May 9, 188». ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
373 
identical treatment as regards the preparation of the ground. 
Shallow or hot soils ought to be broken up as deeply as the nature 
of the subsoil will permit, good solid manure being freely mixed 
•with both spits.^ Deeper or naturally retentive soils will grow Peas 
well without being trenched ; in fact more rows are spoilt owing to 
the root rum being too retentive of moisture than from any other 
-cause. The Pea roots are by no means robust, and when they 
first strike down to a cold wet subsoil many of them perish, or 
become knotty and incapable of performing their natural functions. 
Early trenching may be necessary in order to insure the pulverisa¬ 
tion of the surface, but if it can be done in fine weather just prior 
to sowing the seed, and the ground heavily trampled down at the 
time of sowing the seed, the result will be much more satisfactory. 
Hn any case trenchiug alone will not guarantee a healthy growth in 
very hot weather, aud nothing but anticipating dryness at the roots and 
well moistening the soil to a good depth will prevent a great check 
■being given. Nor do I believe in cutting narrow Celery-like trenches 
for Peas, this not answering well in the majority of gardens. Tn our 
-case when this plan has been tried the soil shrunk from the sides of 
the trench, and we might as well have grown the Peas in a flower 
pot. If manure and labour are scarce, then concentrate the former, 
but not in trenches. Instead of this double dig the proposed 
sites of rows to a width of 2 feet or 30 inches, and well trample 
the ground prior to sowing the seed. It is true trenches if not 
wholly filled when the seed is sown can be most readily watered, 
but it is an easy matter to form a ridge on each side of the rows, 
the water being held in the basin thus formed. The site of old 
rows of Celery are often recommended for a successional crop of 
Peas, and no doubt these frequently answer well. According to 
my experience, however, the Celery completely impoverishes the 
soil, scarcely a trace of the manure originally placed in the trenches 
being left for the Peas. When we utilise these positions for the 
later or main crops of the latter, the top soil of the trench is first 
thrown out to a width of about 2 feet and a dressing of solid 
manure is forked into the bottom spit, this being then partially 
recovered with the well pulverised surface soil. In this manner no 
heavy clayey soil is brought much into contact with the roots, and 
■all being made firm, a sturdy branching top growth is the natural 
result of the roots thriving. 
It cannot be too often reiterated how essential abundance of 
light and air is to the well-being of Peas. Gardeners have only to 
take notice of the isolated rows in well managed cottagers’ gardens 
do be convinced of the truth of this. When the plants are grown 
thickly in the rows and the latter crowded the crops are light and 
soon over. Three rows given good room on well prepared ground 
will prove more profitable than double that number grown thickly 
and otherwise indifferently treated. Good culture also improves 
the quality of the Peas, and altogether, I think, few will deny that 
I have made out a good case for intelligent painstaking cultivation 
rather than the more easy slipshod methods too often practised. 
In any case the rows ought to be arranged as far apart as the 
varieties are known to attain in height, the figures given in cata¬ 
logues often being somewhat misleading in this respect. If it can 
be so arranged, the rows of tall Peas especially may well be dis¬ 
posed 10 feet apart, between these being planted four or more rows 
•of Potatoes, autumn Cauliflower and Broccoli, Borecole, Savoys, or 
-other winter greens, the Peas also being succeeded by Coleworts. 
All would answer well under this treatment, the Peas especially 
•so ; or, if preferred, the rows of the latter may be 7 feet apart, 
and a Celery trench cut and planted early midway between them. 
Two rows of early Cauliflowers and Potatoes may be grown 
'between Peas 6 feet apart, and a single row of Spinach between 
.those more closely arranged. 
It is not easy to state the exact distances apart in which to sow 
the seed • in the drills, so much depending on the habit of the 
"variety, some branching more strongly than others. In any case it 
is advisable to allow for contingencies, such as the loss of seed by 
•decay or mice, and the destruction of the plants by slugs and birds. 
We rarely sow more than one pint of seed in a row 24 yards long, 
and if all grow thinning is sometimes resorted to. Rather wide 
drills are drawn, and the seed is covered by not less than 2 inches 
of fine mould. Coating the seed with red lead is the surest preven¬ 
tive against mice ; soot, lime, or wood ashes keep off slugs, and 
several length of black cotton strung over and alongside the rows 
-of young plants will usually keep the birds away. A few small 
■stakes, in preference to earthing-up and consequent interference 
with the requisite heavy waterings, should be placed early to the 
rows, these serving to lead them up into taller stakes. Nor should 
staking be delayed till the plants have fallen about. Better give 
stakes too tall than not tall enough ; they need not be very thick, 
and ought not to meet very closely at the top, or the haulm escapes, 
And falls down accordingly. I ought perhaps to add that succes¬ 
sional sowings ought to be made, one or two rows at a time, about 
every fortnight up to the end of June ; or the old rule of waiting 
before one crop is just up before sowing more seed may be adopted. 
—W. Iggulden. 
SAXIFRAGA MALYI. 
An attractive little yellow-flowered Saxifrage was recently certifi¬ 
cated at a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Westminster, and the exhibitor, Mr. George Paul, has 
favoured us with the following particulars concerning it. 
“ We received S. Malyi in 1883-S4 from Zurich. In Messrs. Froebel’s 
catalogue it is quoted as a hybrid seedling between S. luteo-purpurea 
and S. Sancta splendens. No raiser’s name is givtn, but it is probably a 
natural hybrid, but of this I am not sure. It was at its best March 25th, 
three weeks later than S. luteo-purpurea. It is a quick grower, soon 
forming a good patch. Like all this section, it likes free exposure in 
fu’l sun, round, well up, with light sandy stony soil, with plenty of 
water in summer. The colour is light lemon, flowers well thrown up, the 
foliage free from any encrustation. Unlike S. luteo-purpurea which 
FIG. 59. —SAXIFRAGA MALYI. 
starts to flower in midwinter, this remains dormant until quite ready 
to throw up and develope its flower spike.” 
BUD DROPPING IN STONE FRUITS. 
[Read by Mr. F. Atkius at a meeting of the Wakefield Paxton Society.] 
Anyone who has watched the behaviour of fruit trees in different 
soils and situations will have noticed that this evil arises from various 
causes, and in the majority of gardens where stone fruit is cultivated it 
appears in a greater or less degree according to circumstances and con¬ 
dition of the trees. But I think I may safely say that bud falling is 
not so common now as it was years ago. 
Bud dropping has been prevalent this spring, especially in late 
houses. This is not surprising when we remember the unfavourable 
nature of the weather last season. Although flowers have been bold 
and plentiful and trees have set an abundance of fruit, yet it is many 
years since l remember seeing so many buds fall from the trees. In the 
