February 24, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
407 
would easily contain all of this variety which enters 
the Waverley Market during the season. 
Sir J. Paxton, although grown in small quantities, 
is considered of little value, being ODly second-rate 
in flavour and of a weak constitution. To Garibaldi, 
syn. Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, must be attri¬ 
buted all the necessary qualifications for a first-class 
market Strawberry. It is of medium size, well 
coloured, prolific and hardy,with a first-class flavour, 
and, by no means its least virtue, it is a good travel¬ 
ler. During the early part of the season it can be 
seen in the market every morning by the hundred¬ 
weight, overshadowing all other varieties to such an 
extent that they are scarcely noticeable. But what 
of Royal Sovereign, the favouri e of the thousand ? 
Strange to say, this universal favourite has been 
proved inadequate to their requirements. Year after 
year acres of it have been planted, resulting only in 
demonstrating its unfitness. It is now dismissed, 
with the epithet “ that it is too tender for this 
locality." That the soil is too heavy or devoid of 
some mineral base has more to do with its failure, 
than its tender constitution, is a hypothesis I ven¬ 
ture for the following reasonsThat as a forcing 
subject, as well as in outside culture, it has proved a 
failure in this locality ; whilst within a radius of 
thirty miles, on a light sandy soil with a south¬ 
western exposure, it has given every satisfaction. That 
sterilisation of the soil, by reason of promiscuous 
successional planting, is not the direct cause has been 
proved, since the soil used for potting was obtained 
from a meadow, which had never previously been 
cropped with Strawberries. Treated as an annual it 
has given more satisfaction, but annual planting does 
not pay the market grower. 
Regarding late varieties little can be said as few 
are grown, the reason for this being that during the 
period when they come into use the market is glutted 
with French Greengages ; and a capricious public, 
eager for a change, throw aside the glaring fruits of 
the Strawberry for the—although less attractive in 
colour—sweet Greengage. Those growers who still 
adhere to their culture give the preference to Elton 
Pine.— D. MacGregor, Palace Gardens, Dalkeith, Feb. 
17 , 1900 . 
THE FURZE DEBATE. 
I felt wae for " Geordie Tam " and his surroundin's 
but houp he wull be able to keep on the upper side 
o’ the snaw, an' that he wull keep siccar until the 
snaw gauns awa’ ; itherwise the circumstances 
might be lamentable; but there is no tellin' what he 
might find underneath. 
Here, however, we are not placed in such adverse 
circumstances. We had an average fall of gj in. of 
snow, with the thermometer registering from i8° to 
23 0 of frost. Well, this “ Collieshangie ” about the 
Furze set me out on Bucklebury Common to see 
how it was behaving under such critical criticism, but 
there it was, evidently not the least put about. With 
a keen north wind blowing, and the bushes half hid 
in the snow, here and there were to be met bushes 
with plenty of flowers on them — not withered 
blooms, but fresh and in full flower. In one instance 
I saw one bush that may be described as covered 
with flower, and I could not help thinking what a 
capital " bessom ” it would have made for "Geordie 
Tam ” to “ gaug curlin’ wi’.” 
From the correspondence that has taken place on 
this most interesting subject, it is, I think, evident 
that the position and climate has much to do with the 
question " When does the Furze bloom.” In making 
further enquires when it did bloom, I was much 
struck with hearing the same saying as Mr. Mayne 
quotes about kissing, and they seemed to think it 
would be a most dreadful thing if it was to happen. 
I have now kept the Furze under notice since 
the third week in November until the present time. I 
will still keep a watch on it, and snould I find a 
break in the flowering period I will advise " Sigma ” 
of it. 
In case there should any doubt arise in the mind of 
any of his readers as to the fact of the Furze being in 
flower under the circumstances I have described, I 
I enclose you a small piece so that you may have no 
doubt on the subject.— Alex. Wright. 
[The twigs duly arrived, and seemed prepared to 
keep up a succession of bloom for a long time- Ed.] 
