JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
406 
[ Kay 13 1882. 
spot been comparatively unhurt by the fearful gale which did so 
much damage on the 28th of last month. It was a pleasant sight to 
see the gardens thronged with some seven thousand visitors who 
had come—some to see, and some to hear ; to see the fine collection 
of plants and flowers, which in such a neighbourhood as Bath was 
sure to be brought together, and to hear the fine band of the Royal 
Marine Artillery and the local band of the Gardens Committee. 
The cut Roses shown by Mr. Mattock of New Headingley, Oxford, 
and Mr. R. B. Cater of Bath were good as cut from pot plants. The 
former sent in a box of Mardchal Niel, which of course received the 
attention that gallant soldier always does. Mr. Hooper, being at 
home, sent, as well may be supposed, a grand collection of Pansies. 
The Fancy varieties were especially admired ; and indeed their showy 
colours, large size now, fine form, deservedly attract all lovers of 
flowers. Messrs. Kelway & Sons showed some good boxes of cut 
blooms of Pyrethrums double and single, the latter more especially 
attracting the attention of ladies for their suitability for cutting for 
bouquets, Ac. They were the same varieties that were exhibited 
at South Kensington on the previous day. They also exhibited a 
number of plants of the curious little Hart’s-tongue Fern, Scolopen- 
driurn vulgare Kelwayi densum, which was certificated at South 
Kensington. 
The zeal and energy of Mr. B. Pearson, the indefatigable Secretary 
of the Society, assisted as he was by a hard-working Committee, 
tended to make everything work well; and the smoothness with 
■which the arrangements were carried out augurs well for those of the 
National Rose Society, whose promised Exhibition is to be held this 
year in the same place on June 28th.—D., Deal. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN IN SPRING. 
Perhaps at no season of the year can beds and borders be 
made more attractive than during April and early May, but if the 
majority of plants that flower in spring are employed failure is 
sure to be the result. Those plants only should be selected that 
will flower abundantly and will last about the same length of 
time in good condition. It is most unfortunate if some uncertain 
variety is used and a break or failure occurs in any of the beds or 
borders. It is always wise to test plants in other positions before 
relying upon them in the flower garden. 
To grow plants that are serviceable for this purpose but little 
ground is required that might prove useful for any other purpose. 
For instance, in the majority of gardens plenty of places can be 
found where spring-flowering plants can be grown through the 
summer, and if not occupied by them would in all probability be 
unemployed. What better position could be accorded them than 
under the shade of standard fruit trees, amongst bush fruit, or in 
open spaces at the back of shrubberies ? These plants prove no 
detriment to the fruit trees if amongst them, or the trees to them, 
but, on the contrary, they are benefited by the partial shade 
afforded by the trees. There are few indeed who could not find 
such positions for such accommodating and beautiful flowering 
plants, and neither cottagers nor amateurs need fail in their culti¬ 
vation. Hundreds of gardens could be found where no attempt 
is made to render them attractive in spring. I know many who,. 
to have their gardens enjoyable during summer, spend many 
pounds, and the same number of shillings would render them 
delightful in spring. I must confess up to the present I have 
seen no style of bedding, not even the popular carpet beds, that 
can compare for beauty with spring bedding when well done. 
Those anxious to have their gardens gay next spring should 
make a start at once, as much can be done in a season with com¬ 
paratively little expense. The first that will require attention for 
that purpose are the Aubrietias, charming plants for spring bedding 
which can readily be raised from seed. The variety I employ is 
Aubrietiagneca, seed of which should now be sown without delay ; 
the best position for the seed bed being in a northern aspect or 
where the seedlings will not be fully exposed to the sun at fir.-t. 
1 have frequently found when sown in a southern aspect the young 
plants are readily devoured by insects, but when sown in the 
former I have never had a failure. The best plan is to sow the 
seed moderately thick on the bed, and then prick out the seed¬ 
lings as soon as they are large enough. If attended to at once 
fine tufts will be produced by autumn which in spring will bloom 
abundantly. Those having a good stock of this plant need not 
raise seedlings, but can replant their old plants after flowering. 
In planting, the flowering shoots and seed pods should be removed 
with a knife, and no attempt should be made to divide the plants. 
If planted whole, and the soil as the work proceeds pressed 
amongst the shoots, the whole will be one mass of roots and can 
safely be divided in autumn. The old plants are seldom used 
here a second year, because they require attention at a busy season, 
and the seedlings do not give trouble at that time when so many 
others require attention. Seedlings are preferable because they 
grow more luxuriantly, and with me bloom with greater freedom 
in spring. 
