266 
THE GARDEN IN O WORLD 
March 28, 1903. 
in the shrubberies, and produce fine, bold effects. The type 
Helenium autumnale grows about 5 ft. high, has yellow flowers, 
and continues to bloom for a long time. Of this there are 
several very desirable varieties, the best of which will be found 
among the following :—H. a. superbum is a very fine plant for 
large borders, growing fully 6 ft. high, with branching heads 
of pale yellow flowers. It is certainly one of the best tall 
perennials we have. H. a. pumilum is cpiite a. dwarf grower, 
not exceeding 1 ft. or 15 in. The flowers are large, yellow, 
and produced in great profusion. This makes a useful plant 
for bedding, requiring but little attention. A very fine, some¬ 
what new variety of this is magnificum, which grows between 
2-| ft. and 3 ft. high, with an erect, very branching habit, pro¬ 
ducing in abundance clear - yellow flowers. For autumn flower¬ 
ing it is one of our best perennials, and should be included in 
every collection. H. a, grandiflorum has larger flowers than 
the type, and is valuable for cutting.. 
H. Bolanderi is a very showy plant about 18 in. in height; 
flowers rich yellow, with a black centre. 
H. autumnale striatum is one of the most distinct and useful 
for cutting. It grows about 5 ft. high, and forms a bushy, 
much-branched head of golden-yellow flowers heavily streaked 
with crimson. A rather poor soil produces the finest-coloured 
flowers. 
Hesperis. —Undoubtedly the most showy and most useful 
variety of the Rockets is the double white, H. matroualis alba 
flore pleno. It produces a. fine effect in the borders during 
early summer if planted in masses, is veiy sweetly scented, 
and invaluable for cutting. To see it at. its best the plants 
must be divided every spring and the ground should be well 
enriched with some half-decayed, manure. If the plants are 
not divided frequently their vigour quickly decreases, and a, 
very poor display of bloom will result. It is not too late now 
for dividing the plants. Separate them carefully with the 
hands and replant firmly. 
The double purple variety, though not so showy as the 
preceding, is a useful border plant. 
Gladiolus. —These delightful showy autumn-flowering bulbs 
should be planted largely at this date. The common G. 
brenchleyensis is undoubtedly the most useful and robust, can 
be purchased at a small cost, and when unstintingly planted, 
either in the herbaceous border or in good groups in the 
shrubbery borders or beds, will create a beautiful effect un¬ 
surpassed in their way. 
The choicer-named varieties require to be. specially treated 
by planting them in a good mixture. 
Small flowering varieties, such as “ The Bride,” are extremely 
useful both as border plants and for cutting purposes. These 
should be planted on well-drained land on a south or west 
border in a light porous compost. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Letters to the Editor. 
Potato Failures in 1902' 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,— The serious losses which occurred during last season owing 
to .the Potatos failing to grow in many districts has not been 
commented on nearly so much as one would have anticipated in 
the horticultural press; and more searching investigations made 
concerning the same. I noticed “ Cal,” in his interesting remarks 
in a recent number of The Gardening World, which I always 
peruse with much pleasure, wonders if I have not something to 
say on the subject. I only wish I could offer some explanation 
concerning the same; but, unfortunately, I am not in a position 
to do so ; neither have I been able to elicit from anyone else what 
I consider the real cause. All kinds of theories have been put 
forward as likely to be the cause, such as over-maturity of the 
tubers, bad storage, and a severe check after planting; but that 
there is something more to account for it than either of the above 
named, I am fully convinced. In some cases I observed whole 
fields which absolutely refused to make growth beyond a few 
miserable weak shoots, and the crops were not worth lifting; and 
in other cases some varieties behaved precisely in the same 
way, while other kinds saved, stored, planted the same time and 
treated under exactly the same conditions, proved to be all one 
could desire. During previous years I have noticed isolated cases, 
but never before anything like to the same extent as last season. 
In our own case, some varieties grown in cool frames behaved 
exactly in the same way, while others did well. The most 
puzzling part to me is that the sets before planting were all laid 
out thinly, as is our usual custom, to sprout, which they did, 
and I never saw them look more promising when placed in the 
soil. 
I shall be grateful and interested, as I am sure many other 
readers of The Gardening World will, if anyone is able to shed 
any light on the real cause. 
I shall certainly not. plant to any extent from any of the 
stocks which were affected last year, and I would urge others not 
to do so either, but rather try a change of tubers from a reliable 
source. Nevertheless, I trust, whatever the cause, it was only 
temporary, otherwise it will most seriously interfere with what 
is now one of the nation’s chief articles of food. 
Elstree. E. Beckett. 
Fruit Growing and Orchard Planting 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,— With reference to recent paragraphs which have appeared 
in this journal regarding fruit growing and orchard planting, I 
feel somewhat disposed to aver that I am in no way immensely 
impressed with the assertion that young orchards ought to be 
planted 3ft. apart. Assuming that two imperial acres are to he 
planted, something like 9.680 trees would be required for this 
purpose. Then, besides, what would be the good of cramming 
that number into a limited space in the middle of a ten-acre field, 
while the other eight acres were lying in such a slovenly state 
that they could not be regarded as anything better than a piece 
of waste ground? Then, again, after the fruit is grown and 
gathered, how is it to be got out from the middle of this thicket ? 
Overhead, or how ? 
What would contributor “ Cal ” have to say for himself were 
he deputed to carry, say, half a ton of Apples from the middle 
of this thicket ? Perhaps he will favour us with his opinion 
next week. This close, planting is an immense question, and 
must be grappled with before planting operations can be pro¬ 
ceeded with. 
This method of planting has not hitherto been largely practised, 
and I am somewhat disposed to fancy it never will find much 
favour with the majority of planters. John C Peebles 
St, Fort, 
Scottish Horticultural Association, 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,— Having recently received the prize list of the Scottish 
Horticultural Association,- I greatly regret that, the committee 
(as they seem to me) have taken a retrograde step in confining one 
of the best classes, viz., Class II., to the municipal boundaries 
of Edinburgh and Leith. Surety this is not worthy of the 
Scottish Horticultural Association, as there can be no doubt that 
through their hard-won efforts they have elevated the culture of 
the Chrysanthemum in Scotland to a very high degree. It seems 
to me absurd for a national association whose membership is not 
even confined to Britain, to cut down the smaller classes, not even 
sparing the amateur, which are always well competed for, to 
give a large prize to a confined area. It will be interesting to 
watch in November at the annual exhibition to see how many 
compete in this class.- T am, sir, yours, etc., 
A Country Member. 
“ A Gardening Chart.” 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,— I see that in your last issue one of your readers wanted 
a goodibook to tell him what to do (month by month) in his green¬ 
house, etc. 1 would advise him to get a copy of " Befton’s Garden¬ 
ing,” which he can purchase for the modest sum of Is., and at a 
discount bookseller’s for 9d. At the end of this book he will 
find a calendar telling.him what to do each month in his green¬ 
house, flower garden, and kitchen garden, and I am sure he will 
find the book most useful to him in every way.—Yours, etc., 
E. C. G. Macdonald. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World 
Sir, —T. Henry asks for a good “gardening chart.” I have 
just lately purchased Sutton’s book on Gardening, and I do not 
think he could do better than have it too. I find it the best 
arranged I have yet come across. He can have it from Sutton 
and Sons, jirice 5s. Scottie. 
