182 
THE GARDENING WORLD. Yovember 21, 1885. 
them some strong-growing Brambles or Blackberries, 
and I thought the association a suggestive one ; it 
seemed a good idea to utilise the railway embankments 
in such a useful and profitable manner. That Straw¬ 
berries would do well in such a position there could be 
doubt, the plants I saw were a very healthy looking 
lot, and free from weeds ; and in my own garden, 
which somewhat resembles a railway embankment, 
being on the side of a hill and facing north, they also 
do well. A nothem aspect I know is not the best for 
a garden, but in my case I am rather glad than other¬ 
wise that it is so, for the south side, in such summers 
as the two past, was very hot and dry. At the railway 
station the aspect was southernly, but as the line had 
only been made about two years, the plants had the 
advantage of the newly moved earth in which to push 
their roots in search of moisture. 
I have found by experience that Strawberries will yield 
good crops for some years in such a position without 
being renewed. I have a good breadth planted on my hill 
facing the north, and my practice is to annually remove 
so many rows, double-dig or trench the ground, heavily 
manuring it at the same time, and plant again. 1 have 
now some seven rows which were planted eight years ago, 
and the plants have regularly borne good crops, but next 
year will be their last. I do not know whether all va¬ 
rieties will do equally well under similar treatment, but 
the one I grow is the Vicountess Herieart cle Thury, 
which can always be depended upon. Strawberry plan¬ 
tations with me—and many more besides—do not bear a 
crop worthy the name until the second year. I never dig 
between them, but as soon as circumstances will permit 
after the crop has been gathered, I have the runners 
cut off, and the ground hoed or weeds pulled up by 
hand ; and in November the ground is heavily mulched 
with manure from the frame ground. The rains wash 
the nutriment down to the roots, and it prevents rapid 
evaporation when summer comes again. To remove 
the seedling weeds that will spring up, we surface-stir 
the ground in sunny weather with four-pronged forks. 
The Blackberry is a most useful but much neglected 
fruit, which ought to be more cultivated as a small fruit 
to succeed the Strawberry. Cottagers only, at present, 
may be said to thoroughly appreciate them, and it is 
well known that children will go miles in search of 
them. I read in one of the provincial papers, a few 
weeks ago, that the poor country people in Cheshire 
have this season gathered them in large quantities, and 
sent them to Birkenhead and some of the large Lan¬ 
cashire markets ; but this is not an exceptional case, 
for I remember that the cottagers did the same forty 
years ago, when I resided in the neighbourhood of 
Chester. Though still despised by well-to-do people, 
I think there is a good prospect of the Blackberry 
playing an important part in our food supply, and I am 
glad to see that the introduction of the “Wilson 
Junior” variety from America by Messrs. Viecars 
Collyer, &Co., of Leicester, has induced many gentle¬ 
men to turn their attention to Blackberry culture. I 
have myself been commissioned by a gentleman, who is 
a lover of all kinds of fruits, to obtain and plant some 
of the “Wilson Junior,” and they shall have the best 
attention I can give them. Our home supply of Apples 
is often so short, that anything that can be grown in 
quantity and cheaply outside the garden proper must 
be useful and valuable, and such, I believe, will be the 
cultivated Blackberries.— T. IV., East Em folk. 
-- 
WILLIAM J. MURPHY. 
The following remarks respecting our esteemed con¬ 
tributor, Mr. W. J. Murphy, of Clonmel, are taken 
from the last number of The Irish Farm, Forest and 
Garden, and may prove interesting to some of our 
readers :—Mr. Murphy is a graduate of the Government 
Farming Institute at Glasnevin, where, in open com¬ 
petition, more than twenty years ago, with 80 others, 
he won one of the first places. The Albert Farm, as 
it was called, had then for superintendent, Dr. Kirk¬ 
patrick, who was succeeded by Professor Baldwin, now 
of the Land Commission. Here for more than two 
years Mr. Murphy had the benefit of sessional lectures 
also from W. K. Sullivan, Ph.D., now President of 
the Cork Queen’s College ; Dr. Hodges, of Belfast; 
Dr. Moore, Ph.D., R.D.S., Botanic Gardens; James 
M‘Donnell, M.A., and many other eminent men in 
various spheres and subjects. A machine accident at 
this time deprived him of his left hand, and seriously 
interfered with some “high hopes and pious intentions” 
then entertained. A man with less energy and in¬ 
dependence of character would have gone home to his 
father’s farm in Carlow, looked after the cattle, or 
ended his days in some listless occupation. He faced 
the world, took the first position that offered, and was 
appointed Head Master and Agriculturist to the Local 
Board of Clonmel just twenty years since. Possessed 
of a careful, lucid style, his letters have invariably 
been welcome to editors. Instead of settling down to 
a hum-drum official existence, Mr. Murphy has spent 
his vacations in acquiring topographical and other 
knowledge, and adding to a well-stocked fund of general 
information, especially on gardening, farming, and col¬ 
lateral matters. 
