218 
December 1, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
crop of Potatos as Corn. I guessed at once the 
cause and where the seeds came from. There was a 
good gathering of members and, of course, foolishly, I 
at once offered a sovereign and shares in a bottle of 
champagne to the one that would solve the query, 
press men, writers, and all, and this within five 
minutes without any result; and yet, how simple, 
as the querist, the year previous, had a large Potato 
garden within three fields of this pasture land; the 
foolish crows brought the sets, dropped them, they 
got ploughed in during October and November, and 
by all accounts appeared in full bloom after. With 
this explanation all laughed, none more loudly than 
the press men. 
Yes, there are no ploughs, harrows, or carts, on 
Achil. Simply because the fields are too small, the 
horses would scarcely have room to turn, and to get 
to Westport for food, during a period when there 
was no bridge over the Sound, a horse and 
panniers at sides could wade where a cart could not 
venture. Aster Maritimus seen from the train was 
on slob land near the sea, as a maritime plant. A 
good result since the pamphlet appeared. Clare 
Island, off Westport in Clew Bay, has been purchased 
by the State Commissioners for sub-division and 
improvement. Let me hope for more of your 
sympathy and ready pen to help so good a cause as 
wayside, neglected Ireland.— IV. H. Hartland, Cork. 
-—t-- 
ROTATION IN PLANTING WALL 
TREES. 
This subject often escapes the attention of those 
under whose charge the management of wall fruit 
trees is placed. The walls, having been planted, it 
may be several generations back, during which time 
frequent renewals have taken place, would now, if 
the first plants of them were present to have a look 
along the walls, be found, as far as the dispositions 
of the various kinds of trees now existing upon them, 
to differ but little from the original arrangement, 
owing to the prevalent practice of replacing a 
Peach, Pear, Cherry, or Plum tree by another of 
the same family. Now as the importance of rotation 
in vegetable crops is almost universally recognised 
and understood it is difficult to understand the com¬ 
placency with which many pursue an opposite course 
in fruit tree management. 
In my own opinion there are few soils that will 
grow kitchen garden crops successfully, which if 
handled properly will not grow fruit trees equally 
well. But if, for example, a Peach tree has ouccpied 
a border for a period of twenty or thirty years, it is 
idle to expect that another one put in to replace it 
will do equally well in the same soil. No amount of 
trenching will suffice to meet their requirements, and 
if new trees must be put in the same spot to replace 
others of the same character, fresh soil in abundance 
should be provided. This in many instances proves 
a somewhat costly proceeding, and might often be 
avoided by filling up the gaps created on the walls 
from the decay of any particular trees by others of 
a different kind. 
South walls, generally reserved for Peaches and 
Nectarines, may in some instances present some 
difficulty to the carrying out the principle here 
advocated, but having frequently ripened good crops 
of both on east and west walls, I should never 
hesitate in the south of England to plant a portion 
of the space on walls having those aspects with 
them, and leave a portion of the south walls for the 
choicer Pears which ripen during the winter months, 
and some of the earliest Cherries, as by so doing 
opportunities will offer on the removal of a tree to 
replace it by one of another character. On my own 
opinion a somewhat disproportionate space is 
allotted to Peaches and Nectarines, and too little to 
Pears. 
The first are, when well ripened in the front rank, 
among dessert fruits, but who will say that a first- 
class Pear is much behind them in point of flavour, 
and in some instances of appearance also. Again, 
the season during which out-door Peaches can be 
had in satisfactory conditition, is somewhat limited, 
whereas Pears from a good collection can be had 
from July till March, and sometimes even later. 
These winter ripening fruits do not generally meet 
with the attention which their intrinsic merits should 
entitle them too, and if they had the advantage of a 
south wall better fruit would be obtained. 
