JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 20, 1891. 
268 
possible. Our plants hava so slight a hold of the soil when first 
put out that each one has to be steadied with a short stake.— 
R. P. Brotiierston. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
I HAVE through the pages of the Journal in the autumn of last 
year and the preceding one drawn attention to the greatly improved 
strain of Marguerite Pinks, so generally called Carnations, eiSected 
by Mr. Herbert of Birmingham. In 1891 he crossed the Mar¬ 
guerite Pink with that fine scarlet bizarre Robert Houlgrave, with 
a view of obtaining a race of early blooming Carnations much 
improved in form and habit, and the first year’s seedlings produced 
this in a marked degree. The next year’s seedlings gave still better 
results in a dwarf habit, profuse blooming true Carnations, with 
flowers larger, of finer form, and less serrated on the edge. This 
year’s seedlings include some as fine in form as the ordinary florists’ 
type of Carnation, in some instances with perfect rose edged petals 
and new shades of colour. I hoped to send some of the best 
flowers to you, but when I called on Mr. Herbert he had fertilised 
almost every bloom, and I can only send some that are relatively 
inferior, to give you an idea of the great improvement effected. 
Please bear in mind that from seed sown in February in each 
year strong plants are regularly produced in full flower in August 
and September, and continue up to Christmas. The seedlings 
show much more of the character of the Carnation now than the 
Marguerite Pink, in erect habit and much finer flowers, whilst still 
retaining their annual-like character in blooming freely the first 
year. The plants are pricked off from the seedling state, grown 
under glass until placed in from 5 to 6-inch pots, then they are 
grown out of doors during the summer, and removed to a freely 
aired greenhouse to flower.—W. D. 
[The flowers received are as large and smooth as show Carna¬ 
tions, colours varied, and some of the blooms Clove-scented.] 
GARDEN WALKS AND EDGINGS. 
In writing on this subject I wish to confine my remarks to the 
kitchen garden. In this department the chief consideration is to 
produce abundance of good vegetables and fruit, but at the same 
time it should be made attractive by having neat walks and 
edgings. 
Walks should be made in such a manner that all parts of the 
garden can be conveniently reached, this greatly facilitating 
cultural operations. The most simple arrangement for a square 
or oblong walled-in garden of 2 or 3 acres in extent, with no 
division walls, is to have a walk all round, one running through 
the garden from north to south, and another crossing this at right 
angles in the centre ; this will divide the garden into four equal 
divisions. A convenient width for garden walks is from 10 or 
12 feet. In well-kept gardens, where walks are always expected 
to look neat, and there is ample room, it is a good plan to have 
secondary walks about 2 or 3 feet wide, especially in parts of the 
garden where there is much traffic, running parallel with the main 
ones. These can be used for working the garden, and the main 
ones will be kept in good order. It will not be necessary to edge 
them, though of course it would improve their appearance. The 
space between the main and secondary walks must be regulated 
according to the requirements of the garden and for the purpose 
for which it may be utilised. If used for herbaceous plants it 
should not be less than the width of the main walk ; in this case 
the narrow walks will also be found convenient for tying plants 
and other work connected with the borders. In place of herba¬ 
ceous plants bush or espalier fruit trees may be grown. Where 
several walks converge near a doorway the constant traffic at these 
points soon wears them away, so something more durable should 
be used, such as a narrow paving about 18 inches or 2 feet wide of 
some hard stone or other suitable material, 
A gravel walk to be up to the mark should be firm, even, no 
loose stones on the surface, and quite free from weeds. It is not 
much trouble to accomplish the latter if one of the numerous weed 
killers are periodically used. This not only kills the weeds, but 
leaves the gravel bright and clean. Walks properly made in the 
first place, and secondary ones used for traffic, will remain in good 
condition for a long time. It used to be the practice of many 
gardeners to turn their gravel walks over once a yeir, or once in 
two or three years, to keep down weeds, the surface even, and the 
walks in proper form. When the walks become worn it will be 
necessary to turn them over, as this is the most simple way to 
put them in order. The best time to do this is in the spring and 
when the gravel is wet, for then the work can be done much more 
easily, and consequently quicker. A spade should be used, and the 
walk turned over as deep as the gravel will allow. As the work 
proceeds a thin coating of fresh gravel should be put on, and care 
taken to keep it in proper form by having the centre 2 or 3 inches 
higher than the sides, according to the width of the walk. Though 
the gravel should be wet, a fine day must be chosen for the 
operation, and a whole length done at one time. If part of a walk 
gets wet it will give the gravel a different colour to the rest. It 
must not be trodden on until the whole length is done, when it 
should be rolled two or three times, and again in a few days and 
any time after a fall of rain; this will make it firm and solid. 
