November 24, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
205 
the site and trench the soil fully 3 ft. in width and 
two good spits deep, breaking up the bottom of the 
trench with a fork and working in some good rotten 
manure between the bottom and top spit. This is 
better done six or eight weeks before planting time, 
so as to let the ground get partially settled and 
mellowed. The deep trenching and manuring will 
raise the soil above the surrounding level, but it will 
in time sink down, and none of it should be removed. 
As to the time to plant, we have found that, pro¬ 
viding the soil is in suitable condition, it may be 
done any time from November to the end of May. 
Our own most successful planting of a Holly hedge 
was done during the first week in May, during some 
bright sunny weather with drying winds, and though 
we planted a good many there was not a single 
failure, the cause of success being the care taken of 
the plants. Having to get them from a distance we 
sent a conveyance with instructions to water the 
roots well and cover them up secure against getting 
dry on the way home. We had the holes all dug 
and watered in readiness and the planting all done 
before night. These did far better than others from 
the same source on the same soil, but planted in the 
autumn. Ever since that time our advice has been 
to plant Hollies in April or May if you can, and 
choose a moist still day on which to plant, because 
the less they lose through evaporation during the 
process the sooner will they recover the effects 
attending the disturbance of the roots. This is of 
great importance, because the Holly among ever¬ 
green plants is one of the worst to remove if sub¬ 
jected to rough treatment. 
For the formation of hedges, plants which have 
been removed the previous year should be chosen. 
These often will not look so fresh and well as others 
which have remained in one place for three or four 
years, but as there will be few or no failures among 
them,a consideration which counterbalances the objec¬ 
tions against their unthrifty appearance. Plants not 
less than six years of age are preferable to younger 
ones, because these are slow in growth, but after seven 
or eight years of age growth becomes more rapid. No 
pruning of either tops or roots should be practised 
till after two or three years, and then only with a 
knife or secateur, just shortening the leaders and 
any side branches which may be taking a start of 
others. After a few years, by persistently going over 
them in this way, which takes but little time, the 
hedges will gradually thicken, and clipping with 
shears must be resorted to. 
This question of hedge-clipping is not generally 
understood or carried out as well as it might be. 
Too often all living hedges are cut straight up and 
left square on the top, resulting in a poor bottom 
growth, and eventually gaps are produced, mainly 
as the result of this weak and dying growth. 
Hedges, to be healthy and effective, ought to be 
wide at the bottom, and gradually taper to almost 
a point at the top, whereas, too often they are 
actually wider at the top than on the ground. This 
simple question of hedge management will never be 
put right till the rising generation of labourers, on 
whom the labour of attending to hedges will devolve, 
receive some technical instruction in the leading 
principles of arboriculture during the time they are 
at school. Prejudice and custom have too strong a 
hold on the present generation to make ary altera¬ 
tion in their methods of working an easy task. 
When planting a hedge, mark out a straight line 
and cut a trench open with the spade deep enough 
to allow of the plants being inserted just a little, say 
an inch—not more—than they were. Set them 
upright close to the wall of the trench, the distance 
apart being regulated by the size of the plants, from 
12 in. to 18 in. apart. Let the roots be first covered 
with fine soil, and tread gently and adjust the plants 
by holding them at the top and treading the roots at 
the same time. By these means they can be made 
to form in a straight line; beyond the annual 
clipping, which is best done late in September and 
during October, little else is required after a few 
years, because the Holly after a time almost keeps 
itself clear of weeds, but till then two or three hoe- 
ings of the ground about them is necessary. 
