418 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 26, 18S7. 
by summer-flowering plants in the same beds by the middle or end of 
July, hence his anxiety to have the summer bedding plants out as soon 
after the third week in May as weather and other circumstances will 
permit. A month later will be soon enough for Tuberous Begonias, 
Alternantheras, Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum, and 
Heliotrope. 
In the meantime, the work preparatory to bedding out must be 
proceeded with in a judicious and active manner. The bedding plants 
require being properly hardened off, taking them from the vineries and 
Beach houses to cold pits and frames, where, after a few days, the sashes 
can be drawn off during the day, afterwards shifting the plants into 
improvised frames in a sunny aspect, covering them a; night with mats, 
to make room for other plants from the houses, and so on, until all the 
plants intended for the flower garden or borders in kitchen garden are 
hardened. Where “ carpet pattern bedding ” is patronised, the beds 
should be manured, dug, trodden, and made level with the rake pre¬ 
paratory to getting out the designs. These should be simple, propor¬ 
tionate in their several parts, and be neatly executed. A few beds in 
every flower garden having any pretensions to the name should be 
devoted to the system popularly known as “ carpet bedding.” The beds 
in which Pelargoniums, &c., are to be planted should also be prepared 
for their reception. Commencing with those containing the earliest 
spring-flowering plants, by removing those intended for another year to 
the reserve garden, and planting the surplus plants here and there on 
each side of favourite walks and drives, in the home woods, and 
finishing with the beds having the latest flowering varieties in them, 
digging in a good dressing of short manure. 
How, AND what to PLANT in the Beds. —In the Italian flower 
garden opposite the south front of Longford Castle, except the two 
dozen beds devoted to carpet bedding, and which are planted exclusively 
with a variety of dwarf-growing foliage plants, and a few beds filled 
with Tuberous Begonias, we have masses of colour, the beds on the 
right hand side of the broad central longitudinal gravel walk being 
fac-similes of those on the left. They are therefore planted alike in 
pairs, with one distinct colour, except in the case of the Silver, Bronze, 
and Tricolor sections of Pelargoniums, between which we plant, as 
much for spring as for summer and autumn effect, small tufts of Blue 
Perfection and Golden Queen Violas ; the blue between the silvery- 
leaved plants, and the yellow amongst the Bronze and Tricolors. 
Some gardening acquaintances of mine use to advocate giving the plants 
plenty of room in the beds to dcvelope, which means having the beds 
scantily furnished until a week or two of their being nipped by autumn 
frost. This advice is very good for plants growing in pots all the year, 
and also with regard to balding where the plants at command are 
inadequate to fill a given number of beds. In the latter case the 
advice would, however, be unnecessary. My advice is, where the 
families remain at home all the summer, to set the plants at such a 
distance from one another in the beds as to get the latter furnished with 
foliage and flower as early in the season as possible ; and in the other 
case, that of the families being from home during the summer months, 
the object should be to have the beds, and garden generally, looking 
their best by the time they return. It is almost needless to say that the 
plants should be quite moist at the roots when they are being planted, 
and that the soil be made firm about them. Then, if short dung or leaf 
mould and labour are plentiful enough to admit of a mulching of it 
being laid between the plants on the beds, so much more satisfactory 
will be the results. During the interval from the time of setting the 
plants in the beds and the date at which the beds are wanted to be fairly 
well furnished, or, as the case may be, at their best, keep the flowers 
picked off, and any of the plants showing a disposition to outgrow their 
neighbours should have the points of the shoots pinched out, so as to 
promote a balance of growth in the plants, and thereby give to the beds 
a uniform appearance. 
A Few Select Varieties of Bedding Plants. —We obtain our 
massses of colour from plants of the following varieties :—Pelargo¬ 
niums—Henry Jacoby (crimson), Vesuvius (scarlet), Tom Thumb 
(scarlet), Ivy-leaf (reel), Christine (pink), Mrs. William Paul (pale pink), 
Leamington Lass (bright pink, semi-double), Pink Ivy-leaf, and Indian 
yellow, a very distinct and telling colour ; Ageratum Tom Thumb 
(mam e), of dwarf habit, as the name implies, and a profuse flowerer ; 
as also is Lobelia pumila magnifica (a deep blue) ; Calceolaria amplexi- 
caulis (lemon colour), and Purple King Verbena. Masses of the colours 
indicated judiciously arranged are, when contrasted with carpet beds, 
&c., both bold and telling in effect, and to which effect a few beds 
planted with Mignonette and Heliotrope will add fragrance. In con¬ 
clusion I may say that if the beds in which the tuberous rooted 
Begonias are planted be covered with silvery Sedum. it will ultimately 
prevent the foliage and flowers from being splashed by heavy rains, and 
that in the absence of the latter at the time the plants are being put out, 
water should be given at the roots, and afterwards be repeated at 
frequent intervals until the plants are well established.—II. W. Ward. 
