170 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 13, 1886. 
specimens are to be met with in various parts of the 
grounds. The fruit garden is well stocked with 
specimens of all the leading sorts in various styles of 
culture, showing that the ambition is to find out which 
way is best for the various varieties suitable for the 
position and neighbourhood. Basing Park gardens 
and grounds are full of interest, and Mr. Nicholson 
may well feel proud of his beautiful place ; the various 
departments are well kept, and at once prove that they 
are in the hands of a thorough all-round practical 
gardener. Mr. Smythe is to be congratulated upon the 
condition he keeps this place in ; his motto appears to 
be “what you do, do well.”— A. 0. 
-- 
SPRING GARDENING.— II. 
Forget-me-nots. 
"What an appropriate name for this innocent spring 
beauty and universal favourite ! Known and admired 
by all, young and old, it is accepted as one of the most 
charming bits of colour with which our gardens are 
adorned ; a plant, too, which, owing to the manner 
and ease by which any may increase it, has found its 
way into gardens far and wide ; and those of the 
humble cottager, as well as those of the lord or noble, 
may be found to contain its complement of this pleasing 
plant. It is not only pleasing in itself and by itself, 
for it may be made use of in a variety of ways where 
pleasing combinations are sought after, and be made to 
harmonise in a most delightful manner. The manner 
in which they are best employed is generally settled 
to meet the requirements of individual cases ; but one 
thing is certain, and that is, there need be no fear of 
having too much of the Forget-me-not, which, while 
innocent and lovely in the extreme, is not possessed of 
that intensity of colour which seems to absorb the 
attention of all upon entering a garden where such 
exists. 
Myosotis dissitiflora —for that is the best form of 
Forget-me-not for spring gardening—is adapted for 
disposition in a variety of ways, either in the garden 
proper or on sunny slopes, for naturalising, and in many 
other suitable ways where greenery other than its own 
ample foliage exists to harmonise with it. It is, in 
fact, a perfect treasure to any garden, and certainly we 
have no more valuable subject among the many vdrich 
are suited for spring bedding arrangements than the 
exquisite blue of the flowers of this Myosotis. I hardly 
know whether any comment on its increase is necessary, 
seeing it is so well known and understood ; at any 
rate, one or two observations may not be altogether 
lost. As soon as the plants are done flowering, which 
will be about June, lift and divide them into small 
pieces, trimming them up top and bottom, and replant 
in rows in small nursery-beds, giving a good watering 
if the weather be dry, a north border being preferable. 
By the arrival of autumn, fine plants will be formed, 
and may be planted in beds just as they are, or, if too 
large, divided into suitable-sized plants. Early in 
spring they will commence to yield that profusion of 
lovely sky-blue flowers, to which, undoubtedly, its fame 
is due. 
The plant is of biennial duration, but sows itself 
freely by seeds, and coming up hither and thither on 
rock-work in early spring are most effective. The true 
plant is a native of the Alps, where it was found by 
the late Mr. J. Atkins, of Painswick, near the Vogel- 
berg. It is the unique loveliness of this plant which 
makes Belvoir and its gardens such a floral paradise, and, 
while seen in great numbers, it is nowhere overwhelm¬ 
ing ; and I have no doubt that so long as spring 
gardening lasts this Myosotis will ever be to the front. 
Aubretias. 
These constitute a very pretty and easily-managed 
group of tufted Alpines, which, for the most part, 
thrive in almost any position or in any soil, and all 
beautifully adapted for spring gardening. Another 
point in their favour is that they will endure a great 
amount of shifting and transplanting, which, by the 
way, is very essential where spring gardening is carried 
on to any extent ; and it may be well to remark, in 
passing, that there are numbers of spring-flowering 
subjects all beautiful more or less in their way, and 
when occupying permanent positions form very im¬ 
posing objects, but which, at the same time, cannot 
endure that periodical planting and moving about that 
most spring-bedding plants have to endure ; therefore 
if space cannot be given these in permanent beds it is 
better to omit them altogether rather than, in a season 
or two, to have sacrificed a valuable lot of plants : some 
of those plants to which these remarks have special 
reference are Hellebores, Hepaticas, the whole of the 
Alpine Phloxes and many more, are all delightful 
when in flower, but they cannot endure constant 
removal. 
