972 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 3, 1904. 
Either as single specimens or for grouping they are among the 
most valuable. 
The variegated forms of Euouymusi japonious are not so' 
largely planted as : they deserve, and one might say of them, as 
of the preceding, that few shrubs surpass them in beauty of 
coloration. There are both silver and golden formsi, and the 
variety named E. j. radicans variegata is excellent for many 
purposes, but gives the best results in, a. mass, being dwarf and 
free flowering. 
Other desirable shrubs are the Elaeagnus, llhnmnus Alater- 
nius .variegatusi, Sldiumias, the variegated forms of Box, 
Aucubas, especially A. japonica limbata, and Diplopappus 
chiysopbyllus, which has green foliage above and golden 
beneath. A. E. Thatcher. 
A1 demham House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Thei sudden and severe weather which we are' now exp'e- 
riencing will, I am afraid, seriously damage: many of the more 
tender of our vegetable crop; from 17 to 20 degrees of frost 
were experienced during tire might of the 23rd inst., but for¬ 
tunately to some extent, the fall of snow previously will have 
served somewhat asi a protection. Immediately the weather 
will allow, seize the first, opportunity of making everything 
safe and secure in case of a severe winter. Though I do not 
pretend to be a prophet in. any way, for some reason or other 
we- in this country experience sharp weather about every eight 
or ten, years. As will be remembered by many of us 1894-95 
was the last of exceptional severity, so that we may reasonably 
expect one at any time now, and owing to, the long, mild, 
growing autumn, most things are unusually-green and sappy, 
consequently these will be, likely to, feel it much more than had 
they been, otherwise. 
General work will consist of completing as, speedily as pos¬ 
sible the earthing-up and blanching of late Celery, and when 
necessary protect, the tops either with, bracken, or dry straw. 
It is surprising what a, little will do 1 to preserve thlsi if shaken 
over lightly. Care should be taken to remove, it immediately 
the weather is: open, otherwise it will do more damage than 
good. Take up and lay in in a sheltered posit,ion a, good stock 
which is already fit, for use, according to the demand where 
it can, be acquired as wanted. If buried in sand or ashes iti 
will last for a, considerable time in this way, and will save a 
r a,st amount of valuable time should the ground be frozen to 
■ny depth. Complete the layering of Broccoli asi speedily a,s 
possiblei, and the earlier varieties:, such as Christmas White 
a,ncl Snows:, which are now turning in, should be well looked 
after and protected as: necessity requires. A reasonable 
amount of bracken: or straw—oat for choice—placed over the: 
tops will render them secure against all reasonable weather, 
but to ensure an unfailing supply it will be well to lift any asi 
they commence to form with as good a ball of earth as 
possible, and layer them either in a, cold frame or cool orchard 
house, or even low, open sheds will answer the purpose. 
Get up a supply also of roots of all kinds, such as Jerusalem 
Artichokes, Salsify, Scorzomcra,, Leeks, Horseradish, Parsnips, 
and Turnips. Endeavour to protect, the bulbs of the latter 
which are riot yet fully matured! by placing a, little soil over 
them. This can generally be drawn up from between the 
rows, and the least covering will suffice. 
Parsley.—A most important item ini. almost eveiy garden, 
and which is in demand nearly every day throughout, the year. 
Where accommodation, could not, have been: found for it in, cold 
frames, some means must be taken to protect it in, seme way 
when left in: the open ground. A temporary frame-work 
placed over _it and mats or some' other covering material will 
be sufficient, protection, to preserve fit' in a, f resh green, state. 
•Endeavour to get as much wheeling done as possible: in 
frosty weather. Burn: and. clean up all kinds 1 of refuse, and 
return the embers to the vacant, plots of ground. Digging 
and trenching should now be pushed forward as speedily a,s 
possible, except, of course, on cold, wet, retentive ground, and, 
as I have frequently pointed out, this is be,i deferred as much 
as possible to March, for the reason that if done at this season 
it receives all the winter rains and snow, which a sain con¬ 
solidates it, leaving it in a wet: and pasty condition at the 
bottom, which is so undesirable: for this kind of land. What 
I do advise and practise as far as possible is to apply to the 
surface at, this season any constituents that. I consider the land 
and the crops require that are to be grown thereon, such as 
lime, soot, wood ashes, road-scrapings, old mortar rubble, and 
the: like, after which fork over the: surface to the depth of 
about 8 iii., leaving it, as rough and lumpy as possible when 
in turn. As: the ground is trenched, later on this will be trans¬ 
ferred to the: bottom, and the whole of the soil will practically 
have, been sweetened and influenced by the weather, which 
undoubtedly is of far more reaching importance than many 
imagine it to, be. Either on mew or old soil, which some 
people term worn out, this kind of procedure should he prac¬ 
tised veiry much moire extensively than is generally done. 
E. Beckett. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Good Old Days. 
This 1 is not, perhaps, the most appropriate title for the 
present paper, yet it, nevertheless associates in very marked 
degree current events with those of a. bygone time, and for 
which reason the writer retains it. “ The Good Old Days " in 
gardening, as in, other phases of life, were not immaculate. 
" Distance,” however, “ lends, enchantment to the view,” and 
perhaps indeed in few things more forcibly than in the circum¬ 
stances, associated ■ with the career of a gardener. However 
eventful that career may be, however prosaic to all beyond the 
limits: of the: individual’s: experience, the itinerant nature of 
the profession makes the retrospect one crowded with events 
of great importance indeed. 
What a, pleasure it gives, to, steal a few moments from a busy 
and laborious duty to reflect, upon the chequered -path of the 
gardener from apprentice boy to, the full-fledged master. 
Strange to say, despite the vicissitudes with which that, path 
at best is bestrewn,,- ofteoer than otherwise, to occasionally re¬ 
flect upon the past is a source of very much pleasure indeed. It 
is: truly difficult, to, account for this, seeing that many of the 
events embraced in a life: history may not be devoid of its 
acrimonious side. Probably it isi the comparisons which 
rapidly rise and arrange themselves before us, each evolving 
in progressive order as the years roll on, that, accounts for it 
all. The past, with all its defects, we are glad to suffer to lie 
glossed over with the sage and philosophic unction extracted 
from our present circ-umstance®. Time, the, healer of all things, 
extracts, much, if not all, of the venom from the most ill-con¬ 
dition,ed circumstances,, and instead of viewing any adversities 
of the past with an irrevocable feeling of hatred, we:, on the con¬ 
trary, cherish them with a devotion, amounting to sacredness. 
Human nature isi not without its redeeming qualities, and 
is not incapable of taking lenient views' of grave matters even 
when these affect itself. 
He: who sojourned ini the historic bothy of the past, where 
the circumstances offered the privilege of studying the courses 
of the stars through the roof apertures, can look upon it all 
with a forgiving spirit as lie sits in comfort amid the luxuriance 
of the modem bothy. He can, affect a. smile at the changed 
conditions!, and if not a victim of the cruder times, he can also 
afford to affect astonishment, at the utter depravity of old 
days’ depravity. Since the famous controversy on, the bothy 
system, a few years agoi, much has: been accomplished in every 
corner of the kingdom to ameliorate the young gardener’s con¬ 
dition. In the district in, which I reside no less than three 
entirely new hot,hies: have resulted from the fierce exposure 
following the discussion. Now I am glad to see in a, con¬ 
temporary that efforts are being made to remedy a very 
serious: drawback to bothy life, viz., not, having a, voice in the 
legislation, of their country. 
In face of all this' readers will, perhaps, construe ray heading 
fts tinctured with irony, Horti, 
