198 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Sei t.'intcr 5, 18S9, 
but even syringing as it is commonly practised is an evil. We never 
shade, however hot the day, or syringe beyond a slight dewing over 
at closing time on a hot day for about a fortnight after planting. 
We never have a scalded leaf or even red spider or thrips, and the 
foliage keeps quite a dark healthy green up to the time the fruit 
is cu% The Melon houses are never above 70° at night, with a little 
ventilation continually. We also ventilate more freely during the day 
than most gardeners, even opening the front lights to a considerab’e 
extent. This treatment causes a strong and sturdy growth from the 
first, able to withstand the hottest sun, and keep insects away. The soil 
cannot be made too firm at planting time, however heavy its nature, and 
animal manure should be avoided. We use heavy calcareous loam, with 
a sprinkling of fine bone flour and charcoal. Loose soil causes a sappy 
growth, and when the house is kept over-hot and close the growth is 
weak, and collapses with bright sun. To have good flavoured Melons 
healthy foliage is necessary, so means must be taken to meet this end. 
Over-syringing is probably the cause of scalded leaves. To those who are 
in the habit of syringing at night and morning the above remarks may 
appear strange, but they are nevertheless true. The Melon houses here 
are very light lean-to’s, well exposed to the south sun, being on an 
incline ; so during hot days they are very hot indeed. Melons appear 
ti revel in sun.—A. Young, Al her Icy. 
BULBS IN GRASS. 
Planting bulbs annually in the grass and under trees on lawns 
has its disadvantages, requiring much more time than many can 
afford ; neither are the results so satisfactory as in the case of 
planting the bulbs where they can remain some time. In this 
manner the quantity of bloom obtainable is far in advance of that 
procured from those which are disturbed twice a year. Bulbs in 
the grass, where the varieties are numerous, give an excellent last¬ 
ing effect, and it is a form of garden decoration at a dull time of 
the year outside, which is much to be recommended. Everybody 
cannot devote a piece of grass to this purpose, but where such a 
plan is practicable the results are greatly appreciated. The one 
point of most importance in successful bulb culture is allowing 
the bulbs to grow thoroughly after flowering, the foliage to 
devolope to its fullest extent and ripen before the grass is cut. 
Such a bulb garden, as I will call it, affords an excellent site for 
the disposal of the bulbs of various kinds which have been forced 
and flowered inside the conservatory or dwelling house. It often 
happens that a difficulty arises after the bulbs have flowered as 
to W'hat to do with them. Some find their way to the rubbish 
heap as worthless for future development after being once forced 
into flower. Such a garden as that suggested is just the place 
for these forced Dutch bulbs, as they will flower every year after 
being properly planted, and will afford much pleasure. In this 
manner a succession of flowers can be obtained lasting for a long 
time, several months in fact, if a selection be employed which 
has the necessary range of flowering. 
Commencing with Snowdrops, we have Galanthus nivalis, double 
and single, and G.Elwesi, a giant among Snowdrops, with bold glau¬ 
cous grey leaves and handsome flowers. These begin to flower about 
the middle of February, and are succeeded by Crocuses of various 
colours during March and the early part of April, according to the 
position and state of the weather. We have had some thousands 
planted of the large yellow, white, and purple seifs in a disused 
orchard, about 2 acres in extent. The trees were removed about 
ten years since as being useless. The piece of ground is long and 
narrow, and bordered nearly all around by tall deciduous trees, 
such as Oaks, Elms, Limes, and Chestnuts, somewhat protected in 
consequence from the worst winds, which would tend to spoil 
the appearance of the flowers when expanded. On this grass we 
have planted several Conifers, Rhododendrons, and deciduous 
flowering shrubs, that add to the attractions in their proper season 
of flowering, which is extended into the autumn by the use of 
Tritomas, Bocconia cordata, and Pampas Grass. In no form 
whatever does the Flame Flower (Tritomas) show to such good 
effect, the colour of the grass lending a capital contrast to the 
brightly coloured flower heads, and the season is prolonged by 
planting T. glaucescens and T. Uvaria, the former flowering fully a 
month earlier than the latter. The method we adopt in planting 
the Crocus, Snowdrops, and Tulips is as follows. In October we 
make holes in the grass with an iron bar rather blunt at the end ; 
at the bottom of the hole we drop a handful of fine sandy soil ; the 
bulb rests on this soil, which assists the formation of roots more 
quickly than would be the case in the ordinary soil, which is 
retentive, and in some places of a stony character. The hole is 
then filled with the soil, the bulbs being about 3 inches deep when 
planted. Aconites we have tried, but they have not been a success 
by reason of the thick covering of moss which grows in that part 
of the ground where these were planted, through this reason 
the plants are simply spoiled. It not being practicable to 
remove the moss we shall have to be content to let the Aconites 
struggle on in their position. The Crocuses, I ought to say, aro 
planted in patches of distinct colours, in some places about 6 feet 
square. This arrangement is preferred to mixing them indiscrimi¬ 
nately, although some are so planted. It is surprising how quickly 
the single bulbs of Crocuses increase ; the second year as many 
as eight blooms are produced from one bulb planted the year 
before. When the sun is shining brightly the blooms of Crocuses 
expand ; in this manner the effect is very pleasing, and should be 
seen to be appreciated. Amongst the Crocuses are planted many 
roots of coloured Primroses, which begin to flower before the 
former fade, and are very pretty in the grass. In the grass there 
are numbers of Lenten Lilies in patches some 10 feet square- 
Double Daffodils are planted in clumps, some thousands there are 
now, patches of this bulb having been there for over twenty 
years. The effect of the orange yellow masses when fully in 
flower can easily be imagined. These are succeeded by a pale 
yellow Narcissus, which now occupies spaces 4 feet across. 
