898 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 24, 1903. 
resting. Bouvardia, Humboldtii c-orymbiflora, one of the best 
of the family, was growing so vigorously that one would not 
readily recognise it by the general aspect of the plants. 
It is early yet for winter-flowering Carnations, but our old 
friend Winter Cheer was already making a blaze of colour. 
Mrs. Lawson was also producing! bloom freely and of great 
size. For general purpose® I know of no Carnation to beat 
this, whether it be indoors, or out, summer or winter. Mal- 
maison Princes® May and several others of this type are bloom¬ 
ing well, and promise to do so for many months to come. 
Whenever I visit this nursery, I always admire the fine batch 
of double white Primulas to, be seen in the houses,—not the 
common, double form, but a greatly improved variety known 
as Mrs. Barron. It is twice the size 1 of the old type, and in 
addition to being a better form and a purer white, it, is even 
more floriferous, and no matter at what season of the year 
one visits this nursery, they may rely on seeing it in bloom. 
There is a, pink form which is similar in every respect, to Mrs. 
Barron except in colour; it is known as Lord Bea.consfield. 
Fuchsias, are always well grown here, and a good collection of 
the leading varieties is always maintained. To make a, selec¬ 
tion would fill too much space, but I cannot pass over Minister 
Buscher, as it, is a, specially fine variety. A very superior form 
of Lapageria* rosea, isi to be seen here too ; it is freer and largei 
than the type. Those gardeners who visit, Windsor should 
never’ fail to go on to Slough and see these nurseries. 
F. J. C. 
Bedding in Hyde Park. 
At this season of the year a, visit to Park Lane is always 
instructive and interesting, furnishing as it does an atfcractive 
display of beautiful mixtures of flowering and foliage plants, 
which cannot but have educational influences; upon all u> 
terested in, gardening matters, and, happily, their name is 
le°ion in these days of horticulture for the million, as practi¬ 
cally exemplified in the many beautiful parks and open spaces 
for the enjoyment of Londoners. The parks are, indeed, 
veritable oases in the midst of bricks and mortar, by which, 
as a rule, they are surrounded. 
The season through which we have passed and are passing 
has not been the happiest of ones for- the embellishment of 
the flower garden—a season hi which Jupiter Pluvius has had 
and is having an undue reign. _ . 
Yet, making allowances; for this unavoidable state of. affairs, 
Mr. Jordan,, the capable superintendent, has contrived to 
present, the British public with a beautiful floral picture m 
Park Lane. And now for a brief outline of the sard “ picture. 
Commencing at Grosvenor Gate and going south, first on the 
east side is a, round bed of Ivy-leaved Pelargonium La, France, 
having a carpet of the same variety with golden Pyrethrum 
dotted in it, furnishing a pleasing contrast. A good mixture is 
Heliotrope President, Garfield, with Ivy Pelargonium Madame 
Crousse. Tall Heliotropes, with Lantana, Drap d Or planted 
under them, look very fine, margined with Gazania 
splendens variegata,. Ivy Pelargonium Galilee, with a, ground¬ 
work of white zonal Pelargoniums, is a happy arrangement. 
Fuchsia Amy Lye, having a groundwork of mixed China. Asters, 
is very worthy of note. Pink Pelargonium Mrs. Turner, with 
the sweetly scented (at eventide) Nicotiana affims, are very 
^Chrysanthemum Flora,, associated with Dactylis glomerata. 
variegata, will be good shortly. Looking well ^ Cantona 
delieatissima, carpeted with the popular and beauti r Han 
rison’s Musk. Two mixed flowering beds m informal roups 
make a very effective display planted as follows :--Asclepias 
curassaviea, Gaura Lindheimeri, Swarnsomas, Agathea coeles- 
tis and Lantanas in mixed colours. Two carpet beds as corn 
panion arrangements, one having a groundwork of Lotus pelior- 
hvnclnis are noticeable, as the latter is a new subject for 
carpeting purposes. The. beds are effectively flanked by a, 
pair of beds planted with suoli succulent subjects as Agaves 
Sempervivums, Echeverias, Portulaccas, etc. A bed. of light 
coloured, also- a bed of dark coloured Lantanas are very good, 
carpeted with the old but, fine Viola Bluebell. A bed of tall 
mixed Ivy Pelargoniums carpeted with smaller plants looked 
well. 
