454 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
March 21st, 1895. 
From the time of Adam downwards, gardeners have 
been gentlemen, and gentlemen have been gardeners. 
The grandest gift to man, that of intellect and the 
power of acquiring knowledge, has been exerted more 
in efforts to grasp at an insight to nature by a study 
of the vegetable world than by any other study; and 
it would fill a book to name all the horticultural 
scholars from King Solomon to the present time who 
have benefited mankind by their researches. But 
apart from the fact that science gives us such a power 
over matter, it is in itself a most pleasant and 
interesting study; and we are raised by it to an 
understanding of the infinite wisdom and goodness 
which the Creator has displayed in all His works. Who 
that has felt the inexpressible delight of being able to 
follow, as it were, with the eyes the marvellous works 
of the great Architect of nature, and to trace the 
unbounded power and exquisite skill which are ex¬ 
hibited in the most minute as well as in the mightiest 
parts of the system can ever forego this luxury, or 
begrudge the time spent in acquiring a knowledge of 
science. 
I know there are persons to whom the odour of 
flowers, the cool appearance of the dark-green leaves, 
and the beautiful tints and various forms, nay, even 
the very flowers of Paradise would be objects of 
indifference ; but who can imitate or envy such ? They 
are but mere grovellers whose coarseness of taste is 
only fitted'for the grossest food of life .—A Gardener. 
PLANTING UNDER TREES. 
To keep up a healthy growth of plants under the 
drip and shade of tall trees, requires that constant 
care be given to the thinning and pruning of the 
trees, and also of the undergrowth of low trees and 
shrubs. Whenever the shade becomes so dense that 
the undergrowth begins to look weak and sickly, then 
pruning, or thinning of the trees, becomes absolutely 
necessary, if it is desired to retain the undergrowth in 
a healthy and pleasing condition. A neglect of this 
work for one or two seasons does more injury than is 
generally imagined, and is the cause of much worry 
and expense for years afterwards, in trying to renew 
the undergrowth. It is far easier, and much less 
costly, to preserve the first crop of undergrowth than 
to rear a second crop on the same ground, which is 
already exhausted of nutriment, and overrun with the 
hungry rootlets of the trees. When the injury is 
done, however, and it has become necessary to 
restore a green mantle to the surface of the earth, 
this can be accomplished with success, if the work is 
judiciously performed, and a proper selection of plants 
made which are known to thrive well in the shade of 
trees. 
There are a few species of trees under the shade of 
which no other tree or shrub will thrive—either from 
their dense canopy overhead, their surface-rooting 
habits, or, what is less common, the deleterious nature 
of the drip from their leaves or branches. All 
evergreen trees are more or less injurious to under¬ 
growth, and it is rarely seen in a vigorous state 
beneath them. This is most marked in the ever¬ 
green Conifers, and particularly the Spruces, which, 
besides having a thick and close canopy, are also 
surface-rooting, and consequently the ground beneath 
their shade is generally bare of vegetation, refusing 
to be clothed under the most skilful treatment. 
Among deciduous trees, the Beech and Horse Chest¬ 
nut are the most injurious to the vegetation under 
them, mostly from their heavy umbrageous heads, and 
especially the surface-rooting habit of the Beech. 
Beneath such trees it is most difficulty to get any 
ligneous plant to live, and they never will thrive ; 
although, where the cost is not an object, a green 
appearance may be kept up for a time. 
There is no difficulty, except in the cases already 
noted, in planting and growing a healthy crop of 
evergreen shrubs and low trees beneath deciduous 
trees when well managed and with ample space for 
their full development. 
