August 9,1894, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
121 
rarefied water is not a fluid, so Mr. Bishop must devise some other 
method of getting his “ rarefied ” water to the surface. 
The plain, straightforward facts of the case are these, I believe. 
The heat of the sun warming the earth’s surface causes the water 
on the surface to pass into the atmosphere in the form of vapour. 
As fast as the surface water evaporates fresh water from below 
rises up by capillary attraction to take its place. This is the 
theory that, so far as I know, is accepted by the scientific world, 
and it has the advantage over the one put forward by Mr. Bishop 
that it requires neither miracles nor defiance of Nature’s laws for 
its carrying out. 
I wish to ask Mr. Bishop if he thinks it quite fair to insert 
conundrums in his communications ? If he says he does not, what 
does he say to this (p. 100, last line in first column) ? “ My 
impression has always been that the roots being cooler than the 
soil the air condenses this moisture or vapour into water, and 
assimilates it with any food that may be in solution.’' Now here 
we have Mr. Bishop saying that air assimilates food. Will some¬ 
body throw him a life buoy ? Otherwise he seems so far at sea 
that he runs great danger of being drowned. 
In conclusion, does Mr. Bishop believe that his “ rarefied water ” 
contains all the elements of plant food ? If he does not, surely he 
must admit his theory is a lame one ; because if it is necessary that 
some of the elements should be drawn up and washed down again 
in the soil, I think we may fairly conclude that the other* must 
also. If Mr. Bishop does believe that his “ rarefied water ” con¬ 
tains all the elements I shall be glad if he will send me a bottle of 
it condensed (properly authenticated as being condensed moisture, 
and not simply water direct from the soil), and I will agree to have 
it analysed on condition that if all the elements of plant food are 
found in it I pay, and if they are not found, then Mr. Bishop pays 
the analyst’s charges. If he can procure this “ rarefied water,” and it 
be found to contain all the elements of plant food, I hereby pro¬ 
mise not only to accept and believe his theory, but also to believe that 
he knows what he is talking about, on which point I must confess 
I am somewhat sceptical at present.—D. Gilmour. 
[On one point we are inclined to think our able correspondent 
did not quite comprehend Mr. Bishop in his reference to a writer 
“ saying what he does not mean.” Many writers on horticulture and 
other subjects not infrequently, for the sake of clearness, and to 
prevent possible misapplication of a sentence, indicate what they 
do not mean should be understood, for emphasising the meaning 
they wish to convey. This is perfectly legitimate, and wholly 
different from another interpretation to which the sentence is open.] 
HARDY PLANTS FOR BEDDING. 
In many places where there is much bedding to be done the 
question of producing and keeping up the annual supply of good 
flowering plants is one that requires forethought and consideration 
on part of the gardener, and after he has exercised his greatest 
care in propagating and producing his supply he is often doomed 
to many disappointments. Last summer, for instance, was every¬ 
thing that could be desired for the bedding enthusiast. The con¬ 
tinued brilliant sunshine throughout the summer suited such plants 
as Zonal Pelargoniums, Lobelia, Petunia, Coleus, and others per¬ 
fectly. Flower gardens throughout the country looked charming. 
Happily, a gardener is of a sanguine and hopeful turn of mind. 
If Nature deals kindly with him one season he is satisfied, and 
determines to supersede his efforts the next. He obtains a 
good stock of choice and often tender bedding plants, lays out his 
flower beds in his mind’s eye, and pictures to himself the future 
landscape. But, alas ! the next season may be such a one as we 
have many times experienced, a continual downpour of rain with 
little or no sunshine. The result is obvious ; “ Geraniums ” and 
Lobelias cease to flower, and run away to rank and straggling 
growth. Coleus, which perhaps last year were in themselves quite 
a feature with their brilliant foliage, lose all their leaves, except 
perhaps a few blackened tips, and present a pitiable appearance. 
Calceolarias become diseased and die, leaving great gaps in the beds 
which cannot readily be refilled, and so his hopes become dis¬ 
appointments. 
Again, in many places gardeners have not sufficient glass accom¬ 
modation to store away during the winter and propagate in the 
spring the supply of bedding plants they require to meet the 
demand. They have to be grown in all sorts of nooks and corners, 
and consequently the plants are turned out weak and spindling, and 
the summer is well nigh over before the plants get into flowering 
condition. These difficulties may to some extent be averted by 
growing more plants of a hardier nature that are safe to flower, 
and can be produced at much less expense and labour. 
