January 26, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
343 
cpuld be filled with pink flowering Begonias and 
Scolopendrium Ferns. The third or ground row 
could consist of Musk and various little Ferns. The 
Ivy should be trained up either side of the window, 
and the bank arranged, squeezing and flatness beiDg 
avoided. The plants named are capable of produc- 
ing a pretty window clothed from its top to the 
ground in pleasant varied foliage and agreeable 
flowers, but it must have a loving hand to supply its 
continual wants.— H. H. G bson, The Gardens ', Glen- 
cairn, Belfast. 
JOURNEYMEN. 
As I am a journeyman and have come through all 
kinds of places, I think that although a chap has just 
his own bit in big places, he learns more in six 
months than being in a small place for a year. 
Chaps are not going about with their eyes shut. 
They can see what each man is doing and can write 
it down in a diary, which I think every journey¬ 
man should keep, as you know for another year how 
and when the same work was down before. I agree 
wjth Mr. Blair in saying that married gardeners 
come worst off, but their cases cannot be improved, 
I think. As for journeymen a great lot could be 
done by head gardeners to benefit their willing 
assistants. The most of bosses look to having the 
place made tidy whether there is enough strength to 
do so or not. I say this is the mistake, as gentlemen 
get us at as small money as they can, or rather as 
.cheap as possible; therefore, I do not see why we 
should slave, wet and dry, to please nervous head 
gardeners and hungry gentlemen. It is a healthy 
occupation, but the hardest and most trying of any 
kind of work, and to make it worse the pay is 
miserable. Bacon styles gardening “ The purest of 
human pleasures." Yes, it is, after an "angel’s 
visit" comes.—T. S. Dick, Castlemilh, Lockerbie. 
EAST LOTHIAN STOCKS. 
This section of one of our choicest annuals is, per¬ 
haps, the most useful for bedding, owing to their 
lengthy flowering period. Seeds of choice strains in 
separate colours, white, crimson, purple, &c., may be 
obtained from our leading seedsmen. To secure 
strong plants for planting out in May, sow the seeds 
at once in pans of light, sandy soil, scattering the 
seeds thinly and just covering with soil ; give a good 
watering with a fine rose and place in a gentle heat. 
When the seedlings are large enough to handle 
transplant into boxes and place on a shelf close to 
the glass. Early attention to this point is important 
as, if the young plants remain crowded in the seed 
pan, they are very susceptible to damping off. Early 
in March make up a bed of light, rich soil, about 
6-in. deep in a frame, and transfer the plants from 
the boxes, planting out about 6 in. apart each way. 
Keep close for a few days until established, when air 
may be admitted, gradually increasing the quantity 
until they will stand exposure altogether. By this 
method strong plants will be ready for planting out 
early in May, and the display when in flower will 
well repay the extra attention devoted to them. 
Choose showery weather for transplanting to the 
beds, first giving the plants a good soaking of water, 
so as to lift \^)th a good ball, when scarcely any 
check will be experienced.— E. G. 
Easily-grown Choice Shrubs.—So long as one 
sees so many uninteresting shrubberies in the 
gardens everywhere, there will be a sufficiently 
strong reason for repeating and again repeating the 
claims of many unappreciated shrubs. The large 
nurseries are full of grand things and are only 
waiting the order to send their subjects far and near 
to enliven and increase the interest of a great many 
gardens. Why should we fill all the belts or beds 
with a few dark Cupressus. and here and there a 
small Rhododendron, or a Berberis intermixed with 
the variegated Privet and Euonymus ? These are 
right enough and I do not want to abolish them. 
