January 27, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER « 
Sugar Berry Trees, and Dogwoods larger than in the north, besides 
many others interesting to the botanist, but for which the special 
uses have yet to be found. Besides these, there are among the 
resinous trees immense quantities of the yellow Pine (Pinus taeda), 
Bull Pine (Pinus mitis), and Post or Jersey Pine (Pinus inops), 
which grows up into forests of straight trees, very different from 
what we find them in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Besides these 
are Hemlock Spruce in some quantity, White Pine in less, and 
in still smaller quantities Balsam Fir (Abies Fraseri) and Black 
Spruce (Abies nigra).” 
COTTAGE GARDENING. 
( Con tinned from page 30.) 
A thatched-eoofed cottage with a porch embowered in 
Jasmine ; Roses and Honeysuckle covering its front walls ; on one 
end a Bon Chrfitien Pear tree, on the other a Morello Cherry, and 
on the back a couple of Green Gage Plums. A path leading from 
the wicket to the porch with a flower border on each side of the 
path, and behind each border a row of espalier-trained Apple 
trees, four on each side, all of them so famous for the abundance, 
size, and quality of their fruit that the names must be given. 
Keswick Codlin was held in high repute because it hardly ever 
failed to produce a plentiful supply of its soft yellow fruit, so 
excellent in tarts and puddings. Duchess of Oldenburgh almost 
equally productive, and even more attractive with its gaily-striped 
fruit. Warner’s King and Alfriston, both as famous as prize¬ 
winners as for the huge Apple dumplings for which the noble fruit 
was mostly used. Margil and Cox’s Orange Pippin alike excellent 
and commanding a ready sale. Cox’s Apple attracting most at¬ 
tention by its high colour; but Margil was quite certain to be 
equally sought after when it had once been tasted. Hanwell 
Souring, so much valued for its good keeping and the abundance 
of its fruit; and a Ribston Pippin, somewhat prone to canker, but 
rich-flavoured fruit were the pride and boast of the cottage, whose 
occupant, John Brown by name, always declared, “ There’s 
nothing like a Ribs’on for flavour or sweetness.” 
The flower borders were thus shut in from the vegetable ground 
by a fence at once ornamental and useful. The scene as viewed 
from the wicket formed a pretty picture framed by the espaliers, for 
the flower borders were always neat and trim and well filled with 
plants, almost all of them living in the open ground through winter; 
and the only culture required after they were first planted was 
division and fresh planting when they became too large or weakly 
in growth, for it is the habit of plants of this class to spread into 
large tufts, so that in'time they crowd each other, the roots exhaust 
the soil, the growth becomes weak, and the flowers small. When 
the division and fresh planting is done some road scrapings mixed 
with the soil make the plants grow freely and strongly. The tall- 
growing plants were kept mostly at the back, with a few of the 
best of them standing singly near the front to show their full 
beauty and to make a break among the lower-growing plants. 
The path had a fringe of the pretty little pink-flowered Thrift, 
with a row of white Pinks behind it. Enough Thrift had been 
obtained for this by dividing some large old plants that had 
spread too far in the borders ; and the Pinks were the side shoots 
of some old plants cut off about 4 inches long in July and in¬ 
serted 2 inches deep in a trench made for them behind the Thrift, 
just as they were taken off the old plants without any trimming 
Whatever, especial care, however, being taken to settle them firmly 
in the soil and to keep them well watered. They grew and made 
plenty of roots that summer, and in another season were fine 
plants. Of other flagrant plants there were Lavender, Rosemary, 
Southernwood, Sweet Briar, several Cabbage Roses, a pink Moss 
Rose, a white Damask Rose, and a couple of the familiar Chinese 
Monthly Rose. Among the most notable other flowers were 
Meadow Sweet, Columbine of various colours, Jacob’s Ladder, 
purple and white Rocket, purple Honesty, Crown Imperials, 
Solomon’s Seal, Pansies, Spiderwort, pink Loosestrife, Michael¬ 
mas Daisies, Wallflower, Sweet William, Foxglove, Willow Herb, 
Snapdragon, double Daisy, double Feverfew, Canterbury Bell, 
Japan Anemone, Everlasting Pea both white and red, a large 
blue Iris, some pretty clumps of London Pride, and striped Gar¬ 
deners’ Garter Grass mingled together, Lily of the Valley that 
had spread along near the Apple trees, some curious old varieties 
of Cowslips or Oxlips, a clump of Christmas Roses, and in a sunny 
corner by the porch quite a bed of blue Russian Violets, which 
came into bloom in autumn and continued to bear flowers through¬ 
out winter if the weather held mild. A few Crocuses, Snow¬ 
drops, and Tulips threw up flowers every spring, but beyond 
sowing a few pinches of Mignonette and Stock seed there was no 
addition made to the border flowers in summer. Sweet Peas were 
always sown near the bee hives twice, to secure plenty of early 
75 
and late flowers for the bees. Some scarlet Pimpernel always 
sprang up among the flowers and was cherished there, and known 
as the “ Poor Man’s Weather Glass,” because its flowers invariably 
close before rain. 
