March 14 1903. 
The gardening World, 
237 
WITHOUT PREJUDICE. 
Quizzings by “ Cal.” 
Way over at Coatepec, Mexico, are the remains of what was a 
garden of great beauty. * * 
El Jardin Borda was created by a wealthy Mexican, Jose la 
Borda, and in 1762 he commenced to lay out a garden on such 
an extensive scale that 1,250,000 dollars were expended, at the 
end of which the gardens are said to have resembled a chapter of 
the “ Arabian Nights ” in reality. 
* * * 
This garden was a favourite retreat of the ill-fated Empress 
Carlota, who, with the Emperor Maximilian, spent much of 
her time there. 
* * * 
Nothing now is to be seen save weed-grown lanes and various 
plants battling for existence. 
The fountains, once a joy, are dead, the only grandeur remain¬ 
ing being the grand old trees. 
A gardener’s lot is not a bed of roses. Were he able to 
annihilate at one swoop the whole of the troublesome pests that 
prey upon his subjects, truly a garden would be a thing of beauty 
and a joy for ever. 
* * * 
There are the fungi and the crawling insects, the parasites and 
flying insects. 
J c * * * 
Who has not, at some period or other, oliased the beautiful 
wasp or the gaily-flitting butterfly, and, after various gymnastic 
evolutions, perhaps succeeded in squelching the offender, and, 
possibly, a few million descendants ? * 
What suburban or town gardener can boast of being free from 
that pestilent quadruped, the cat? 
* * * 
I can call to mind one occasion when I discovered a beauteous 
specimen reclining on a box of seedlings that were being hardened 
off preparatory to planting out. 
I well knew that he was the property of a neighbour whose 
gardening operations did not get beyond growing the exquisite (?) 
Dandelion. 
* * * 
Aware was I that the feline’s name was “ Dandy, and it may 
have been this knowledge, coupled with thoughts of those 
feathery seeds that floated into my garden, that prompted me to 
stealthily approach, murmuring, “ Dandy, lie on, sweet creature ; 
let me not disturb thy slumbers.” 
* * * 
Well for the sweet creature that he practised the habit of sleep¬ 
ing with one eye open, or he might have felt the weight of the 
club I was carrying. 
* * * 
Florida Orange growers have had enough trouble with the 
San Jose scale, frosts, and the like. 
* * * 
Now a new species of snowy fly named Aleyrodes. Citri is 
causing much wailing, owing to the insect, which in its larval 
stage produces great quantities of honey dew. 
This attracts the root fungus, and the trees and fruits quickly 
become sickly. 
* * * 
These pests reproduce themselves at an enormous rate, so 
that efforts to circumvent them are almost unavailing. 
* * * 
There is no disputing the fact that America does all things 
on a big scale. 
* - * * 
We do not object to Italian Cauliflowers, but we do not want 
their locusts. 
* * * 
A recent unpacking at Covent Garden disclosed a live and 
perfect specimen of that devastating species. 
* * * 
Some Frenchmen are apparently concerned at the great im¬ 
ports into England of Canadian Apples to the detriment of their 
own stuff. I fully respect France, but I like Canada better. 
* * * 
One has to talk with a yokel to get an opinion as to the value 
of artificial manures; and his views are not complimentary 
either. 
* * * 
However, despite what may be said about the matter, artifi¬ 
cials can produce a crop alone. 
* * * 
At Kineton, Warwick, some experiments with super and 
nitrate worked startling results. 
* * * 
Unmanured the soil only yielded 9g tons of Mangolds per 
acre, but 4 cwt. of super and 4 cwt. of nitrate raised the crop 
to 14 tons, while an additional 2 cwt. of nitrate of soda added 
another ton of roots. Oats on unmanured soil yielded only 30 
bushels of grain, with one ton of straw per acre ; manured the 
crop turned up at 46 bushels. Hay yielded four to six times 
as much as undressed soil. 
* * * 
The soil was poor and clayey, and generally known as 
“ starveall.” 
* * * 
Like J. McL, I own to a feeling of regret that Sweet Pea, 
Countess Spencer, has gone from us. However, it serves to show 
the. inadvisability of bringing forward a new thing until a 
stock has been raised, especially owing to the likelihood of a 
new seedling not piroving fixed. [It turns out to be in safe 
keeping. —Ed.] 
* * * 
As Mr. Mcl. remarks, it is unwise to remove any flowers when 
the stock is so limited, whether Sweet Peas or any other flower. 
* * * 
Respecting the annual under notice, I may say that I once, 
when my whole stock of a new variety consisted of one plant, 
picked off the earliest blossoms, thinking to encourage more 
vigorous growth and more blooms later. 
* * * 
It proved a case of touch and go, for I only saved one seed, 
which fortunately grew well the following season, resulting, 
however, in only about 12 seeds. 
* * * 
Mr. Burbidge remarks that foresters, etc., do not take to 
reading, and I fear this may be also applied to many gardeners. 
True, the majority read a gardening paper, but many, I fear, 
take little heed. 
* * * 
Young men, at least many of them, are too fond of football 
and other sports, and while away much valuable time which 
ought to be spent in reading. Read, read, is the best advice, 
and let the subjects be general. 
* * * 
To confine one’s mind to one thing is to become bigoted in 
ideas. To not read at all is to become, or rather remain, 
ignorant. 
* * * 
Nevertheless, one often meets people who express wonder 
because some other individual climbs over their heads 
* * * 
Yet an inquiry will usually result in the discovery that the 
successful rival is a studious reader. 
* * * 
The editorial remarks concerning seeds are more than in¬ 
teresting. 
* * * 
Respecting Orange pips, I may say that I once sowed a pip 
which resulted in five young plants. 
* * * 
Re the length of time taken by Onion seed, would the seed 
of Cannas, which germinate so slowly, be due to a similar cause ? 
* * * 
Ordinary tests suggest that it is the hard exterior, because 
filing a notch in them will induce germination in a few days. 
^ 
William Smith does not over laud the value of lime for the 
garden. To me it appears a curious coincidence that Mr. Smith 
resides at Burnt Tree Lane. 
* * * 
What do burnt trees produce ? Why, wood ashes. And their 
value ? Ask the Editor. 