Violas and Pansies also claim immediate attention where a stock 
has to be raised. They are readily obtained either by cuttings, 
division, or from seed. The latter is the best where no stock of 
pdants exists. The Cliveden type should be selected, as they 
flower profusely in spring, and seed should be sosvn at once of 
the purple, blue, white, and yellow forms. I have had Pansies 
moderately true from seed, and at another time have had from 
a few packets of seed a hundred or more varieties. Even where 
the latter is the case there can generally be sufficient light and 
dark sorts that will do for a good start, and from which a stock 
can afterwards be obtained by cuttings and division. From seed 
sown now the whole will commence flowering during the summer, 
and all worthless sorts can be thrown out. 
Daisies, red, white, and two kinds of pink, should be obtained 
and grown in quantity. The two Pinks to which I allude are the 
common kind with large flowers, and the other deeper pink with 
small flowers and very dwarf. I have never had any name to 
this variety, but it is a gem in every respect and should have a 
prominent position in every spring garden. 
Myosotis is useful for the spring garden if a dwarf variety is 
selected, and I have found none better than M. dissitiflora when 
true. The seed need not be sown until the last week in May or 
the first week in June, which is early enough, and to save trouble 
is best sown on the beds, where it can remain until planting time. 
Pyrethrum Golden Feather can also be sown during the month 
of June, and will be large enough by autumn for marking out any 
designs, and when the winters are not too severe it proves very 
effective in spring. Heie it does not stand well, the damp moist 
atmosphere of winter proving a greater detriment to it than sharp 
frosts. I have seen it used with advantage in the east and south¬ 
ern parts of Fmgland, but here I have abandoned growing it for 
the spring because it has disappointed me so frequently. 
Silene pendula compacta is another valuable plant for spring 
gardens, and I know gardeners who grow it in preference to pink 
Daisies ; but with me it has never given the greatest satisfaction. 
It has either failed or bloomed very irregularly, and in consequence 
I do not associate it with other plants in beds or borders that I 
require to have effective. It is, however, worth growing, and can 
be used with much advantage in many other positions. This 
must annually be raised from seed, and should not be sown too 
early : about the middle of June will do, as it grows quickly when 
the young plants are once above ground. This is a good summer 
annual, and if successional sowings are made flowering plants can 
be had all through the summer. 
Arabises, Alyssum saxatile compactum, Limnanthes, and many 
others are useful for spring flowering, but it is not judicious to 
employ them in the flower garden proper, because some of them 
flower too early and would be seeding before Daisies and Violas 
i e rched their best. 
The limited number of varieties alluded to will, if judiciously 
planted, render the flower garden in spring as gay and attractive 
as need be desired, especially if Tulips and Hyacinths are planted 
amongst them. In beds where the two latter are employed the 
Hyacinths are planted rather closely to be effective early in 
the season, and the same beds also contain a good number of 
Tulips, the groundwork being formed with different coloured 
Daisies or Aubrietias. When the Hyacinths are past their best 
they are removed, disturbing the beds as little as possible, which 
are soon after gay with both the plants used for the groundwork 
and the Tulips. 
It must not be understood, because I have given only a limited 
selection of plauts, that I would discard many others that are 
capable of rendering gardens bright in spring. There can always 
be found plenty of places suitable for them in gardens and grounds 
without cramming the whole into the flower garden. Those I 
have alluded to are grown here during the summer under the 
shade of fruit and other trees, the ground being prepared in early 
spring, and where practicable laid out iu narrow beds. In pre¬ 
paring the beds a quantity of decayed leaves and mowings from 
the lawn that have laid for a time are forked in. and form by far 
the best manure for such plants'. Daisies, Aubrietias, and others 
grow luxuriantly with it.—W. Bardney. 
Old Yews.— In an article upon curious and historic trees pub¬ 
lished in the last issue of the “ Journal of Forestry,” much interest¬ 
ing information is given concerning the Yew, the following par¬ 
ticulars of the oldest being especially worth notice :—“ The Yew 
crops up in the buried forests of Cromer and the Bristol Channel. 
After waiting long, according to the reckoning of geologists, for the 
earliest appearance of man in those islands, it became the Cypress of 
Celts and Saxons, and still remains the fittest emblem of immortality 
that our climate has produced. The old Yews in churchyards are 
indeed historic, we have nothing older either in fact or sentiment. 
