June 13, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
657 
Aspidistras flowering. —Oh, yes, Querist, Aspidis¬ 
tras bear flowers. Probably the fact of their being 
so insignificant with regard to size, and moreover 
produced quite close to the ground, has prevented you 
from discovering them. 
-- 
A WALK IN THE COUNTRY. 
It is said of Braunton, that half of the wild flowers 
known in Devon are to be found in this parish. Be 
this as it may, I found many there, when on a stroll on 
May 30th, I visited Saunton Sands, taking the train 
from Exeter to Braunton, a little station nearly mid¬ 
way between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. 
The road runs from the station due west, and 
owing to the drought was exceedingly dusty, but we 
found there an early yellow Toad-flax bursting into 
flower, Foxgloves out in plenty, an early Scabious, 
Honeysuckle and Dog-roses, though the latter were but 
just coming into bloom. The flowers of the Goat’s- 
beard were particularly noticeable, closing as we 
passed at mid-day. This is truly a clock flower, and 
if report may be believed, noontime may be ac¬ 
curately fixed by the action of its petals wherever the 
flower grows. On most of the walls the biting Stone- 
crop was growing, its yellow flowers just coming into 
bloom, and the Ivy-leaved Toad-flax, which seems to 
require very little moisture. At Exeter it is very 
abundant on the old walls of the city, and is to be 
seen in bloom as early as March. 
Turning out of the road we went through some 
meadows of a boggy nature, intersected by dykes, and 
here found Samolus Valerandi, a diminutive plant with 
small white flowers, but a specimen to be proud of; 
and thesmaller Water Plantain, a very graceful plant 
both in growth and flower, and one which I would 
suggest m ight well be cultivated for its elegance. The 
common Pennywort was in full flower in the hedges, 
and there was plenty of the Marsh Pennywort 
growing by the side of the ditches, but I did not 
discover any of its flowers. The Marsh Orchis (O. 
latifolia) was resplendent among the yellow Irises; 
and the hedges were full of our other Iris which bears 
very pretty purple and yellow flowers, with none too 
sweet an odour : though I cannot agree that it 
merits its specific name of " most stenchfull." 
Ourwayledus on to the sanddunes wheremuchwild 
Privet was growing, and the sands were bedecked with 
the blue flowers of the common and the field Viper’s 
Bugloss, the Hounds-tongue and the Dyer’s Rocket. 
Of the latter plant Linnaeus observes that it follows 
the course of the sun, even when obscured by clouds, 
pointing throughout the day in its direction, turning to 
the east at the dawn of morning, looking southwards 
at noonday, saluting the westward at sunset, and at 
mid-night standing due north. The Yellowwort was 
just coming into bud ; and the Hound’s-tongue was 
producing its seeds and flowers on thesame stalk, while 
the Hemlock Stork’s-bill was to be found everywhere 
with its small lilac flowers. We found two species 
of Spurge, the erect sea Spurge and the Portland 
Spurge, White Horehound, wild Sage, and some 
flowers of the curious lesser Broom Rape, the plants 
apparently growing as parasites on the Ragwort. I 
must not omit mention of the Hoary Stock, of which 
there was an abundance, and a pure white variety of 
theViper’sBuglosswhich Ihave never found before.— 
J. C. Stogdon. 
-- 
ROSA MULTIFLORA MINIATURE. 
The typical or original R. multiflora is a native of 
China and Japan, from whence it was introduced in 
1822 ; but for many years it was neglected and lost. 
Recent introductions of it show it to be a charming 
Rose producing a profusion of small white flowers in 
May and June. The varieties which have been 
raised from this species are exceedingly numerous, 
and many of them are amongst the most highly 
esteemed of garden Roses. They are of various 
colours, but the double ones are by far the most 
numerous and common. They are best known in 
gardens as Polyantba Roses, but the Greek polyantha 
has precisely the same meaning as the Latin multi- 
flora, mamely, many flowered, and the latter is the 
older name. 
Miniature, the variety under notice, was raised by 
M. Alegatiere, and has double flowers of beautiful 
form and of pale rose colour, fading almost white 
with age. They are produced very freely in clusters 
terminating the shoots, as the accompanying illustra¬ 
tion of a spray or shoot will show. It is now in 
season and will continue for sometime until all the 
young shoots are fully developed. For pot culture 
it answers admirably, and flowers for cutting may be 
had much earlier in spring than in the open air, by 
this method of cultivation. For bedding purposes 
it is admirable and elegant. 
