May 18, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
891 
varieties which attract the most attention, but the Fancies which 
violate all the old rules of the florist, and for their variety of 
colour are much appreciated. 
Gladioli. — The only thing that can be done with these at 
present, unless it be what I am very much disposed to do on 
account of the drought, viz., mulch the beds with short manure 
and then water them. If, as I have been told by some wise man, 
“ the cause of my disasters last year was the excessive moisture ” 
I ought to have some hope that the very opposite extreme would 
be favourable. I, however, think that some moisture is desirable, 
and so shall mulch ; the plants seem to have come up well. I 
believe it is much better to give help early if it is to be given and 
then to wait till the growth is made. 
Ranunculuses. —It has been an especially trying time for these 
roots, which, like most of the tribe, are moisture-loving plants. It 
is a good plan to give them a top-dressing of about an inch of leaf 
mould, and then to water between the rows. The beds should be 
kept clear of weeds. I find that, notwithstanding the excessive 
drought, the plants look well, but I am afraid that they will be 
much too early. 
Roses.— Notwithstanding the hopes entertained by “ W. R. 
Raillem” (page 310), I do not find, at least in my own case, that 
the maggot has left us alone. It seems to be about as abundant 
as usual, and the same measures must be adopted for getting rid 
of them—hand-picking ; there is nothing that can do it half so 
effectually. I do not know what will be the upshot of the present 
state of things, but so far as present appearances go the Rose 
shows ought to be in the end of May and beginning of June ; but 
there is a good period yet to be got over, and we do not know what 
effect May will have. If we get that cold wave we have had of 
late years about the 20th it cannot fail to be disastrous. Let us 
hope it will not visit us this year.—D., Deal. 
SPRING GARDENING AT BELVOIR. 
[By Mr. W. Ingram. Read at meeting of the Horticultural Club, May 9th.] 
In introducing the subject of spring gardening I may venture to 
speak of the extremely satisfactory results that attend the system when 
fairly carried out. Flowers seem so welcome in early spring, and there 
are associations and sentiments in some of them that appeal to all 
natures, whether lovers of flowers or not. The Primrose, Forget-me-not, 
and Daffodil are replete with memories of early days. I have repeatedly 
enlisted the attention of people confessedly indifferent to floriculture 
by a walk through the spring gardens ; the very simplicity of the 
materials employed seemed a special merit, and excited surprise and 
admiration. The uncertainty of our variable climate will not allow us 
to rely with assurance on securing a great display of flowers so early 
in the year as February, but there are happily plants ready to respond 
to the first warm gleams of sunshine, and it is seldom that April 
passes without awakening from their winter’s rest the Violet, Aconite 
Snowdrop, and Hellebore. 
The period of spring might be floriculturally'divided into three parts 
according to the time of blossoming of the vernal flowers—February 
and part of March, mid-March and early April, the rest of that month 
and May. The second period is rich in interesting plants chiefly 
bulbous, that supremely beautiful plant Chionodoxa Lucilim being con¬ 
spicuous. With it appears Anemone blanda and coerulea, Scilla sibirica 
var. bifolia. Iris reticulata, and Corydalis cava. The five first named 
grown in masses caused a lady to exclaim, “ Oh, Mr. Ingram, you have 
brought the sky down to the earth ! ” The third period is rich in many 
handsome plants and the more showy bulbs ; but to these I shall advert 
in due course. The preparation of the various plants that belong to 
this system of gardening is a matter of very considerable importance. 
It is seldom that the commoner plants specially adapted to the purpose 
can be obtained from nurseries; in every way it is better to prepare 
them as near the home garden as possible, and there are several reasons 
why this course should be pursued. 
We are all more or less aware of the influence exercised by soil in 
promoting health and vigour in plant life, and the opportunity of 
employing the various kinds known to be most suitable is one to be 
especially valued. It happens that soil of the most opposite character 
is called for. Erica carnea is one of the most charming plants for early 
spring, and peat or a light silicious soil is required for its successful 
culture. Another plant, the Wallflower, which I grow largely, prefers 
a soil which would be death to Heaths; it revels in a light calcareous 
soil. I And it advisable to prepare beds by dressing with lime scraps 
or old mortar ; and when the seedling plants are pricked out and estab¬ 
lished we check a too vigorous growth by lifting each plant with a fork, 
so as to break the deeply penetrating roots, thus causing a compact 
mass of fibres to be produced. Wallflowers will grow in any soil, but 
plants so treated are less liable to injury from frost. Many hundreds 
were treated in this way last year, and I do not think I lost half a dozea 
from weather. 