While purposely omitting to mention any flowering annuals, 
there are many plants of a hardy nature that are worth considera¬ 
tion. White Antirrhinums, with masses of snow white spikes of 
flower, are pleasingly conspicuous. By taking cuttings in the 
autumn, and protecting them from the severest winter frosts, any 
number of these plants can easily be raised. This plant flourishes 
in almost any soil or locality, which alone makes it a very useful 
acquisition to the bedding stock. Then we have several varieties 
of Viola ; some of the best for massing were mentioned on page 67 
last week. It is needless to say how easily large stocks of these 
can be raised in a short time under average circumstances. They 
commence flowering early in the spring, and are one continual mass 
of bloom until late in the autumn. 
Then we have Pentstemons with their bright clusters of flowers, 
which are easily propagated in the same way. There are several 
varieties of dwarf Tropaeolums which are fast becoming popular, 
the best of which, I think, are Milleri, with its dark foliage and 
deep crimson flower ; Vesuvius, a bright scarlet ; and Miss Clibran, 
bright yellow. By striking cuttings in the autumn, and keeping 
in a cool frame during the winter, any number of these may be 
easily raised in the spring. There are many other such plant*, all 
of which if carefully blended help to break up that stiff formality 
which so often characterises the flower garden, besides being less 
susceptible to injury during a cold and cloudy summer.—G. H., 
Alton Towers. 
DRAWING FOR GARDENERS. 
The inquiring mind of a young student of gardening will seek 
that knowledge more or less bearing on the vocation of his choice. 
In his probationary days he should embrace those opportunities 
which this period of his life presents in preparation for future 
possibilities, and it is the prerogative of youth that to him all things 
are possible. Thrown much upon his own resources in discriminat¬ 
ing amongst the light or solid matter for study, undue prominence 
may be given to some phases of this self-tuition, with the resulting 
danger of not less important subjects being overlooked. There is 
also temptations besetting the young traveller on the path of 
knowledge to run off on the side tracks. 
A judicious selection of subjects can be made, affording that 
variety necessary to avoid monotony, which tends to disgust. 
Elementary drawing is a pleasant and profitable occupation, and 
one that has not entered into the curriculum of every youth’s 
school life. There are some persons who have had these oppor¬ 
tunities before starting on the more serious race of life, yet do not 
always value them the most. There is, I think, a special blessing 
attached to self-taught lessons, for learning is acquired by the 
exercise of those virtues of patience, perseverance, and self-denial. 
The direct bearing a knowledge of drawing has on garden work 
is perhaps only realised by those who have attained some pro¬ 
ficiency in the subject. As important but not so apparent at first 
sight is that education of the hand and eye whereby faulty work is 
detected, and good work known and appreciated. In some cases it 
is the only medium of lucid expression between employer and 
employed. Employers, as a rule, want to know the particulars of 
some contemplated alteration before giving sanction to what may 
entail expense, and it is a gardener’s duty, or should be, to show 
his ideas in a practical manner. If he can do so his object is often 
gained, but when left to verbal demonstration a confusion of ideas 
is apt to prevail. The “pourparlers” are broken off, the new 
house is not built or the needed alteration indefinitely postponed. 
On these grounds many a greenhouse is lost or won. It may be 
that the local builder or estate carpenter is called in and submits 
his plans, good ones from his point of view, but not meeting the 
requirements of the man most interested—the gardener, who per 
force of technical talk reluctantly yields to the other’s dictation. 
When the completed work falls short of expectation or require¬ 
ments, it is better for that man to ever after remain silent. A 
ground plan, section and elevation, correctly drawn to scale, 
whether of the humblest type of horticultural building or the most 
pretentious, should, though it may not emanate from the gardener’s 
mind through his drawing pen, be to him perfectly intelligible. 
Where estate artisans are brought to work under the gardener’s 
supervision, it is very essential that all details should be made 
clear to them. Few tradesmen, though they be not experts, will 
be mystified in making a door, sash, or rafter from a plan drawn 
on the scale of 1 inch to the foot. 
From the designing and laying out of gardens or grounds to the 
lesser examples of forming beds the necessity of previous arrange¬ 
ment is obvious. “ I carry all my plans in my head, said a 
gardener of the old school, and doubtless a good plan too if the 
receptacle was less opaque. Calling one day at a place noted for 
the owner’s taste in the summer arrangement of his flower beds, a 
well-deserved compliment was paid to the hard-working planter in 
the midst of his labours. “ That bed,” said he, “ I have planted 
and rooted up three times to-day.” This was the result of 