Of low trees, Holly and Yew are the best evergreens 
for this purpose, and they will thrive in almost any 
soil, free from stagnant moisture, in which deciduous 
trees grow well. Among shrubs, the common 
Bhododendron (R. ponticum), Mahonia (Berberis 
aquifolium), and Box, are the best, and grow well in a 
great variety of soils and situations. The Rhodo¬ 
dendron is the most beautiful, and thrives in almost 
every variety of soil not strongly impregnated with 
calcareous matter. It has a partiality for moist soils, 
and a cool subsoil; but thrives admirably on a stiff 
clay, as well as on a light sandy soil, if of moderate 
depth, and it has proved hardy enough to withstand 
the rigour of our severest winters, even at high 
altitudes and in exposed places. The Mahonia 
closely approaches the Rhododendron in general 
usefulness. It grows freely in the same soils, and 
has no aversion to lime in the soil. It is easily 
raised from seed, which it produces in abundance 
in this country, and it ought to be more cultivated 
for undergrowth than it has yet been. The Box is a 
very accommodating plant, and thrives under dense 
shade as freely as any other shrub we possess; but it 
must not be planted in soil impregnated with saline 
matter, nor within reach of the spray from the ocean, 
as salt in any shape is fatal to it. The Yew, 
Rhododendron, and Box are proof against the attack 
of ground game, a most valuable quality in under¬ 
wood. In the severest winters, rabbits may slightly 
nibble them, but they are never seriously injured, or 
killed outright, like Holly and young forest trees. 
The common Bay Laurel, Portugal Laurel, Aucuba 
japonica, Evergreen Privet, Arbutus, and Laurestinus, 
are all excellent evergreen shrubs, and grow well in the 
shade ; but are liable to damage from ground game, 
and severe frost. The Portugal Laurel is the hardiest 
of them, and the most satisfactory to the planter. Of 
smaller shrubs, the Spurge Laurel, Euonymus, Coton- 
easter, Butcher’s Broom, Common Broom, and Furze are 
all useful for certain soils and purposes. For simply 
covering the ground beneath trees with a green carpet 
of vegetation, nothing excels Ivy, Periwinkle, and St. 
John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum), in the order 
named. These all thrive well in the shade, but enjoy 
a moderate share of light and sunshine, and should 
always receive it. Deciduous flowering-trees and 
shrubs, such as Lilac, Scarlet and Double-Flowered 
Thorns, Laburnum, Guelder Rose, Mock Orange, 
Flowering Currant, and the like, should be freely 
mixed in clumps or singly, among the evergreens. 
In all cases where it is desired to get up an under¬ 
growth, it is most important to prepare the ground 
thoroughly before planting it. If it is full of roots, 
holes should be dug, at least a foot in depth, and of 
sufficient diameter, spreading the exhausted soil taken 
out over the surface, and filling the holes with fresh, 
rich soil, in which the plants may get a good start. 
Top-dressing with fresh soil, well-rotted manure, or 
compost, is also very effective; and if dry weather 
follows on the planting, watering the plants is neces¬ 
sary till they get a hold of the ground, and are growing 
freely.—D., in Forestry. 
■ -- 
PROTECTING PLANTS FROM 
SLUGS, 
In many gardens, but more especially in those 
where Box is used as an edging to the walks, slugs 
are a perpetual worry to the gardener, particularly 
in showery weather; and to successfully keep them 
from the crops frequently taxes his ingenuity. Form¬ 
ing lines on all sides of the plant with a mixture of 
soot and lime, and sometimes wood-ashes in place 
of the latter, in fact anything that is dry and dusty 
will prevent the slugs from passing over the line, so 
long as it keeps in that state, but as soon as rain 
comes and wets the mixture it loses its most valuable 
property. Dusting the plants when damp overhead 
with the same kind of mixture also answers well until 
rain comes, and if the showers are not too frequent, 
several applications will sometimes allow the plants 
to get to such a size as to be able to take care of 
themselves; but should showers come so often as to 
necessitate the application being renewed every day, 
it will most likely result in an overdose of soot and 
lime, and the failure of the remedy into the bargain. 