At this season, when the trees are leafless, advan¬ 
tage should be taken of every opportunity to give 
the walls the necessary attention in repointing them 
and repairing damages. Old walls which are much 
defaced by repeated nailings, would be far better 
wired and faced over with Portland cement. The 
old nail holes are lurking places for insect pests of 
all kinds, and render the task of keeping the tress 
clean more difficult than it should be. A dressing of 
lime and soot wash, with a portion of soft soap, will 
do much to keep the aphides in check, but where 
there is scale on the trees, I advocate spraying them 
during the winter with benzoline, using any one of 
the various contrivances sold for the purpose, but 
not an ordinary syringe. This would be a dangerous 
and too expensive proceeding, just the faintest spray¬ 
ing over with benzoline will kill the scale and cost a 
mere trifle in time and material, and can be accom¬ 
plished almost without soiling the hands, and with 
no chance of doing injury to the trees. I have used 
carbolic acid in the same way on Gooseberry 
bushes to preserve the buds from birds.— W. B. G. 
-- 
THE FORMATION OF 
GARDENS. 
The prevailing idea in the minds of many to whom 
the formation and planting of pleasure grounds is 
entrusted would seem to be, from the way in which 
the work is often carried out, to make them look 
pretty enough to catch the eye of a would-be- 
purchaser or prospective tenant, rather than the 
production of enduring effect consistent alike with 
the well-being of the plants, their artistic distribu¬ 
tion, suitability of soil, and adaptability to the space 
and surroundings. A very general error is the plant¬ 
ing of quick large growing subjects in too close 
proximity to the house, whether villa, cottage, or 
mansion, so that in a very few years they are hidden 
in by a dense mass of foliage, rendering them dark, 
gloomy and damp, and in some instances unhealthy, 
especially where the sanitary arrangements are such 
as to discharge the unwholesome gases from the 
house drains beneath these dense masses of 
foliage, which, especially, during damp heavy 
atmospheric conditions, impede the rising of noxious 
vapours into the higher regions of the air. 
A fashion still too prevalent is the planting of 
coniferous plants in places far too small, where they 
soon fill up all the open space and darken the windows; 
our allusion is to those of larger growth, there being 
among coniferous plants a large number of varieties 
of small and moderate growth, the adaptability of 
which for the purpose indicated is unexcelled by any 
class of tree and shrub which can be mentioned. The 
selection of trees should be governed largely by the 
style of house around which they are to be planted. 
For the generality of villa residences light orna¬ 
mental trees planted among a mixture of evergreen 
shrubs with a few free-flowering deciduous ones will 
produce the most satisfactory and pleasing results. 
The Silver Birch, Acacias, Rhus, Scarlet Thorns, 
Laburnums, Almonds, double-blossomed Cherry, 
Siberian Crab, Mespilus canadensis, and others, are 
available for comparatively small places. 
In grounds ot larger extent the Ailanthus 
glandulosa, Tulip tree, and Copper Beech, a note in 
connection with which may be of service to intending 
planters is, be careful to purchase only grafted 
plants, a great many badly-coloured specimens are 
to be seen about. These are seedlings imported 
from France, and many of them are dear at any 
price, because an ordinary green-leaved Beech is far 
preferable to most of them. There are other copper 
leaved trees, notably Prunus Pisardii and the purple 
leaved Nut, Corylus Avelaena purpurea, but the 
Beech is still the best thing of the kind we have, and 
where there is only room for one or two dark-foliaged 
trees, it should have the preferance. As regards the 
Acer Negundo variegata it is often used too freely, 
for although when at its best a first rate and most 
effective tree, it is too often rather unsightly than 
ornamental. 
Where there is ample space the Catalpa, Horse and 
Spanish Chestnuts,among flowering trees are among 
the handsomest thing there are and may be used 
with a free hand. Poplars, with the exception of the 
Lombardy, are out of place in the more dressy parts 
of the pleasure ground. The Lombardy planted 
either singly or in threes is a most effective object 
in a landscape. In large places, The Elms, Oaks, 
Planes, Scotch, Spruce, Weymouth and Silver firs 
if the soil is suitable, may be freely used, but when 
planting any place, either large or small, a study 
should be made of the variations in the colour of 
the foliage and the planting done with a view 7 to 
bring out as many variations in contrast as can be 
done consistently with the size of the place. 