Not often is it that one sees so many good old flowers brought 
together in a cottage garden, too many cottagers resting contented 
with a few miserable straggling plants, the hardy nature of which 
enables them to continue living and flowering amid the neglect 
surrounding them. Like many other things closely bound up 
with a man’s home life, a garden affords an indication of character ; 
and the sight of such an one as that which I have described 
enables one to predict very confidently that its owner has praise¬ 
worthy self-respect and is a good husband and father, loving his 
home so well as to exert himself to render its surroundings bright 
and cheerful. Occasionally we meet with very successful attempts 
at higher things. The culture of a few familiar old favourites has 
awakened a longing for better things, a sense of what is beautiful 
grows keener, and flowers of more refined aspect and more difficult 
culture are taken in hand, often to be brought to a greater degree 
of excellence than is achieved by professional gardeners. Of such 
I have seen Roses, Hollyhocks, Carnations, Auriculas, Asters, and 
Zinnias extremely well managed, and not long ago I was asked to 
look at a fernery that had been tastefully made under the shade 
of some trees at the bottom of a trim little garden. The space 
devoted to flowers must of necessity be very limited ; and while 
fully admiring the Ferns, I must confess that the space given them 
might be turned to better account for a bed of late Strawberries. 
What! Strawberries in a cottage garden ! Yes, why not ? I have 
never seen a good bed of Strawberries in a cottage garden, and 
have always been puzzled to know why.— Edward Luckhurst. 
(To be continued.) 
■ AnX 
15 
WOR11foi\the\x/EEK.. < 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
The recently experienced sharp weather will by retarding growth 
prove advantageous to fruit trees, the buds of which were generally 
too advanced for the time of year. Advantage should he taken of 
such weather to wheel in the requisite quantity of rich thoroughly 
decomposed material for top-dressing the borders containing espalier, 
bush, and pyramid fruit trees, which are too often neglected in this 
respect. The thoroughly decomposed material furnished by the 
rubbish heap is very suitable, choosing favourable weather for point¬ 
ing it in ; but when the roots are near the surface the soil should be 
scraped away down to the roots, supplying the enriching material, 
and lightly covering with fresh soil. Charred refuse is also an 
admirable dressing for fruit borders. Where planting young fruit 
trees has been deferred the necessary preparations for their reception 
should be delayed as little as possible. The ground must be 
thoroughly drained, otherwise it is hopeless to expect fruit trees to 
continue in a healthy fruitful state. Most hardy fruit trees may be 
successfully planted during next month, or even later, providing care 
is taken to expose the roots to the air as short a time as possible. It 
is always advisable before planting young fruit trees to trench the 
ground two or more spits deep, being guided in this respect by the 
character of the soil. Where pruning bush fruits has been deferred 
on account of bullfinches it is advisable to commence when the buds 
are swelling freely, or the pruning will enfeeble the growths of the 
parts retained. The object of pruning is to afford to every branch 
free exposure to light and air, and to improve or preserve the symmetry 
of the bushes. Retain the shoots or branches of Gooseberries about 
9 to 12 inches apart, and regularly disposed around the centre, cutting 
back all others to two or three buds, and any strong shoots not required 
should be removed. Red and White Currants require similar treat¬ 
ment, but Black Currants should only have such growths cut away 
as are too crowded, shortening those that have extended beyond the 
limits assigned them. After pruning apply a dressing of manure, and 
point it in when the weather is favourable. Cuttings of bush fruits 
may now be inserted, choosing strong straight growths, cutting to a 
foot in length, and removing all the eyes except three at the upper 