Those who can afford to wait for plants of their 
own growth should collect the seeds during Novem¬ 
ber and December, and mix them with an equal 
quantity of sand, and then bury them in the open 
ground till the December following, giving them 
several turns over during the time to hasten the 
decomposition of the pulp. Sow during open 
weather on a piece of ground shaded from the 
hottest sun. The plants will be showing through in 
May and June ; keep clean from weeds ; during the 
second year transplant into rows 12 in. apart, and set 
the plants 4 in. apart in the rows ; let them remain 
at that for two years, then transplant into rows i8in. 
apart, and 8 in. from plant to plant. Before finally 
planting for hedges, transplant again into rows 2 ft. 
apart and one asunder, and let them remain for one 
year, when they should be fit for any hedge-making 
which may be required, being bushy, fibrous rooted 
plants.— W. B. G. 
POTTING SOILS. 
There can be but little doubt that the selection of 
suitable soils for potting purposes, and their proper 
storage and manipulation when selected, play an 
important part in the achievement of success in the 
cultivation of many of our favourite plants. And I 
doubt not that if it were possible to arrive at any¬ 
thing like a correct conclusion the want of success 
experienced by many growers in dealing with certain 
plants, is largely attributable to the scant trouble 
which is often taken in the preparation of the soil 
for potting purposes. As “ W. B. G.” says, it is a 
great mistake to allow the soil to remain exposed to 
all the rain that likes to fall upon it. In such cases, 
the nutritive principles it contains are certainly in 
very great danger of being considerably lessened, if 
not washed out of it altogether. 
What can be more suggestive of want of foresight 
upon the part of the gardener, than to have to take 
his soil straight away from the heap in the open air 
to the potting bench, and to use it at once, wet, and 
of clay like consistency, though it may be. Cer¬ 
tainly, it is small wonder that so many plants refuse 
to thrive in such a sticky mass. If the potting shed 
is large enough, it is always advisable to have a 
quantity of loam always ready for immediate use, 
and, if possible, the stack outside should have some 
protection from the rain. A few boards placed over 
it, while not costing very much will throw off a lot 
of water, that would otherwise penetrate. 
With regard to leaf soil, too, how seldom is it 
that much trouble is taken with it. The leaves con¬ 
nected in autumn, mixed with sticks, stones, and all 
kinds of rubbish are thrown up into a heap to 
ferment, with the result that, in far too many 
instances, the whole is permeated to a very con¬ 
siderable extent with fungoid growths, which 
incorporated with the potting compost cannot fail 
to have a harmful influence upon the roots of tender 
plants. Too much care cannot be exercised in the 
selection of leaf soil for the potting bench, and a 
store of suitable material should always be under 
cover, available for use at any time. As “ W. B .G.” 
remarks, it is a great desideratum to have the 
potting compost in a suitable condition, with regard 
to moisture, and this is a point upon which, I think, 
every gardener will agree with him, and certainly, 
the best way to get the suitable medium between too 
wet and too dry soils is to pass the lot through 
hands, for even, althought it takes a little extra time, 
it is true economy.— G. 
-- 
KALE. 
As the natural result of the wet and sunless season 
the growth of most of the members of the Brassica 
section of vegetables is abnormally strong, and, it 
might be added proportionately tender. Some 
plantations of curled Kale which came under my 
notice on Saturday last were as crisp and succulent 
as it is possible for them to be. A sudden spell of 
dry frosty weather now, and this is by no means a 
far-fetched or improbable occurrence, would mean 
injury to a very large proportion of this class of 
plants. This would indeed be a calamity that would 
be felt as much by the cottager as by those gar¬ 
deners whose duty it is to cater for the requirements 
of large establishments, for as a rule the spring 
supply of greens is furnished by these invaluable 
vegetables, and in the event of their being unable to 
survive the winter an awkward blank will be ex¬ 
perienced. Besides their value as vegetables, 
many of the crisped and curled varieties are of great 
service for garnishing purposes, and as we all know 
the cook or the chef is inclined to create a dis¬ 
turbance if ample supples are not forthcoming, the 
condition of the weather, of course, not entering 
into their calculations in the slightest degree. A 
very ornamental variegated variety sent out by 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, is very useful for purposes 
of garnishing, and if a few plants of it are grown 
they will be found to come in very handy. Although 
most of the varieties of Scotch Kale are exceedingly 
hardy the palm in this respect must, I think, be 
given to a sort known as the Arctic Purple curled.— Y. 