Your esteemed correspondent, J. Mayne, did not 
give quite the best version of the old country ditty 
respecting the blooming of this, one of our most 
beautiful native shrubs, which Linnaeus admired so 
much, and lamented that he could not flower it satis¬ 
factorily under glass in his native Lapland. The 
adage is as follows : 
When Furze is out of bloom 
KissiDg’s out of tune. 
The meaning is, I suppose, that it is very rarely 
out of bloom. Tbe contrary can be truthfully said 
of either. Furze bloom may be most difficult to find 
just now. Quite recently in going over a common, 
where it is very plentiful, I began to think that at 
last I had found an exception which would prove the 
rule ; but a few splashes of gold beneath the sombre 
green of some large bushes gave me a welcome 
disappointment. I have often noticed a great variety 
among the Furze on some commons, and think if 
these variations were followed up something very 
distinct would ultimately result.— W.B.G. 
- — 
TIE FLOWER GARBER. 
The Hardy Herbaceous Borders. —It is, per¬ 
haps, unfortunate for us that we cannot re-model the 
hardy plant borders until rather an advanced and 
busy period of spring. But wait we must unless, of 
course, bulbous plants are absent from them. 
Where these do form part of the stock the work 
certainly has to lie undone till they show their posi¬ 
tions by sprouting. It is a fact that many herbaceous 
plant borders are allowed to get into medley condi¬ 
tions. The back gets broken down; large 
plants and creeping plants become confused 
in masses, even reaching out of the borders 
altogether, to the destruction, of the Boxwood 
edging. I am not an advocate for hard and fast 
planting according to heights. Certainly we must 
keep tall growing Delphiniums, Chrysanthemum 
uliginosum, Rudbeckias, and such like definitely at 
the back, and bushy, outward spreading Paeonies, 
and some of the showier Geraniums, which attain 
two feet in height, in a middle position, yet, with 
other plants, such as Aquilegias and Campanulas, of 
the C. turbinata types, no hesitation should be felt 
in placing them within ODe foot from the pathway. 
Such a mode of planting requires a goodly amount 
of judgment, and he who can portray a preconcep¬ 
tion of the border as a whole is the most likely to 
develop a handsome and naturally arranged border. 
A thorough acquaintance with the plants employed 
is absolutely necessary. A garden can very well be 
laid according to written plaD, but the work is 
laborious. Where borders have become uneven, 
hollow here and high there, the best plan is to lift all 
the larger plants, place them on the alley at the 
back, and trench the ground. W hile doing so the 
exact breadth can be given, and, alter trimming the 
plants, they can be once again re-arranged. A good 
manuring will not come amiss duriDg the trencning 
operations. Planting should be delayed if possible 
for a week after trenching, or, if planted im¬ 
mediately, the border should be trodden and the 
ground made firm around the plants. A different 
system of arrangement, such as massing the plants, 
both tall and dwarf, in clumps, or the introduction 
of a greater number of deciduous flowering shrubs, 
might very well be attempted. 
Anthericums. — In the borders of the present 
time these pretty white flowered liliaceous plants, 
with deep green grassy foliage, are not sufficiently 
numerous. This much can be said about them, that 
they have a superior bearing, and an elegance not to 
be found in many other hardy border perennials. A 
deep, rich, sandy soil is to their liking. 
Asters. — The many species and varieties of 
perennial late flowering Asters are receiving due re¬ 
cognition from the pens of those who appreciate 
hardy flowering plants. It is to be hoped that before 
making up the borders for the season, an assortment 
of these will be planted. 
Campanulas.— There are so many kinds of Cam¬ 
panulas, and all are pretty, that to make a wide 
selection entails a considerable amount of space. 
Still, they should not be denied this, few lections of 
plants being more useful or brighter during ihe busy 
and musical days of summer. 
Doronicums. —All of a yellow colour, and each of 
them easy to cultivate, the Doronicums should be 
widely planted. For wild gardening or naturalising 
by the sides of streams the "yellowsoldiers," as they 
are called, adapt themselves almost easier than any¬ 
thing else I know of. In sandy borders they 
suffer. 
