20 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMTANION. —October 14, 185G. 
CUTTINGS versus GRAFTS. 
■ “ I am about entering on some experiments to test Mr. 
Errington’s idea that much of the uncertainty of our fruit 
crops is to lie traced to the somewhat unnatural process of 
grafting. The continued abundant crops of Currants, Goose¬ 
berries, &c., raised from slips would seem to favour Iris 
suggestion. I have always understood, however, that Apple 
and Pear-tree slips were exceedingly difficult to root. Can 
Mr. Beaton, who works such wonders in flower culture, 
help us with instructions as to the best manner, time, 
j place, and soil for striking slips from a Jargonelle or Rib- 
: ston Pippin ? 
j “Is the Bee a native of England ? It sometimes occurs 
to me, that if so, v r e have here the great natural fertiliser of 
our fruit-tree bloom, and that to the wholesale destruction 
of so many hives in procuring honey is to be attributed 
; much of the repeated failures in fruit crops. A case may 
avcII be supposed where the pollen of the flower was ripe 
and healthy, and yet from wind, rain, or other causes, it was 
scattered elsewhere than on the stigma, to which the action 
; of the Bee might convey it. Would it be profitable to keep 
j a hive in an orchard for this purpose only, apart altogether 
from harvesting the honey? 
“ What plants are best for a hedge along a fence entirely 
; overhung with branches from the orchard ? — William 
| McGowan.” 
[In generalising we must take care not to confound 
; natural law with practice, which is but artificial. It does 
: not follow as a natural law, or consequence, that, because one 
i plant from a cutting answers better than another from a 
graft, both should do equally well from cuttings or 
i grafts. We have seen an old Pear-tree propagated for the 
| nursery trade from layers every year as regularly as layers 
! of Cloves and Picotees. That was in “ Peacock’s Nursery,” 
Leith Walk, Edinburgh ; and we have not the smallest doubt 
j but every kind of Apple or Pear in Herefordshire, or in the 
i Carse of Gowrie, would come from layers just as easily as 
Cloves and Carnations. It is yet an open question if the 
pollen is necessary for the better development of our dessert 
fruit, for we never eat the fruit at all, only the covering over 
the fruit or seed. This covering may be all very good, and 
j no fruit in the inside. Did you ever consider this question 
in that light ? 
There are plenty of Bees and Humble Bees left, although 
so many are destroyed. 
Privet will do for your hedge.] 
ORNAMENTING PONDS. 
“ An Old Subscriber would feel greatly obliged if the 
Editor of The Cottage Gardener would give some 
directions with regard to the formation of pieces of orna¬ 
mental water at country villas. The writer has three formal 
straight ponds following one another, with a slight fall of 
about three feet hetween each, and the termination quite 
visible. He feels sure that they might be made a very 
pretty object in the landscape, but does not know how he 
ought to go about it, not having a landscape gardener near 
him to consult. Any hints would be very acceptable. The 
directions in Vol. I., page 108, ’are intended more for a 
garden than for ponds in a lawn.” 
[This subject can only be treated very generally, in the 
absence of drawings to explain the different Avays. The 
first and fundamental principle is this—that a piece of Avater 
in a garden or pleasure-ground, or to add effect in a distant 
landscape view, must be so placed that you cannot see it all 
round from any point of view. Any one who can but master 
that simple rule may be entrusted with the formation of any 
picee short of a Loch Lomond. Water, in general, finds its 
own level; but ornamental Avater never fails to show tw’O 
distinct levels to the eye of a true landscape painter—its 
*OAvn level first, and the level of the brains of the man Avho 
formed it among the brains of his fellows. If you could 
manage Avith planting to see your first pond and pari of the 
second in one view, but so as to look as belonging to one 
piece only, and as much of the third as you can Avithout 
actually seeing the end nearest to the middle piece, no 
man could give more effect to these three pieces of Avater as 
a landscape view. A stranger Avould think the three were all 
in one piece, and that he only could see but the out-bavs of 
a large lake. A duck-pond, if you cannot see it all at one 
vieiv, gives the idea of a large extent of water, and the 
farther it is from the eye adds to the deception.] 