The flowering plants retain their floral garniture 
for a more or less limited period, so that as the 
foliage is retained for a more lengthened one, the 
different shades of green and the colours should be 
so blended and contrasted that the most pleasant 
results attainable from the material at hand may be 
arrived at. The perspective of a landscape may be 
apparently added to by the manner the trees in a 
plantation are arranged, thus apparently increasing 
the dimensions of the grounds. For instance, those 
with small foliage and light feathery growth, when 
planted in front of others with larger foliage and 
denser growth, as for instance Chestnuts and 
Sycamore will sensibly add to the seeming distance 
from the beholder ; a similar result is attainable in 
the diversity of shade by the under growth in 
plantations contrasting with either lighter or darker 
shades among the trees towering above them, 
In planting a place it ought always to be remem¬ 
bered that the individual beauty of any plant cannot 
be shown to advantage without ample space being 
allowed for its natural development. For this 
reason open spaces ought to be provided for the 
more beautiful and uncommon subjects, where they 
can be seen to the best advantage. Where immedi¬ 
ate effect is desirable, and close planting is resorted 
to, the sites for prominent specimen trees should be 
determined and others planted, so that they can 
either be removed or cut away after a few years 
without marring the effect. Where space admits of 
a large variety being planted, the disposition of 
many of the rarer plants will require the attention 
of the planter as regards exposure to gales and frost. 
Among Conifers, for instance, there are those which 
will pass through severe winters unscathed in certain 
positions within a somewhat narrow compass, when 
specimens within not many rods away will be 
severely injured. 
Among flowering shrubs the most beautiful ought 
to be more prominently displayed, beds and pro¬ 
jections from the plantations being provided for 
them, Rhododendrons and allied plants requiring 
peat-soil being planted in masses; Berberis, Laurusti- 
nus, Arbutus are better distributed among Laurels and 
Hollies. Variegated forms of these and Aucubas 
are valuable for dotting about among the more 
sombre hues of other evergreens. The Irish and 
variegated Yews, Thujas, Retinosporas, and 
Cupressus are among the best subjects for planting 
small places, and invaluable for single specimens on 
lawns and the front lines of shrubberies. There are 
few more effective plants in ornamental grounds 
than the Yuccas ; forming a most striking contrast 
to other plants they might often be made freer use 
of to advantage. The same applies with almost 
equal force to the hardy Bamboos, Arundo con- 
spicua, and the hardy Fan Palm. Weeping trees, 
unless standing out by themselves, seldom show to 
advantage, so ought not to be crowded in among 
other things. 
The commoner flowering deciduous shrubs in 
which we include Lilacs, Thorns, Guilder Roses t 
Syringas, Deutzia scrabra, some of the Spiraeas 
where space admits of it should be planted in 
batches among evergreens kept low that they may 
tower above them. This prevents naked spaces 
being seen so much during the winter months. In a 
well planted shrubbery provision ought to be made 
not only for the gratification of the sense of sight, 
but that of scent should in a walk around the place 
meet with sources from which its exercise may be 
gratified. Among the best things for this purpose 
are the American and Ghent Azaleas, most gorgeous 
and floriferous, and deliciously scented. Then the 
various Honeysuckles trained loosely up the naked 
stems of trees afford a double source of interest, 
and if Lonicera fragrantissima is used there will 
rarely be a time in the depth of winter when a spray 
of this, one of the most delicious of scented flowers, 
may not be obtained. It were easy to swell the list 
of both flowering, fine foliaged, and sweet scented 
trees and shrubs ; but with the mention of one other 
winter flowering scented shrub I forbear, that is 
Chimonanthus fragrans, a much hardier plant than 
many suppose —IF. B. G. 