In this way he has from time to time visited almost 
every part of Ireland, England, north and south, and 
seen much of France. The information thus acquired 
has not been “ hidden under a bushel,” for his letters 
and articles, published in our own pages, The Garden¬ 
ers Chronicle, The Garden, Journal of Horticulture, 
Farm and Home, The Gardening 'World, and local 
journals from time to time and year to year, would fill 
several volumes. To all these journals, from pure love 
of advancing his favourite subjects, Mr. Murphy is 
either an occasional or constant correspondent. From 
a gardening point of view, c.g., those who remember 
his description of “Kylemore Castle and Gardens,” Co. 
Galway, or Saunders’ Nurseries, Cork, in our columns ; 
“ Curraghmore, ” in Co. "Waterford, in The Gardeners' 
Chronicle; “Woodstock,” Co. Kilkenny, in The Gar¬ 
den; “Paris and Parisian Gardens,” or “Carter’s 
Nurseries, London,” in The Journal of Horticulture, 
several years since ; or the Newtownard Nurseries, Co. 
Down, in our own pages within the last few weeks, 
and so on ; need not be told of the versatile, graphic, 
and fluent pen, combined with considerable grasp of 
observation, Mr. Murphy wields. In all his correspond¬ 
ence, so far as we know, it may be repeated of him, that 
he never lost a friend or made a foe—if he cannot serve 
mankind in general, or individuals in particular, he 
he will do them no harm ; and this is no small com¬ 
mendation in these exciting times. 
-- 
Scottish Gardening. 
Garden Operations. —Having received of late 
a number of enquiries bearing on the subject of 
planting, sowing, &c., and the difference in treatment 
accorded to numbers of fruits, hardy plants, and vege¬ 
tables, necessitated by difference in latitude, altitude, 
and other climatic influences, has induced me to offer, 
periodically, some practical remarks suitable to the 
wants of those who require a little guidance in the 
management of their plots and gardens. It is pleasing 
to observe (in most unlikely places too) the amount of 
care and attention bestowed on the cultivation of fruits, 
flowers, and vegetables by many of the working classes, 
as well as by vast numbers of the middle class, who 
work in their gardens for recreation and enjoyment. 
It is not necessary that I should enter into details 
respecting the management under glass of Exotics and 
forcing, that being so well done already by others, and 
I have always found that instructions for one part of 
the country, suitable for glass structures, answers very 
well for another. It may be that in northern districts, 
where the sun is not so hot and nights lack the warmth 
so often experienced in southern latitudes, that a little 
more attention with artificial heat is necessary. The 
thermometer acting as a guide will always make the 
instructions of the ordinary southern calendars (and 
those especially 7 which are so explicitly written for The 
Gardening "VY op.ld) intelligible to the merest novice. 
It appears to me (from information gathered from 
well authenticated sources) that longitude has as much 
influence on vegetation in this Island as the effects of 
northern latitudes. We read of the moist but mild 
west, and of the early 7 supplies of produce from those 
districts which bring such good prices in the markets 
before cultivators in the exposed eastern parts can cope 
with the fortunate westerns ; • also, there are parts 
which the “Gulf Stream” is said to greatly affect. 
We have northerly regions along the coast of the Moray 
Firth, and the Black Isle (of Rosshire) has its name for 
climatic advantages well sustained. The absence of 
severe frosts in many northern districts, and the intense 
severity 7 of it in many 7 parts far south, often gives what 
is in other parts taken away. The valley of the Tweed 
records the lowest temperature which we have seen 
reported, while on the Ayrshire coast, Myrtles, 
Fuchsias of many 7 sorts, and plant Camellia in the 
open ground, are quite safe from climatic severity ; 
much more could be quoted to support our assertions, 
but, meanwhile, we will refer to the more pressing 
requirements (even during the dull season) of gardens 
in general. 