BEDDING GERANIUMS.—DELPHINIUM FOR- 
MOSUM.—CERASTIUM FORMOSUM. 
“ Will you be kind enough to inform me if Master Squire’s 
and Princess Alice among the scarlets with Avhite eyes, and 
Fair Helen and Mrs. Hag gilt among the SAveet-scented or 
oak-leaved section of Geraniums, are really good for bedding 
purposes ? I have cuttings of them, but know nothing of 
their qualities. 
“ I am anxious to make the most of one small plant of 
Delphinium formosum, and shall be glad to knoAV the best 
Avay of keeping and increasing it against the spring. 
“ The Cerastium tomentosnm is a iigav plant to me, and, 
as Mr. Beaton has not mentioned it, I shall be glad to know 
Avhat it is worth, and hoiv to manage and increase it for 
edging flower-fceds next season.— Flora Montague." 
[We never heard of Master Squire's Geranium. Princess 
Alice is a good rosy bedder. Fair Helen and all her race 
are not for beds, but for mixed borders. Mrs. Haggitt avc 
never heard of. 
Pray let Delphinium formosum alone for one more year. 
Your plant of it can only be a nursling yet, and you may 
do more harm than good by attempting to divide it at the 
roots, the more sure mode of increasing it. 
Ceraslium tomentosnm is as hardy and as old as Chick- 
Aveed, and requires just the same treatment, Avliich is, to be 
very resolute in keeping it within bounds. Mr. Beaton has 
spoken of it repeatedly; but you may first have to establish 
it from cuttings, Avhich root as freely as anything; after that 
by dividing it at the roots. Very likely it may be scarce in 
the trade, and if it is the price Avill bo charged accordingly; 
but it may be picked up in many old gardens where old- 
fashioned plants abound.] 
DELPHINIUM HENDERSONII AS A REDDER,—BED¬ 
DING DAHLIA.—EDGING TO SHOT-SILK BED. 
“ S. S. will be glad to knoAV the botanical name of the 
inclosed plant, which ‘ beds Avell’ Avith a scarlet Verbena. 
“ Also, if Delphinium magnified or Hcndersonii can be 
judiciously used to ‘bed’ Avith in a flower-garden. The 
colour is beautiful. Will they keep up bloom sufficiently to 
do so ? 
“ What is the best bedding Dahlia ? 
“ Can Mr. Beaton suggest an edging for his Shot-silk bed ? 
The edge always looks bare and shabby. Would any 
Verbena answer pegged, as Margaret or Vulcan, or any 
other ? ” 
[Your plant is the Variegated Mint, of Avliich you have 
heard so much this season. 
Delphinium Hcndersonii, treated as we said lately, will 
answer as a single bed by itself in some corner of the garden, 
not in a regular floAver-garden where a lot of beds stand 
together. The Avay to keep Mignonette green and in fresh 
bloom from May till November is to cut off every one of the 
floAvering shoots as soon as the seeds in the first seed-pod on 
the stem are full size—say to “ go over it ” every ten days in 
the season. Now, if you apply this ancient practice to 
Henderson s Larkspur and Deering's Fonnosnm Larkspur, the 
best of the tAvo, they Avill keep in bloom till October. They 
do not seed; but, Avlien the flower-spike is tAvo-parts gone, 
cut it off, and two more Avill come up in place of it. 
Tho best bedding Dahlia is yet, most undoubtedly, the 
dark purple Zelinda. The Crystal Palace Dahlia may yet 
turn out a good one, but this season it is not one-fourth so 
good or so sliOAvy as Zelinda. We may remark on bedding 
Dahlias that dwarfness is only one good “point;” bright 
colour is of equal importance. 
Mr. Beaton is horrified at the idea of putting an edging 
to a real Shot-silk bed; but, as no one else has yet been 
able to “ do ” this bed, any one may edge the hodge-podge 
imitations Avith Variegated Mint, or better Avith Cerastium 
