June 30, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
693 
tidiness which was not nearly so good. A. has the 
advantage of a slightly larger garden, and cultivates 
more variety and with much greater skill, although as 
to position in life there is not much difference between 
them.— E. Molyneux, Hants. 
- ->£<- - 
THE ROSE GARDEN. 
Though in many districts the Rose maggot has this 
season given an infinite amount of trouble, Roses 
generally appear to be unusually free from aphis, and 
they look lusty and full of promise, and those that 
' have bloomed have yielded fine flowers. The recent 
rains have refreshed and nourished the plants, and they 
have put forth a generous growth in consequence. 
Roses are decidedly late this year, and, I think, the 
exhibitions to be held in the second week in July will 
catch the very best of the flowers. 
Now that warmer weather has set in, various enemies 
of the Rose will put in an appearance. No doubt many 
amateurs have seen what appears to he a spot of spittle 
on the leaf axils of their Rose plants. This is known 
as “cuckoo spittle” by many country people, and it is 
found to contain within it a small insect that pierces 
the flesh of the wood, causing the sap to exude in the 
form of spittle. A watering overhead from a rose 
watering pot will do a great deal towards washing this 
pest away, but it is always well to destroy the insect 
found within the spittle. Green-fly will soon become 
very troublesome if fine dry weather sets in, as it is 
likely to do, and those who make a point of exhibiting 
Roses in July will find it necessary to take every pre¬ 
caution against the spread of the fly. Earwigs are 
likely to become very troublesome also. There is an 
additional reason for looking after the green-fly ; one 
insect soon multiplies into an incredible number, and 
their extermination must be proceeded with vigorously. 
Tobacco water, tobacco powder, and other articles can 
be used for the purpose, but it is necessary that washing 
be well followed up. 
There are two diseases, if they may be so termed, to 
which the Rose is subject, namely, mildew and red rust. 
Mildew generally appears later in the season, when the 
weather is becoming damp and cold, and it is then the 
mildew fastens itself upon the under sides of the leaves. 
It can be kept in check only by dusting the leaves with 
dry flowers of sulphur, and a few dressings soon have 
the desired effect. The rust generally appears about 
August, and sometimes sooner, as it did last season, and 
the best method of dealing with it is to pick off the 
spotted or infected leaves as soon as possible, and 
promptly burn them. It is very difficult to effect a 
cure; sulphur may be employed, but it does but 
little good. In picking the affected leaves it should 
be done with care, for there is a danger of sowing the 
spores broadcast, and so assisting to propagate the pest. 
One thing Rose growers should do; that is, keep their 
plants growing as vigorously as possible. They should 
sprinkle overhead, water at the roots, giving a thorough 
good soaking when it is applied, and putting on the 
surface of the soil a good mulching of manure ; this last 
is all the more necessary where Roses are planted in a 
light soil. There is nothing like a good deep loam 
resting upon the clay to grow Roses to perfection. — Jl. D. 
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TWO BEAUTIFUL IRISES. 
Iris Susiana, although original!} 7 introduced in 1573 
from the Levant, is still anything but common in this 
country, and seems destined never to become every¬ 
body’s Iris, probably from the fact that it requires more 
attentiou to preserve or flower it. Hardy subjects 
to become popular with the million require to be able 
almost to take care of themselves when once planted. 
The unfamiliar appearance of the flowers, and the 
singular arrangement of colours should, however, offer 
great inducements to lovers of hardy flowers to take 
a little trouble with it. Both the standards and the 
falls are densely netted with brownish black veins on 
a white ground. In its nearest ally, I. iberica, the 
broad petaloid divisions of the style are sharply re¬ 
flexed, and appear to press upon the falls. Judging 
from the frequency of both the species mentioned at 
recent exhibitions, they are receiving increasing atten¬ 
tion at the hand of growers—a fact affording great 
satisfaction. The English Aris (Iris xiphioides), be¬ 
longing to the bulbous or Xiphion section, was 
introduced in 1571 from Spain, and has proved 
perfectly hardy and suitable for our climate. The 
frequency with which we have met it in gardens 
generally, including cottage gardens, is sufficient proof 
of the readiness with which it responds to the art of 
cultivators, whether skilled or not. The commonest 
and probably oldest form has deep blue, large, and 
striking flowers ; but it has given rise to a great variety 
of colours of the most brilliant hues. The Spanish 
Irises, varieties of I. (Xiphion) vulgaris, are now in full 
flower, while the English Irises have just commenced, 
and will continue the season of these grand flowers till 
the Japan Iris (I. hevigata), better known as I. 
Kasmpferi, comes into bloom. 
-- 
THE SOUTHPORT BOTANIC 
GARDENS. 
Though this establishment appears to be more of a 
pleasure than a botanical garden, it is an interesting 
place for the horticulturist to visit, especially those 
who are at a loss to know what to plant in sea-side 
gardens. The grounds, which are about thirty acres 
in extent, were, I believe, laid out by Mr. Shaw, of 
Bowdon, about thirteen years ago, but whoever was the 
landscape gardener, he seems to have made the best of 
what must have been a piece of land as flat as a pan- 
Iris Susiana. 
cake, at no very remote date -washed over by the sea. 
