2G4 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 20, 1394. 
obtained if the trees are judiciously managed, and there is much to 
be said in their favour. Whether bushes and pyramids are likely 
to be extensively planted for the formation of orchards is an open 
question, but the opinions of the leading growers on the subject 
•would certainly be interesting and of much value to other readers. 
Meanwhile preparations for the planting season may be advanced 
as the weather permits, for the sooner this is done the better. 
Thousands of fruit trees are planted late in October, almost before 
the leaves have fallen, and better results usually accrue thereby 
than from those placed in the ground when latter is wet and cold, 
as during the winter. 
With reference to established unfruitful trees in gardens and 
orchards the present month is an excellent time for renovating 
these, and much may be done to improve their condition. When 
they have produced vigorous growth at the expense of fruit there 
is no doubt in some instances root-pruning is beneficial, but the 
work must be well done. It is useless cutting a trench around a 
tree, severing all the smaller feeders and leaving the tap roots 
untouched. Growth may be restricted, however, and fruitfulness 
induced by another and perhaps better method. This is by 
judicious pruning or pinching the shoots during the summer, 
allowing the branches retained to be thinly disposed. Not many 
years ago the writer saw some fruit trees which made undue 
growth in summer, and the shoots were pruned closely in the 
■winter. Every year the trees grew strongly but bore no fruit, 
until one autumn it was advised to thin out the shoots and leave a 
limited number only to each tree. These were not pruned during 
the following winter, but all the young shoots that commenced to 
grow the next summer from the base of those cut out the previous 
year were rubbed off. By adopting this plan growth was restricted, 
and the succeeding year the trees bore a fine crop of fruit. Trees 
that contain weak and worthless branches should also now receive 
attention. All such shoots ought to be removed, thereby concen¬ 
trating the sap on to the more useful branches. The removal of 
•wood of this nature during the autumn is of far greater importance 
than is generally supposed, and it would be well were the method 
adopted by all fruit growers.—C. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
There is much to be seen in most gardens when September 
€omes. Dahlia growers are enjoying their annual feast of flowers, a 
feast no longer confined to the great ball-like show and fancy blooms, 
but having the welcome addition of the single flowers, besides the 
Cactus forms, many of which are of great beauty. Annuals, too, 
are charming, and are indispensable, even where a large collection 
of hardy perennials is grown, filling as they do many a bare space 
and brightening spots which at this season would be dull without 
their aid. Gladioli also, with their stately beauty, are called into 
service to give colour where earlier flowers have spent their bloom, 
aud to charm one with their beautiful flowers of brightest or most 
delicate hues. It seems a pity that the grand varieties of 
G. gandavensis do not appear to increase in popularity, for it will 
be long before the newer hybrids reach the same perfection of 
colour and form. Here none but G. segetus and G. byzantinus is 
to be depended on for hardiness, and even in years where they 
have remained in the open unprotected, and have made their 
appearance in the spring, the disease has made greater ravages than 
among those which had been lifted. So far I have not found the 
Lemoinei varieties subject to the disease, but they are no hardier 
here than the hybrids of gandavensis. 
If, however, the Gladioli are not quit^ hardy in my garden, 
the Montbretias have the virtue of withstanding our most 
severe winters, and very beautiful they are with their Iris-like 
leaves and spikes of pretty flowers. Of the better-known kinds 
M. crocosmseflora is my favourite, but the red flowers of M. Pottsi 
are very useful too ; while an especially charming one is M. Gerbe 
d’Or, which is a bright golden j'ellow. They soon grow into great 
clumps if left alone, but flower more profusely if lifted occasionally 
and replanted a few inches asunder. The varieties are now 
becoming rather too numerous, and the differences between many 
of them are extremely small. 
Chrysanthemum maximum is one of the autumn flowers which 
are almost indispensable, and new forms of so useful a flower are 
much to be desired. Heveral of these have now been raised, and 
among the best is one which has been named G. maximum filiformis. 
