February 1, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
345 
is entirely beside the question. It all depends ; some¬ 
times I prefer one, and sometimes the other, but 
specially both !— A. F. Barron. 
unsuspicious countrymen—evidences of partiality so 
plentiful as to cause amusement rather than admira¬ 
tion. 
Doubtless the selections are very good, but not one 
high-class gardener here would adopt them in their 
entirety. Still less in making selections would they so 
palpably expose the sources from which they were made. 
If I had fifty seed lists before me, I would undertake to 
make fifty selections quite different from Mr. Murphy’s, 
and yet probably as good. Of course there would not 
be actual difference in all cases, because Smith’s 
Champion would be Brown’s Exhibition, and Jones’s 
Leviathan. 
There is a subtle touch of irony in the reference to 
the “ Noble Marquis ” who .will permit in growing for 
table use so common a variety as the Scotch Champion 
Potato. It is indeed news to us plebians to learn that 
Noble Marquises both grow and eat common Potatos. 
Whenever gardeners propose to give to readers select 
lists of vegetables, let them look up their catalogues 
and set down from memory only what they have grown ; 
we shall then have the garden minus the shop. — 
Briton. 
small pots should receive a shift into a size larger before 
the roots get in any way matted, or the plant will be 
inclined to throw up a single stem bearing only a few 
small flowers. A good compost for Cinerarias should 
consist of three parts good fibrous mellow loam, two 
parts of leaf-soil moderately well-rotted, and one-sixth 
of sharp silver or even clean river sand. After the pots 
get well filled with roots, give weak liquid manure twice 
a week. 
-- 
RUBBISH HEAPS. 
It is astonishing what a lot of refuse will accumulate 
in a garden of ordinary dimensions during a single 
year, and yet how useful a compost it is for manurial 
purposes when partly decomposed. It is generally a 
very rough mixture of a miscellaneous assortment, 
brought from all quarters— from the potting-shed, 
houses, Pea and Bean haulm, Cabbage stumps, lawn 
sweepings, mowings, weeds, road scrapings, and lots of 
other items, all commingled together in one universal 
heap. When thus collected and stored, it is usually 
too rough to be used in surface digging, but can be 
utilised in trenching if spread thickly at the bottom of 
the trench out of all possible 
reach of the spade in after 
surface digging. It will 
thus last for several years, 
yielding a constant supply 
of plant food, besides acting 
mechanically upon the soil in 
keeping it light and open. 
It is my general practice 
to mark out a piece of 
ground every autumn for 
trenching as early as possible, 
to which I have the rubbish 
wheeled instead of to the 
heap, and keep trenching a 
piece at a time, according 
to the supply, taking care 
to give the whole a regular 
dressing. It is a good place 
to work at before break¬ 
fast, as the mornings during 
winter are short, dark, 
and often cold, and it is also 
handy, especially if work 
is near the meals room. 
Refuse compost, when partly 
decomposed, has a very 
beneficial effect when spread 
about in shrubberies. I 
think it is a great mistake 
to rake out the autumnal 
leaves, as they are at once a 
source of food as well as a 
protection to the roots. I 
know it is a general practice 
to thoroughly rake out 
and clean shrubberies on 
pleasure grounds, with no 
thought of adding any 
manure to keep the ground 
in good heart, and that is 
the reason why we often 
see them in such a miserable 
condition. 
Some would say that 
Deglecting to rake the leaves 
out would give the place a very untidy appearance, and 
that every gust of wind would fetch them out, and 
strew the whole place. No doubt such would be the 
case unless they were wholly or partly covered with 
something to keep them down. Here the refuse may 
be utilised by wheeling it to the shrubberies and 
spreading it thickly over the leaves, and covering 
them completely. Such material supplies a good 
mulch, the result of which would be to induce a 
healthier and thicker growth. This may, perhaps, 
not give the place such a tidy appearance as raking, 
but still it is neat, and it is beneficial to the shrubs, 
and good, well-grown shrubberies always improve 
the appearance of a place. This is usually my practice 
wherever possible, and I have done a good deal of it 
this year ; it clears up the rubbish heap, prevents the 
leaves from scattering about, economises labour, and 
what is more to the purpose, keeps the shrubberies in 
good heart and condition. 
Unless refuse is very rough indeed it is much too 
valuable to burn, as by far the best portion of the 
plant food contained therein would be consumed by 
the fire. Garden refuse, especially the combustible 
nitrogenous part, is very rich in plant food, and it is 
- >X< - 
ST. LEONARD’S HILL, DUN- 
FERMLINE. 
