June 13, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
511 
“HERCULES” 
SPHINCTER GRIP 
ARMOURED HOSE. 
Tbe Orlgrlnal and Only Genuine. 
REGISTERED TRADE MARK. 
Will Last Many Years because it Cannot Kink 
The Cheapest Hose in the World. 
F, REDD AWAY & CO., Ld., 
PENDLETON, MANCHESTER. 
Horticultural Engineer, 
fXTNBRIDG-S 
'W^BL.r.S. 
THE HERCULES.— Design Registered. 
TENANT’S FIXTURE PORTABLE SPAN-ROOF CURVILINEAR 
CONSERVATORY or GREENHOUSE 
No brickwork required. These houses are made of the best 
materials, painted four coats, and glazed with 21oz. clear sheet 
glass, a flat painted staee is fixed on each side and one end, and 
slatted path up centre. 
Cash price, carriage Paid to yiearest Station in England A- Wales, 
■within 100 miles of Tunbridge Wells—fixed free 
Length 9 ft.. "W^idth, e ft., £15 0 0 -Width 8 ft., £19 0 0 
» 12 ft., „ „ 19 0 0— „ „ 24 0 0 
» 15 ft.. „ 29 0 0 
CUCUMBER & MELON FRAMES, 
Painted three coats, and Glazed with 21oz. Glas.s. 
1 Light Frame, 4 ft. by G ft.£l 10 0 
2 „ „ 8 ft. by 6 ft. 2 10 0 
Violet Frame, 4 ft. by 6 ft. . 17 6 
Carriage Paid on Orders amounting to Ws. and upwards to any 
Goods Station in England and Wales. 
No. 781.—VoL. XXX., Third Series. 
STR AWBERR IES 
Messrs. LAXTON will distribute the coming season 
TWO GRAND NEW STRAWBERRIES, 
LAXTONS’ LEADER, 
Large, rich flavoured, early ; F.O 0., R.H.S. 
LAXTONS’ MONARCH 
Enormous wedge-shaped, richly flavoured, main crop, 
brilliant scarlet colour. 
Full particulars & prices of ROYAL SOVEREIGN 
And all other varieties on application. 
LAXTON BROS., BEDFORD 
PEED’S CALADIUMS. 
A-warded a Silver-Gilt Flora Medal at the 
R.H.S. Temple Show, May, 1895. 
Eeports from the Horticultural Press, May 25, 1895. 
Gardeners' ChronicleMessrs. John Peed & Sons staged a 
collection remarkable for the perfect colour of many of the 
varieties included.The collection was extremely 
pra’seworthv.” 
The Garden .-—“The best group of Caladiums was that from 
Messrs. J. Peed & Sons, the plants being noteworthy for their 
bright colours, and many most charming varieties were shown.” 
The Gardeners’ Magazine :—‘ Messrs. J. Peed & Sons surpassed 
themselves with Caladiums; the specimens were of good size, 
splendidly coloured, and nicely set up.” 
CALADIUM CATALOGUE free on application. 
JOHN PEED & SONS, 
Roupell Park Nurseries, LONDON, S.E. 
GATHER HONEY FROM YOUR FLOWERS. 
WHY NOT COMMENCE BEE-KEEPING? 
Fruit trees to which Bees have access bear the most abundant crops 
GEO. NEIGHBOUR & SONS’ 
BEE-HIVES 
And APPIiXAMCSS. 
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE POST FREE. 
127, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, WC. 
(Corner of Southampton Street.) 
THE NEW EAHEY 
STRAWBERRY 11895, 
steveJ^s’ wonder. 
The earliest variety in cultivation and very prolific; solid fruit, 
good flavour, high perfume. 
Awarded First-class Certificates, Royal Horticultural Society, and 
Royal Botanic Society, 1895. .-ee Gardeners' Chronicle, March 2; 
Journal of Horticulture, March 14; and The Garden, March 16. 
Having purchased the who e of the stock of this grand new 
early Strawberry from the raiser, we have pleasure in offering 
it as follows :— 
STRONG PLANTS, in Pots, £5 per 100,15/- per doz. 
„ RUNNERS .. .. £3 „ „ 9/- „ „ 
Ready for delivery early in July. Early Orders requested as 
stock is limited. Eut lher particulars upon application. 
WM. CUTBUSH & SON, 
HIGHGATE NURSERIES, LONDON, N., AND BARNET, HERTS. 
PRIMULAS! PRIMULAS! PRIMULAS! 
27th YEAR OF DISTRIBUTION. 
WILLIAMS’ SUPERB STRAIN, 1/6 per dozen ; 10/- per 100. 
CINERARIAS same price ; also DOUBLE WHITE PRIMULAS, 
6d. each. Package and Carriage free for cash with order. 
JOHir STEVEHrs, The Nurseries, COVEITTRY. 
FOWLER’S 
LAWN 
SAND. 
UNEQUALLED AS A 
FERTILIZER FOR LAWNS 
AND FOR THE 
CERTAIN DESTRUCTION 
OF DAISIES, PLANTAINS 
AND OTHER WEEDS. 
A Trial Tin will prove its efficacy 
-- 
Established 20 Years. 
Prices : In Tins, 1/-, 2/6, 5/- ; and 
in Casks, 281bs, 8/6 ; 561bs., 16/- ; 
1121bs. 30/- each. 
To he had of the Seed and Nursery Trade generally. 
Manufacturers ; CORRY &. CO., Iitd,, l.OM'ROM' 
THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1895. 
THE ART OF KEEPING THE SOIL 
MOIST. 
- ■■ »<>♦ - -- 
I T ig not so much how to make dry soil wet 
as to coneider how best to counteract exces¬ 
sive heat and drought that is the purpose in 
view. The weather is dry now. If rain falls 
before these notes are printed so much the 
better ; it will do more good than all the papers, 
still the art of keeping the soil moist should 
be learned by all cultivators. 
In hot seasons heavy land suffers least from 
drought, but unless the soil of such is very 
thoroughly pulverised it is certain to crack 
deeply and shrink into compact blocks, which 
first prevent tender rootlets travelling, and 
secondly become parched lumps. Wheu well 
pulverised, however, and when the subsoil is 
damp, heat and drought only make the plants 
thrive the faster. As clay soils which are dug 
in autumn and early winter are in most districts 
pretty solid by spring, unless thorough forking 
is done, drought soon proves disastrous. Dug 
in spring and broken up then drought tells but 
lightly. 
It is exactly the opposite with light sandy 
or gravelly soils. It is working much mischief 
to fork or dig these up lightly in spring or early 
summer, for they are thus prevented from exer¬ 
cising that capillary attraction which draws water 
from below and maintains a steady moisture 
when such soils have become somewhat firm by 
lying long or by being artificially firmed. Those 
who advise a liberal use of the fork will find it 
quite right on heavy soils which naturally become 
compact ; but those who on gravelly or sandy 
soil take such advice will find that “ someone 
has blundered,” for it would be found that it 
would be as hopeful to water the Sahara as to 
moisten such soil. 
While the mechanical condition of the soil 
has much to do with its moistness or dryness, 
it not unfrequently happens that plants appa¬ 
rently suffer through want of water, when iu 
fact it is nitrogen that is wanting. A week ago 
the writer met a farmer bemoaning the want 
of rain. His hay crop was a failure, apparently 
with drought. Over the fence was the finest 
crop ever seen, and the owner of that other 
field was hoping “we wadna hae rain, it wad 
No. 2437.—VoL. XGII., Old Series. 