I understand it originated in an Irish nursery, but whatever its 
origin may have been it will be found a desirable plant. There is 
practically no difference in habit, but the flowers themselves have 
the petals very narrow and pointed. We have thus a pure white 
flower with a yellow centre, and approaching in style to some of 
the single Chrysanthemums, which are so much admired in our 
greenhouses later in the year. This variety is valuable not only in 
itself, but as holding out the promise of even better forms, which 
will break still farther away from the stiffness of the type, and 
give us blooms of almost thread-like formation. This flower is so 
hardy and easily grown in any good soil that no one need fear to 
enter on its cultivation. 
Among the most brilliant of our autumn flowers is Monarda 
didyma, the best forms of which are of a deep yet brilliant scarlet. 
It is well known, but the pink Monarda is seldom met with. 
It is worth growing, although inferior in brilliancy to M. didyma, 
and is immensely superior to the white form of the latter. I 
understand its correct name is Monarda fistulosa mollis, although 
I obtained it under the name of M. mollis—one of the rather 
numerous synonyms under which it labours. The others are said 
to be M. Lindheimeri, M. menthaefolia, and M. scabra. The 
flowers are smaller and less numerous than those of M. didyma, 
and the plant is of taller habit. The colour is said to vary from 
flesh colour to lilac, and I should call mine pink. This wild 
Bergamot is deserving of a place in a good collection, although not 
a showy plant. 
One of the plants to which I referred last year seems to be 
coming into general favour among growers of choice hardy flowers. 
This is Helenium autumnale striatum, or grandicephalum striatum, 
as it is sometimes called. Having spoken of this plant before, it is 
unnecessary at present to allude to it at length. H. autumnale 
striatum seems to be improving as it becomes established, and 
should certainly be secured by those who wish to have their 
gardens abreast of the times. 
In going through the garden of Mr. Robinson-Douglas at 
Orchardton, Castle Douglas, N.B., I was much pleased to see a 
considerable number of plants of that fine biennial Michauxia 
campanuloides, which one sees far too seldom. It is true its 
biennial character is a drawback to the extended cultivation of this 
Bellwort ; but growers never seem to tire of Canterbury Bells and 
Sweet Williams, and the very beautiful Michauxia deserves some 
attention. It will grow to 4 feet or more in height, and its fine 
white flowers are extremely attractive. I had just seen Passiflora 
Constance Elliot in bloom, and was astonished with the resemblance 
of the flowers of M. campanuloides to those of the Passion Flower. 
There were many very interesting flowers and shrubs at Orchardton, 
but I was more interested in the Water Lilies than in anything 
I saw. It is not everyone who has a lake or pond in which these 
charming aquatics can be grown ; but many persons can imitate the 
conditions under which they succeed at Orchardton, and I fancy a 
little space may be most profitably devoted to a description of 
their quarters. 
Mr. Robinson-Douglas has had constructed a rock garden, and 
in the centre of this a series of small pools have been formed for 
the growth of aquatic plants. These are made with concrete about 
3 inches thick. When this was quite dry strong cement was thinly 
painted over with a brush before letting in the water. The pools 
vary from 2 to 3 feet in depth, and some very rich soil, in which is 
a large proportion of cow manure, occupies the bottom. After 
this was placed in position the plants were carefully fixed in and 
a layer of pebbles and gravel strewed over all to keep down the 
soil. The pools are supplied with water from the supply for 
the mansion, and this kept constantly running. The amount 
required is not large, as the pools communicate with each other, 
the overflow finding its way into a small bog in which are plants 
which enjoy a wet situation. These little pools vary in size, and 
some are margined with grass and others with rockwork. They 
are of irregular outline, and reminded me of some I can see any 
day on the shore near my home. A useful hint in the formation 
of concrete work of this kind was given me by Mr. Robinson- 
Douglas, who has also most kindly favoured me with the other 
particulars of the method of construction. This is to form a 
“collar” in the concrete below the water level on which the stones 
can be rested— i.e., a flat terrace-like piece of concrete with a back 
of the same material coming up to the water line. This makes the 
pool look more natural than if the concrete came up to the surface 
of the water, the rockwork placed on the “collar” hiding the 
cement. I hope I have made myself understood, but it is difficult 
to explain it without the aid of a diagram. 
For several days before my visit the weather had been unsettled. 