On entering the historic town of Dunfermline, scenes of 
by-gone days pass in rapid succession through the 
mind, and for a moment the main object of our visit is 
lost to view. The visitor, as he wends his way along, 
soon comes in view of the fine residence of E. Beveridge, 
Esq., occupying a commanding position on the summit 
of a hill. On reaching the gardens, the first thing that 
strikes one is the splendid herbaceous border, full to 
overflowing with many valuable subjects ; and, in close 
proximity, is a bed of hardy Orchids, to which many 
consignments have recently been added ; but all being 
in a dormant state, attention centres on the houses. 
Considerable additions have been made to the Orchid 
collection of late, and the first thing that strikes one 
at this season of the year, on entering the East Indian 
house, is the grand display of Lielia anceps, with 
numerous flowers on a spike, 
of good size and colour. 
What a splendid Orchid 
this is when grown to per¬ 
fection, and away from 
the London fogs ! How it 
brightens up the Orchid 
houses during the short dull 
winter days, and especially 
when it is arranged with 
such subjects as Angra- 
cum sesquipedale, with its 
white waxy flowers and 
dark green foliage ; Cypri- 
pedium insigne, C. venus- ' 
turn, C. Hookera, C. Law- 
renceanum, C. bellatulum, 
C. Argus, C. Godefroy®, and 
numerous Dendrobes, in¬ 
cluding D. Wardianum, D. 
heterocarpum, D. Kingi- 
anum, D. Jamesiauum, and 
Cymbidium Lowii, arranged 
with exquisite taste, and 
giving that splendid blend¬ 
ing of colours which only a 
true gardener can appreciate. 
Cattleyas and Ccelogynes 
are now in sheath and 
spike, giving rise to great 
anticipations, to be realised 
during the coming months. 
In the cool house there 
were many subjects worthy 
of interest and admiration, 
the beautiful Odonto- 
glossum Alexandra taking 
a leading place, amongst 
which were some fine bold, 
round, and spotted-flowered 
varieties in the most robust 
health. Interspersed with 
the 0. Alexandra were Mas- 
devallia tovarensis, Sophro- 
nitis grandiflora, and Lfelia 
albida, all arranged with 
the same taste and care. Passing on to the conser¬ 
vatory, one is again struck with the gay appearance. 
Roman Hyacinths, Cinerarias, Cyclamens, Ericas, 
Solanums, and foliage plants, whose aroma fills the air, 
and for a little time the cold winds of winter are 
forgotten. The fernery is now reached, and here is a 
sight long to be remembered. The walls, as shown in 
the accompanying photograph, are covered with choice 
Ferns, Mosses, and Begonias, which make an excellent 
contrast with the foregoing. Mr. Grant, the head 
gardener, is an enthusiastic horticulturist, and has 
carried out many improvements in the gardens and 
pleasure grounds.—/. McNab. 
-- 
RELIABLE VEGETABLES. 
Our old friend Mr. Murphy’s vegetable selections would 
be more reliable were they less shoppy. The fact is 
the worthy Celt, sitting down with the seed lists of 
three English firms before him, dazzled by the brilliancy 
of the colouring found in their illustrations, the beauty 
of the covers, and the wealth of language found 
within the pages has, evolved from out of these books a 
selection, which bears on the face of it to a practical 
Britisher—whatever it may present to Mr. Murphy’s 
Fern-covered Wall at St. Leonard’s Hill, Dunfermline. 
CINERARIAS. 
If the Cinerarias are stood upon the bare staging of the 
greenhouse, close attention must be given that they do 
not get dry, as this is very prejudicial to the health of 
the foliage, and unless there is plenty of healthy 
foliage covering the pots, a good show of bloom cannot 
be expected. A cool bottom of ashes is the best, as it 
keeps more uniformly moist. Plenty of air may be 
given during the present mild weather, and the plants 
should on all occasions be near the glass, with sufficient 
room between each plant to prevent the foliage of one 
from overlapping that of another to any considerable 
extent. Another point of importance that must not 
be overlooked, is the freedom of the plants from insects, 
particularly green-fly, to ivhich they are very subject. 
Examine the under surface of the leaves, and also 
the flower-buds of the more advanced plants, for if 
they get established there the plants will be ruined in a 
short time. Fumigate lightly with tobacco on two 
successive nights, and syringe the plants well in the 
morning to dislodge the stupified or half dead insects. 
If the weather is fine the plants might be stood on a 
box out-of-doors while being syringed, so as to avoid 
wetting the interior of' the house. Bushy plants in 
