July 5, 1883 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
5 
same way as for a Cattieya, when the plant will quickly bristle with 
healthy growth in every part, to be followed in due course by flowers, 
instead of a bare centre, with flowers all on the outer parts.— Robert 
Grindrod. 
THE HERBACEOUS BORDER. 
Under my charge, among other things, is a walk about half a 
mile long with borders on each side occupied with herbaceous plants, 
some of the most noteworthy of which I propose from time to time to 
remark on, and as the collection is only in its infancy I shall be 
obliged if any of your correspondents will assist in giving prominence 
to meritorious flowers in season by a record of their experience. I 
need not point out the great value and interest attached to hardy 
plants, nor enlarge on their general adaptability for the masses ; but 
will at once proceed to notice some good plants that were flowering 
on June 21st. 
Papaver nudicaule. —A yellow Poppy, forming very showy and 
highly decorative tufts, the flowers borne on slender stalks about 
1 foot in height, continuing to produce blooms for a long time. The 
flowers are very pretty in a cut sta'e, for though their duration is only 
short, and they close early they, are still charmingly beautiful—quite 
a relief from the monotony of cut flowers generally. 
PArAVER NUDICAULE album. —A white-flowering variety of the 
species, quite as hardy, fully as free-flowering, and altogether a 
highly decorative plant, and the flowers are line for cutting. 
Iberis gibraltarica. —This is. unquestionably the finest of all 
the Candytufts, having very large heads of white flowers tinged with 
lilac. The plant forms a compact bush, and floAvers over a lengthened 
period. It may be mentioned that this is very fine indeed for groAV- 
ing in pots in a cool house, or may be had in floAver early by placing 
in gentle heat. It is not very hardy, and young plants should be 
raised from cuttings or seed yearly, so as to provide against the pro¬ 
bability of loss in a seA T ere winter. It is fine for sunny niches at the 
foot of rockwork. 
Erodium Manescavi. — Ibis forms tufts of graceful foliage 
15 inches or more in height, and is the best of the genus. From the 
crown issue numerous floAver stems, each bearing an umbel of large 
purple-red floAvers 1 to H inch across. It is well adapted for the 
base of rockwork, and does splendidly in the open border. The 
flowering is continued through the summer, and frost only seems to 
stay its flowering propensity. A very shoAvy, and in fact handsome, 
species. 
Phlox caroliniana yar. ovata. —A very useful plant of about 
18 inches in height, having large corymbs of bright purplish red 
flowers in early summer, and A r ery freely produced. It is fine for 
borders and \ r aluable for cutting. 
Centaurea Montana. —Of this there are two Auirieties—viz., alba, 
white, and rubra, red. The best of the trio is C. montana alba, but 
the species with its blue flowers is superb. They can hardly be called 
gay, but they form effective clumps of about 18 to 24 inches in 
height, producing in succession a great number of floAvers over a 
lengthened period, and these are valuable for cutting, being so dis¬ 
tinct from the run of cut floAvers. The plants do best in sunny posi¬ 
tions and well-drained soil. 
Aquilegia chrysantiia. —This has been in beauty since early 
Juile, and still keeps on, ha\ T ing many golden yellow flowers with 
long spurs. It forms in good specimens a bush a yard across and 
nearly as much high, and is very beautiful and effective. 
Tradescantia virginica. — Showy for borders, having large 
terminal umbels of bright blue flowers, freely produced through the 
summer. T, virginica alba is equally desirable, and there are several 
varieties, as red, double red, rose, pale blue, and deep violet. They 
are not particular about soil or situation, but an open one is most 
suitable. They groAV 18 to 24 inches high. 
Agrostemma flos-Jovis.—F orms a bush about 2 feet high, the 
foliage being soft and doAvny ; the floAvers bright scarlet, produced 
abundantly and for a long time, fine for cutting. It likes a light soil, 
and is readily raised from seed. 
Helenium Hoopesi. — Large bright yelloAV flowers, having a 
peculiar appearance, very freely produced over a lengthened period, 
and very useful for decorative purposes. Although the majority of 
Heleniums are only fit for the back of herbaceous borders, or relegat¬ 
ing to shrubberies, this and H. pumilum are fitted to take rank Avith 
the choicest. Its floAvers are fine for large decorations such as in 
churches. 
Dracocepiialum ruysciiianum.—V ery pretty. FloAvers about an 
inch long, borne in clusters, and as the stems are-numerous it may be 
described as a very handsome summer-flowering plant. It likes a 
light soil. A. R. japonicum is more upright in groAvth, and the 
floAvers in Avhorls quite an inch long are really charming, being of a 
light sky-blue colour. 
Campanula macrantua. — A grand plant, forming a pyramid 
bush over a yard high, having numerous erect stems, producing large 
purple-blue floAvers. It is fine anywhere, as a back-roAV plant un¬ 
equalled in the genus, and will groAV in any ordinary fertile soil. 
Gillenia trifoliata.—A nother fine plant, very shoAvy, forming 
an erect bush about 3 feet high, Avith deeply cut foliage ; the floAvers 
being Avhite, borne in panicles. Quite a gem, doing Avell in well- 
drained soil. 
