932 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 19, 1904. 
Statices and their Uses. 
During the end of August and the early part of September 
how very serviceable for cutting were the Statices, b-eca.usie 
they last a long time in, good condition, and, I think, should 
bei grown more for cutting purpose®. The slender form of S. 
Gmelini could be used where you could not obtain Gypsophila, 
and would keep, longer and better, being most useful in this 
way. S. Limomum, known, too, as the Sea Lavender, is one 
of the best. S. latifolia, the broad-leaved specie®, is one of 
the most useful, the flowers being large in size, and they vary 
from white to a. deep- blue colour. I believe there is a yellow 
one called 1 L. aur'ea, being very pretty. Statices when once 
established givei very little trouble and produce a large 
quantity of flowers. They succeed best in a. good loamy soil, 
not too heavy. Many of them can be: raised from, seed, sowing 
m a. gentle heat early in spring, and planting out when well 
established. If extra strong plants are required, sow in 
autumn] and keep the young plants in, a light, position in. an 
intermediate house, planting out early in spring. Replanting, 
may bei donei any time after they have finished flowering, but 
if it is intended to divide them, this should be done early in 
spring. When, planting on. heavy soil, a good dressing of sea- 
sand will bei beneficial. S. Halfordi or maerophylla is a, fine 
plant, and the smaller-growing S. Butcheri is useful for cutting 
or pot work. S. Suworoiwi, if treated as an. annual, is pretty 
for bedding, the tall, branching spikes, of pink flowers being 
very attractive. S. Ottaway. 
A Pica for Hardy Herbaceous Plants. 
I think that many will agree with me that the taste (or 
should I rather say, the fashion) for these beautiful and useful 
plant® grows but slowly. This is very much to bei regretted, 
and I am afraid that gardeners themselves in too many cases 
are to. blame. 
Plenty of gardener® have still a. great hankering after 
summer bedding or even carpet bedding. While there is, of 
course, something to be said for these forms of gardening, still, 
to the true flower lover, a. very small amount goes a. long way. 
Of course, to the novice, a bla.ze of colour, such as a. big bed 
of Calceolaria, Pelargonium, or Nasturtium will produce, is very 
fine, but. it gets stale after a time ; whereas with a. fine mixed 
herbaceous border we have continually something new and in¬ 
teresting to look forward toe Nor is the general effect in the 
garden the only point, of interest to the majority of gardeners. 
Have we n.ot all large quantities of cut bloom to supply at all 
seasons!? Of how little use are the majority of summer bed¬ 
ding plant® for cut-flower purposes. Not. only arei they un¬ 
suitable for house decoration, but if you cut to any extent you 
simply spoil the effect of your bedding arrangements. How 
different it is when we proceed to the hardy borders. From a 
comparatively few plants, say of Pyrethrums, Doronioumisi, 
Marguerite®, Spiraeas, Dianthus, Campanulas, and hoists of 
others 1 , can we not gather perfect sheaves of graceful and beau¬ 
tiful bloisisoms that arei hardly missed from the plants, and yet 
some gardeners consider these things common and untidy. 
I am willing to admit, of course, that these hardy borders 
require a, good deal of labour. It is all nonsense to suppose 
that. a. border once planted requires little more for many years. 
T he truth is, if we wish our borders to give, us full pleasure, 
we must attend them carefully and continually. Thinning, 
staking and tying should all be seen to at the proper time; 
also the cutting over of the plants, when the stems' are properly 
ripened. I have no. intention, however, to dwell on the cul¬ 
tivation of these flowers; my endeavour, rather, is to try and 
get some of my fellow-readers interested in jmy favourite®. 
I cannot finish without giving a. word of thanks to Mr. A. E. 
T batcher for his many useful and interesting articles on this 
subject.. I have more than once been able to identify some of 
the plants ini my collection, that were' without names from Mr. 
Thatcher’s descriptions. The naming and recognising of these 
plants is one of the great pleasures attending their cultivation. 
The pronouncing of the names is 1 , however, quite a different 
matter, and if anyone is near, it had, in some cases at least, 
better be done mentally. C. Blair. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Winter Decoration. 
