1874. ] 
GAEDEN GOSSIP. 
69 
plant in the beauty of its clear yellow flowers, while it has something of the grace of 
an elegant fern in its silvery finely-cut leaves. It is a native of Egypt and Greece, 
and though not hardy in all soils and positions, is quite so in sheltered borders. It is very 
suitable for rockwork, planted in light loam mixed with brick rubbish, in which it would grow 
compactly and survive many years, while on chalky or dry warm banks it would probably prove 
thoroughly hardy. When grown as a bedding-pi ant, it is best kept over the winter in frames ; 
and if the flowers are pinched-off, it forms a dense mass of elegantly-cut, silvery, fern-like 
leaves. 
—^ ^Those who value their Asparagus beds, should read Mr. Earley’s little 
handbook. How to Grow Asparagus (Bradbury and Co.). The chapters on soil and 
situation, and on the formation and planting of the beds, give briefly but clearly 
all the information necessary for out^door culture, while chapters are added on the subject of 
forcing, and on a special mode of culture, where produce of the finest possible character is the 
aim of the grower.” As a practical trustworthy guide, this little brochm’e may be strongly 
recommended to those who desire to grow Asparagus as it should be grown. 
- ®HE following mode of Planting Specimen Conifers has been recom¬ 
mended :—When it is determined where a permanent specimen is to be placed, 
the ordinary trees of the plantation are cleared away, the ground is trenched 20 in. 
deep, and formed into an elevated circular platform one foot higher than the surrounding 
surface, with a slight rim a little elevated to prevent the rain which falls on the surface from 
running off, and in diameter according to the vigour or nature of the kind to be planted. A plat¬ 
form 6 ft. across is sufficient at first for the moderate-growing kinds, but for the more vigorous 
and robust-growing kinds a table of at least 10 ft. is requisite, leaving the trench open round 
the outside to receive the fallen leaves. Afterwards, as the roots are found to reach the out¬ 
side, which genei'ally takes place in from two to three years, another addition is made of from 
3 ft. to 4 ft. all round. Thus treated most of the trees planted at Leighton Buzzard, in the 
arboretum of .1. D. Bassett, Esq., by Mr. Mannock, have made extraordinary growths. 
- Cn the growth of the Gladiolus^ it is often found that when two flower- 
stems grow up from one corm, the spikes are not so fine as when a single one 
comes from a smaller corm. Aware of this fact, Mr. Tillery tells us, that having last 
year some strong corms of the variety named Shakespeare, with two eyes in each, he cut the 
corms through the centre, and planted them with a little sand round each, and they not only 
flowered well, but produced good corms for the present year’s planting. This experiment, 
therefore, seems, in his case, to have answered the purpose. 
- ^iiosE who are fond of Ancectocliili may be glad to know that they have 
been successfully cultured at Kew under bell-glasses, one-half of which is green, 
the other half white—the green-coloured portion of the glass affording the neces¬ 
sary shade, while through the transparent portion the beauties of the plants can 
be seen. This mode of treatment has proved extremely satisfactory. 
- ^NDER the title of The Potato Disease and its Prevention (Houlston 
and Sons), Mr. Dimmick, nurseryman, of Eyde, gives us a very good general 
treatise on Potato-culture. In the author’s opinion, “ the primary cause of the 
disease is a weakened constitution, and not a parasite,” in which conclusion we cannot agree 
with him. Many useful hints may, however, be gleaned from the other portions of the book 
devoted to details of cultivation, the two main points of which may be thus stated,—Take care 
of the seed-tubers, and Plant early in spring. 
- ^HE Salvia gesnerceflora figured in the Florist for 1851, though now 
rarely seen, is one of the finest of decorative plants for the conservatory during 
the winter and early spring months. It was raised at Syon, from Columbian 
seeds, and largo bushes of it, more than 3 ft. high, were grown in that establishment, and 
were a blaze of scarlet from November till April. As a species it is allied to S. fulgens 
(cardinalis); but S. gesnerseflora flowers through the autumn and winter, and holds its flowers 
