- 
Hyacinthus candicans and Gladiolus. —This 
really excellent garden plant is now in full 'flower in 
our nursery, and is admired daily by the numerous 
visitors to our establishment. We have a large bed 
of the pure white flowering Hyacinth, edged by a 
broad border of Gladiolus Brenchleyensis, which is 
particularly admired. A* most splendid effect has 
been obtained by this combination. The pure white 
colour of ihe Hyacinth makes the most striking con¬ 
trast with the dark-red tint of the Gladiolus, and this 
grows just onthat height as to enable the Hyacinth to 
exceed by nearly the whole length of the flower-stem 
the Gladiolus.Y We consider Hyacinthus candicans, 
which flowers during a period of several weeks, one 
of the best ornamental plants for gardens and parks, 
and can especially recommend the above-described 
arrangement. E.\H. Krelage &■= Son, Haarlem. 
Escallonia puAerulenta.—I send you flowers of 
Escallonia pulverulema, a very distinct species, now 
flowering for the firstYime in the open air. It unfor¬ 
tunately is not quit A hardy everywhere, but in a 
favourable situation onV warm wall it has stood two 
years. It will not compare for beauty with such sorts 
as E. montevidensis, buV has distinct features of its 
own, and a perceptible Hawthorn perfume, and is a 
good plant for a cool housed T. Smith, Hewry. 
Verbenas, &c., at the Castle Street Nurseriesjj-, 
Salisbury. —The display of Verbenas and Pelargo¬ 
niums of the newer and choicYr varieties to be seen 7 
now and for several weeks to colne is one not easily'; 
to be forgotten. The VerbenaXplants, as also the. 
Pelargoniums, are planted in rows about 18 inches 
apart in borders in the immediate Veighbourhood ofv 
the forcing-houses, in which borders\with one or two' 
exceptions, the plants seem to luxuriate. The plants, 
are very healthy, and the hues of tnfe flowers most 
varied, from the most highly coloured Vimson gradu- r ; 
ally toning down to the most chaste, sofqt and delicate i 
pink and white. The profusion of bloonA the perfect- 
ness of the trusses, the regularity in the envelopment 
of and immense size of pips, some of whioh measure 
more than an inch in diameter, produce a Voral dis¬ 
play which is. perfectly lovely. I give the nWnes and 
descriptions of a few of those that took nV fancy 
most. Admiration, very brilliant carmine, Slightly 
shaded towards centre, with immense pips. Favourite, 
fine deep velvety crimson, with light purplish tinted 
eye. Boule de Neige, best pure white. ClariMa, 
plum colour, with white eye. Duke of Edinburgh, 
bright pink, with crimson ring round the eye. Mres 
Edwards, beautiful scarlet-pink, with much darker 
centre, with very small white eye. Adelina Patti, \ 
bright pink, with white ring round dark eye, im¬ 
mense truss. Lovely Blue, very bright blue, very 
sweetly scented ; grand flower and strong grower. 
The Pelargoniums are equally* good, but not so 
extensive in variety, but, nevertheless, the habit of 
the plants, the size and form of the flowers are all 
that could be desired in a Pelargonium, some of the 
colours being very attractive* amon? 
me, an pianrcu m urc nrauc wiuti, saagsraaos^pasrfy-'' 
ing a nice crop of regular good average-sized bunches, 
having good berries, which showed not the slightest 
sign of cracking. Mr. Challis thinks very highly of 
the Madresfield Court, as his having a house devoted 
to Its special culture will testify. //. W. W. 
Scurvy of the Sea. —Perhaps the “ Scurvy of 
the Sea,” mentioned in p. 90 by “Guernsey,” is 
the “Scurvy-grass” (Gochlearia officinalis), a com¬ 
mon plant on seashores, which has the antiscor¬ 
butic properties referred to by him. y. M., Dublin. 