With regard to the Aubretia, we find aj group in 
no way bored with this drawback, but which, on the 
other hand, are patient and enduring, and they may 
be successfully treated in this way : after flowering cut 
them closely over with a knife, and if necessary insert 
under liandlights in sandy loam the cuttings, which 
.root readily. If from a variety of causes, e.g., a 
superabundance of work on hand at .the moment, it 
will not be worth the while to trouble about the cut¬ 
tings, rather wait till young shoots are formed, and 
then if stripped off, with a heel attached, will root 
more freely and soon form good plants ; if not necessary 
to increase the stock in this way, the old stools may be 
divided as soon as the young shoots appear, and 
planted in small nursery beds till required ; they may 
also be increased by seeds. The best kinds are 
Aubretia deltoidea grandifiora, A. Campbelli, A. 
grceca, A. violacea and A. Hendersoni ; these are all 
good forms, and if grown from cuttings or division may 
be depended upon, as the seedlings vary considerably ; 
one and all, however, are possessed of free-flowering 
qualities, the flowers ranging in colour from bluish 
violet to purplish blue, and when in good condition, 
and their spreading compact tufts carpeting the earth 
and covered with flowers, few plants are more charming. 
There are one or two very prettily marked variegated 
forms, but as they do not lend themselves to general 
cultivation in the same easy manner as the green¬ 
leaved forms, I will not further dwell upon them. 
The Yariegated Arabis. 
Where silver variegated foliage is needed, it can be 
supplied in the variegated Arabis, a plant of easy and 
free growth, and one which may soon be increased to 
any extent by cuttings alone ; these may be inserted 
in pots any time during the summer to the autumn, 
when they will soon form roots, and this, if followed up 
and the cuttings secured as they are formed from the 
tuft, a good stock may soon be had. In planting, 
choose a rather poorer soil than is usual for most plants, 
as this will lead to a brighter, and consequently, more 
effective variegation. The variety referred to is A. 
albida variegata, or variegated Bock Cress, this is the 
whitest variegated form ; the taller-growing yellow 
variegated variety is probably a form of A. cristata, 
and I have some recollection of meeting this latter also 
as A. mollis variegata. Either of these forms are good 
and enduring, and amongst the earliest of our spring 
plants to flower; indeed, it may often be seen in 
January en masse, with its cushions of pure white 
flowers, and at this early date it is certainly most 
welcome and cheering. 
The Yellow Alyssum. 
We will next note the yellow Alyssum, A. saxatile, 
which, with its variety compactum, are useful early- 
flowering plants ; easily reproduced from seed, and 
rooting readily from cuttings and layers, renders it an 
easily managed and, therefore, most valuable plant— 
at least to the masses, who require only such plants 
as are perfectly hardy, of free growth, and easily 
managed.— J. 
-•>$<-- 
DECORATIVE FERNS. 
At Mr. James Naylor’s, St. Hilda’s Nursery, Boxeth, 
Harrow, several houses full of some of the best examples 
of Ferns for decoration we have ever seen, are to be 
found. Whole houses are devoted to Mr. Naylor’s 
strain of crested Pteris serrulata, out of which that 
superb form recently awarded a First Class Certificate 
at the Boj 7 al Horticultural Society was raised. The 
whole of the plants are grown to perfection, and that, 
too, in a cool temperature, which may account for the 
fact, that scarcely a deformed or damaged frond is to 
be found among the vdrole stock. Among them we 
noted large batches of the charming and still not 
generally distributed Platyloma adiantoides (Pteris), 
which makes an elegant and well-furnished plant; of 
Asplenium biforme, which is the perfection of decorative 
Aspleniums ; of the Palm-like Pteris umbrosa, also not 
common, although introduced to Kew in 1824 ; and 
of several fine forms intermediate between it and P. 
cretica ; as well as the favourite P. serrulata, and many 
others. 
