July 11th, 1885. 
713 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
kept filled and standing in the sun, when the water 
will not only have the temperature raised, but be 
softened by the action of the air, and thus made more 
fit for use. 
Tomatos ought now to be fruiting freely, and should 
have the shoots kept thin by cutting away all super¬ 
fluous growth that breaks from the sides of the main 
stems or comes from their base, and the same with 
some of the leaves if they over-shadow or cover the 
trusses of bloom, which‘require full light and sun to 
get them to set. What causes the flowers of Tomatos 
to fall before setting, is dryness at the root, to prevent 
which the best way is to mulch, as then when water or 
liquid manure is given it tells, and can soak in and do 
good to the plants. 
which obtained the certificate, and which was a perfect 
sheet of white—a sight that commanded the admira¬ 
tion of all who saw it. In the south of England, and 
especially in climatically favoured localities, Olearia 
Gunniana should become a favourite, and even where 
it will not endure the rigours of winter in the open 
air, it is well worthy of cultivation in the cool green¬ 
house. A New Zealand member of the genus, 0. 
Haastii, has proved to be not only quite hardy, but 
one of the finest of all autumn-flowering shrubs—and 
this too bears white Aster-like blossoms in the greatest 
profusion. Mr. T. S. Ware has Olearia Gunniana 
planted out upon his rockery at Tottenham, and there 
too, as at Coombe Wood, in the well-drained position 
afforded, it has proved its claim to be considered 
TREES AND FLOWERS. 
Among the chief silent friends, comforters, and 
cheerers of man are trees and flowers. I have some¬ 
times asked myself which gave me the more pleasure? 
Perhaps a reader will answer readily, “ flowers.” But 
think a moment! Time and continuity are great tests 
of friendship, and these tests trees will bear; for 
although flowers soon wither, die down, perish, trees 
are more constant; they abide by us always ; they are 
neighbours, I might almost say, for ever. Not only 
are trees with us in leafy June, one of the most 
enjoyable months of all the year, in their bright 
green splendour, but when autumn comes there 
they still are, clad in another garb of beauty more 
gorgeous, though not so gladsome; and even in 
OLEARIA GUNNIANA: FLOWERS WHITE. 
OLEARIA GUNNIANA. 
Though this beautiful white-flowering Tasmanian 
shrub has been known to connoisseurs of choice plants 
for some years under the name of Eurybia Gunniana, 
it is so seldom seen in other than select collections, 
that we hope by giving its portrait and directing 
attention to its undoubted merits, to be the means, to 
some extent at all events, of making it more widely 
known. Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons, with whom 
the plant has proved to be hardy in their Combe Wood 
Nursery, have frequently exhibited specimens at 
South Kensington, but it was not until May last that the 
Floral Committee awarded it a First-Class Certificate. 
It grows in the form of a bush from 3 ft. to 5 ft. high, 
with small oblanceolate, coarsely toothed leaves, 
silvery-white on the under side ; and in late spring 
produces myriads of its white, starry, composite 
blossoms on the ends of the branches as shown in the 
accompanying illustration taken from the example 
hardy, and in May and June flowers with wondrous 
freedom. The Messrs. Veitch, who have brought so 
many good plants of this character to the front, 
especially deserve our thanks for their attempt to 
popularize this excellent subject. 
Fruit Prospects in the Middle Rhine District. 
—The prospects of the fruit crop are on the whole 
very good. Apricots, Peaches, Plums, Pears, and 
Walnuts are plentiful, but not so Apples and Cherries, 
the latter of which have suffered much from cater¬ 
pillars, while the cold of last month and the intense 
heat of this have done great harm. Apple trees were in 
blossom in the cold weather of May, and they have 
on that account abnormally decreased. There is in 
this district a small increase of fruit this year. Corn 
and other cereals look very well, and promise a heavy 
yield. The Vine, so far as it is not frozen, is also 
coming on satisfactorily, and in protected places 
Grapes are here and there to be seen in blossom. 
winter who would wish to be without their tree neigh¬ 
bours ? The perfect symmetry of a tree is never 
better seen than in winter, and the dullest eye and 
heart recognize their vernal beauty. 
There are trees, too, which openly show no change 
in their leaves, and so gladden us all along the dreary 
season by their greenness. Moreover, in those that 
shed their leafy garb, see the fantastic forms of 
beauty which they become when decked by a hoar 
frost or a snow-storm, especially by the former. I 
would say nothing takes off the dreary feeling of 
winter so much as the presence around us of finely- 
grown trees. When all that out-of-doors formerly 
cheered us is gone, when flowers, Corn-fields, and 
green Grass, are no more, when hedges have become 
mere dark lines or intersected branchlets, yet the 
trees are there around us still, and present with us 
to comfort us. Perhaps no one can so thoroughly 
appreciate the value of fruit-trees as one bom, or 
having lived many years among them. The treeless 
