212 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ September 4, 1884. 
choosing the wrong position for it at planting time, some fixing it in 
a sunny position, others in a wet and shady bog. In either of these 
it is sure to be unhappy. In the former position its leaves will soon 
present a brown and blistered appearance, and in the latter its roots 
will not long survive. At the outset those unacquainted with it should 
try to ascertain the conditions under which it exists in its native 
habitat, after which it will be found among the easiest to manage. 
It inhabits the Pine woods of North America from Canada to Carolina, 
invariably in rocky or sandy soils. In such as these it seems to 
delight, and often importations of it may be found with particles of 
hard granitic rock clinging tightly to its woody fibres. Midst the 
Pine woods it is afforded ample shade and shelter, conditions at all 
times essential to its well-being. It delights in peat and leaf soil in 
about equal quantity, to which, beside a fair proportion of sharp sand, 
add a liberal quantity of broken brick rubbish about the size of hazel 
nuts. This forms an excellent substitute for granite, and can always 
be had. Its small clusters of delicate rose-coloured flowers, which 
are produced in profusion in early summer, emit a delightfully spicy 
fragrance. In a cut state it is seen to great advantage and lasts a 
considerable time. The unfolding buds somewhat resemble at a side 
view the flowers of President Garfield Bouvardia, and are of a similar 
colour. It does not root readily from cuttings, though it may be 
easily rooted by twisting the shoots and pegging them down in sandy 
peat after the manner of layers. If not required in quantity it may be 
thus layered, as thereby fresh roots are formed, which gives increased 
vigour to the plants. 
Dryas octopetala (Mountain Avens).—An extremely hardy 
alpine of dense prostrate habit, indigenous to many parts of the globe. 
It occurs throughout the mountain regions of Europe, Asia, and North 
America, plentiful in Scotland, and more sparsely distributed, I believe, 
in a few spots in North Wales. Inhabiting such a wide geographical 
area as this, it is only natural to suppose that it must encounter con¬ 
siderable variations of soil, altitude, and position. When we consider 
these points carefully it would seem to be one of those plants which 
under ordinary conditions would not fail to give satisfaction ; and 
though it grows with such freedom in so many places and even within 
ihe limits of our owm little isle in luxuriance, it is not an everyday 
occurrence to find good patches under cultivation. In alpine and 
even arctic regions the mountains are mantled with its abundant 
foliage, from which issue its creamy flowers about an inch across, 
furnished with yellow stamens, w’hich render it more conspicuous. 
It is strictly evergreen, and being neat and compact in habit as well 
cs handsome in foliage and flower, it is deserving a good position on 
the rockery. It should be placed in such a position that it may over¬ 
hang some projecting ledge of rock, and where it forms a most 
pleasing and interesting feature. It delights in moist sandy peat, 
and is easily increased by division, by cuttings, or seeds. I remember 
seeing some years ago fine patches of this plant in Messrs. Back¬ 
house’s richly stored rockery at York, and happy indeed they were. 
It prefers rock or broken bricks mixed with the soil, and a position 
not having the full sun. Of other species not so well known as the 
])receding may be mentioned D. Drummondi with yellow flowers, a 
telling plant for the rock garden, enjoying a deep bed of peat in a 
moist half-shady position ; and D. tenella, an extremely rare plant 
from Labrador, forming dense little tufts of very minute leaves and 
large creamy white Anemone-like flowers. There is only one other 
form with which I am acquainted, known as D. intermedia. This, 
however, I do not consider a true species, hut probably a minor form 
of D. octopetala. It is identical with the type in its bright shining 
leaves above and serice beneath, but is smaller in all its parts — 
J.H. E. 
NOTES ON APPLES. 
Budding.— For the last few years I have at this time budded 
a few stocks with varieties which have jaroved worthy of our best 
attention. Apple trees are so clieap that it may be thought 
hardly worth while to propagate them at home ; but it happened 
in our case, as I have no doubt it will with others, that some of 
our most reliable hinds were without name, and the only means 
I had of multiplying these was therefore to propagate them 
myself. Some gardeners prefer grafting in spring to budding in 
autumn. I am inclined to believe that budding is inc omparably 
superior to grafting for young stocks, and I have no hesitation 
in recommending budding very strongly to other gardeners. 
The end of this month is the best time for the work, both stock 
and scion being then in the best condition. My first attempt 
was a failure, and the reason for that, so far as I can make out, 
was brought about by leaving the leaf attached to the bud. A 
noted pomologist kindly gave me a hint on the matter, and since 
the leaves have been detached I have succeeded perfectly. 