THE MANAGEMENT OF SOILS AND 
THE APPLICATION OF MANURES.* 
It is a well known fact that soils vary almost as 
much, if not quite as much, as the vegetation that 
grows upon them ; they are constituted originally of 
various mineral and saline substances, and subse¬ 
quently, these have in many cases, additions of more 
or less amount of organic substances. The mineral 
or inorganic substances in the soil, are derived from 
the degradation of rocks; the organic, from the decay 
of vegetable or animal matter. The degradation or 
decomposition of the rocks, has been brought about 
Rose Miniature. 
by the action of water, carbonic acid, and oxygen, 
all combined in the atmosphere. These rocks also 
vary in their composition; and according to how 
they are acted upon by chemical agencies, do they 
form various kinds of soils. Good fertile soils are 
produced solely from the rocks, after being acted 
upon by the above agencies. The basis of these soils 
consists of sand or silicious earth, silicate of alumina, 
or fine clay, lime, oxide of iron, and in some cases 
phosphates. 
The subsequent addition of organic portions of the 
soil have considerably increased its fertility; this 
being the natural decay of vegetable or animal 
matter, is called humus ; and is much darker in 
colour, being a dark brown, and in some cases 
closely approaching a black colour. In some localities, 
soils have become considerably mixed, this having 
*A paper read at a meeting of the Chiswick Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Association by Mr. W. J. Simpson, 
Acton. 
been brought about by various causes; violent 
eruptions are considered to have played an important 
part in this matter, together with winds, floods, etc. 
The materials being mechanically mixed together, 
with the addition of organic matter, have been 
proved to be of the most fertile nature; and they 
afford an infinite diversity of soils, independently of 
the few or many saline matters which they may also 
contain in a greater or less quantity. As the varieties 
of soils are so numerous, and run one into the other, 
in no regular order, it will appear obvious that their 
classification in a definite form is a difficult matter. 
For practical purposes I will mention six kinds, 
namely, clayey, loamy, sandy or gravelly, marly, 
calcareous, and humic soils; these, however, vary 
considerably in their constituents, and are more or 
less fertile according to their composition, but may 
all be considerably improved by judicious manage¬ 
ment. Taking them in the order named, clayey or 
argillaceous soils form the most difficult and expensive 
to manage ; they vary considerably both in their con¬ 
stituents and colour, according to the amount of 
silica or sand they contain, together with various 
other substances such as oxide of iron, in some cases 
lime, potash, soda, and red sandstone, this latter 
giving the red colour to some clays, while the green 
and blue colours are owing to the presence of iron in 
different states of oxidation. Clay soils are very 
retentive of moisture, therefore draining becomes an 
absolute necessity, and is of primary importance if 
the cultivation of the most important kinds of vege¬ 
tation is to be successfully accomplished. Although 
clay soils in their natural state are not best suited to 
the generality of garden crops they are very 
productive, after being improved by the addition of 
lime, sand, fine ashes, or anything that will tend to 
make them more porous, to enable them to more 
freely admit the beneficial effects of the atmosphere. 
Deep digging or double digging is of great impor¬ 
tance when judiciously performed ; I say judiciously, 
because sometimes this operation is indifferently per¬ 
formed, and without due regard as to the wisdom of 
doing so. Previous to the performance of the opera¬ 
tion of double digging or trenching, as the case may 
be, it is well to bear in mind the fact that the most 
fertile portion of the soil is invariably on the surface 
(that is in the case of soil in its natural state and 
which has not previously been under deep cultiva¬ 
tion). It is obvious then that it would not be prudent 
to turn the best portion of that soil much below 
the reach of young crops ; on the contrary, it should 
remain near the surface. The bottom or subsoil 
should be thoroughly well broken up, a good stiff 
fork being the best tool for the purpose, and a portion 
of the material intended for the improvement of the 
soil should be well worked in, the surface coming in 
for a share of it. If this operation is performed in 
the autumn, and it is intended not to be cropped for 
the winter, the surface should be thrown up into 
ridges, and left as rough as it is possible to leave it, 
thus enabling it to readily absorb the fertilising 
effects of the atmosphere and allow access to the 
frost. The penetrating effects of the latter render 
good service in the thorough pulverisation, perform¬ 
ing that operation better than any other agency, the 
value of which is of the highest importance to the 
cultivator. 
During early spring the ridges ought to be forked 
down when the soil is in a fit state, still leaving the 
surface rough (unless required for immediate 
cropping) so that the frost and winds may act upon 
it, when it will then be in readiness to receive any 
crop it is desired to put into it. I maj here mention 
that working on such soil while in a wet state should 
be avoided as much as possible, but the actual 
digging may be performed while the soil is in a moist 
state, the work being accomplished in that case with 
greater ease. The advantages in working the soil in 
this manner are apparent in more ways than one. In 
wet seasons the surface soil is more effectually 
drained, owing to the subsoil being broken up, thus 
rendering it somewhat more favourable for the 
growth of crops, and in dry seasons the greater 
depth of cultivated soil admits the roots to work 
deeply into it, and enables them to stand against a 
long period of dry weather, much better than when 
ordinary digging only is practised. 
Clay soils that are dug during the summer-time 
require watching to enable them to be properly 
worked for seed growing. When being dug they 
require a deal of labour to break the surface 
sufficiently for the reception of ordinary seeds. It is 
