.126 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
but they grow be-st about midway between the mountain- 
top and a low boggy valley. As might be e.\pected, 
' they were well-known to the ancients, and are men¬ 
tioned in the Bible in the history of Elijah, wlio hid 
[ himself under a ti’ee of this genus when persecuted by 
the King of Israel. It is mentioned, also, by Pliny, 
wlio says that it grew in Spain to a large size. Large 
quantities grow in the north of Europe. Some species 
i are found in the same locality as the Gujtressiis torulosa 
in Asia, on the Bhotan Hills, and some are found in 
North America, so that few plants of any genus are 
more widely distributed. Many of the species produce 
timber, which, though small, is remarkable for its dura¬ 
bility. The wood has a strong aromatic smell, and 
when burnt in rooms is said to be fatal to noxious 
insects. It is used, also, to give hams and bacon that 
peculiarly smoky llavour so much esteemed by epicures. 
It is well-known that Juniper berries are used to flavour 
the spirits called giii and Hollands. To all these uses 
the plants of this genus can be applied, hence they are 
interesting, both on account of classical associations, as 
well as tire various uses to which they are applied. 
I well recollect one use to which the young branches of 
Juniperus sauina, the Common Savin, was applied, 
namely, to destroy worms in the intestines. I had to 
swallow a tea-cupful three mornings in succession for 
that purpose, and it was a good remedy, though a dan¬ 
gerous one, at least, I have been informed so since I 
grew irp to manhood, I, how^ever, never felt any ill 
effects in taking it, the worst was its (to me) very 
nauseous taste. 
The family of Junipers are well adapted to plant in 
front of taller-growing Coniferar in the pinetum. They 
thrive best in a saudy loam, moderately dry, but will 
grow in almost any soil not absolutely wet. In the 
beautiful valley near to Alton Towers, there is, or was, a 
beautiful avenue of tlie Juniperus communis, var. Seucica, 
or Swedish Juniper, on each side of the walk leading to 
the Chinese Temple. Few plants to form an avenue could ' 
have a finer effect. This valley was originally a rabbit- 
warren, but the late Earl of Shrewsbury had it enclosed, I 
broken up, and formed into pleasure-grounds witlr | 
the finest effect. On the south side, he built a range I 
of ornamental plant houses, with a terrace-walk in front, ] 
overlooking the lower part of the valley; and on the ! 
the north side he built a Swiss cottage, of considerable \ 
size, in which there is, or was, rooms for visitors to sit 
down and refresh themselves. From the platform, in 
front of the cottage, the visitor had a fine view of the 
valley—its walk, avenues, conifers, plant-houses, and a 
lofty Chinese pagoda in the bottom. .When I was there, 
a real, hona-Jide, aged Welsh harper lived in the cottage, 
and favoured us with several ancient airs on his harp. 
1 This part of the grounds has always most deservedly 
! been greatly admired. At the head of the valley is a 
fine marble bust of the earl, with this inscription, “ Fie 
made the wilderness to smile.” It is now nearly fifteen 
I years since I had the pleasure of visiting Alton Towers, 
and I enjoyed such a gardening treat, that the scene is 
as vivid in my “ mind’s-eye” as if I had been there only a 
few weeks ago. I hear the present earl has improved (?) 
the place much, and, if all be well next summer, I will 
go and see, and take some “jottings by the way.” Two 
things I should be glad to see there—a good collection 
of orchids, and an extensive pinetum. The sides of the 
valley would just bo the site for the latter. This digres¬ 
sion was brought about by the Swedish Junipers, so 
let them bear the blame, wliilst I escape by turning to 
describe the species, individually, of this interesting and 
beautiful tribe. 
Juniperus alba (Whitish Juniper). There is, or was, 
a plant of this name in the Gardens at Chiswick, and 
that is all I know about it. It is not mentioned in any 
j catalogue ; at least, I have not seen it. 
November 18. 
Juniperus Bermudiana (Bermuda Cedar).—One of 
the few species of this genus that is not quite hardy in 
this country, introduced so long ago as 1686. It has 
lived in the open air, in Devonshire, and probably 
would exist in Ireland. It is the tree that produces the 
wood from which the cases for black-lead pencils are 
made. It is also used largely as partitions for rooms in 
the West Indies, because insects will not attack it. 
Juniperus Canadensis (Canadian J.).—A hardy, very 
low shrub, seldom exceeding three feet. 
Juniperus Cernua (Drooping J.).—This is the J. 
jiagelliformis of gardens, and is a drooping, curious tree 
from China. 
Juniperus Chinensis (Chinese J.).—A native of 
China and Japan, perfectly hardy and very handsome, 
growing, in its native country, to the height of thirty 
feet; but the tallest I have ever seen here was ten feet. 
It forms a pyramidal tree, densely clothed with branches 
and foliage, and ought to be in every collection. It 
should be planted in a conspicuous situation by itself, 
so that the eye could see it on every side, because there 
is no coniferous plaut that grows so symmetrical, even, 
and compact. 
There are two varieties, both handsome trees, named 
respectively Junijjerus feemina and J. Smithii, but they 
are rare. T. Appleby. 
{To be continued.) 
THE PETUNIA. 
{Continued from page XO’i.) 
Soil. —In cultivating plants, the most important point 
is to procure the proper soil. Formerly, the directions 
given for most plants in this particular was '‘good 
garden mould,” but in these days the enterprising and 
zealous grower of plants requires something more ex¬ 
plicit and precise; for most growers are aware that 
soils suitable and health-inspiring for one plant would 
be death if given to another. Thus, rich com 2 iost, used 
to pot Heaths in, would soon destroy them, whilst, on 
the other hand, the soil jii'oper for Heaths, and similar 
fine-rooted plants, would starve, and very likely kill such 
plants as Carnations, Auriculas, Polyanthuses, and, 
lastly. Petunias. But then, in order to give a suitable 
soil for such jilants, several kinds of soil must, according 
to the rule of experience, be mixed together; and this 
mixture is very jii'operly designated by the word com- 
piost, the constituent jiarts of which are many, to suit 
the various and numerous plants called florists’ flowers. 
I think, however, the various composts might be 
much simplified. Some of the older florists, Emerson 
particularly, recommend such things as seem absolutely 
monstrous to pot such delicate ^’Mnts in,—such, lor 
instance, as sugarbaker’s scum, blood, night soil, and 
other strong stimulants, all of which, he says, should 
be exposed for such a long time to the atmos^ihere that 
I opine very little would remain any way different or 
more nutritive than well-rotted simple hotbed dung, 
or, what is still better for more delicate ptlants—such as 
Auriculas, for instance—well-decomposed tree leaves, 
usually called leaf mould. With these few remarks on 
soils, combined under the name compost, I shall proceed 
to describe what I have found suits the Petunia as well 
as need bo desired. Loam procured from the surlacc of 
a pasture, the grass to be taken with it, and the upjier 
layer two or three inches thick only ; to be procured in 
the earlier part of the autumn. 'This should be laid up 
in the compost yard for twelve mouths, and be turned 
over three or four times during the year. And here I 
feel it is my duty to digress briefly to state, that the 
turning over loam, or any other ingrcdient in a compost, 
should never be done in wet weather, and for this 