It seems superfluous to introduce this subject to the notice 
of The Gardening World readers. The month of November 
is usually associated with Chrysanthemums, but at present tlie 
beds and borders are resplendent with a gorgeous display of 
flower®, some of which would prove a luxury in July. 
Sweet Peas are still a. wealth of blossom; some of the 
brighter shades and colours, owing to the shortening day and 
consequent want of light., show remarkable but beautiful 
shadeis and markings hitherto! unknown or unthought of. 
Mignonette and other tender annuals are still blooming pro¬ 
fusely, whilei Dahlias eclipse their wonted August flowering 
freshness. 
In. the Chrysanthemum border® the Masse family hold sway. 
The crimson, bronze, and beautiful yellow Horace Martin are 
the general favourites. The cut blooms of these, when inter¬ 
spersed with, autumn-tinted leaves, Fern fronds or Asparagus 
sprays—so plentiful just now—make beautiful displays. 
But, alas'! and alack ! King Frost is in the air, and a few 
hours’ time will make havoc of these tender subjects, when, 
if the' gardener does not have a quantity of glass at liis dis¬ 
posal wherein, to do (homage to his “ Autumn, Queen,” he must 
either stand by and be transported, as it, were, from Ceylon, to 
Greenland, or fa,lL back on tliei provisions of nature during 
summer and autumn, when grasses of varied form and colour 
clothed the meadows, and the river banks were like, fairyland 
with Bulrushes', Reeds, aquatic grasses and Fern-fronds; the 
latter, now paying tribute to nature, are enhanced for decora¬ 
tion, asi they take on, their bronzy colour. In addition to the 
numero^ variety of wild grasses; which may be dried in, a cut- 
state for winter dec,oration, a, few might bei mentioned worthy 
of cultivation, in the garden. 
At, this' season we cannot, estimate the true value of the 
majestici Pampas; as it waves its feathery plumes from 5 ft. 
to 10 ft,, high, otherwise it, would be, more grown in, gardens 
along with its companion the Arundo, conspicua and A. Dona-x. 
In dwarfer specie®, we 1 might, mention A groat is nebulosa, A. 
pulcheJla, Briza, geniculata, B. maxima, B. minima, Brooms 
patulus; and Bromus briza,eformis, Hordeum jubatum, Lagurus 
ovatus, Stiipa eiegantissima,, S. pennata, S. gigantea, Setaria 
alopeouroidesi, S. maerochaeta, Lamaroliia aurea, and Melica 
altissima. The annual species: and varieties mentioned above 
may be sown in the open ground ini spring. They repay a 
little extra, attention by way of sowing in, a, cool frame in 
March or April, and transplanting ini the open;. By this' means 
the ravage on the sieed by birds is averted, as well as securing 
stronger plants. It, is better in most' cases, to gather the 
flowerbeads or seed-vessels: as soon a® developed, in the case 
of Hordeum jubatum at any rate. If allowed to turn ini colour 
it will not hold together. By cutting the stem as, low as 
possible and dressing off any adhering blades, tying in, bunches 
and suspending head downwards in. a cool, airy shed, nothing 
more is required until they arei wanted for winter decoration, 
which may take any form desired. We have effectually used 
them both a,s a grassy mixture in rustic vases and mixed with 
sieecPpods and blanched leave® of other plants. 
For instance, wei remember a, fine effect produced by a 
judiciousi mixture of Houiesty, Statice Butcheri and grasses; 
another of Honesty, Statice incaua, S. latifolia, and grasses; 
another of Honesty, Physalis Franche-ti, seed-pods of Poppies, 
grasses; etc. A number of others will suggest, themselves, to, 
the reader who' ventureisi to, give this mode of decoration a 
worthy trial. With a number of suitable everlasting flowers; 
seedqoods. Honesty, pressed Fern-fronds, dwarf dried grasses, 
tall grasses; Reeds, Bulrushes and Huimea elegans and a few 
rustic suitable receptacles; au interesting study in art may be 
maintained. Y. S. Z. 
