80 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 14 1888 
the time they are required to flower, the average length from each period 
being about sixteen weeks. I usually pot strong corms singly into 32-sized 
pots, and these mostly throw two spikes. After the potting is completed 
they are placed in the greenhouse, and little water is required until they 
are starting freely, when they are gradually hardened and placed out of 
doors in a position sheltered from strong winds. I do not plunge them, 
but they are well attended to with water, and when roots are plentiful I 
give liquid manure moderately at first, increasing the strength as the 
flower spikes advance, which are also neatly staked. As the flowers show 
colour the plants are taken under glass, and grown in this way I find 
them much appreciated for decorating the drawing room and other places 
in the mansion.—J. Copson Down Ampney. 
TREES AND SHRUBS FOR THE SEASIDE—ELDERS. 
At the annual general meeting of the English Arboricultural Society, 
on Saturday, 28th ult.,in the Farmers’ Club Room, Newcastle, Cadwallader 
J. Bates, Esq., of Heddon, in the chair, Mr. B. Cowan, South Shields, read 
the following paper, entitled “ Trees and Shrubs Suitable for the Seaside, 
and where Alkali and other Gases are Prevalent.” 
When I was first appointed to my present position I felt somewhat the 
difficulty in knowing what to do for the best. The position was one of the 
most exposed, situated about 80 feet above the sea level, and one portion 
sloping towards the sea, the other portion sloping to the west. So when an 
east wind, or rather north-east wind came, and the trees beginning to burst 
forth in leaf, we suffered tremendously. Still, strange to say, we prefer 
the east winds to the west, as th n we are within easy distance of two or 
three chemical factories which we get full benefit. I purpose speaking 
first of the plants I found to do best on a rugged eminence same as ours, of 
which there are many other situated similar on the north-east coast. “ The 
part referring to a'kili and other noxious gases I shall leave to the last and 
treat separately, and if anyone have the two evils to contend against, 
certainly his hands are full.” 
Soil .—The soil first is of the greatest importance, as it is necessary the 
soil be good, well drained to increase rapid growth, so as to cause shelter 
which is of the utmost importance. If the soil is clayey I would strongly 
recommend trenching and ridging. The latter I believe to be of great 
importance. Our soil here was clay fit to make bricks, every spadeful of it. 
In the autumn of 1880 we started to trench about two spades deep. The 
men frequently had to dip their spades in water to get the clay off. The 
bottom was slightly stirred so as the water would escape mors readily. 
The manure we used was solely the Corporation manure, which we received 
free of cost, and delivered as well, being at an easy distance from the town. 
This was put 4 or 6 inches at the bottom. It will be scarcely needful to 
detail what this manure contains. It is generally night soil, with a prepon¬ 
derating quantity of ashes, and all vegetable and domestic refuse. Our 
object was, if possible, to lighten the clayey nature of our soil, and rend r 
it more porous. When we formed the ridges another copious application 
of manure was given. The ridges were 15 to 18 inches in perpendicular 
height. The object of this was to expose as much of the clayey soil to the 
action of the atmosphere as possible. Betwixt these ridges was put sea 
sand. We went to this slight expense as the manure did not cost us any¬ 
thing. It will perhaps be remembered that the winter of 1880-81 was very 
severe. This acted to our advantage in getting the soil into a friable condi¬ 
tion for planting, which was done at the end of March, the proper time for 
cold ungenial soils. After the process mentioned I could take the clayey 
soil that had been directly exposed to the action of the atmosphere by the 
ridging method in my hand and squeeze it into fine powder, like any 
ordinary soil. I am a thorough advocate that clayey farming or gardening 
can be made to pay by similar methods, such as I have mentioned. Part of 
the borders were not planted this year. We trenched and ridged them the 
second year; these were in excellent condition, as we arranged to make the 
ridge; betwixt those of the previous year. I feel convinced the ground, 
when these trees were put on it, would have grown excellent Strawberries 
or similar plants that like rich ground. Each year we still give a liberal 
dressing of the same manure. 
Planting .—My great difficulty lay in making a judicious selection, as not 
a vestige of any kind of plant was to be seen except here and there a strag¬ 
gling plant of the common Elder, Sambucus communis. So as not to cause 
too much expense, I thought I would first make only a small selection. 