But what struck me most was the manner in which the 
trees and shrubs thrive and gain sufficient root-hold to 
prevent them being blown over by the wind. During 
my brief visit and momentary interview with Mr. Fish, 
the curator, who appears to be constantly “button¬ 
holed” by someone, I learnt that the following trees 
and shrubs did very well in the sand The Canadian 
and Ontario or Balsam Poplar, Sycamore, Elm, Pinus 
austriaca, here and there the Mountain Ash, Salix 
babylonica, S. caprea pendula, and I noticed as I rode 
on the tramcar another species of Salix growing wild 
on the sand, also odd bushes of Furze. The common 
Privet is in thousands of front gardens either as a bush 
or hedge, and so is the double-flowered Hawthorn. 
Hollies do well, but none better than the variety 
Hodginsi, which forms a perfect hedge if desired. 
The Lavender and Southernwood are popular plants in 
front gardens, and many of the houses are clad with 
Ivy. 
The herbaceous ground here is a treat to lovers of 
these old-fashioned hardy plants. Most of them are 
named, and are arranged in masses in a series of narrow 
beds, nursery fashion, and the dry sand paths admit of 
their being examined in the wettest of weather, 
without the slightest inconvenience. For instance, 
there were scores of Doronicum austriacum and hundreds 
of Primroses, Polyanthuses, Auriculas, Pyrethrums, 
Mimulus, Daisies ; and in less numbers, Aubrietia 
purpurea, Veronica spicata, Centaurea montana, 
Lupins, Chrysanthemum odorata, Violas, Lavender 
and Iris germanica of sorts. There would be nothing 
noteworthy in seeing these in any garden ground, 
but to see them growing in sand I wondered how to 
account for their existence after the dry weather we 
have had ; and however they survived the heat and 
drought of last season is a mystery. 
The temperate Fernery is a source of great attraction 
to the operatives from the large manufacturing towns 
of the north. The plants are placed out in an arrange¬ 
ment of cork and tufa, the most conspicuous being 
Dicksonia antarctica, Cyathea, Woodwardia radicans, 
Cyrtomium falcatum, and Begonias of the Rex type. 
From this house there are two entrances through the 
side wall into the conservatory, a house about 50 yards 
long, 22 yards wide, and of great height, with a double 
lantern roof across one end. On the side stage is a 
collection of succulents, protected by wire netting—an 
arrangement, combined with the quaint appearance of 
this class of plants, that excited the curiosity of the 
bystanders, the more timid of whom appeared to be 
dubious as to whether the wire guards were for their 
protection or the plants. There are several other 
houses devoted to plants, Cucumbers, Tomatos, and 
Grapes. The latter, I should say, are well grown, 
judging from what I saw of them through the glass, 
the doors being necessarily locked against the public. 
The Vines are growing in a sharp-pitched, lantern- 
topped, span-roofed range, about 70 yards long and 
7 yards wide, having a narrow border outside as well as 
the width of the house inside, the soil for which must 
have come some distance. The pleasure ground, with 
its walks, flower beds, and borders, was in excellent 
order, far surpassing many a private garden of the 
present day.— JF. P. E. 
-- 
GARDENING ON THE SEA- 
BEACH. 
Last year the Southport corporation converted several 
acres of the sea-deserted beach into a pleasure garden, 
with flower beds cut in the grass and capacious walks 
for promenading, The whole backed seaward, with 
irregularly formed banks of earth, studded with roots of 
trees, logs of timber, and stones with plants between. 
How these will succeed I hope to let you know at some 
future time, after a more extended trial. The beds of 
Iris germanica of sorts were nearly over, and had 
flowered grandly. 
The newly laid ground joins the promenade and 
recedes gently towards the sea, the banks of earth 
referred to being supported by a retaining wall, against 
which there are seats, flanked by a broad walk ’some 
hundreds of yards long. Some distance from here a 
lake has been formed, which at certain tides is 
replenished with water. On the side nearest the sea 
there is a line of brushwood, with others running sea¬ 
ward obliquely from it to prevent sand and refuse from 
getting into the lake and interfering with the boating, 
which was being vigorously conducted. The rent 
received from the boatmen will, I was informed, soon 
repay the corporation for providing this healthy 
recreation, with far less risk than on the sea, which with 
an ebb tide appeared to me to be two or three miles 
distant. 
Seeing that there was no other earth but sand at 
Southport, I was at a loss to understand how founda¬ 
tions had been secured for the thousands of houses and 
public buildings of the town. Meeting with one who 
had been largely engaged in the building trade, I 
addressed the question to him. “Ah!” he replied, 
“the good old book tells us that the foolish man built 
his house on the sand, and the rain descended, and the 
floods came, &c.; but I can assure you that sand is the 
best of foundations.” I met more invalids than fools 
in Southport, and yet every individual dwells in 
buildings erected on the sand. How they would fare 
if the sea at no distant date should return to its old 
bed as fast as it has left it one is afraid to say. 
Probably the truth of the Scripture parable would then 
be verified. — IF. P. E. 
Weeding, &c. —Keep the hoe and rake going where- 
ever weeds appear, as in most cases they have been 
stealing a march on gardeners where the work of 
bedding and planting out has occupied much time. 
In wet weather the weeds must be raked off or cleared 
away to prevent them running to seed, filling the 
ground, and occasioning no end of trouble afterwards _ 
