THE GARDENING WORLD , 
May 14, 1904. 
3)8 
Reminders for May. 
As the temperature increases and frost becomes less frequent, 
with the aid of sunshine and showers, vegetation will now be 
in full activity. The gardener must new be busy to assist 
^Nature in her endeavours to benefit him; he will need to be 
up with the “lark” and to bed with the “robin,” to keep 
pace with the extra pressure now growing upon him. A free 
use of the hoe to keep' down weeds, thinning and regulating 
his various crops, so that each subject may have full benefit of 
light and air. 
The chief item and most pressing now needing attention is 
to repair all losses, failures of seed-beds, etc. Where birds, 
slugs', or mice have destroyed part or whole of the young plants 
from seed sown early in, April of winter greens', no time must 
be lost in, making another sowing, as, it isi now possible to sow 
with a chance of profitable results. If netting is scarce, black 
cotton twined backwards and forwards on small stakes will 
have the desired effect of keeping small birds away. Water 
the seedlings to encourage a quick and free growth. 
Kidney Beaus for early supply should be planted the be- 
ginning of the month. These are often sown, too thickly, 
causing a weak, sickly growth and giving but poor returns for 
the kitchen. At, thinning time one plant should be left, at 
intervals of 9 in. to secure a satisfactory return,. Use strong 
stakes at, least 8 ft. high for such strong-growing varieties as 
Best of All and Al. 
Cauliflower—Plant out asi soon as ready, avoid crowding, 
and during hot weather give a plentiful supply of water, as 
these are much finer when grown quickly. 
Beat.—The general crop' must bei sown the beginning of the 
month, and as sparrows are exceedingly fond of the young 
plants,, every precaution must be taken for their preservation, 
by netting the whole bed, or, a,si previously mentioned, by 
using black cotton,. 
Vegetable Marrows can now be planted out of pots under 
handlights placed on a. spent hotbed. In case plants: have not 
been prepared in pots no time, should be lost ini getting a, few 
sc-eds started under handlights in, permanent, quarters. 
Lettuce.—Continue planting those which have been pricked 
•out into boxes for early work. Sow seed for succession, and 
plant out at every favourable opportunity; in the absence of 
rain, water will be needed to 1 insure a quick growth. 
Brussels Sprouts for early supply in the autumn and exhibi¬ 
tion purposes may during the early part of the month be put 
into quarters ; give them a, rich soil and good open situation ; 
the plants should be at least 3 ft. apart each way. A strong 
stake will be of great assistance in keeping the plants in an, 
upright position,; at the same time keep the button® clean 
and free from grit. 
Tom at os.—With so many varieties suitable for outdoor cul¬ 
tivation, coupled with a, fine summer and good choice of situa¬ 
tion, favourable crops cam now be obtained, providing the 
plants are properly prepared previous to being transferred out¬ 
side. Plants now growing in, pots should be placed in. a cold 
pit or frame to harden. Give air gradually until the lights 
can he left, off altogether. The end of the month will be quite 
early enough for planting outside. 
Suecessional sewings must be kept up of Peas,, Spinach, 
Turnips, etc. 
Celery trenches should be prepared and not, left till the plants 
are spoilt by overcrowding. The cultivator must endeavour 
toi be in advance of events rather than behind. All work 
should be carried out in a methodical way, giving a, neat and 
artistic finish to everything taken in hand. 
Wm. James Penton. 
Studley Castle Gardens, April 29th, 1904. 
Headers’ Competition. —Particulars of weekly prize sec 
centre page. 
Round the Nurseries. 
Hardy Plants at Long Ditton. 
While examining the Daffodils the other week in the Ditton 
Hill Nurseries of Messrs. Barr and Sons, King Street, Coventj 
Garden, we also noticed some interesting hardy plants on the 
rockeries, which always appeal to the lover of hardy plants at 
this season of the year. 
The stems of Saxifraga, musooides Rhei superba are 3 in. 
to 4 ,in. high, and as the fiowers first expand they are of a deep 
red, but presently become paler and shaded with white. It is, 
therefore,, quite distinct. from the other tall-growing form 
known as Guildford Seedling, the flowers of which are crim¬ 
son-red when they first expand, becoming a, little clearer red 
when fully developed. Both varieties are similar in height, anc 
evidently closely related, whatever their origin. A new Arab!- 
was also interesting on account of its close resemblance to ar, 
Aubrietia, This is named Arabia aubrietioides, and form, 
compact cushions of .oblanceolate, slightly-toothed, and down} 
grey leaves. The whole plant when in bloom is only 3 in. tc 
5 in. high. The flowers are freely produced i n racemes, anc 
are white when first expanded, but, deepen to, a, delicate pink 
A number of Anemones were flowering in various parts o 
the nursery, including a very fine variety of our native specie 
A. nemorosa, major, about 9 in. to' 12 in. high, with large, pun 
white flowers .' The leaves are also in proportion to the vigou 
of tile plant generally. Another notable variety was A. n 
braictieafa,, with double flowers, surrounded by some greei 
bractsi, at the base. It may be described as a double variety 
but is somewhat different to that named A. n. flore pleno. Tin 
varieties of A. blanda, had not yet given, over blooming, anc! 
a very pretty one was, that named A. b. scythinica, sometime 
named cypriana. The flowers in this instance are almost pur 
white. 
Amongst bulbous plants very conspicuous were some bed 
of Muscari conicum, usually named Heavenly Blue. Th 
spikes are 2 in. to 3 in. long, and the flowers are of a ver 
rich blue, so that a mass of them is very effective, even froE 
a distance. In several places this was naturalised on the bank 
surrounding the nursery. A British plant that might be dc 
scribed as almost a, weed here is Ornitbogalum nutans, four 
ing tufts here and there bearing long racemes of pale gree 
and satiny-white flowers. Beside the Arabis above niei 
tinned, A. albida flore pleno is now very effective on aecoau 
of it,si long spikes of double white flowers. The various form 
of Alyssum saxatile are now expanding their flowers. A fin 
new variety of Aubriefiia, is that named Bridesmaid, bavin 
soft blush or pink flowers of large size', and quite distinct, fror 
other types now in cultivation, and' which mostly show semi 
shade of purple. In spring bedding it would make a, bea.utifi 
contrast with A. deltoideia Leichtlinii, with its dark roa 
flowers. 
Iris puniila is now in full beauty, and includes two ver 
beautiful blue varieties. I. p. eaerulea has light, sky-blv 
flowers, almost devoid of the purple tint found in the specie 
A clump, of it, has a cheerful appearance. The other one t 
which we refer is I. p. Count Andrassy, having dark azure-bhi 
flowers, with deeper yeans on the falls. These plants vai 
from 3 in. to'5 in. high. I 
Primulas were plentiful in various parts of the nursery, n 
eluding fine selections of the, blue Primrose and blue Polya 
thus. Some excellent, selections of both have, been made, ar 
the blue Polyanthus, or some of the plants at least, show veil 
clearly the origin of the garden Polyanthus from the commc 
Primrose, simply by the elongation of the common flowe 
’stalk. During the early spring .months' this stalk may m 
lengthen, so that the flowers appear singly ; whereas in Apr 
when the plants are growing more strongly, the common sta, 
elongate®, carrying up the whole truss. (Many cultivators ire 
now devised the name Primrose-Polyanthus for this race ■ 
plants. We may remind our readers that the supposed orig! 
of the coloured garden Primrose was a-pale-pink variety naan. 
Primula vulgaris Sibthorpii,'found in a, wild state. Abo> 