Though gravel is the best material, it is not every place that can 
procure it, and recourse must be had to something else. Cinder 
ashes are sometimes used, and answer the purpose very well, but 
ought not to be used in gardens of any pretensions. Concrete 
walks are often seen in town and villa gardens ; weeds will not 
grow on them, which is something in their favour. They are, 
however, not suitable for large gardens in the country, and are not 
in keeping with the surroundings. In some places near coal mines 
shale is used. It is obtained from the pit banks, being clay and 
other refuse brought out of the coal pits, which is burnt 
spontaneously. It makes very good walks, especially when well 
burnt, and is then very clean and durable, but it does not bind like 
ordinary gravel. 
In making the walks in our garden, and not having any gravel, 
I have had the top layer of stones broken small, and a coating of 
pit sand for a surface dressing. This must be laid on thinly or 
heavy rains will wash it away. Lime and other rubbish that 
accumulates in pulling down old buildings or in repairing, run 
through an inch sieve and mixed with the sand, will help to make 
it set. Two great objections to it are that moss grows very freely 
on it, especially in damp situations, and it pulls up very much 
after frost. Much has been written from time to time about grass 
walks, and while admitting that they look well they are not to be 
recommended for general purposes, the labour in keeping them in 
order being rather heavy during the summer, and they are not so 
good as gravel for getting about the garden in the winter. In large 
gardens, which are generally divided into divisions, one or more 
of which may have grass walks, and it will greatly improve their 
appearance, especially during the summer months. A good example 
of this is seen in the gardens at Castle Howard, where two of the 
divisions have grass walks about 9 feet wide, and a Rose border on 
each side of the centre ones. This has a pleasing effect, the grass 
showing off the Roses to great advantage. 
There are a great many things that may be used for edgings, 
but the most natural to associate with gravel appears to be Box, 
and to my mind nothing can equal it when it is kept in proper 
form by clipping. When well established it should be trimmed 
once a year. Some do this in the autumn, but it is best done in 
the spring during April or early in May. Men that are used to the 
w’Dik can soon get over a lot of ground with a pair of shears, which 
I find the best for the purpose. It should not be allowed to get 
more than 3 or 4 inches high and a little less in width. In rolling 
the walks care must be taken not to go too near tho edging or it 
will get pushed out of position. Box is sometimes objected to 
because it makes a harbour for slugs and other vermin, but if 
properly kept it will not be much worse than others, such as 
Heather, Thrift, and Thyme. Thrift makes a neat edging and 
looks pretty when in flower, but it will have to be rep’anted every 
three years. In some parts of the garden it may not be prac¬ 
ticable to plant live edgings, and for these places flint pebbles 
may be used. Flat stones set edgeways or bricks on end also 
make useful edgings. Fancy tiles of varied forms are often used, 
but are not suitable for large places, being more in keeping with 
town and villa gardens in association with concrete or asphalt 
walks.—J. S. Upex. 
EUCHARIS AMAZONICA : RESTING v. NON-RESTING. 
When under a fair state of cultivation and free from disease no 
plant repays more for the care bestowed on it than Eucharis amazonica, 
its profusion of pure white flowers coming at a time when they are most 
acceptable. The great susceptibility which it has towards what is 
known as Eucharis mite is a great drawback to its cultivation ; and once 
this pest gets a firm footing among the plants it is most difficult to 
eradicate, and, in many cases, has been the means of entire ruin to good 
collections. 
There appears to be a wide difference of opinion amongst gardeners 
with regard to the cultivation of the Eucharis. Many growers advocate 
a period of- rest ; but whether it is necessary or beneficial is purely a 
matter of opinion, as it is generally held by a great many growers that 
a resting period is really detrimental to the plants, as it is during such 
times that pests like the aforementioned secure a footing amongst the 
plants. Whether such is the case can only be proved by experience; 
but so far as resting pure and simple is concerned, I do not consider it 
essential to successful Eucharis culiivation. This opinion is the 
outcome of several years’ experience amongst Eucharis that are kept in 
a fair state of growth all the year round, and the resting process is 
