October 28, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
881 
is at once an acquisition. In some localities—on wet soils for 
instance—it is late in flowering, which detracts a little from its 
value, hut where time is not so much an object it is useful. The 
following is a good method of increasing the stock of plants. When 
the old plants are removed from where they flowered they should 
be split into as many pieces as have roots : these planted on a west 
border, using a little sand to assist the formation of other roots, 
during the summer they will make handsome bushes. Small side 
shoots taken off and inserted in sandy soil under a handlight behind 
a north wall in August will make fine little plants for edgings. 
Aubrietias gRjECa, purpurea, and violacea. —These are 
amongst the best plants used for spring bedding. So hardy aie 
they, beside their free-blooming properties, that they could not be 
easily dispensed with. A stock to commence with is easily procured 
from seed, afterwards the best should be selected and increased 
annually by division of the old roots ; so grown the colour and 
height can be more depended upon. The seed should be sown in 
boxes in a cold frame towards the end of May. Prick off the seed¬ 
lings as soon as large enough to handle. When established plant 
them on any open piece of ground, where they will soon become 
suitable for the beds. To increase by division cut the old growth 
down to the ground, divide and plant on a border, using some sand 
to assist rooting. They will soon grow into dense tufts, which can 
be easily lifted and placed so that the tops touch each other in the 
beds, as they do not grow much in the autumn after removal. 
Alyssum saxatile compactum. —On account of its bright 
orange yellow flowers this :s much appreciated in the spring, when 
it flowers freely, remains gay a long time. The old roots can be 
used several years by planting them deeper in the soil each year. 
As it does not strike readily from cuttings increasing the stock 
from seed is the easiest way, which should be sown early in August 
in a cold frame. As soon as the seedlings are large enough plant 
them on a west border, where they should remain for a year : in 
such a manner they acquire strength, and will bloom freely the 
following spring. By sowing a few each year a stock of plants is 
always ready. 
Violas. —These are well suited for beds in the spring if well 
prepared previous to transferring to the beds, but if they are poor 
and weak at planting time it is useless to expect good results from 
them. They are hardy, and flower freely under favourable con¬ 
ditions. Their various shades of colour enliven the beds much. 
A cold frame is the best place to strike the cuttings in, which 
should be inserted early in July. It is useless to take cuttings 
from shoots which have previously flowered, as such are a long time 
in making roots. The best cuttings come from the centre of the 
plants—short stiff cuttings with no signs of flower about them. 
As soon as rooted the point should be pinched out of each to induce 
side branches to form, and when well rooted plant them out where 
they will become stocky by the production of side shoots. If some 
decayed leaves are mixed with the soil a better ball of earth can 
be obtained with each plant in October, thus causing no check to 
the plants. For freedom of flowering and effective colouring no 
variety surpasses Cliveden Purple. The centre of a bed m a bold 
mass of this variety broadly edged with Vestal, a white-flowered 
variety, produces a charming effect. Sovereign and Cliveden Yellow 
are two of the best of this colour—yellow. There are several other 
kinds, but this can be left to personal tastes. 
Limnanthes Douglassi. —This blooms freely, but its one fault 
is the late period at which the flowers are produced : hence it is 
not well adapted for planting in beds that have to be filled with 
summer decorative plants. It is easily grown from seed sown in 
July out of doors. Still some persons may be partial to it, and the 
dense mass of flower produced yellow and white is pleasing. 
Silene pendula compacta. —The same fault mars this as the 
Limnanthes, otherwise its bright pink flowers, which are produced 
in abundance, are very showy. It is easily raised from seed sown 
out of doors in July. 
Cardamine pratensis fl.-pl. —The Double Cuckoo Flower is 
grown somewhat freely in some places. Its pale lilac blossoms are 
freely produced. It is dwarf in habit, and being very hardy it is 
well worthy of a place in the spring garden, where much variety 
is essential. It is easily increased by dividing the plants when 
removed from the beds after flowering. 
Arabis albida. —With its variegated form this is in some places 
much in request, particularly where bees are kept. It is one of 
the earliest blooming plants we have. Very partial are the bees 
to it on this account mainly. It is easily increased by division of 
the roots in the spring, but neater plants are procured by inserting 
single cuttings in a cold frame in June, planting them on any open 
space when well established. By reason of its very early flowering 
it is not used nearly so much as it would be were it coming into 
perfection later on, when it would harmonise with other plants 
used for the decoration of the spring garden. 
Pyrethrums aureum, selaginoides, and laciniatum.— 
Sometimes these are used for dividing lines between dwarf plants, 
such as Daisies and Aubrietia for instance, where it is required. 