There is a good arrangement of mixed Bouvardias with 
Begonias of the Semperflorens type. Zinnias and Sanvitalia 
procumbens in group® look very fine carpeted with Alteman- 
thera,. Striking is an arrangement of Fuchsia gracilis and F. 
Sunray, carpeted with purple Viola and dots of golden Fuchsia. 
Acalypha, musaioa,, Abutilon Thompson!, Coprosma, baueriana, 
Abutilon Sawitzii, Acacia lophantha, and dots of golden 
Pyrethrum present a grand appearance, and the same eulogy 
applies to. scarlet and crimson-flowered tuberous Begonias, 
with dots, of Melianthus major and Dactylis glomerata, edged 
with Sanvitalia. An, attractive planting is furnished by Ery- 
thrina, Crista-Galli and Asolepias curassaviea. Cockscombs 
mixed with Dracaenas and the elegant Fern-like Grevilla 
robusta are very fine. Calceolaria amplexicanlis, carpeted 
with Ageratum, is telling. Mixed Eucalyptus are noteworthy 
by reason of their association with the reintroduced swamp 
Cypress (Kochia, scoparia). Acalypha. musaioa, with Ery- 
thrinas and beautifully attractive Month,retias, are very good. 
The noble and well-known Hydrangea, paniculata grandiflora, 
and Genista praecox furnish a. charming mixture. There; are; 
some good miked plain beds, also some effective 1 groups on 
the grass of Heliotrope®, Hydrangeas, Agapanthus, and one 
especially fine group of the noble Phormiunr tenax variegatum. 
A final note may be well in, drawing attention to a good mixed 
bed of Cassia corymbosa, Lantanas, Heliotropes, and Calceo¬ 
laria Burbidgei. J- B. 
Chiswick. 
Something about Plant Food. 
(Continued from page 804.) 
By J. J. Willis, Harpenden. 
It is now known that the nitrogen in the organic matter 
which exists in the soil, or that applied in farmyard manure oi 
seaweed or similar vegetable substances in composts, is slowly 
converted into' nitric acid by the growth of a minute organism, 
apparently a, micrococcus. These micrococcus' or bacteiia 
cannot grow if the soil is too cold, or too wet, or too dry, or 
in, the absence of lime or potash. Sometimes old kitchen 
garden soils have become' soured by the using-up and exhaus¬ 
tion. of the lime; in, this, case the bacteria cannot, perform 
their work; but, should there be no lack of lime in the soil, 
the other conditions necessary for the conversion of the nitrogen 
into nitric acid are warm weather and a moist, porous soil. 
In the early spring the soil is too wet^ and too cold for the 
nitrifying change to take place. We must, wait for warm 
weather. But, tire market gardener doe® not want to wait. 
He makes his, profits largely on his early crops,. Guided 
only by experience and the' practice of hi® forefathers, he fills 
his land with farmyard or stable manure; and even then he 
gets only a, moderate crop the first year. He puts anothei 
large dressing the next, year, and gets a better crop, and 
another application the third year, and gets a, still better crop. 
And he may continue putting on such manure till the soil itself 
is a® rich in nitrogen, ais the manure which is supplied, and 
•even then, he must keep on. manuring, or he fails to get a good 
early crop. Why is this? The nitrogen of the. soil, with 
that, of the plant-root residues and of the applied organic 
manure, is retained in, the soil in a, comparatively inert condi¬ 
tion. There is little or no loss. But, when it is slowly con¬ 
verted into nitric acid during warm weather the' plants take 
it up and grow rapidly. Unfortunately, however, it we have 
no plants growing in the autumn, and there. is much nitric- 
acid left unused in the soil, the' rains of winter and earfy 
spring wash out, a, large proportion of it, and it escen s i 
the subsoil, out of root range; or into the under-dmns 
How, then,, is the market gardener to get the n 
absolutely necessary for. the growth of his -early plants. - 