A plan successfully practised and recommended by 
Mr. R. Gilbert, of Burghley, is to wind-up some wisjjs 
of hay-bands and lay them about on the ground 
where the slugs are troublesome. The slugs take 
shelter under these wisps, and I have known dozens 
of them to be found on the ground under one single 
wisp. All that has to be done with the wisps is to lay 
them in a fresh place from time to time, and dust the 
backs of the troublesome pests liberally with soot and 
lime; the operation must be followed up every day when 
the weather is mild and moist. Pieces of tile, slate 
or board will attract them also, when they should be 
removed and treated similarly to those under the 
wisps. It is a very good plan where the men do not 
live far distant from then- work, to look in either 
late at night or very early in the morning in the 
summer months, and sprinkle the plants that are 
being attacked, as well as the backs of the offenders, 
with the soot and lime. I have gone with a lantern 
and done this myself, and the next morning found 
the depredators in the midst of the dust, and being 
unable to conceal themselves were dried up by the 
sun’s rays the same day. 
Hand-picking is by no means to be despised, but 
not such hand-picking as I remember seeing on one 
occasion. The man was troubled by the slugs attack¬ 
ing his Cinerarias in a frame. He remarked, “Bother 
these slugs, I can’t keep them away.” He picked 
them up one by one while he was speaking to me and 
threw them over the side of the frame, only to return 
to his Cineraria plants with perhaps a better appetite. 
“ Catch and kill ” is a piece of good advice that is never 
better given than when slugs are in question, and we 
now adopt it every morning on which the slugs are 
crawling about, all available hands being set at the 
work. One day last year we calculated that 1,500 
were picked up in and about the kitchen-garden in 
little more than an hour by five pairs of hands. When 
slugs are troublesome under glass, there is no other 
remedy than to “ catch and kill ” that I am aware of, 
but it is a good plan to lay Lettuce leaves about to 
attract them, so that we may more readily find them, 
and also prevent their ravages on the more valuable 
occupants of the houses during our absence.— C. 
Warden, Clarendon. 
—— 
TRUFFLE HUNTING. 
Havixg heard much in conversation, and from time 
to time read a great deal concerning Truffle hunting, 
I have for some considerable time been imbued with 
a strong desire to participate in so novel and interest¬ 
ing an occupation ; but not until recently has an 
opportunity presented itself; and coming as it did 
quite by accident as it were, and altogether unexpected, 
the occasion proved to be one of unmixed pleasure. 
“ How do you do, anything particular coming off this 
afternoon ?” is the self-imposed introduction to our 
Truffle hunter, who, with his three dogs, steps out of 
the trap belonging to our local superintendent of police, 
who had given him a lift on the way. “ W T ell, I want 
just to try your park here with my little dogs to see if 
I can find a Truffle or two,” is the rejoinder of our 
new acquaintance, who with his knee-breeches and 
gaiters, velveteen jacket, hunting cap, and steel- 
pointed staff, is a good representative of one phase 
of our good old English rusticity, and would attract a 
good deal of attention if one were to meet him in the 
Strand, going in the direction of Covent Garden. 
Conversation respecting his avocation becomes 
quite interesting, and it very soon becomes evident 
that the man is highly pleased at something, whether 
with his ride with the superintendent, or at the pros¬ 
pect of filling his capacious pockets with Truffles we 
cannot say, but he soon informs us that he has done 
“ pretty tolerable this season, out almost every day.” 
This has been for him something of the nature of a 
field-day, he having by appointment been to Captain 
-’s to give the said Captain and his friends a 
day’s hunting for Truffles. “ Well, time is getting on, 
and the days are short, shall we go through the park 
and see if the keeper is at home?” is the first utterance 
after our preliminary conversation, “ Yes, come 
along, we will go the nearest way,” is the rejoinder. 
Two of the dogs are chained and coupled, the 
remaining one running at large, and we have not gone 
more than a hundred yards from the park gate before 
the latter “marks” game. “What is it?” says the man; 
no sooner said than the dog is hard at work scratching 
away with his fore-feet, one after the other in quick 
succession ; down goes the steel-pointed staff, and our 
first Truffle is brought to light; and what a singularly- 
shaped black-looking object it is ! But being rather 
under-sized, no larger than a marble, it is given to the 
dog, together with a small piece of bread as an 
additional reward. The dog is well satisfied, or at 
least appears to be so, and the man has barely time 
to express an opinion regarding the luck we are likely 
to meet with, when his little friend, with nose on the 
ground, running hither and thither, “ marks ” his 
