154 
November 4, 1899 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
flowers and interesting species for massing in special 
positions. O. mascula and its numerous varieties 
are good, and I have seen O. maculata in Scotland 
called O. magnifica, which was specially grand. 
The Butterfly Orchis (Habenaria), with its elegant 
spikes of pale scented primrose flowers, delights in a 
shady nook. The Twayblade, the Man Orchis, and 
the less common O. fusca, O. pyramidalis; while 
Ophrys apifera, O. muscifera, and Orchis latifolia are 
worth close inspection, and for shady places the 
species of Epipactis are well worth prepared stations 
in the garden, giving them leaf-soil chalk, or sandy 
loam as required. Trollius europseus is already an 
established garden favourite, while the Foxglove 
(Digitalis) is one of our grandest natives, and can be 
easily propagated by seed, and forms glorious masses 
for backgrounds. The Mulleins are worthy of 
culture, with their flannel-like foliage and long, con¬ 
spicuous flowering spikes of yellow blooms. The 
Teazle is a bold subject fcr a bed, and is not only 
pretty in flower, but fine subjects for winter decora¬ 
tion are provided by its honeycomb-like heads of 
seed-vessels. What shall I say for the Corn Poppy, 
with its glorious scarlet flowers all too evanescent ? 
We must always have a tender remembrance of this 
as the parent of our super-elegant Shirley Poppies. 
In the west the yellow Welsh Poppy is frequent near 
streams, and there is nothing in rich blue flowers 
that can approach the Viper's bugloss; seen in 
masses on sand and shingle near the sea it is superb, 
and deserves a prepared spot in the garden, where 
its gorgeous racemes can be thoroughly enjoyed. 
For a border plant Geranium pratense, with its 
lavender flowers, is well known. The various 
Hawkweeds—Mouse and Cat’s Ears—are pretty 
yellow and primrose flowers. The wild Balm is a 
fine subject for banks, and runs into many varieties. 
For positions under trees the Periwinkles, major and 
minor, are suitable, and look well all the year round ; 
while Melampyrum sylvaticum, the wood Cow 
Wheat, is fine in masses. In North Wales there 
seems to be a larger variety than is found in Kentish 
woods. The Woodruff also makes a pretty carpet 
plant, and in early spring the yellow Celandine is 
very bright. 
Among the thistles are many worth a position in 
gardens, some for foliage, as the Carline Thistle, 
others for noble growth, and others for flower. All 
can be readily raised from seed, and if care is taken 
to remove the flower heads before they become 
downy they will not become a nuisance. There is 
also the Musk and Plume Thistle. Columbines are 
not infrequent on our chalk hills, and are attributed 
to the Romans, who esteemed the plant because the 
upturned flower resembled eagles nestling. Among 
maritime plants the Sea Holly and the Horned 
Poppy take readily to gardens, and are distinct both 
in foliage and flower; while Mathiola incana is a 
lovely subject, with its lavender-pink flowers. The 
Thriit is well known as a neat border edging, and 
the white Popweed, Silene ioflata, is useful. P'or 
hanging vases the Small Bindweed and the Creeping 
Jenny or Moneywort are worth attention, Among 
the low growing gems of our flora the yellow Cistus 
holds a first place for arid soils and rockery, and the 
various coloured forms of the Milkwort claim our 
attention. Hypericum humifusum is also a small 
pretty subject. The Eyebright (Euphrasia) is in¬ 
teresting, and the pink Celandine (Erythraea) always 
strikes me as a good garden flower. The Sea 
Campion just named with its white flowers is not 
averse to rock garden culture. 
For sandy soil the Rest Harrow with its rosy 
flowers is worth culture, under which it assumes a 
bush form. The yellow Anthyllis and its relatives 
the Hippocrepis, with Lotus corniculatus (Bird’s- 
foot Trefoil), and Tormentilla are admirable creeping 
plants tor chalky soils. Saxifraga granulata is one 
of our best subjects for dry sandy banks. Chlora 
perfoliata (yellow) is a gem on the chalk in August. 
