235 
lllE COTTAGE GARDEN EE AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 7, 1860. 
Propagated by taking up tiiq plants in March, and dividing 
them, but not severely, into moderate-sued portions, replanting 
immediately in fresh soil. 
BORAGO— Borage. 
Nat. ord., Boraginacese. Linn. Pentandria Monogyma. 
Generic ChIracter — Calyx live-parted. Corolla rotate ; limb 
five-lobed ; throat furnished with emarginate processes. Fila¬ 
ments conniving. Nuts one-celled, turbinate, fixed to bottom 
of calyx. 
Borago chaoSIFolia (thick-leaved). Leaves lanceolate-acute, 
fleshy ; corolla limb-segments unequal, linear-lanceolate, spread¬ 
ing. 2 ft. Pink, t™ June. Persia. 
B. Cketica (Cretan). Calyx longer than tube of corolla, re- 
• flexed : leaves ovate, crenately undulated, edges rather ciliated, 
upper leaves nearly sessile.. 1 ft. Blue. May. Crete. It is 
the Trachystemon cretimm of some botanists. 
B. orientalis (oriental). Calyx shorter than tube of corolla : 
lower leaves cordate; corolla segments revolute. 2 ft. Blue. 
June. Turkey. It is also known as Trachystemon orientalis. 
The common blue Borage, esteemed as food for bees, will give 
the reader a good idea of these handsome perennials. Any good 
garden soil will grow them well. 
Easily propagated by taking up the plants in April, and 
dividing them into well-rooted parts, replanting immediately in 
fresh soil, or in a fresh place. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY- 
A special general Meeting of this Society wa3 held January 
31st, at the house of the Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi. 
Rev. L. Vernon ITarcourt, V.P., in theohair, when the following 
members of the Royal Family were elected Fellows :—H.R.H. 
The Prince of Wales, II.R.H. The Princess Alice, H.R.H. The 
Prince Alfred, H.R.H. The Princess Helena, H.R.H. The 
Princess Louisa, H.R.H. The Prince Arthur, H.R.H. The Prince 
Leopold, H.R.H. The Princess Beatrice, H.R. H. The Princess 
Frederick William of Prussia, H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent, 
H.R.H. The Duchess of Cambridge, H.R.H. The Princess Mary. 
Amongst the other candidates elected were:—The Marquis 
and Marchioness of Aylesbury, Colonel Hugh Baillie, Lord and 
Lady Cochrane, Sir William and Lady Cubitt, Earl and Countess 
of Ellesmere, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Earl and Countess Gran¬ 
ville, G. Granville Leveson Glower, Esq., Right Hon. Robert 
Lowe, M.P., Hon. Francis Maude, Sir Roderick I. Murchison, 
the Duke of Newcastle, Titus Salt, Esq., M.P., Vice-Chancellor 
Sir John Stuart, Sir Thomas Troubridge, Bart., Professor West- 
macott, and upwards of 100 other ladies and gentlemen. 
BEDDING OUT IN SMALL GARDENS. 
[Continued from page 243.) 
These circular beds might be planted with equal effect with 
many other varieties of bedding stuff. If those before described 
do not suit or please the eye, plant the centre with a good for¬ 
ward plant of the Per ill a Nankinensis; then the star part of the 
bed with the Trentham Hose Geranium, or Lucia Rosea, Punch, 
or any of the Horseslioe-leaf varieties ; edge it with Golden Chain 
or Lady Plymouth —an Oak-leaf variety, with something the 
same tinge.as the Golden Chain, but not quite as bright; a 
splendid bedder, but not so much in use as it ought to be around 
this neighbourhood. It is, I believe, wrongly named. 
Perhaps some will say that too much of this kind of planting 
would be anything but effective; or that if all were to bed out in 
a similar style it would be too much of a good thing. I am of 
opinion that it would be quite the contrary. Supposing every 
one planted their different places as nearly as possible alike for a 
season—or, in other words, suppose them to be ail put upon an 
equal footing, how long would they continue so? Not a week. 
