who has not seen it can imagine. The quilled 
white, quilled crimson, and double pink, are 
very distinct and beautiful varieties. 