These, with the Almonds, the Laburnums and Lilacs 
are necessary, and are none the less respected 
because they are •• everybody's plants ” or shrubs in 
this case. But when one looks around and asks for 
such features as a mass of Hydrangea paniculata 
grandiflora, Magnolia stellulata, Rubus deliciosus, 
Penzance Sweet Briers, and Ramblers; Diervillas, 
other than the old amabilis and rosea; or Deutzia 
scabra, Coluteas, Cytisus, Dogwoods, Desfontainea 
spinosa, Kerrias, Forsythia suspensa, and a host of 
such other things they are seldom to be seen. Some 
of these are not hardy in all parts of Britain, or 
common enough for popular planting, and we have 
not learned yet to use masses of Briers, &c., ia the 
proper way ia our shrubberies. As a rule, the 
shrubberies are planted with too many subjects all 
of a similar contour and character. We want larger 
and bolder masses of the real good things, and these 
should have plenty of space or openness rather, 
around them to allow their charms to be seen. The 
ground can still be well enough covered with smaller 
shrubs, such as species of Heaths, Rock Roses and 
Sun Roses, dwarf Veronicas, Genistas and Vacci- 
niums. As planting can still be carried out, I may 
be pardoned for presenting a short list of easily- 
grown choice shrubs. These will include Hamame- 
lis arborea, Prunus nanus, P. davidiana, P. 
Amygdalus, P. triloba, Pyrus japonica, Rhododen¬ 
dron dahuricum, Akebia quinata, Amelanchier 
canadensis, Berberis Darwiuii, Clematis cirrhosa 
(for masses on supports), Calycanthus floridus, 
Coronilla Emerus, Gaultheria Shallon, Paeonia 
Moutan, Philadelphus coronarius, Spiraea Thun- 
bergii, S. bella, S. confusa, S. lindleyana, S. 
prunifolia, Robinia hispida inermis and Staphylea 
colchica. There are also the Olearias, Neillia opuli- 
folia, Choisya ternata. Fuchsia Riccartoni, Zenobia 
(Andromeda) speciosa, Tamarix gallica, Caryopteris 
Mastacanthus, Berberidopsis corralina,. Azara 
microphylla and Kalmia glauca. Many other fine 
things are omitted that are of equal merit with any 
of these. 
Planting and Pruning. —The operation of 
planting ought to occupy almost as much 
attention as does the planting of fruit tress. The 
plan of arrangement goes a very long way toward 
making a collection interesting or otherwise. I 
have tried to show how my own ideas of arrange¬ 
ment incline. Then the subject of pruning requires 
more than one season’s study. By strict observation 
on the manner and time of flowering, the proper 
handling of the shrubs can be discovered. Most of 
the strong growing shrubs are aided by bard 
pruning. All such shrubs as Diervillas (Weigelas), 
Forsythias, Chimonanthus fragrans and Philadelph¬ 
us should be lightly thinned soon after flowering. 
It is not always necessary to do so, but generally it 
is beneficial. 
Feeding. —The soil of shrubberies should be kept 
clean and should be aerated by hoeing. If it is a 
heavy or moderately heavy soil there will be less 
need for manuring or top-dressing than if it is light 
and dry. In any case, the shrubs must not be 
allowed to lack for want of nourishment. There are 
many top-dressiDgs that one can apply with advan¬ 
tage and these should certainly be employed — 
J. H. D. 
<» - 
Kitcden Garden calendar. 
Early Sowings. — Every good gardener with 
ordinary conveniences likes to be able to take in an 
early dish of Turnips, Carrots, Radishes, or such 
other vegetables to the kitchen, and to do so sow¬ 
ings at this time must be taken in hand. For all of 
these, frames above theffiot beds should be employed. 
The seeds for these early sowings should have been 
ordered some while ago,so that there may be no delay. 
The hot beds should be made up in the ordinary 
way, adding half the amount of leaves to that of the 
stable dung which is used. When the heap has be¬ 
come fermented to an appreciable degree the bed 
should be got into shape, the litter being trodden 
moderately firm, and squared off, leaving a margin 
of about 2 ft. all around the woodwork of the frame. 
The latter is placed on the heap when it is finished 
off, a depth of 1 ft. of good soil being placed within 
the frame. The drills are then drawn out and the 
seeds sown and very lightly covered, but it is well to 
wait until the body of the soil is warmed. The 
evaporated moisture from the hot bed will keep the 
soil quite moist enough, and to prevent the atmo¬ 
sphere from remaining too humid, to the consequent 
danger of the seedlings, a chink of air should be 
kept on. A mere seam will suffice. The varieties 
favoured for early work include the Milan, Early 
Snowball, and Carter's Swan's Egg Turnips. 