The quick penetrating eyes of some would soon discover faults 
which a little artistic skill would very soon remedy ; while at the 
same time others would scarcely be able to discern the sameness, 
even if it were pointed out to them. This would give all a chance 
of borrowing ideas. But even then, as I have above stated, some 
would be very soon left in the lurch; while to the others it would 
seem a channel through which they were deriving a never-ending 
source of gratification, which would be to themselves a kind of 
pillar, or support, that would be continually urging them 
upwards and onwards. Looking at it in this light, it seems to be 
the only road open for getting at what might be termed anything 
near perfection. There seems to be wanting among gardeners in 
general a kind of jealousy, or fear, that our neighbours’ skill 
would excel our own, and more especially at this time of the 
year, when every one is forming his plans for planting or bedding 
out: this jealousy would then help to cause a competition bene¬ 
ficial to' the master as well as the man. 
If this kind of spirit were a little more prevalent than it is 
[ amongst us all, or those of us who are connected with gardening 
pursuits, and more particularly those who have the management 
of small places where bedding out figures among the first orders 
of the day, tliero would very soon be a stir in the camp ; num¬ 
berless ideas would be thrusting themselves forward ; and every 
one would then plant out his place in the most stylish manner 
imaginable ; and eveiy year in this part of the science, as well as 
in others, we should be taking strides in the right direction; it 
would not be such incautious heedless work as too often proves 
to be the case at the present day. 
Again : Look at the different Verbenas that are out in common 
cultivation ; you will see them in six eases out of twelve huddled 
together, and appearing to the eye a mass of confusion. This is 
to be found in beds of all shapes, and often where there is but 
that one bed on the small spot of green sward that is attached to 
many villa residences. Look them over. In some you will find 
upwards of a dozen varieties ; in others more, where there were 
no more than three dozen planted altogether. Some of the 
weaker-growing kinds, which arc generally the newest, when they 
ought to be at their highest pitch are overgrown and buried by 
the others. These, then, are lost; and there is the money gone, 
and a bad namo for tlic nurseryman or florist into the bargain, 
when, if proper judgment had been used at the commencement, 
this would have been hindered. 
In an oval-shaped bed, or one nearly approaching to that 
shape, in the centre 1 should plant Purple King Verbena, if one 
colour only were allotted ; but if two varieties, there is none that 
I have ever seen that will agree better with Purple King than 
Eclipse, which is a lively pink and white : these appear very 
pleasing wherever they come in contact, or are planted side by 
side. Plant the centre of a circle in the middle of the oval bed 
with the latter-named, and a ring round the circle with the dark 
one; then a band of variegated Geranium in a diamond form, 
which will act as a regulator to the Yerbenas that are planted 
inside this as well as on the outside, which might be planted with 
Topsy, Sir J. Outram, Etonia, or any other variety that might 
be preferable. The diamond to he filled with this kind. Then, 
up to what might be termed the outer margin of the diamond, 
plant with any rose-coloured variety of Geranium. Then the space 
between this and the band allotted for the margin to be planted 
with any variety of scarlet Verbena, with the exception of Geant 
des Batailles, which for this part of the bed is rather too free a 
grower. Tjie margin to be composed of variegated Alyssum. 
Geant des Batailles might be planted in the centre of this bed ; 
which would be effective, provided the variegated margin of same 
had its blooms gathered as fast as they appeared. A bed of 
Yerbenas alone is too loose in habit to form a very effective bed, 
and should bo guarded against, more particularly where there is 
but little planting carried into effect. If an inclination of pro¬ 
truding beyond their limited bounds appears in any part of beds 
planted in this style, it must he stopped at once, or their beauty 
will be destroyed. A little pinching back occasionally is all that 
is required after they are once planted, when they will appear as 
enchantments to any that shall gaze on them the whole of the 
season.— A. J. Ashman. 
COVERING AS AN AID TO HEATING. 
In reading an acticle in The Cottage Gardener for the 24th 
of January, I think “A. R.” might save himself anxiety and the 
lives of his “ pets ” if he will adopt my plan of having a cover 
for his small house. 
My own greenhouse is ten feet by ten. I have made a cover 
of Richardson’s waterproof cloth, which is cither Is. or 2s. a 
yard—I think l.v. I have the covering in three pieces for con¬ 
venience ; one piece covers the top, and reaches to the ledge of 
the front sashes, where it is securely fastened; one piece for each 
end, and a piece extra as long as the door, and rather wider, 
which I put on in extra frost, tucking it well in at the bottom, 
and putting a weight on it. 1 manage my house in this way;—• 