The Chicory is a grand blue flower and will succeed 
in any dry soil. Campanula glomerata is not un¬ 
common on downs, while for old walls the common 
Celandine is a good subject, its apple-green foliage 
being light and elegant. The Harebell is always a 
welcome flower and the ivy-leaved Lettuce (Lactuca), 
with the yellow Wallflower and some of the Stone- 
crops and native Sedums, all make an old wall in¬ 
teresting ; nor must we forget the red Valerian, 
which is quite at home where nothing else can grow, 
also the Cornish Moneywort. The wild Roses, 
either the Sweet Brier of our hills or the small 
bushes of single Burnet Rose (R. spinosissima), 
which are common on all our chalk hills, are well 
worth culture, and few subjects in our wild garden 
are more esteemed than our Dog Rose, elegant in its 
simple flowers, and striking when its haws become 
ripe. For a climber few subjects equal the Woodbine 
or wild Clematis (C. Vitalba), and those who have 
seen the way it grows at Belvoir Castle grounds 
over the gardener’s house and surroundings can 
never forget the pleasing effect produced ; it is at all 
times beautitul in leafage and flower, and especially 
when set with its silvery grey masses of feathery seed 
vessels in autumn. The Honeysuckle, Bryony, and 
the climbing Vetch are all good trailers, while the 
white Convolvulus (Moonflower) is a fine subject over 
shrubs and low trees. 
It is, however, I fancy, when we come to our 
natural aquatics and riparian plants that we find 
especially striking subjects suitable for embellishing 
our streams and pond margins and the damp spots 
in our gardens. The glorious Loosestrife (Lythrum), 
the pink Epilobium hirsutum, with its pretty but 
evanescent cup-shaped flowers, the long spikes of 
Lysimachia vulgare (Moneywort), the Tansy, with 
its handsome foliage and golden umbels of flowers, 
our water Forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris), with 
its amethystine umbels, are all universal favourites. 
There are also the Yellow Flag (Iris), Water Plantain, 
Figwort, the Flowering Rush (Butomus), with its 
head of rosy purple flowers, the Bog Bean, the 
elegant Arrow Head, and the glorious Reed Mace or 
Bulrushes. The White and Yellow Water Lilies, 
the Water Hyacinth (Hottonia), with its soft blush 
spikes resembling some choice Orchid, are worth 
care to establish. The white water Ranunculus is a 
striking floating plant. The tall masses of the 
Meadow Sweet (our native Spirea), the King Cup 
(Caltha), with its golden masses of intense yellow 
flowers set on showy green heart-shaped leaves, are 
all beautiful for water gardens. All these water- 
loving subjects respond to careful treatment, and 
many of them are freely used, but why not more ? 
In autumn Hypericum perforatum, with its foliage 
and golden flowers, is one of our best plants, and in 
sandy wastes the Ragwort is quite a feature, equal 
to many cultivated plants of its colour. The tall 
Campanula Trachelium is handsome, and the rosy- 
bloomed Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is a grand 
subject for masses and flowers over a long period. 
The Mallows are also striking, and the tree form 
does well near the sea, while the Musk Mallow makes 
a grand show, and the commoner striped M. sylvestris 
is not to be despised. The Marsh Mallow is also 
suited for the garden. Achillea Millefolium (Milfoil) 
as a red garden plant is well known, and the wild 
forms range from white through blush to rose 
colour. The Scabious tribe are very good border 
plants, and affect our chalk hills in the species 
S. arvensis and S. Columbaria; the Devilsbit 
Scabious (S. succisa) is a feature with its tall stems 
and blue flowers. The Harebells continue to flower 
until October. Spiraea Filipendula is often found 
on upland pastutes. The blue Cornflower (Centaurea 
Cyanus) is in flower all the summer and autumn, 
and the yellow Corn Marigold is a showy flower. 
Inula Conyza (Shepherd's Spikenard) is very strik¬ 
ing on chalk or clay pastures, and rises some three 
feet covered with pretty yellow starry flowers. All 
these come to us annually, and we welcome them as 
old friends. May we not hope to see them tended 
and cared for in our flower gardens, where they will 
respond readily to loving care and attention ? 
- 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
The Strawberry Manual; an Illustrated Up-to- 
Date Work on the Strawberry. By Laxton 
Brothers, Bedford. Price is. Bedford : Hulatt 
& Richardson, 6, Silver Street, and Newnham 
Street. 
In the preparation of this manual, which runs to 
139 pages, including a good index, the writers, 
Messrs. Laxton Brothers, Bedford, have endeavoured 
to carry out the desire of their father, the late Mr. 