The best method of preparing the plants is by pulling in pieces the 
side shoots from those plants used for summer bedding. This is 
much less trouble than raising seedlings, and by using side shoots 
only no fear need be apprehended that they will develope into 
bloom shoots during the time they are required in the spring beds. 
Bulbous Plants. —Hyacinths, Tulips, and Crocuses in some 
places are largely used for the decoration of the flower garden 
where expense is not so much considered as effect. The best effect 
is made by planting them in beds by themselves, massing them 
broadly in their respective colours, as, for instance, a whole bed 
should be planted with Hyacinths in different colours, using say as 
a centrepiece a mass of red, blue, white, or pink as the fancy may 
incline, filling out the remaining parts of the bed indistinct colours. 
As all bulbs do not bloom simultaneously it is better to use them by 
themselves, say a separate bed of Hyacinths, another of Tulips, 
both single and double, and another one of Crocuses. Hyacinths 
for bedding can bought for this purpose in distinct colours, also 
Tulips and Crocuses would be used in a mass ; a few of the best 
varieties of the latter are Large Yellow, which flowers early. Bride 
of Abydos is a very fine white variety, coming next to the former ; 
and Othello is a splendid dark blue sort which is particularly effec¬ 
tive in bold masses. Towards the end of October or early in 
November dig the beds to the depth of 18 inches, where the soil is 
heavy and wet adding some well-decayed manure, loam, wood 
ashes, leaf soil, and plenty of sand for heavy soils. Hyacinths may 
be planted about 9 inches apart and 4 inches deep, placing a little 
sand under each bulb. Tulips should be planted in the same 
manner, exepting that the distance should be 6 inches apart. 
Crocuses may even be closer, say 4 inches wide and 3 inches deep. 
Over the beds place a thin layer of cocoa-nut fibre for protection 
during the winter ; a much neater appearance is given to the beds 
than by using manure for this purpose. 
A few suggestions only shall be given as to arrangement, but 
that so much depends upon personal taste and the plants which are 
appreciated. Most kinds show to the best advantage when used in 
bold masses, as, for instance, the centre of a bed filled with purple- 
coloured Violas edged with a broad band of white Violas, or the 
centre of a circular bed filled with dark Wallflowers edged with a 
broad band of Alyssum saxatile. Particularly rich is these two 
colours in combination. An oval-shaped bed with the centre of 
Cheiranthus alpinus, next to this a broad band of purple or blue 
Violas with a margin of White Daisies would complete this arrange¬ 
ment. A small circle might be filled with Aubrietias, either of the- 
three varieties named are very effective so massed ; dark Wall¬ 
flowers and Myosotis do well together. Daisies are well suited for 
edgings or planting en masse in one bed, having due regard to 
arrangement of the colours. Myosotis as a central mass with a 
broad band of Silene pendula is very telling. Dark Wallflowers, 
Myosotis, and white Daisies harmonise well together.—E. Moly- 
neux. 
BUSH APPLES. 
I have often sent an account of my experience with bees to 
the Journal, but I have not hitherto placed before its readers 
any matter horticultural. I cannot, however, refrain from 
sending a few lines just as the season for planting approaches 
regarding a small plantation of bush Apples Five years ago I 
planted a number of pyramid and bush Apple and Pear trees, 
grafted on the Crab and Pear respectively. Some of these on 
my shallow soil have done very well and are bearing a fair quan¬ 
tity of fruit, but many are showing signs of canker, necessitating 
annual lifting. A number of standard trees planted at the same 
time are in the same condition. Half must be done away with. 
The soil here is a peaty loam, on the average about 15 inches 
deep, resting on a dry hard subsoil of sand and gravel. Two 
years ago I determined to plant a plot with bushes on a dwarfing 
stock and watch the result. I obtained from Messrs. Bunyard 
and Son of Maidstone a number of good trees grafted on Rivers’ 
Paradise stocks. The principal varieties planted were Lord 
Grosvenor, a beautiful Codlin shaped Apple, ripening just before 
Lord Suffield, of which latter variety some trees were put in; 
Lord Derby, a splendid baking Apple, coming into use from now 
on to Christmas; Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Wellington, Loddington 
or Stone's Apple, Cox’s Pomona, Tower of Glands, and Cox's 
Orange Pippin. 
These bushes were planted nearly on the surface, well staked, 
mounded up, mulched, and left unpruned (excepting the cutting 
off clean of fractured branches) for the first season after planting. 
All of them bore fruit, which was well thinned last summer, only 
leaving two or three on each bush to test the sorts. They made 
