286 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I April 3, 1390i 
There are many patent systems of glazing. Each one of these 
has its own particular merits for railway station roofs and other kindred 
structures, but I think at least some of them [are not sufficiently 
draught tight for early forcing in horticultural structures. I consider 
that for growing houses the glass should” be bedded in putty and secured 
in its place with copper sprigs, the rebatejbeing painted down two coats 
after glazing. For conservatories, where a heavy moulded sash bar can 
be used, a keyed bar with top putty has a better appearance ; but it is 
no use top putting a sash bar unless it has a key to hold the putty in its 
place and prevent the wet getting behind it. 
(To be continued.) 
LANDSCAPE GARDENIXD. 
[Read at a meeting of the Cardiff Gardeners’ Association by Mr. Kettlewell.] 
(^Concluded from page 261.') 
Perfect walks and drives should be dry, smooth, and hard during 
every season and in all weathers, otherwise the proprietor may be robbed 
of a good deal of enjoyment, comfort, and exercise in his garden ; thus 
the formation of walks is a most important part of the practical work 
of landscape gardening, and much of the pleasure of a garden will de¬ 
pend upon how the walks are formed. To make a walk dry, eyeholes 
with gratings on the top should be built every 30 to 60 feet, according 
to the size of the walk or drive, in order that the surface water may 
drain off into these, and thence by means of a small branch pipe or rubble 
drain into the nearest common drain. The centre of the walk should 
be slightly raised in order that the surface water may drain into the 
eyeholes, which are built at the lowest points of the walk. This will 
render the walk, if suitable materials are used, as mentioned above) 
dry in all weathers. The best materials for forming the sides and 
bottoms of these eyeholes or lodges for water are ordinary bricks or 
flat tiles. 
In order to judge the width of a walk the size and arrangement of a 
garden must be taken into consideration, straight walks being always 
wider than curved ones. From 6 to 10 or 12 feet will be about the 
general width of straight walks, including terrace walks, while from 
5 to 8 feet the average width of curved walks. Drives vary from 
10 to 16 feet in width, according to their length and object. The 
materials for a walk or drive should be composed of coarse gravel, 
clinkers, or any angular material to the depth of 12 to 15 inches, and 
then fine gravel to the depth of 3 inches. The rough gravel should be 
well beaten before the fine gravel is laid down, and the whole well 
rolled. One word more as to the verges or edgings of a walk. These 
should consist of sods cut about 9 inches thick and 12 inches in length 
and breadth, and should be laid along the margins, allowing 2 or 3 inches 
to pare oil the top, and a similar amount off the sides next the walk- 
They make at once an excellently firm edging, and after they are laid 
the ground can be easily levelled down to them. 
We now pass on to drainage, which is perhaps the most important 
operation, and really one of the first on a new place. No enjoyment can 
be obtained on undrained land, no plant will thrive where the land is 
not dry and porous, while the sun is unable to penetrate and sufficiently 
warm the soil which is saturated with water. As warmth and air are 
essential to the roots of plants and trees, drainage is always of primary 
importance in a naturally damp soil. In garden land, as well as any 
other kind of land, deep drainage has been proved to be the best, 
as the roots of trees, shrubs, and vegetables strike down so far into the 
ground that shallow drains impede their progress. In a close retentive 
subsoil 4 feet, however, is quite deep enough for any drain, and where 
the subsoil is sandy 3 feet is amply sufficient. Parallel straight lines 
15 feet apart have been recommended as the most suitable method of 
draining heavy garden land, and 1 have also seen land herring-boned 
very successfully—that is with a main drain running down the 
centre, and branch drains running into it at rather an acute angle. A 
good fall for the main drain is important on account of the amount of 
water it has to carry away, and a good outlet absolutely essential. 
Tiles or pipes are generally used for garden drainage, varying in size 
according to the amount of water they have to carry away. These 
pipes should have flat stones or slate placed underneath them, and their 
sides filled with rubble in order to keep them in the right position, 
while over the top an inverted sod should be placed in order to 
prevent the soil from working into the drain and disturbing the fall of 
water. 
