Febr ary 19, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
145 
effects the disintegration of the subsoil, thereby liberating various 
mineral foods.” Again, “According to my experience, whether 
the ground is well drained or not depends entirely upon the 
number and disposition of the pipe drains; newly trenched 
ground is the most absorbent and worse drained, while land that 
has not been dug, say for twelve months, naturally drains the 
best, and is therefore the warmest.” This reads we 1, and there 
can be no possible objection to the pipe drains for carrying off 
the surplus subsoil water in such land, but why complain of that 
which the loosened soil hoi Is in suspension ? Is not this, even 
in clay soils, an index of good rather than evil ? and is it not 
the absence of that power in soils to absorb this precious element 
that makes it less fertile ? As to its temperature, is not this in 
deeply trenched land, where subsoil water can freely pass off, 
more quickly and more permanently increased by the sun’s rays 
than when in an untrenched undug condition, in which state Mr. 
Iggulden seems to regard with so much favour? The difference 
in temperature in each case at midwinter, when the sun’s power 
is feeble, will certainly not be great, and maybe for a short time 
slightly in favour of the untrenched ground, but as that power 
increases the temperature of the loosened clay will quickly im¬ 
prove, while that of the untrenched, undisturbed land, will 
remain almost unaltered, and while the rapid evaporation from 
the rough loosened surface of the deeply trenched ground will 
quickly render it friable and healthy, the untrenched or shallow- 
worked soil will remain hard, cold, and impervious alike to rain 
and the sun’s rays. No doubt it is near the surface that the 
majority of the roots of many plants we cultivate thrive best, 
but this scarcely disproves the fact that those roots which have a 
downward tendency are equally essential to the well-doing of the 
plant, and to neglect their wants by leaving the subsoil un¬ 
trenched and unprepared for their reception is scai’cely consistent 
with reason. To say that these roots may by surface cultivation 
only be retained near the surface, is contrary to fact; they will, 
whether we wish it or not, penetrate to almost unknown depths, 
and for what other purpose than to sustain that vigour in the 
plant that the surface roots cannot in dry weather accomplish ? 
Some years ago, when located on a clay soil, I had an oppor¬ 
tunity of observing the depth to which the roots of many plants 
will grow, even in that which is often termed ungenial soil. The 
land, a heavy clay, had been thoroughly drained some years pre¬ 
viously to a depth of about 4 feet. The subsoil had been annually 
brought to the surface in such small quantities at a time as 
would allow of its being thoroughly pulverised by the weather. 
By this gradual process, and the liberal dressing of lime, sand, 
burnt earth, and similar additions, it had become thoroughly 
amalgamated and fairly workable to a depth of 3 feet. The 
fertility of this land was so infinitely superior to that of the land 
surrounding it, which was, although drained in precisely the 
same manner, only cultivated one spit deep, that it was con¬ 
sidered not unreasonable to charge the person who occupied it 
one-third more rent, which was cheerfully paid by the occupier, 
because he felt assured that this extra charge was greatly 
counterbalanced by the extra amount of produce he obtained 
from it. I have frequently dug down in order to discover to 
what depths the roots of the various crops descended in this soil, 
and often found the fibres of Wheat, Carrots, Parsnips, Radishes, 
Cabbages, Broccoli, as well as those of fruit trees, at a depth of 
4 and even 5 feet from the surface. It may be said that these 
roots would have been better nearer the surface, but results 
proved the contrary. 
