334 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
April 23. 1904. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Ribes sanguineum and its Varieties* —By tlie middle of 
April the well-ordered shrubbery will assume a most pleasing 
appearance, as. there are many evergreen and deciduous shrubs 
in flower or ready to expand their blossoms. Among the latter 
there are probably no shrubs more generally admired than 
the Ribes or Flowering Currants, and though the typical form, 
R. sanguineum, is well known, the several beautiful varieties 
do not appear to have received the attention they certainly 
deserve. Having grown the following varieties here for several 
years, I can very strongly recommend them to lovers of this 
particular branch, and I venture to say few shrubs will give 
greater satisfaction. Their culture, of course, is extremely 
simple, and they will succeed in almost any soil or situation, 
though the best results are obtained by planting in a good open 
position and in deeply-worked soil. Ribes sanguineum, how¬ 
ever, will succeed well in the woodland by the sides of the 
walks or under' the shade of larger trees, and for such a posi¬ 
tion. it is undoubtedly very valuable. We have obtained ex¬ 
cellent results in this way, and doubtless the various forms 
would succeed equally well. Some little attention is necessary 
as to pruning with the Flowering Currants, for if left to- grow 
as they please a straggling bush is. formed, and not. nearly such 
a large quantity of flower is produced. The young growth of 
each season should be pruned back not too hard when it. is 
completed, and the bushes will then form neat, close-growing 
shrubs and make excellent specimens. In spite of the abund¬ 
ance of wet. last year I have never seen the Ribes flowering 
more freely than they are now, which is surprising, considering 
the unripened state of the wood last autumn, but clearly shows 
that their flowering properties a.re not. affected by the weather. 
Ribes sanguineum fl. pleno is a semi-double form, with 
deeper-coloured flowers than the type. R. si albidum has 
creamy-white blossoms with a. slight suffusion, of pink, which 
are quite white when grown under glass. R. s. atro,sanguineum 
floribundum has intensely dark red flowers in great, profusion, 
and R. si. cameum grandiflorum .is a very fine flesh-coloured 
form. 
When these have been left to take care of themselves and an 
unsightly growth has been made, this can be easdy remedied 
by cutting down the old stems' close to the ground, which will 
cause them to break freely, and by judicious' pruning of the 
young wood a. shapely bush can be again, formed. 
Corylopsis spicata.- Though introduced in, 1864 from Japan, 
this shrub has not become s'o well known as it, deserve®, yet it, 
is well worthy of a, place in the mixed shrubbery, and during 
the present month isi most interesting. The flowers are pro¬ 
duced before the foliage in drooping spike®, pale yellow in 
colour, and are also> veiy fragrant. These are produced freely 
on young specimens,, and the leaves, which resemble our 
common Hazel in, shape, are slightly glaucous beneath. This 
shrub is allied to the Hamamelis and succeeds well if treated 
in the same way. 
Prunus cerasifera atropurpurea. —This, the purple-leaved 
Plum, in addition to being a, beautiful spring-flowering shrub, 
is also one of the most conspicuous by reason of the deep purple 
colour of the foliage, which renders it, a strikingly handsome 
subject. When, grown as a, tree it, makes a pyramidal growth, 
and the pure white flowers are produced in great profusion 
along the slender branches. The young growths should be 
pruned back annually in, summer, which induces the tree to 
make a more compact growth, and the foliage is a brighter 
colour. One of the most pleasing examples I have seen in 
shrub bedding was, done with this, and the variegated Dogwood, 
Cornus sanguinea, variegata. Dwarf plants of the Purple 
Plum not more than 1 ft. in height were obtained, and planted 
in the centre of a bed about 18 in. apart each way, and thei 
Cornus was placed at the same distance apart all round. The 
Plum has been, kept quite dwarf with the shears until it has 
now formed a level mass of growth, and the Cornus is pruned 
to the ground every year. When in full leaf a striking effect 
is produced, owing to' the beautiful contrast of colour. 
A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham. House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
The weather during the present month up till the time of 
writing has been all one could wish for, and we may now 
reasonably hope for a, better season than we experienced last 
year. Nearly all kinds of soil which have been laid up in a 
rough state are in splendid condition for working down to a 
tine tilth, and the kitchen garden work can proceed apace. 
Onions which have been raised in boxes under glass and dulv 
hardened should now be well planted in their permanent beds, 
but before doing so prepare and mark out the ground in a 
pleasing and workmanlike manner, raking down the surface 
flue and level, and apply a, good dressing of soot and burnt 
garden refuse. Lift carefully with a, good ball, using a, garden 
trowel; prepare a, good hole, so that the roots are not cramped, 
make thoroughly firm, and allow a distance of not less than 
12 in. between the rows and plants, and when extra, large speci¬ 
mens are required, 15 in. will be none too much. Should the 
weather be diy, give a good watering in, and damp overhead 
two or three times daily in bright weather till the plants become 
established. The Dutch hoe should be kept constantly plied 
between the plants, and dust with fresh soot every ten days 
or so, which is not. only a fine stimulant, hut, does much to 
keep the Onion fly at, bay. 
Potatos. —Lose no time in completing the main planting of 
these. On. stiff, heavy soils extra pains should be taken to 
open good trenches with the spade, and add a little light 
material, such a,s leaf-soil or old mushroom bed manure, to 
ensure the shoots not, being damaged, and break up the soil 
as finely a,s possible. Air freely all which are growing in cold 
frames or temporary shelters, and apply a mulching of light 
compost when from 3 in. to 4 in. in height. 
Parsley. —Seedling plants which were raised under glass 
should now be pricked out, into well-prepared beds. Parsley 
is a deep-rooting subject; consequently the ground should be 
deeply worked and well enriched with farmyard manure. Plant 
1 ft,, apart all ways, make thoroughly firm, a,nd dust well with 
soot. At the same time make a good sowing on a south or 
west border. 
Herbs, both annual and perennial, should also be sown on' 
a warm border in rows, and make the surface quite fine before 
doing so. Capsicums, and Chilies ought by now 'to be nice 
plants in 60’s, a.nd these when well rooted should receive one 
more shift, the stronger-growing kinds into 6-in. pots, and the 
weaker ones into 5-in. Use a good loamy compost enriched 
with finely-sifted horse-droppings and a little bone-meal. 
Seakale. —Where not already done, cuttings should be 
planted at once on well-prepared ground. Place a few cinder 
ashes round each crown, and after growth has actively com¬ 
menced reduce the growth to one, of course leaving the 
strongest,. Use the Dutch hoe frequently to keep down, weeds,. 
and encourage a free, active growth. Permanent crowns which! 
have been forced in the open, should have the pots and pro¬ 
tective material removed and the ground forked up between 
them. 
Tomatos .-—Where it is intended to grow and fruit these out¬ 
side, eveiy inducement should be given the plants to become 
strong and sturdy before finally planting them out,. Plants 
which are now well established in 60’s should be placed into 
32 pots, and grown on in a. cool house near the glass, as weak, 
late-sown plants are seldom if ever of any use for this purpose 
in many parts of the country. ' E. Beckett. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