Carpet Bedders. —Whatever captious critics may 
say as to the aesthetics, taste displayed in carpet- 
bedding, it is at least certain that, so long as garden¬ 
ers or their employers, whom they aim to please, 
keep their beds at home fA their own pleasure and 
gratification, and do not. sYnd them to some royal 
floral bedding academy for public display, they have 
an undoubted right to carry cbt this development of 
their own wishes without reference to the whims, 
fancies, or criticisms of otherlpeople. But there is 
another reason why carpet-bedcYmg should exist, and 
even be encouraged. Nothing!would" more tend to 
Ahe extinction of interest in glrden-work than the 
decoration of all gardens on\ exactly the same 
pattern and upon the same dead level; and thus 
0|t is desirable to find in eacli good place some 
special feature, differing perhaps from that found 
"elsewhere, and which at all times marks the garden 
in question as worthy a visit from raose who admire 
horticultural specialities. Then, Wain, one place 
seems to be specially adapted fort the display of 
ctirpet-bedding ; another has features that render it 
oiit of place there ; another is remarkalW for its masses 
Of mixed plants, its noble glades, its grand trees, its 
water scenery, and so on ; and thus Sis impossible 
to lay down any special rule for th\ decorative 
features of any garden. The most indefeasible point 
; in-carpet-bedding is not in its existence, bYt rather in 
thb way in which it is worked out; and\ assuming 
that it is altogether in correct taste when dene well, 
it is of course open to criticism when work A out in 
bad taste, and in a slovenly way. SuchYcarpet- 
bedding is, however, rather the exception tram the 
rule; and that so much is done well is Arhaps 
largely due to the good examples set to the gigrden- 
learners in these things in our public parks, 
the Crystal Palace, and in a few of the best prfyate 
gardens. It is often a matter of complaint against em¬ 
ployers that they send their gardeners to these large 
places to study the designs there worked out, and bid 
them endeavour to reproduce them m their smaller gar¬ 
dens at home. Such an attempt is sure to lead to failure. 
, That such might be the case if a literal reproduction 
were attempted there can be little doubt, as it is not 
itnfrequently the case that large designs, however 
admirably worked out, can hardly be suited for small 
beds, and that the effect when worked out in a small 
scale is lost. This is so far true that it is perhaps 
unwise to atterrtpL MBHwi ^lavish copying:, as it 
design, remaps the most troublesome to keep in 
check is the Golden Feather, which needs much 
pinching, as in the good soil of flower ,beds it finds 
encouragement to grow robust. The hew laciniated 
variety, although a little dwarfer, is only just so, 
whilst it largely lacks the rich golden tint of the old 
kind. A new selection from the first named variety 
that gives all its denseness of leafage and richness of 
colour with a very dwarf compact habit has just pre¬ 
sented itself, and this, if proved to be reliable, will 
doubtless become the most suitable yellow foliage 
bedder. Carpet bedding is subject to the charge of 
flatness whilst unrelieved by the introduction into it 
of a few taller plants, as may suit the taste of the 
gardener. These |re found in abundance in some of 
the hardier Dractebas, dwarf Thistles, large Eche- 
verias, Sempervivums, Pachyphytons, small Agaves, 
&c., and many other things that may be to hand, 
provided they do not present unharmonious features, 
and preserve form anc| foliage in perfection throughout 
the season. A. D. . \ 
The Best Kept Gardens. —Will “ M.” allow 
me to supplement his Excellent report of the Marl¬ 
borough horticultural sliow, with a short note of one 
class in the schedule which was judged in the week 
before the show. The \ class was “ for gentlemen’s 
gardens in Marlborough land Preshute,” “For the 
best kept kitchen and flowier garden showing superior 
cultivation in all departments, with a certificate at 
merit” [glass excluded.] YThe gardeners of seven 
masters competed, the gardens were very well kept; 
those gaining 1st and 2d/-prizes were admirable, and 
the 3d not only thoroughly Well kept, but with an 
interesting collection of al pin A and herbaceous plants. 
It was very pleasant to see at\a great public school 
evidence everywhere of the increased taste for garden¬ 
ing which has happily so gre-Aly developed itself of 
late years in this country. Gcorg\F. Wilson, Heather- 
bank, Weybridge. 
Fumigators.—Some of your correspondents would 
perhaps kindly give their experience of a want which 
I and doubtless many often feel\ viz., that of an 
efficient fumigating apparatus, for all that I have seen 
or tried lead me to infer that we have not yet attained 
the acme. Tobacco paper, perhaps the most economical, 
effective, and generally used article, Always more or 
less moist, will not burn satisfactory without a handful 
of live coals or (better still) charcoal tolkindle it—the 
largest size of those in use emitting so small a volume 
of smoke that I find it impossible to! do the work 
effectually, so shall pro tern, resort to a sieve or wire 
basket involving of course the presence of the operator. 
Tebbs’ is a neat strong apparatus, but difficult to 
kindle as per directions ; and the largest size far too 
small to fumigate a medium-sized house effectually. 
E. K., Carton. 
The Potato Disease. —The reports with respect 
to the general appearance of the Potato crop, now so 
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