Hardy Ericas— Where these succeed,and most por¬ 
ous soils suit them, the hardy Ericas certainly should 
fiad a place. Tneir proper hab tation is, of course, in 
suitably chosen beds or on rockwork and banks, yet 
In sunny borders I can recall some very successful 
and pretty masses. In clumps about i ft. back from 
the edge is the place for them. 
IIarpalium rigidum is a tall growing yellow Sun¬ 
flower plant of graceful growth, erect and sturdy 
habit, flowering at the end of July and very vigorous 
in any kind of soil. It is useful for supplying abund¬ 
ance of fine blooms for vases. 
Pyrethrums.— Where the soil is sandy or drains 
off the moisture too freely, it will be necessary to in¬ 
corporate a liberal supply of humus or moisture¬ 
holding material. These very showy summer 
flowering plants suffer terribly during a drought, so 
that every care should be taken to avoid unnecessary 
exhaustion. Where they are grown in beds by 
themselves, the whole root surface can be mulched 
in times of need.— J. H. D. 
THE FERNERY. 
Polypodium Phymatodes. —In the great order 
Fllices, the genus Polypody occupies a conspicuous 
and large section. It is, indeed, the largest genus of 
the order, Nicholson statistifyiDg 450 species. But 
leaving alone the bo anical points of the subject for 
consideration of P. Phymatodes, what is there 
special about it ? Well, as Ferns go, there 
is little. It is a very useful Fern. The 
fronds, thick and rough in their beauty, varying in 
the shades of green and the glossiness of the 
close - growing pinnae, appeal to the lover of 
sturdy handsomeness more than to him or her who 
appreciates the more refined elegance. As a merely 
decorative warm house plant, in basket or on raft, it 
furnishes a pleasant subject, while for use in the 
composition of wreaths, and the heavier floral gar¬ 
lands or exhibits, the strong, stout fronds are per¬ 
fectly adapted. Indeed, this Fern ought far more to 
be cultivated solely for this purpose by those who 
provide the supply of material for decorators, or by 
those who have floral arrangements to provide for 
their own employers. As a basket Fern I hold this 
Polypodium as having few or no compeers after its 
own special pattern. 
The rhizomes or creeping stems are strong, and 
covered with hairy ramenta. The leaves or fronds 
vary from 6 in. to 9 in. or 12 in. in length, and are 
more or less eiect, being cut down to the rachis or 
central axis, the ljbes being lanceolate-oblong. It is 
a tropical Fern, though an intermediate temperature 
will suit it. A peat and turfy loam compost answers 
its wants in the way of a roothold. In temperature, 
that best suited to it should run at from 65° mini¬ 
mum to 75 0 with sun heat. Bottom moisture and 
overhead syiinging are welcomed by all vigorous 
growing specimens. 
Polypodium rigidulum.— To give a popular de¬ 
scription 10 this fine basket Fern is very trying. 
Grown either as a basket subject or suspended back¬ 
wards to the end side of a span roofed tropical 
house it provides a desirable species. Room for its 
fronds, which get to 3 It. and 4 tt. long, it must have. 
The lronds are pinnate almost to the rachis or central 
rib, each pinna being narrow and slightly crimpled. 
The fronds shower outwards from all sides, drooping 
toward the apex. Their base is sheathed with short, 
upward, and close growing, bright chestnut scale 
growth, a point which adds greater interest to an 
already beautiful and useful Fern. The fronds are 
quite suitable tor many purposes of decoration. 
The culture of the species is not in the least fickle, 
indeed the same cultural conditions as for P. Phy 
matodes, excepting the persistent overhead syringing,, 
may be adopted successfully with tuis neighbour, 
Adiantum tenerum farleyense.- Ferns, as a 
rule, are among the easiest subjects in the vegetable 
world to cultivate. Exceptions always occur, how¬ 
ever, in everything. Tnis is a case in point. The 
aDove suffers in most gardens, and gradually damps 
and dies off. Wnat I nave proved and always seen 
ot value is to grow them in a confined case by them¬ 
selves, the case pieced in the cosiest corner on the 
stage of a warm fernery or stove Tne special con¬ 
ditions of still, warm and moist air can then be 
afforded. — F. L. 