Where the ground is on a level with the sea it is not so bad as when the 
ground you wish to plant is on an eminence, considerably above the sea 
level. Golden Elders and their varieties are good; amongst Poplars 
Ontario is the best, and the Black Italian succumbing much more easily 
than the Ontario. Sea Buckthorn and Ligustrum ovalifolium wilt be 
sufficient to start with. Ribes sanguinea and Lilacs we planted here, but 
they nearly died to the ground line. They have, since our trees have grown, 
done much better, and I have no fear as our trees grow they will increase 
the value of other flowering shrubs. I cannot say too much in praise oE 
the Golden Elder. I am often surprised it is not grown in gentlemen’s 
gardens a good deal more, the foliage being of such a delicate golden 
colour, and associates well with Coniferse or ornamental shrubs. I have 
never Been it do better anywhere than with us, it seems to like strong rich 
soil and fully exposed to the direct rays of the sun. Among the many 
varieties we have here none grows so readily and rapidly as the Golden one. 
Last year we had a large oblong bed of Dahlias and Chrysanthemum 
inodorum flore plenum edged with it, which was effective and mush 
admired. We also had a ribbon border 100 yards long ; the back row was 
Golden Elders, second row Vesuvius Pelargoniums, and third edged with 
blue Lobelias. Next year we will add Dactylis, so that the white may con¬ 
trast with the yellow. The Golden Elders are plants one year old. We 
find no difficulty in keeping them low enough by an occasional pinch during 
summer. We have 10,000 plants of Golden Elders, and cartloads of cuttings. 
We planted here in our borders, in the background the common Elder 
thickly, 2 feet apart, then, in the front, rows of Golden Elder, Ligustrum 
ovalifolium, and one common Elder alternately, and, occasionally, here 
and there, a plant of the Sea Buckthorn, which had thus a striking and 
beautiful appearance blended with the Golden Elders and Privet. The 
Buckthorn is slow of growth, but the colour is so pretty, and its Fern-like 
appearance renders it at once an attractive plant for grouping. Amongst 
these were placed at intervals plants of Poplar Ontario ; as the Elders have 
grown and become thick the Poplars have got well away. The Elder com¬ 
mences growth so early that if they are planted thickly towards the sea, 
they would in my opinion act as a shelter for most flowering trees and 
shrubs. 
Mr. Clark, who was gardener for thirty years at Whitley Park, has made 
his place quite a wonder. He never could grow anything until he got shelter, 
and this was effected by erecting wooden trellises on the tops of the walls. 
Previous to that the trees werejbroken at the tops quite level with the wall- 
top. This is also apparent in other portions of the coast. Farther north 
towards Cresswell, Scotch Fir plantations are just nipped at the angle ; the 
plantation inclines towards the sea. Mr. Clark found after getting belts of 
Elders up and the trellis at the wall tops, Sycamores, Elms, Hollies, Pinus 
austriaca, Cotoneaster microphylla and Simonsii, the Tamarisk, Aucuba, 
japonica, and the Euonymus, the latter doing excellently. Rhododendrons, 
Hollies, and other deciduous and evergreen shrubs have done well. In some 
parts of the village where shelter is afforded Horse Chestnuts have done 
well. It is generally the cold blasts with a north-east wind prevailing that 
do the harm. Willows have not succeeded very well with me ; the best, 
I think, is Salix rubra. If planting again in so exposed a place as Westoe 
Cemetery, I should prefer to keep back the Willows till the Elders were up 
a little, which would be in the course of two or three years. 
Pruning —This forms an important part of the winter’s work. In each 
year we pruned down the young Elders two or three eyes, as the strength of 
the shoot will allow. This causes them to spring very thick. In one avenue 
we had running east and west, 300 yards long, it is now scarcely possible for 
the sun to penetrate during summer, forming a cool and pleasant promenade 
for the visitors. We also add copious quantities of manure dug over early, 
so as the benefit of the winter may not be lost in rendering the soil more 
friable. The shoots that many of the Elders here made last year have been, 
some of them, 10 feet long, and have not been planted five years till spring 
next, and in the summer the avenue is from 12 to 15 feet high. 