Mr. Boland Naylor, who manages this department, 
must be complimented on his adroitness in handling 
the stock, among which we observed a fine batch of 
the shining green Aspidium capense, which lasts almost 
as long as an Aspidistra for indoor work. While re¬ 
garding this same Aspidium capense (Swartz and 
Willdenow), we may quote it as an instance of the 
difficulties which beset the student who wishes for a 
perfect knowledge of Ferns. It is the Aspidium 
coriaceum of Schkuhr and others ; the Polystichum 
coriaceum of Both and others; the P. capense of 
J. Smith and others ; the Tectaria coriacea of Link ; 
the T. Calahuala of Cavanilles; the Bumohra as- 
pidioides of Baddi; the Aspidium macroporum of 
Bory ; the A. discolor of Langsdorff; the Polypodium 
argentatum, P. coriaceum, P. politum, and P. adianti- 
forme of four other authorities ; and—shall we pro¬ 
ceed ? We think not ; we think we have said enough 
to make everyone take up the study of Ferns for 
himself. 
-—- 
(Hardening §1iscellany. 
Madresfield Court Grape. —The interesting 
and practical notes upon this Yine have shown to your 
readers that the cracking or splitting of the berries 
may, with proper management, be partially, if not 
wholly, avoided without the aid of the gimlet. We 
have a small house containing two Yines of Madresfield 
Court, which enable us to give it especial treatment if 
required. At one time we were very much troubled 
with splitting, and I tried, as a remedy, for two seasons 
the “nicking” process, or partial severing of the 
laterals below the bunches, hut without any appreciable 
effect. Since then I have discontinued the “ nicking,” 
also the stopping of any laterals, after the first symptoms 
of colouring, and leave air on front and back night and 
day, with a little warmth in the pipes. This treatment 
has reduced the number of split berries to such a 
minimum that we should not think of giving up the 
culture of this handsome Grape. Now, a word to 
“Yitis” on his sweeping remark of wantonness on 
the part of any man to plant it as permanent in a 
mixed Vinery. I happen to have charge of one so 
planted in a border entirely outside. It grows in 
company^with Muscat of Alexandria, Alnwick Seedling 
and Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat, and until this year 
there was the Kempsey Alicante ; the latter has been 
discarded, it being considered by my employer only 
third-rate in quality. The Madresfield Court Vine in 
this house gives more satisfaction in every way than 
those planted in a house by themselves in a border 
partly inside and partly out; they ripen somewhat 
later, and put on a better finish in the mixed house. 
My experience with this mid-season Grape is that it 
has four points in its favour and three against it. 
First, it is a highly-flavoured black Grape of the 
Muscat type, one of the best, a robust grower, a very 
free setter, and will frequently show three bunches on 
a lateral ; and it has not the same tendency to shank 
that the Muscat of Alexandria has. The annual 
splitting of the berries in some hands and soils is a 
great drawback. It is also a bad traveller, and I find 
that the berries are very apt to go mouldy at the tips 
after they are thoroughly ripe and all danger from 
splitting is over. However, with these drawbacks I 
have kept it until the middle and end of December. 
This year I cut the last bunch on November Sth.— 
Thos. Simcoe, Cheltenham. 
Late Strawberries. —In your last issue refer¬ 
ence is made to ripe Baspberries being gathered in 
November. It is possible for everyone to have not 
only “several buuches of ripe Baspberries,” but a 
large dish every day, till frost stops the supply. I am 
now gathering a large dish of fine fruit daily, which 
are much appreciated ; the variety, Belle de Fontenay, 
was planted here seven years ago, and since then we 
have had an unbroken supply of Baspberries from July 
till November, and occasionally a few in December.— 
Christr. Deavin, gardener, Harewood Lodge, Sunning- 
hill. 
Xmpatiens Sultani.— This highly decorativo 
Balsam may be had in flower all the year round, where 
a stove temperature can be maintained. The secret of 
success lays in always having some young plants at 
hand ready to pot on. It roots very freely, and there 
