uly 2, 1904. 
The Gardening World 
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK: 
“ The Woodbine spices are wafted abroad, and the musk of the Roses'[blown.”— Tennyson. 
Weekly Prize 
F °R 
Short Articles. 
The Proprietors of The Gardening World ) 
ill give a cash prize of Ten Shillings for ) 
HE BEST PARAGRAPH, or SHORT ARTICLE, Sent ? 
y readers during the week. The Editor’s f 
adgment must be considered final, and he will ( 
« at liberty to use any of the contributions ( 
■ ent in. The paragraph, or .article, must not ? 
| ixcekd one column in length, but the value, < 
I atlier than the length, of the article will be S 
Considered in making the award. Competitors' ) 
| nay send in items of news or comments on / 
'lews;, hints of practical interest to gar- < 
1 leners.or growers of plants, fruits, or flowers-; < 
luccessful methods of propagating plants ) 
isually considered difficult; or contributions ) 
IN ANT SUBJECT COMING WITHIN THE SPHERE / 
i if gardening proper. Letters should be < 
i ddressed to The Editor, marked “Competi- S 
ton,’’ and posted not later than Friday night ) 
o ensure insertion in the issue of next week. ( 
The following Coloured 
Plates have appeared in 
recent numbers:— 
July 4— APHELANDRA AURANTIACA 
ROEZLII. 
August 1-BORONIA HETEROPHYLLA. 
September 12.— SIX NEW DAFFODILS. 
October 3— LILIUM AURATUM PLA- 
TYPHYLLUM SHIRLEY VAR. 
Novembei 14.— ROSE MME. N. LEVA- 
/ASSEUR 
January 2— HYBRID TEA-SCENTED 
*OSE IRENE. 
January 30. — TUBEROUS BEGONIA 
COUNTESS OF WARWICK. 
February 27. -A FINE STRAIN OF 
GLOXINIAS. 
April 2. — WISTARIA MULTIJUGA 
RUSSELIIANA. 
May 7 -CACTUS DAHLIA DAINTY. 
June 4. -CACTUS DAHLIA SPITFIRE. 
Back numbers may be obtained from the 
publishers, price 2£d. post free. 
This week we present a Half-tone 
Plate of 
LAELIA PURPURATA 
QUEEN ALEXANDRA. 
Next week we shall give a Half-tone 
Plate of 
anemone nemorosa major. 
The prize last week in the Eeaders’ 
Competition was awarded to “ Nil 
Besperandum,” for his article on 
“ Three Useful Greenhouse Climbers,” 
p. 520. 
Views and Reviews. 
Every Man His Own Gardener. # 
In his introductory, Mr. Halshain .makes 
out a. plea for the production . of his book. 
He first divides! mankind into three classes—- 
those who are born gardeners, those who 
will never be gardeners, and the general mass 
of people who want a garden, or have the 
ground to make one and feel obliged to do 
something with it. His hook, therefore, is 
intended for this-latter and very large.class 
of readers who want to cultivate their own 
ga rdens. He decides that this class of people 
Lave little or no experience as-a rule, but 
find they possess as much garden ground 
as they can manage singlei-handed. This 
amount of ground, he says, may vary from 
an acre of diggable ground to that of twenty 
yards of lawn and a couple'of • borders along 
the fence. The actual area of land which 
one might cultivate satisfactorily depends 
upon many things, as will readily be taken 
for granted. . 
The author himself thinks that the full en¬ 
joyment can only be got out.of a garden, by 
one who does most or all of the work. He is 
not even afraid of digging, and recommends 
it as a splendid exercise for would-be lady 
gardeners, so that after using the spade, hoe, 
and syringe she will take quite a new view 
of the matter. He recommends, however, 
lighter tools for ladies, than those in general 
O O 
use. Even the ordinary wheelbarrow is a 
heavy and clumsy contrivance. To those en¬ 
gaged in. other occupations-, especially of a. 
sedentary character, lie thinks that afternoon 
digging is calculated to clear the head and 
steady the nerves: 
There are cases in which it is necessary to 
employ a hired man, but in nine cases out 
of ten he proves to be a fly in the ointment. 
He is even more severe upon professional 
gardeners in this respect, for he speaks of the 
“tyrannical oppression of the wealthy by 
their gardeners.” We fancy that. most, profess 
sional gardeners will smile at this conception 
of the profession. Tt is just possible to find 
one or two' masters in the profession who 
grumble to have to allow the Duchess to pick 
a Rose out of her own garden ; but. surely 
instances of such men can he found in any 
profession. 
In opening his book, we note that it is 
* ‘ Every Man His Own Gardener.'’ By John Halshain. 
With illustrations by Carine Cadby, the Rev. F. C. Lambert 
and the author. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 37, Pater¬ 
noster Row. 1901. Price Cs. 
illustrated by monochrome coloured pictures 
of things which most people should be able to 
grow, and also photographic illustrations of 
some of the troubles with which amateurs 
may bei confronted. There are also several 
pen and ink sketches, illustrating tools or 
something required in the garden, as well a.s 
methods of pruning and how to discern 
between leaf buds and flower buds. 
In order to get a conception of his methods 
of work we Lave looked through, the chapter 
on the .herbaceous bolder, amongst others, 
and find him rather of a practical turn of 
mind. He seems to regard the herbaceous 
border as having been overdone of late years 
by contrasting it. with the style of flower 
gardening that was so' much, in vogue!some 
years ago. He would rather, strike a general 
mean between the .t.woi styles of gardening, 
and let them lie down together in peace. His 
border would be something between two. and 
six yards wide, for the convenience of work¬ 
ing and keeping clean. The ground work, he 
says, should be completed by Christmas, and 
then left to settle and mellow until the 
middle of February, which he considers the 
best time for planting. The plants com¬ 
mence growing almost, immediately, and then 
‘escape the inertia of sodden soils during the 
winter months. 
The reader is advised to avoid the edge of 
shrubberies for his border, and also land 
that is drained and impoverished by tree 
roots. We have, however, read contrary ad¬ 
vice, owing to the beautiful. background 
which borders of evergreen and deciduous 
shrubberies furnish. The places which he 
.advises a.s sites for good borders are tlie strips 
.of ground surrounding the main quarters in 
the kitchen garden or borders in front of 
espalier fruit, trees. Live edgings are con¬ 
sidered superior to. dead ones', but he makes 
no mention of the harbour that, such edgings 
provide for slugs and other garden vermin. 
He states that, the herbaceous border may 
consist of perennial plants entirely, thus con¬ 
fining it to the proper use of a. herbaceous 
border. In certain instances, however, this 
rule may be departed from with good results 
in the formation of mixed borders, in which 
not. only herbaceous plants but annuals, 
flowers, bulbs, Roses’, and such things may be 
allowed. In dealing with the border proper 
he considers first whether it may be viewed 
from one or both sides, and in the event, of 
the former the taller plants should be placed 
at the back, though the rule may not. be too 
mechanically maintained. It is good taste 
to reverse the monotony of the even grada¬ 
tion of heights by forming in places bays or 