Propagating .—We annually propagate great quantities of the Golden 
Elders. We find them grow more readily than even the common Elder. In 
pruning, the cuttings are taken and h°eled in and made on wet days. We 
generally cut them in lengths of 6 or 8 inches, reserving two eyes to them j 
but even this is not necessary, as they will grow like Vines from one eye. 
The end of the shoots, if not sufficiently ripe, are generally cut off; any time 
between November and March we put them in as it may suit our conveni¬ 
ence. Our forefathers attributed many medicinal qualities to the Elder as 
well as the excellent wine that is made from the berries, which is supposed 
to contain a narcotic. Boerhaave, the great physician, is said to have 
rendered homage to the Elder for the above qualities, and never to have 
passed an Elder without taking his hat off. The leaves are narcotic, purga¬ 
tive, and acrid ; the flowers act in decoction as a diaphoretic and are used 
to flavour vinegar, while in some of the French provinces the peasants strew 
the leaves among casks of Apples to give them an agreeable flavour, while 
others aver the berries prove poisonous to poultry, especially to turkeys. 
Elder flower water is also used for flavouring confectionery of various kinds. 
The following are among the best varieties : Sambucus aurea, gold-leaved; 
Sambucus argentea, silver-leaved; Sambucus laciniata, Parsley-leaved. 
The latter looks splendid with the Golden one. Sambucus fastigiata is 
pyramidal in form and looks splendid by itself. If this variety was only 
golden it would be one of the most attractive plants we have ; it grows 
the same as an Irish Yew. Sambucus canadensis, the white-berried ; 
Sambucus rotundifolia is striking in its characteristics; pubescens and 
racemosa are varieties also well worth growing. The scarlet-fruited is a 
very fine variety, but does not do over-well here, as the Elder scarcely ever 
fruits with us, and is only inferior when it does so. We have a variety which 
becomes very pretty in the autumn. The foliage assumes between a 
metallic and crimson shade, the wood becoming the same way; we are 
propagating all we can of this variety. Elders are really the predominant 
feature for the seaside. The Oval-leaved Privet has never yet kept its leaves 
during the winter. It was longer in shedding them last year, and as they 
grow older I hope they will remain in their natural state evergreen, as that 
is everything in a plant being developed and strong, as they will stand a 
good deal more bleak winds and even the effect of alkali when they are 
established. It is, therefore, prudent never to insert plants that are high. 
Poplars, for instance, should not be more than 3 or 4 feet high at the very 
most, and then carefully staked, so as to avoid the great amount of rocking 
they will naturally be exposed to in a north-east wind. I believe if any 
shrubs stand without shelter the terrific assail of wind it will be the Aucuba 
japonica and Cotoneaster microphylla, both of which, in the Marine Park, 
South Shields, are standing when all other shrubs have failed. Mr. Fred. 
Goodwin, the Manager of the Cliff Bridge Company, Scarborough, finds 
that trees one to two years old are best to plant, which have been carefully 
transplanted in the soils we have mentioned. After they nave got up, he 
has found deciduous and flowering plants of the ordinary kinds do well. 
Hollies, Aucubas, Escallonia, Privet, and Cotoneasters he shelters from the 
east wind from November to May. He also finds where his grounds are not 
immediately facing the sea, but sloping to the west or south, that he can 
grow every kind of plant much better. 
Alkali and other Injurious Gases .—The position of our place is almost 
unique, exposed to all the cruel blastB of our north-east coast, and yet I 
have generally hoped that in the spring the wind may continue in that cruel 
quarter, as it has been our only hope of getting our trees into leaf. When 
the wind changed we were sure to have the chemical fumes, which are most 
injurious, especially in the initial state of the growths of the trees. 
Imagine a west wind which ought to cheer the hopes and buoy up the 
spirits of anyone desirous of seeing his trees come out in full foliage, causing 
all his hopes to vanish. Such was the case till within this last year or so, 
when, by some change in the process of the chemical factory it has been 
considerably mitigated, which has not been slow in showing the rapid 
growth on that part of our grounds facing to the west; but again, just lately, 
there is started a large brick kiln, within 50 yards of our main avenue, which 
no later than September destroyed one side of the avenue. The kiln is on 
the south side of the avenue. The wall is about 7 feet high. On the north side 
all was killed nearly to the ground line, especially Ribes and Lilacs, which 