Thomas Laxton, to whose memory it is dedicated. 
The book is certainly not a large one, but a great 
number of facts have been compressed into small 
space so that those who desire a cheap and handy 
book to study the subject will find this well worth 
the money. 
The history of the Strawberry commences with a 
mention of the wide distribution of our native 
Fragaria vesca or Wood Strawberry which is found 
widely distributed over the Old and New World in 
a form that is very constant, and precisely identical 
with the British plant; while there are closely 
similar forms usually regarded as distinct species by 
botanists. Some interesting history of strongly 
marked varieties, often grown in the gardens of the 
curious and in botanical gardens, is quoted from the 
great French historian, M. Duchesne, the author of 
“ Histoire Naturelle des Fraisiers," published in 
1766. Several of the ancient varieties are mentioned 
by name, including the Plymouth Strawberry and 
the One-leaved Strawberry, both occasionally met 
with in collections. The Alpine Strawberry and the 
Hautbois also come in for separate notice as being 
usually regarded as distinct species, though the 
authors have their doubts about the former. It is 
supposed that the Hautbois reached us from central 
Europe, probably from Germany, though it is more 
or less naturalised in several parts of England. The 
Green Strawberry is considered a form of the last 
named, and was known to Gerard and Parkinson 
The Scarlet, Chili, Pine and Indian Strawberries 
are all noted in due course, with the history of many 
marked forms belonging to each, including some of 
the earlier varieties that have been raised in gar¬ 
dens. Under hybridisation a deal of history in 
small space is given concerning the different workers 
in this country, who have all more or less contributed 
to making the Strawberry and its culture what they 
are at the present day. 
A chapter on seedling Strawberries gives the 
qualities that should be aimed at in the raising of 
new varieties; the modes of operation; how and 
what to cross; and what may be anticipated amongst 
the seedlings. It is not very encouraging to the 
hybridist and cross-breeder to be informed that only 
a few varieties of average importance were fit to 
send out after labouring amongst them for thirty- 
two years and raising some 10,000 seedlings all of 
which had to be tried. 
Chapters are devoted to cultivation in gardens, 
sites, soils, manures, natural and artificial or 
chemical manures, forming plantations, methods of 
planting, protecting, fruit gathering and keeping, 
&c. Altogether a considerable amount of time and 
conscientious work must have been spent upon the 
book, so that we can heartily recommend it for the 
great amountjof information it contains. Chapters 
on Strawberry culture for market, market garden 
methods and forcing Strawberries will interest many 
of the rising generation as well as growers. The 
book is well printed and there are several useful 
illustrations. 
Vegetables out of Season in every Garden. 
By E. Kemp Toogood, F.R.H.S. Price 6d. 
Published in 1899 by Toogood & Sons, South¬ 
ampton. 
The title of this small book or pamphlet suggests 
that vegetables are forced or urged into growth by 
artificial means; and this is what it proves to be. 
The author sets himself the task of showing how to 
produce a constant supply of vegetables for kitchen 
use during the autumn and winter months. In the 
chapter on forcing structures and appliances the 
amateur is shown by means of illustrations and direc¬ 
tions how he may set about the task of forcing various 
vegetable crops ; or merely protecting those that are 
full grown but cannot withstand the severity of our 
climate at this period of the year and later without 
cover of some sort. Frames in some cases are merely 
used for protection, but in other cases litter is placed 
round the frames. For the purpose of forcing 
by means of fermenting manure several methods are 
explained by means of illustrations. Asparagus, 
dwarf Kidney Beans, Beetroot, Carrots, Chicory and 
other things of that sort come under review. The 
culture of Watercresses during the winter months, 
under various conditions, is discussed. The whole 
run of salad vegetables and herbs for various pur¬ 
poses is placed under review, and the methods of 
obtaining them described. The instructions are by 
no means lengthy, but the amateur kitchen gardener 
will receive many hints and new ideas which are 
put before him by means of simple but very good 
illustrations which bear upon the subject in hand. 
Beautiful Beds for Every Month. By E. 
Kemp Toogood, F.R.H.S. Price 2d. Toogood 
& Sons, Southampton. 
The plan of this pamphlet of 32 pages is to show 