Young versus Old Trees.—O ld trees are popularly con¬ 
sidered to be better fruit-producers than young ones. Well, 
they are in good Apple seasons, but in a year like the present, 
when Apples are extremely scarce, the young trees have it all 
their own way. If all our trees had been young it would have 
been a fairly good Apple year with us, as most of these have a 
fair crop and some a heavy one ; but on the old trees—and the 
older they are the worse—the crop is almost nothing. Now there 
must be some reason for this. We all blame frost for the 
scarcity, but frost is not likely to be particularly discriminating 
as regards the age of trees. 1 imagine what it does discriminate 
in the quality of the bloom. Strong w'ell-developed bloom has 
all the chances as opposed to the ill-nurtured blossom of old 
worn-out trees. It is also worth notice that on strong young 
growths which have been left on old trees the most fruits are to 
be found. An overflowing season like I88fl had its lessons in not 
being too greedy with old trees, and the present year should 
teach us to chiefly depend, in gardens on healthy young trees. 
The other week 1 saw a note on the question of pruning. It 
is impossible to lay any set rule down as to the pruning of 
Apple trees, varying so much as they do in habit. I do not, of 
course, want to say anything arbitary as regards their behaviour 
with other people w'ho find them amenable to the same treatment 
as that reserved for forest trees. In our climate Apples develope 
very marked peculiarities. Fearn’s Pippin, for example, requires 
very close pruning ; Gloria Mundi also requires cutting pretty 
hard back. The Codlins, on the other hand, can hardly have 
enough wmod left; Manx Codlin and Stirling Castle never grow 
enough and hardly require pruning, while Ecklinville, Warner’s 
King, Beauty of Kent, Kentish Fillbasket, Wellington, and 
many others are best left with plenty of firm wood. These do 
not refuse to form fruit buds on a length of 2 or 3 feet. 
Although the planting season is- as yet somewhat in the 
future, it may nevertheless be not altogether amiss to call 
attention to what has so very often been pointed out during the 
past few years, and that is the unwdsdom of planting many sorts 
lor the purpose of deriving a supply of Apples. It can hardly 
be too often reiterated that a few reliable sorts multiplied accord¬ 
ing to need is the only safe way of keeping up a supply. Even 
in extra bad seasons some kinds never fail. Of these never-fail 
sorts I would note Lord Suffield, Stirling Castle, Ecklinville, 
Northern Greening, Warner’s King, Alfriston, Mere de Menage, 
Kentish Fillbasket as being about the best. Some really good 
kinds, such as Hawthornden and Wellington, are so subject to 
canker that I hardly care to recommend them. The only dessert 
varieties I find worth growing are one or two early ones, such as 
Irish Peach and Red Quarrenden. The finer and later sorts 
seem to require a wall; King of the Pippins is the only latish 
variety that can be depended on. 
Another matter worth attention as regards planting is that of 
the age of the trees. I would most unhesitatingly recommend 
strong maidens. I have never failed with these, but have often 
known failures with older plants. Properly managed older 
plants should do equally well, but they are often sent with too 
few roots, and in consequence feel the bad treatment so much 
that maidens in the end distance them entirely. People who 
manage their own gardens are very apt to err in getting largish 
trees, and when planting them they very kindly bury some dung 
among the roots, hoping they will reciprocate their kindness by 
quickly yielding much fruit. Unfortunately for them most 
plants do not prefer raw dung to good soil, and the Apple is not 
one of the few that do. The place to put the dung is on the 
surface of the soil after the planting is finished. If the dung is 
fresh and good there is no fear of the roots failing to reap the 
benefit. All young trees should also be securely staked for the 
first few years, and if lifted biennially it is much to their benefit. 
An annual surfacing of dung should not be neglected. 
I may add that at present we are thinnirg out useless spurs 
and branches from trees which are carrying short crops. This 
is much better done now than in winter.—R. P. B. 
SHRUB-GROUPING. 
{Continued from 1G2.') 
Of other summer-blooming shrubs there are several varieties 
of Hibiscus syriacus quite worthy of the rich soil which they 
require to answer well. Hydrangeas, too, make a great display 
of pink, white, and blue flowers throughout August, but they 
must be planted carefully in deep soil. I have some fine speci¬ 
mens of H. hortensis 10 feet in diameter laden with hundreds of 
deep blue flowers planted in deep yet poor soil much impregnated 
with oxide of iron; many others planted at the same time in 
poor thin silicious soil made very little growth and were com¬ 
parative failures. H. paniculata grandiflora is thriving in deep 
I'ich soil abounding in potash and lime, and I have no doubt that 