Erigeron grandiflorum. —About 18 inches high, having a tufted 
appearance ; the leaves large ; floAvers numerous, Aster-like, purple, 
and a couple of inches across. It requires a light soil, and does Avell 
in niches at the foot of rocl<work. —G-. Abbey, Paxton Park, Hunts. 
(To be continued.) 
AMERICAN BLACKBERRIES. 
I see you say at page 520, last volume, that these do very well in 
this country, but I am inclined to think that the instances of their suc¬ 
cessful culture are few and far between. My experience of them tallies 
with that of your correspondent “ J. E. D., Devon,” as ours have grown 
luxuriantly, but the fruit is miserable compared with the illustration 
and our own expectations. When the Kittatinny variety was brought in 
it was planted in rich soil and the best of positions to secure sunshine 
with shelter on all sides from destructive winds, and we expected to see 
the produce something better than that commonly seen in the hedgerows, 
but it has never been so, and now we only keep them to point out their 
deceptive qualities. I should have thought that they would have done 
in either Devon or South Wales, but it appears not, and it would be 
interesting to know the position in which they do succeed. Are the 
instances of the description so numerous as to warrant anyone advising 
their general culture ? I think not. Probably some may grow them 
against a wall, and then I would say it is good space badly used. 
Nothing which can be said or shown in their favour will induce me to 
have anything further to do with them.—J. Muir. 
[Our correspondent should try the Parsley-leaved Bramble ; we have 
seen it producing finer clusters of fruit near Sheffield than that re¬ 
presented in the engraving on page 409, last volume. Perhaps Mr. 
Woodcock will oblige with a note on this variety. We think Mr. Ward 
of Longford Castle has written approvingly of the Kittatinny.] 
PRIZE PANSIES. 
Pansies are so beautiful in the spring and early summer that many 
admirers of these flowers will be glad to know the names of the varieties 
that won the silver medals at the Waverley Pansy Society’s Show re¬ 
cently held at Galashiels. 
Show Pansies. —In the nurserymen’s class for twenty-four blooms 
the silver medal was won by Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Paisley, with 
perfect .flowers of Artemis, Andrew Miller, Patrick Barr, Harry Paul, 
J. P. Barbour, and Rev. J. Morrison, dark seifs ; Gomer arid Geo. Rudd, 
yellow seifs; Mrs. Dobbie and Mrs. Turnbull, white seifs; The Mede, 
Mrs. J. Miller, Mrs. J. G. Paul, Mrs. D. Wallace, Miss Meikle, Jessie 
Foote, and Nelly Coibet, white grounds ; Try Me Oh 1 J. B. Robertson, 
Lizzie Bullock, D. Dalglish, A. Henderson, D. Robertson, and No. 1 
Seedling, yellow ground. In the gardeners’ and amateurs’ class for 
eighteen Show Pansies, Mr. Jas. Skinner, Penicuik, won the silver medal. 
He had fine examples of A. Miller, Teter Lyle, and Mauve Queen, dark 
seifs ; Gomer, yellow self; Agnes Fairgrieve, white self; Mrs. J. G. Paul, 
Miss Ritchie, Jessie Foote, Miss Barr, and Miss Meikle, white ground ; 
R. Danaldson, J. Buchanan, and J. B. Robertson, yellow grounds. 
Fancy Pansies. —In this class the silver medal was obtained by Mr. 
J. Sutherland, Lenzie, with grand blooms of Catherine Agnes, D. Main, 
W. McIntosh, Mrs. J. Stewart, Mrs. McTaggart, J. Murray, Perfection, 
John Stewart, May Tate, Miss Reeve, General Grant, Mrs. Findlay, Ruby, 
Mrs. Murdock, Earl Beaconsfield, Miss Bliss, W. Dickson, Mrs. Duncan. 
D. Wallace, and seedlings. For eighteen Fancy Pansies the silver medal 
was awarded to Mr. Jas. Gowans, Hawick, whose lot included superb 
blooms of May Tate, Miss Bliss, Catherine Agnes, Jas. Gardner, A. 
McMillan, Perfection, Rev. J. Graham, Mrs. Jamieson, Mrs. Barrie, W. 
Cuthbertson, and Miss Reeve. 
The best flower (Show) in the Exhibition was awarded Mr. J. Black 
for Miss Bowie, a beautiful primrose self. The best flower (Fancy) to 
Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons for Miss Bliss. The best white ground (Show) 
to Mr. J. S. Armstrong for Jessie Foote. The best yellow ground (Show) 
to Mr. Jas. Bowie, Galashiels, for David Dalglish. 
The above list will be useful to those cultivators who desire to add 
good varieties to their collections. 
SHADING. 
Noting the remarks of “ Northern Gardener ” on page 507, last 
volume, I am disposed to keep the ball rolling on the above subject. 
My remarks, however, will refer especially to Cucumbers. I am more 
and more convinced that if the roots are right as far as water is con¬ 
cerned very little shading is required. I do not say shading is not neces¬ 
sary at times. I know it is, but the less used the better; still it is a 
mistake to let the Diant be exhausted before putting it on. These last 
few days of unsettled weather have been rather trying, so hot for a time, 
then cold and dull. No fixed law or rule can apply to individual cases 
or houses, an intelligent view and observation being the best guide. 