--*•- 
Gardening Miscellany. 
CLAVIJA ORNATA. 
A well-grown and profusely-flowered specimen of 
this beautiful plant is at the present time making a 
brave show in the large Palm house in the Royal 
Gardens, Kew. The racemes of orange coloured 
flowers are produced in considerable numbers at 
intervals along the upper portion of the simple stem, 
which is destitute alike of leaves and branches, and 
is crowned at the top with a tuft of the long lanceo¬ 
late leaves. Being of such a distinctly ornamental 
character, as well as easy of culture, it is rather 
wonderful that it is not better known among 
gardeners than it is, for it is deserving a place of 
honour amongst any collection of stove plants. 
APHELANDRA NITENS. 
Although the Aphelandras are not so much grown 
as they might be, nor, judging from the intrinsic 
merits of which they are possessed, so frequently as 
they ought to be, they have without doubt much 
that should recommend them to the gardener. The 
usually brilliant colours of their flowers, which are 
produced at a season of the year that renders them 
of particular value, is well nigh unapproachable. 
The above pretty little Columbian plant boasts of an 
exceedingly attractive appearance, although like the 
rest of its congeners it is best when grown as small 
specimens. Cuttings consisting of the young shoots 
taken with a heel, inserted in light friable soil and 
plunged in a brisk bottom heat in spring, will root 
very readily, and if potted on as occasion requires 
will make nice shapely little plants in 4 or 5-in. pots 
by autumn, when they may be expected to bloom. 
The flowers are produced in simple terminal spikes, 
and are rich vermilion-scarlet in colour. Several 
pretty little plants of ic are now in bloom in the stove 
at Kew. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM DAMPING. 
Taking into consideration the saturated state of the 
atmosphere that we have been favoured with for 
the last few weeks particularly, it is not to be won¬ 
dered at that great complaints are afloat concerning 
the wondrous rapidity with which so many blooms 
have damped off, with a quickness in fact that 
savours strongly of collapse. But still I am inclined 
to think that bad as the weather has been, it has 
not been entirely to blame for this much to be 
regretted state of affairs. Strong and indiscriminate 
feeding of plants whilst the blooms have been open¬ 
ing has much to answer for, and this in conjunction 
with the unfavourable climatic conditions has 
undoubtedly been principally concerned in the 
exceedingly short life so many of our best blooms 
have enjoyed. Gross feeding of Chrysanthemums, 
when under glass is a mistake in more ways than 
one, for, to start with its unnecessary application is 
a waste of good materials, besides doing the blooms 
positive harm. The application of manure is an 
operation that to say the least of it requires a great 
deal of judgment in performing, and one that can 
easily be overdone.— Mum. 
THE THREE BEST POLYANTHA ROSES. 
In the opinion of a writer in the Rosen Zeitung, a 
German periodical wholly devoted to Roses and 
everything that pertains to the same, the three best 
Polyantha Roses for cutting are Mdlle. Cecile 
Brunner, Madame Marie Pavic, and Perle d'Or. The 
first named is bright rose or scarlet-rose as described 
with a pale yellow centre. It grows vigorously, 
flowers all the summer and autumn, and is sweetly 
scented. This, as well as Perle d Or, at least, have 
been introduced to this country, and are now widely 
distributed north and south. The flowers of Perle 
d’Or are golden-yellow or orange-yellow according 
to the German writer, and freely produced in clusters 
of twenty to thirty. The dwarf habit of the plant 
makes it very suitable for cultivation in pots, and 
the profusion of bloom is a source of wealth to 
the cut flower basket, and the enthusiastic German 
speaks of thousands of blooms. Madame Marie 
Pavic is comparatively more recent, having only 