in thoroughly drained, judiciously trenched, well-cultivated 
soil, the roots of vegetables cannot and will not grow too deeply, 
nor will those of fruit trees. It is not the depth they penetrate 
under such conditions that does the mischief, but as the Rev. Canon 
Hole would say about Roses, it is the wrong kind of muck and 
the half-hearted cultivation which spares the sinews and sacrifices 
the pocket, that is at fault. Deep digging and deep trenching 
in good thoroughly trenched land, always did, and will continue 
to pay, and more than repay the extra cost in labour, but, to be 
profitable, it must be judiciously and gradually performed, so as 
never to bring more to the sui-face at one time than can be well 
pulverised by the weather during the autumn, winter, and spring 
seasons. The temperature at midsummer in such well-drained, 
well-trenched land is at 3 feet deep 60°, or about 2° colder than 
that at 12 inches deep, while in the winter and spring seasons it 
is slightly the warmest at the lower level. In undrained, un¬ 
trenched land, these conditions are greatly changed, and the 
temperature at the lower level would not reach 50 D even in the 
hottest summers, while the mean temperatures would not 
exceed 43 d . These diverse conditions are, I think, sufficient of 
themselves to account for the fact that vegetables and fruit 
trees will succeed, well or ill, on the same land. Stiff marly 
subsoils require even more care in trenching than clays, while 
those composed of chalk and gravel are perhaps better left 
undisturbed 
Mr. Iggulden further says, “ It is reir the surface where the 
fibres are formed. We are told that certain plants will root to a 
particular depth, but is this deep root-action to their advantage, 
even supposing food is placed for them at that same depth ? ” 
Now I am not aware that it has been proved that fibrous roots 
are confined exclusively to the surface. Many trees do form 
roots near the surface because it is their nature to do so, but 
that is no reason why fibrous roots cannot as easily be formed 
3 or 4 feet deep, provided the mechanical condition of the soil is 
such as to cause them to be produced. In short, I remember 
once having seen a well-drained, firmly made Vine border, 5 feet 
deep, where the fibrous roots were in a perfect mat at the base of 
the border, as well as at the surface. I have also just seen the 
fibrous roots of an aged and prolific Pear tree completely filling 
a small brick vault 6 feet deep, where the soil had been mixed 
with a quantity of brick rubble, which had no doubt offered that 
resistance necessary to cause their production. With suck 
examples ought we to take for granted that “ 90 per cent of the 
fruit trees planted are ruined from deep root-action?” Why 
should deep root-action injure any fruit tree, much less vege¬ 
tables P I cannot help thinking, Mr. Editor, that we are getting 
just a little on the wrong track with this shallow-rooting, shallow 
cultivation theory, and we should often do wisely to recollect and 
act upon the terse advice given by Jethro Tull, “ Dig deeper, my 
boy, if you wish to find the gold.”— Vitisator. 
HERBACEOUS PEONIES. 
What grand old fashioned flowers these are! and what have 
we in the hardy flower garden that can equal their gorgeous globu¬ 
lar heads of flowers? These highly attractive early summer-flower¬ 
ing qflants are most useful for the shrubbery border, for the back 
row in the mixed border, or for massing in beds; in fact, any 
sunny position. The colours range from the purest white, through 
shades of flesh and rose, extending into purple, crimsons of the 
most intense hue, magenta, and lake. The colours, in fact, are 
so varied that they are puzzling to describe. Hardy in the 
extreme, free and stately in hab t, and producing in profusion 
their massive flower heads, many of which are highly fragrant, 
should be sufficient recommendation to find for them a place in 
all gardens, and especially amongst hardy p'ants. 
To do the Paeony justice, the soil should be deeply dug or 
even trenched, and well manured; any ordinary garden soil will 
suit them, and it is almost impossible to make it too rich. Not¬ 
withstanding that all these good qualities with easy and simple 
culture are in favour of their extensive cultivation, still it is rare 
that we meet with even a small collection of them in private 
gardens. Let us hope, however, that as hardy plants generally 
are now receiving a greater share of attention than they did a 
few years ago, that the herbaceous Paeonies will at the same time 
be duly appreciated, and that deservedly. Those who would 
wish to engage in their cultivation I would urge to lose no time 
in procuring plants and getting them in their respective places. 
No time could be better than the present, provided the ground is 
not rendered unfit for planting operations by heavy rains. 
In common with all other florists’ flowers, the varieties of 
these Paeonies are numerous and in many cases very similar in 
colour, so that with a view to assist those who might wish for a 
distinct series of these exquisite border flowers I will endeavour 
to give some of the most distinct and handsome. At the same 
time I might suggest that those desirous of forming a selection 
of them would do well to leave the choice to the nurseryman, who 
is not always in a position to supply certain kinds for which the 
demand exceeds the supply. Probably one of the most striking 
and effective, and certainly the most often seen, especially so in 
country cottage gardens, is the old double crimson, P. officinalis 
fl.-pl., which is much earlier than the majority of the herbaceous 
section and one which requires no words of mine to tell of its 
usefulness. For convenience I will roughly group them together 
with their predominant colours. Among pure whites Boule de 
Neige, Candidissima plena, Alba sulphurea, La Vestale, and Virgo 
Marie are the best. The first named is sometimes dashed with 
carmine in the centre; the last named is a charming, soft, pleasing 
white, most chaste and beautiful. Those with flesh-coloured 
flowei '3 are Marie d’Hour, Marie Stuart, Rani Demay, Madame 
Bollet, and Eugfnie Verdier. These are exquisite shades of flesh, 
and have a strong semblance to the delicate satiny markings of 
the German Irises. Among rose-coloured forms are Rose 
d’Amour, Pulcherxdma, Madame Chaumy, Oberlin, Mada,me 
Raquez, and Yicomte de Forceville, the last-named very hne. 
The shades of pink, though running too close to the rj>se-coloured 
forms to prove distinct, contain many beautiful and pleasing 
