102t 
THE GARDENING WORLD December i 2 1903 
sown plants in frames should bo given plenty of air, and, should 
wirewo-rms be in evidence, as these troublesome pests frequently 
are during winter, trap them by placing pieces of Carrot in 
the soil between the plants*, and examine every morning and 
destroy them. 
Kadishes.— Make small sowings of those kinds best adapted 
for forcing about every ten days in a gentle heat. Pull and 
send to table when quite small. Box up plenty of Tarragon 
and Mint, and place in a gentle warmth. Sow Onions in boxes 
every fortnight or so for supplying young Onions for salads. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. E. Beckett. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Viburnum Tinus. —Among evergreen shrubs there are few 
which are more generally admired than the Laurustinus, and its 
value at this season cannot be over-estimated. It is probably 
the last of the shrubbery occupants to flower, commencing 
about the middle of November, and continuing over a long 
period, and for decoration in a cut state its: quantities of white 
flowers are very valuable. As a single specimen in the border 
it forms a pleasing, shapely bush, and for groujting purposes 
this shrub can also be used with excellent effect. Of this 
Viburnum there are several forms, but none of them are of 
greater worth than the typical variety, some being not so free 
flowering or not sufficiently hardy to withstand severe frost, 
and, considering - the little attention necessary to grow Vibur¬ 
num Tinus to* perfection, it can certainly be assigned a fore¬ 
most. place in *ny collection, and undoubtedly is in. every way 
one of our most ornamental flowering shrubs. 
A cer pennsylvanicum. —Among the many varieties of Maples 
which we have received from North America there are few 
which are so distinct in some characteristics as this, and 
though it was. introduced to this country as far back as 1755, 
it has. not yet become well known, and is seldom seen outside 
the best or botanical collections, though it merits a place in 
every one, however small. The most attractive feature of this 
shrub or small tree is the trunk, and another name under 
which it is sometimes known is A. striatum. As the name 
implies, the bark isi very prettily striped with white lines, 
which gives, the whole a most pleasing appearance. I recently 
saw a fine specimen of this Acer in the gardens of the Grove, at 
Stamnore, where Mr. Odell has so many interesting things, 
the plant under notice being between 15 ft. and 20 ft. in height, 
and when seen with the foliage off the appearance is indeed 
striking. The Maple will succeed in the majority of soils, and 
requires but little attention. There are several other Acers, 
such as A. pictum and some of the Japanese varieties which 
have lightly striped barks:, but- none are to be compared in 
this respect to A. pennsylvanicum, and it deserves, to be more 
extensively cultivated than ait the present time. 
Phlomis fruticosa. — On account of the dense yellowish down 
which thickly clothe® the foliage and stems of this shrub, it. 
has. a. most distinct appearance and is worthy of-a position ini 
the front line. It has a neat, shrubby habit, not growing more 
than 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, and the flowers, which are 
produced front the axils of the upper leaves, are bright 
yellow and very conspicuous. This ishrub is also well 
suited for planting on rock-work or clothing low walls, it being 
not quite hardy ini the coldest, districts, and should therefore 
receive some protection in severe weather. It also succeeds 
well in dry soils, where many other shrubs would fail to grow. 
Another variety similar in foliage, and named P. cashmeriana 
has pale lilac flowers. 
Euonymus europaeus —Though a. native of Britain, this 
deciduous shrub is well worthy of inclusion., and is. especially 
valuable for woodland planting, as: it delights to grow in the 
shade of other trees.. It grows to a height of about. 6 ft.., and 
though the flowers are inconspicuous, these are succeeded by 
large numbers of scarlet fruit, which open when ripe and 
reveal the orange-coloured seeds, thus rendering the appear¬ 
ance very beautiful. This shrub is well suited for massing 
purposes, and tlie young growths should he pruned back in 
spring to the older wood. 
Preparation of the Ground for Spring Planting. ~ 
Where it is intended to make new beds or shrubberies nex 
year, it will be advisable to commence preparing the <n-ounc 
without delay. This should first of all be pegged out^whei-i 
the beds are to be, and receive a thorough trenching f u p A 
incorporating decayed farmyard manure, leaf-soil, or’ othe": 
suitable ingredients. The surface should be left in a rouffi 
and lumpy condition until planting time. 
Cutting Evergreens. —Now that the festive season is nearh 
upon us, quantities of evergreens and berried shrubs will be h 
demand for decorative purposes, and instead of cutting these 
from the trees and shrubs with a knife, it is much better tc 
use a pair of secateurs, as. much damage is often done hr 
the inexperienced when using a blade. Any unshapely tree.- 
or those which it is intended to cut down answer well for this 
purpose. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Potatos and High Propagation. 
I much regretted to read at p. 1017 that it was proposed to 
offer the new prize Potato, Lira Gray, not “ Sim ” Gray, at any 
price per lb. when only 112 lb. could be put into commerce. 
That it is under ordinary treatment, a grand Potato there can 
be no. doubt, and those who are so enthusiastic over Northern 
Star should wait. a. bit till Lim Gray becomes more plentiful 
and cheaper ere they rush too hastily to conclusions as to 
which is the best, of the newer Potatos. But I am specially 
sorry that Lim Gray is thus offered, even though it be at the 
absurd price of £5 per lb., because there is temptation on the 
part of those high prices, no matter what the variety affected, 
to induce high propagation to be resorted to, and that must 
have the effect of greatly weakening the constitution of any 
variety to .which it is applied. 
I would warn intending purchasers of any liigh-priced Potato 
to demand from the vendors a, guarantee that tire seed tubers 
offered for sale be the product of natural tuber propagation and 
not of cutting or eye propagation. Whenever methods of that 
kind are adopted in relation of Potatos, the effect always is, 
if not in the first, certainly in the second, generation, to induce 
weakness of constitution, and, as a result, poor crops. As to 
the prices' .asked for some new Potato, not one has ever yet 
been worth the big sums stated. 
Plenty of very fine Potatos in the past have been put into 
commerce at Is. per lb., which is a. very moderate figure when 
stocks are small, but even these prices have dropped to 7s. 6d. 
per 14 lb. the next year, and then to 4s. or 5s. perhaps the 
year after. With such changes no one can complain, even if 
in all case's the variety may not have in a. few years borne out 
all that wa.s anticipated. But when out-of-the-way prices ai - e 
asked and paid, and in a. year or two.—perhaps even the first 
year-—the variety turns, out to be not -one whit better than 
many others purchasable -a.t. 4s. per 14 lb., there is great harm 
done to the purchaser, the vendor, and to the Potato trade 
generally. 
It would be much better did raisers of new Potato® retain 
their stocks a. year or two. longer, thus giving new varieties 
still a further and much -enlarged test of quality, whilst, when 
offered in commerce in bulk, the price would not he such, as 
if not 'turning out- well, a.s no variety will in all soils, the dis¬ 
appointment of the- purchaser is not great. 
It is one of the aspirations of the promoters of the proposed 
National Potato Society that trial stations under the control 
of some of the various county councils be. established in different 
parts of the kingdom, where all new varieties of Potatos might 
have -a. trial in diverse soils, yet in all other respects under 
precisely similar conditions. In. such case, it would he -evident 
that such tests would make or mar the reputation of any 
variety. If one -did well in the majority of cases, it must be 
good. If it did badly, then, it could not be. good. A test in 
one place and one description of soil only has little value. 
Were there twelve or twenty stations for trials the results ob¬ 
tained would have great value. A. Dean. 