ANTHRACITE COAL. 
In reply to “ Daventry’s ” inquiry about anthracite coal, I may state 
that the fire is easily kept in. It does not burn rapidly, nor does it re¬ 
quire more attention than ordinary coke ; in fact, I consider much less. 
It lasts longer, gives more heat, and forms less clinker. However, it re¬ 
quires a sharp draught, and I would advise that the firebars are not more 
t ban half the length of the boiler, and not less than half an inch apart. 
If they are three-quarters of an inch, or even 1 inch, so much the better 
—Egekton Harding. 
The Council of the Royal Horticultural Society have re¬ 
solved to call a special meeting of the Fellows, to be held at South 
Kensington on Tuesday, June 11th, to take into consideration the present 
position of the Society with a view to future arrangements. 
- The Gardeners’ Orphanage Fund.—A meeting of the 
Provisional Committee was held at South Kensington on Tuesday last r 
Mr. G. Deal presiding, at which the sum of £568 Ils. was announced in 
the form of donations and subscriptions, and the following resolution 
was unanimously adopted:—“That the Provisional Committee is of 
opinion the 'progress hitherto made towards the establishment of the 
fund is sufficiently satisfactory to warrant the calling of a general meet¬ 
ing with a view to establishing the same, and that such meeting be held' 
on July 12th.” A Sub-Committee was also appointed to make the 
necessary preparations for consideration on June 28th, for the general 
meeting referred to. 
- Fragrant Chrysanthemums. —“ Would you kindly give me 
the names of a few sweet-scented Chrysanthemums for autumn exhi¬ 
biting. any sections ? Scent is the point to be considered irrespective of 
any other. Progne is the only one I know.” Thus writes a corre¬ 
spondent, “ C.,” and wo shall be glad if any of our readers can give the 
desired information. 
- Presentation to Mr. G. King.—M r. G. King, who has been 
gardener to the late R. Few, Esq., Wolsey Grange, Esher, for fifteen; 
years, has left that charge owing to the death of his employer, and last 
week a number of friends presented him a barometer and silver-plated 
tea and coffee service with salver as a testimonial of their esteem, and 
in recognition of the services he had rendered as Secretary of the Esher 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society, which he assisted in founding 
six years ago. Mr. King has been appointed gardener to V. Mac- 
farlane, Esq., Glenhurst, Loud water, Hertfordshire. 
— On Thursday and Friday last severe storms of wind, rain r 
and hail were experienced in the neighbourhood of London and through¬ 
out England generally, much damage being done to the young foliage 
of trees and the fruit blossom, Apples especially. Horse Chestnuts had 
their leaves greatly cut and torn, the ground beneath them in some 
instances being thickly strewn with small shoots and foliage, 
- A Chrysanthemum grower is pleased to observe that “ the 
Sheffield and West Riding Chrysanthemum Society has taken 
a step in the right direction in offering a valuable cup to become at 
once the property of the first winner, as well as a valuable money prize. 
The two combined make the first prize for forty-eight blooms, by far 
the highest prize yet offered under the same conditions ; and the Society 
deserves to reap the reward of such ‘ new departure and liberality.’ 
The first prize for forty-eight cut blooms in not less than thirty-six 
varieties is a silver cup, value £15 15s., and £10 in cash ; ora tetal 
value of £25 15s., to be had at once !” 
-—- A correspondent writes, “ Caterpillars make their 
appearance about this period on Gooseberry and other bushes. A day or 
two is well spent in examining and handpicking them, destroying the 
fully grown caterpillars and removing the leaves on which are secreted 
numbers of small ones. The leaves containing them can be detected 
almost instantly, because they are invariably pierced where the young 
insects have commenced to feed upon them. The leaves containing these 
are best burned. Attention now will save the foliage of the trees and 
the crop of fruit from destruction. But in a short time the labour of 
handpicking will be an endless occupation.” 
- We have received a list of the Council, Officers, and Com¬ 
mittees of thei Royal Horticultural Society for 1887, com¬ 
prising the honorary members, foreign members, corresponding members 