Numerous varieties of Radishes are used for forcing, 
while the Carrots comprise Sutton’s Inimitable 
Forcing, Carter’s Long Forcing, and Parisian 
Forcing. 
Parsley —Sometimes on damp, cold soils the 
supply of Parsley gradually becomes more and more 
scant towards the end of the winter. The supply of 
this garnishing plant can be augmented by a sowing 
in a pan, the seedlings being pricked off as soon as 
they are fit to be handled. They should be pricked 
into boxes, which may be placed on the shelf of a 
peachery or vinery just started. The plants develop 
to a useable size in eight or nine weeks. 
Lettuce.— A sowing of Hick’s Hardy White Cos 
or Commodore Nutt Lettuce may be made at the 
present time, the seedlings afterwards to be pricked 
out over a gentle hot bed. The Lettuces at present 
in the frames from the autumn or early winter 
planting will require to be ventilated as much as 
possible. Only when a degree or two of frost is 
registered need the frames be entirely closed, and at 
no time this year has the protection of mats been 
called for. 
Early Peas and Beans. —It has become more 
usual to forward a very early batch of Peas by 
means of pot culture. Boxes may be used if these 
are preferred, though it little matters. The sowings 
are best made in the fruiting pots or boxes straight 
away. There is then no need to shift and no check 
of any sort need arise. Good drainage should be 
given and a compost of old Chrysanthemum soil 
with some fresh loam added may be used. These 
seeds should be sown 2 in. deep. A house with a 
temperature of from 55 0 to 60° will suit the Peas, 
though a Melon house temperature may be given 
to the Dwarf Beans. Sowings of Peas and Broad 
Beans can now be made in the warmest and best 
places on south borders in the favoured gardens of 
the southern counties. 
Salads. —The usual sowings of Mustard and 
Cress in shallow boxes should be kept up. Seakale 
and Asparagus for forcing will have to be brought in 
or crowns may be covered in the open ground with 
cans and these then surrounded with fermenting 
matter. 
Cabbages, Onions, and Cauliflowers for early 
spring planting may now be sown. 
Other Work. —The ground on all the warm 
borders should be surface hoed and raked, so as to 
deepen and improve the tilth, for these borders will 
all be filled early in February. Alleys should be 
made up, edgings relaifl, paths repaired, and the 
general kitchen garden work should begot as well in 
band as possible.— Kitchen Gardener. 
- »B - — 
©leanings fiwin fljc DmrUi 
of Science. 
Compound Flower on Foxglove.—At a meet¬ 
ing of the Linnean Society of London, December 
20th, 1900, on behalf of Dr. ]. W. Cornwall, F.L S., 
the Sscretary exhibited two photographs of a com¬ 
pound flower which appeared on a white Foxglove 
growing in a garden near Godaiming. 
Hill's Flora Qritannica.—Mr. B. Daydon Jack- 
son exhibited two editions of Hill’s Flora 
" Britannica,” the earlier, of 1759, being apparently 
unknown to bibliographers. This edition differs 
from the usual issue of 1760 in having a different 
title-page, and publisher's name ; the copy exhibited 
wants the plates mentioned on the title. The 
species ascribed to the genus Statice are three in 
number; in modern nomenclature one species of 
Armeria and two of Statice. Some additional 
remarks were made by Mr. Henry Groves. 
The Death’s-head Moth.—At the same meet¬ 
ing as the above Prof. Poulton, F.R.S., exhibited a 
living specimen of the Death’s-head Moth (Acherotia 
Atropos), and proved with a stethoscope that the 
late Prof. Moseley was correct in stating that the 
sound comes from the proboscis. He also showed 
that all sound ceased the moment the tip of the 
straightened proboscis was dipped in water, and 
could not be resumed until the organ was with¬ 
drawn; thus supporting Prof. Moseley's opinion that 
the sound was produced by forcing air through the 
proboscis. 
Flora of Vavau.—Mr. I. H. Burkill, F.L.S., 
read a paper on the Flora of Vavau, a little known 
Island of the Tonga group, on which some remarks 
were made by the president. 