For some years we have made a practice of planting the 
forced bulbs from pots after flowering in the grass amongst the 
other bulbs. Turning them out of the pots without removing 
the soil, they are planted, first removing the turf and some soil, 
then making a hole large enough to admit the ball of soil and 
roots intact. The soil being good assists the growth of the bulbs 
for some years. The grass is then rolled back, only allowing 
space for the stem and leaves. The forced bulbs which aro 
planted in this manner are Hyacinths. Double and single Tulips, 
Jonquils, and Polyanthus Narcissus, all flower freely every year. 
To give a greater variety we last season planted Parrot Tulips, 
and there is a goodly number of the tall old-fashioned striped 
garden Tulip, which flowers the last of the bulbous plants, and 
having tall flower stems they are just right for that time of 
year when the grass i3 growing above the height of the ordinary 
bedding Tulips. The grass is allowed to grow until the early 
part of July, by that time the bulbs will be ripe and the foliage 
ready for removal. A crop of hay is then had from the grass, 
which is kept short for the remainder of the year. Some time 
in November the grass is mown short, the leaves are raked off, so 
that no trampling is necessary among the bulbs at the time when 
new growth may be expected early in the year. On the grass are. 
planted Rhododendrons of various colours, red predominating. 
These and some Conifers give variety during the winter, and 
the former give highly coloured flowers in May and June.— 
E. Molyneux. 
NOTES ON EARLY ENGLISH HORTICULTURE, 
( Continued from page 45.) 
French horticulture made remarkable progress after the middle, 
of the seventeenth century ; this was due partly to the encourage¬ 
ment it received from Louis XIV., and partly to the labours of the 
famous Jean de Quintinye. When a youth he travelled in Italy 
and other countries, returning to France with a mind stored with- 
the results of observation, and the remainder of his life was 
devoted to horticulture and botany. Amongst the other improve¬ 
ments he introduced was an excellent system of pruning fruit trees, 
for previously the methods used seem to have been somewhat 
barbarous ; he also advocated the placing of Vines and various trees 
upon walls, a practice till then scarcely known. He pointed out 
the necessity of protecting at night during certain seasons plants 
that had been exposed to the sunshine by day, and many valuable, 
hints are offered to the gardeners of his time in his works, one of 
which, “ The Complete Gardener,” was translated by our Evelyn, 
and again by London and Wise. It was a natural consequence of 
the Restoration, when Charles II. and his courtiers quitted the 
land which had given shelter to many English refugees, that they 
should bring home a taste for French fashions generally, and for 
French modes of gardening in particular. Hence the influence of 
the sister land is very traceable, and probably in the whole beneficial 
during this reign and the next, till the arrival of ‘ Dutch William ” 
brought about a change, and the Netherlands, from which England 
had learned so much in the Tudor times, became again our 
instructors in new arts of gardening. 
The closing Stuart period of our history was not, indeed,, 
distinguished by its peacefulness, but the cessation ot civil war 
gave encouragement both to agriculture and gardening, pursuits 
which cannot flourish when domestic turmoils make it doubtful 
whether he who sows or plants will see the result of his labours. 
Not a few of the.little hills north of London were thickly studded 
before the Civil War with the gardens of merchants and citizens,, 
and near the Thames (for convenience of transit) were some other 
gardens in which the pioneers of modern market gardening raised 
vegetables for the maiket; but these all suffered from extemporised* 
fortifications and the marching of troops. Hence it really was not 
till after the Restoration that the trade of florist, or that of market 