The last subject, on the practical treatment of which I should like 
to say a few words, is on planting, or as Mr. Loudon calls it, “ operating 
with wood.” Operating with wood is, I think, above all other subjects 
the one, as I said in the beginning of my paper, which must be left to 
the good taste and skill of the true landscape gardener. As every place 
requires different treatment, rules and principles are impossible to the 
foreground of the picture. Before planting, the ground should be 
trenched all over, bearing in mind the fact that trees or shrubs can 
hardly have too rich a soil. When the trees and shrubs have had thei*^ 
places alloted to them and the holes, which should be wider in circum¬ 
ference than the roots of the tree, have been dug to receive them, the 
roots and fibres should be carefully examined, and where injured scrupu¬ 
lously pruned with a sharp knife. As every root has its corresponding 
share of branches and foliage to supply, so much mutilation of the roots 
will bring about a corresponding sickliness and even death. Not only is 
much injury caused to a tree by removing it carelessly out of the ground, 
but also in its reinsertion into the ground, by reason of the crushed and 
huddled state of its roots and fibres. The utmost care, therefore, i® 
necessary in replanting, that the roots and fibres be preserved and care¬ 
fully spread out, covering them with light fine soil, carefully but firmly 
treading the ground above them when the soil has nearly all been put 
back again. In planting specimen trees, each one should stand on a 
little hillock from 6 inches to a foot high, as this plan has the advantage 
not only of throwing out the proportions of the plant better, but also-of 
draining it better, and bringing the roots more within reach of air. As 
regards the best time of year for planting, it would be waste of time 
for me to tell you, as you all know the conditions under *vhich the 
moving of trees or shrubs is most successful. I would only say, that 
without it was absolutely essential, I should never plant (1) if the sun 
were shining brightly, (2) if the atmosphere were dry, (3) if the ground 
were frosty. As to the selection of trees or shrubs I should take into 
consideration the nature of the subsoil where they are lobe placed, and 
should endeavour as far as possible to obtain the plants from nurseries, 
where they have been grown (1) in a poorer soil, (2) where they have- 
been transplanted often, so that the plants should be well furnished with 
fibrous roots, hardy, and rather stunted in growth. These, when trans¬ 
planted in a richer soil and under favourable conditions, will prove 
the most beautiful and perfect in shape and growth. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 25th. 
Scientific Committee.— Present—D. Morris, Esq., in the chair;. 
M. Henry de Vilmorin, ex-President Botanical Society of France 
Messrs. Blandford. MacLachlan,Wilson, Rev. W. Wilks, and Dr. Masters. 
Branches were exhibited covered with a brown scale, which 
the sender said had proved very injurious. The remedy suggested was 
to scrub the branches with a hard brush and soapsuds. The specimens 
were further referred to Mr. MacLachlan for examination and report. 
Other branches of Fig in a dying condition were apparently free from 
parasites, and their condition betokened some mischief at the root. 
Iris sindjarensu.—A plant of this was exhibited by Messrs. Barr 
and Son, and received a botanical certificate. M. de Vilmorin pointed 
out its resemblance to Iris orchidacea. 
St. Helena Ebony. —Mr. Morris alluded to the peculiar vegetation of 
St. Helena, now confined, for the most part, to a small area in the central 
and higher part of the island. Many of the trees formerly native to the 
island are now all but, or quite, extinct. Among them is a species of 
Trochetia, or Melhania. The trunks of this tree are embedded in the 
cliffs of the island, and are dug out by the inhabitants for the sake of 
manufacturing ornaments. The following quotations from Melliss’ 
exhaustive work on St. Helena refers to this plant“ The native Ebony 
of St. Helena.—This plant I believe to be now extinct. It formerly grew 
on the outer portions of the island, near the coast, at altitudes of 2 to 4, 
where the weather-beaten stems are still found deeply embedded in the- 
surface soil. The last plant I saw was a small one growing in the garden 
at Oakbank, about twenty-five years ago, but it is not there now, and I 
have searched the whole island over for another, but in vain. The leaves 
were dark green, and the flowers white ; the wood is very hard, heavy, 
black in colour, and extremely brittle. It is still collected and turnecf 
into ornaments, which are much prized on account of its rarity. That 
this tree once formed a considerable portion of the vegetation clothing- 
the island on those parts that are now quite barren, is strongly evi¬ 
denced by the many references to it in the local records. PI. ,29. It is. 
the Dombeya erythroxylon of Andr., Bot. Repos., vi., t. 389, not of 
Willdenow.” 
It is interesting to know that the plant is still in existence under 
cultivation at Kew (and perhaps elsewhere) under the name of Dombeya 
erythroxylon. At the present time the plant, which was obtained from, 
the gardens at Herrenhausen, is in flower at Kew. 
Mr. MacLachlan called attention to the interesting remark on tha 
rare plants of St. Helena, contained in Mr. Wollaston’s book on the 
“ Coleoptera of the Atlantic Islands.” 
Fingered Citrons.—Dr. Masters showed a drawing of a fruit that. 