As soon as the trees are well cleared of their leafy 
coats, and a clearance of gardens and grounds can be 
made, with propriety 7 , of all objectionable material, 
which abounds at this season, steps should be taken to 
make every 7 part as presentable as possible. Leaves 
can be stored for forcing purposes, such as raising of 
Asparagus, Seakale, starting bulbs for winter flowering, 
and many of these are very charming during the short 
dark days. At present we have numbers of Roman 
Hyacinths finely 7 in flower. They 7 began about the 
middle of October, and by 7 succession will come in 
during several weeks to come. Good Oak and Beech 
leaves are of much value, and when decayed so that 
their heat-giving power is at an end, make a valuable 
potting compost. The clearing-up process does not 
end with the tree leaves, for there is much among 
vegetables which require attention, where order and 
neatness are of moment—and where there is any pre¬ 
tence to a garden at all, this should be important— 
such as the clearing away of remains of old crops, 
weeds, which have escaped vigilant eyes, the yellow 
“castings” of all the Brassica tribe (Brussels Sprouts 
especially), trimmings of herb beds, prunings of fruit 
trees and bushes, and anything which is offensive to 
the eye. 
Another important matter which should have prompt 
attention (if not already 7 thought of) is the necessary 
material for covering and protecting certain kinds of 
plants—fern, straw, weathered grass, ashes, tree leaves, 
sawdust, old tan, evergreen branches, &c., are some of 
the rough aud ready protecting articles often stored for 
emergencies. While one is ready to risk as long as 
possible the attacks of frost, it is not well to go so far 
as to be caught “napping.” We will refer to some of 
the more pressing things which are in danger, and 
require protection from sharp frost, and it may also be 
well to protect them, if possible, from damp. A dry 7 
well-drained soil does not give the high death-rate 
among tender plants, after severe winters, such as one 
has to experience in damp, low-lying, badly drained 
parts, &e. Draining is of primary importance, and 
the present time is most suitable for doing such work. 
Trenching, whether for flowers, shrubs, or vegetables 
(if done judiciously), is rewarded by healthy and 
vigorous growth. Deep tilth is generally approved of, 
and when the subsoil is sour, inert, or otherwise use¬ 
less, it should be brought to the surface in very small 
proportions. When turned over well in the bottom, 
and well covered with garden refuse—walk parings 
wood ashes and other refuse so common about 
gardens, the ground in -the course of time is greatly 
improved. The surface soil may be turned over 
roughly to the influence of the weather till required. 
At this season in well appointed vegetable gardens 
there should as yet be little vacant land ready for man¬ 
ipulation ; but autumn Cauliflowers, first batches of 
Celery, Sea Kale, Asparagus, Parsnips, and other crops 
will be removed soon, and then trenching and diggingmay 
follow. 1'here is always enough work even in well- 
managed gardens to keep the usual workmen employed.’ 
All repairs to walks, edgings, and general renovations, 
can be done well at this season. Box-laying while frost 
is absent should have timely attention. Turfing, re¬ 
arranging herb borders, collecting soil, making stakes, 
manure turning and wheeling, &c., levelling and such¬ 
like are among the general operations at this season, 
and when weather is inclement aud unsuitable for out¬ 
side work, roots, tubers, Onions, fruit stores, and other 
inside operations should have attention. Nothing of 
any value should be left to take its chance. 
Proceeding in alphabetical order, we would call 
attention to the protection of Globe Artichokes. A 
quantity of litter or leaves should be placed round the 
collars of the plants, and some soil laid against it form¬ 
ing a cone to throw off damp ; this forms a very suitable 
protection. Jerusalem Artichokes may have litter laid 
over them to enable one to remove from the soil supplies 
during the frosty weather ; a week or two’s supply may be 
lifted to meet the demand till a thaw takes place. As¬ 
paragus must be kept free from stagnant water, and a 
covering of soil or other protection placed over the beds 
or rows. Lifting Asparagus for forcing will now be 