I may relate an instance of the success attending an experiment in 
preparing suitable compost for the Primrose, a plant singularly 
impatient of drought, and large numbers perished annually even on our 
heavy unprepared land. From this cause I was able to provide beds of 
materials composed of grass sweepings from lawns, leaves, and a small 
quantity of decayed manure, which I carted on to some rough outlying 
land to a depth of between 2 or 3 feet, enough, indeed, to smother all 
weeds beneath. When turned over several times rolled and settled down 
on this 1 placed a layer of soil. I had then a bed retentive of moisture, 
rich in decomposed vegetable matter, which annually improved, carrying 
successive crops of Primroses and other spring plants. 
One of the most useful and reliable plants for spring decoration ie 
the Aubrietfa. It is a plant that readily adapts itself to very varying 
circumstances. It thrives in the rich soil of the kitchen garden, it does 
equally well in the herbaceous border, and spreads and blooms abundantly 
on rockwork, deriving support from the poorest soil. I raise thousands 
of seedlings annually from the typical garden kind, Aubrietia graeca, 
which affords many shades of lilac, some approaching purple. I once 
obtained from seed a light ’.-ink variety, but it remained for that inde¬ 
fatigable and successful horticulturist, Herr Max Leichtlin, to secure a 
magnificent variety, justly named after him. Its rich crimson flowers 
in masses give an effect unsurpassed by any plant I possess. Rosy plush 
is another contribution from Baden. I have also a white kind from 
Mount Athos, but it is not floriculturally valuable. 
I grow an allied plant, Arabis albida, largely. It is useful in com¬ 
bination with other plants ,• its pure white flowers form a pleasing 
contrast with Scilla sibirica, and later in the year it forms a good base 
for scarlet Tulips. Another plant extensively employed at Belvoir is 
Saxifraga ligulata. It has the merit ot blooming early. It is sometimes 
cut dovm by frost, but this may be averted by Fir boughs. Even when 
the bloom is over its broad leaves cover the ground and provide 
foliage or a substitute for Hyacinths freely planted amongst it. Saxi¬ 
fraga Stracheyi is one of the handsomest of the tribe, but is so often 
injured by frost that a cautionary recommendation must accompany 
mention of it. 
I need hardly say that I grow large numbers of Violets. Having 
sunny and sheltered banks this universal favourite may be, and is, 
gathered throughout the winter. One advantage I possess is ample 
supplies of leaf soil ; useful when properly prepared for many plants 
besides Violets. It is essential that Violets be divided and replanted 
every year. I obtain some fine effects from the use of two kinds of 
Doronicum, excelsum and austriacum. This season they have been 
exceptionally fine. A bold, free blooming, and hardy white Cardamine, 
known as rotundifolia, deserves more general cultivation. It has been 
objected to as having a coarse common appearance, but it is my 
doctrine that all hardy early blooming plants must be received with 
thankfulness. It blooms throughout April. One of the m st effective 
and generally useful plants is the yellow Polyanthus ; it blooms 
freely, and produces a compact mass of the purest yellow. I raise 
many thousands from seed every year. In favourable years they can be 
utilised the first year, but I depend generally on two-year-old plants. 
A pale yellow variety is effective associated with Aubrietia. There are 
few plants more admired and cherished than Primroses, both double 
and single. The former, alas 1 resent removal in the spring, and I 
cannot boast of a good stock. The single crimson and white form some 
of our best beds. 
I will try to classify the plants I chiefly employ according to their 
time of blooming. I have one large detached bed on a sunny slope oia 
which I have planted masses of the flowers that may appear in February, 
and are pretty sure to do so before the middle of March. The first of 
these to flower is Crocus Imperati; Aconites and Snowdrops soon follow; 
then Anemone blanda and Chionodoxa Lucilias, followed by Scilla 
sibirica and bifolia. The beautiful Iris reticulata succeeds, them 
Puschkinia scilloides presents its bluish-white blossoms. The common 
kinds of Crocus form a fringe to this large bed, and the earliest blooming 
Primrose serve as a bordering. In warm seasons I can rely on Narcissus 
praecox superbum and N. Stella, and also the dwarf Narcissus minor. 
Come frost or snow, wind or wet, I may always depend on the hardy 
and handsome Saxifraga oppositifolia. I can speak strongly of the 
interest and beauty of a bed thus occupied and arranged. 
The next division of the early season is mid-March and early April. 
Erica carnea, Saxifraga ligulata, the early Narcissi, Arabis albida 
