302 
THE GARDENING WORLD , 
April 15, 1905. 
2L2& jol^JHardy Herbaceous Border. 
^Michaelmas Daisies, —By the time these lines are in print 
the perennial Asters will have made a good start, and one will 
be able to thin out the growths where necessary. With nearly 
all the varieties much better results are obtained by doing this 
than allowing all the shoots to remain, especially if they are 
properly staked out as I have before advised. If only eight or 
a dozen shoots are allowed to each, one then has a well-formed 
plant, whereas with a large number an unwieldy mass gene¬ 
rally results. With the small-flowered types, such as ericoides, 
vimineus and the like, the points of the growths should be 
pinched out after thinning, which will induce them to break 
freely and give a good number of side growths. Stopping, of 
course, is not necessary with the taller-growing kinds, such as 
the Novi-Belgii, Novae-Angliae, and co-rdifolius sections. The 
soil should be frequently stirred with the hoe to keep it clean 
and promote a. free growth. Any small pieces which were 
potted up can now be 1 planted out, and an excellent plan is to 
restrict these to one growth, particularly those which have a 
pyramidal habit. In the herbaceous border such plants give a 
charming effect when planted on the front so that they rise 
above the dwarfer subjects, and any who have not tried this 
method I would strongly advise to do so. Where it is intended 
to grow any varieties' in pots these should now be placed in the 
flowering sizes, and 48’s and 32’s will be sufficiently large. 
They should be placed in a good open position until the time 
arrives for giving them the protection of a. cool house or frame 
for flowering. When grown on one stem there are few plants 
which excel these for all kinds of table decoration, especially 
if the semi-drooping kinds are used. 
Rockets. — The double forms of Hesperis matronal is are 
among the most pleasing of early summer flowering herbaceous 
plants, but during recent years they have unfortunately become 
very scarce owing, no doubt, to the fact that they require pro¬ 
pagating annually to produce the best results, and unless this 
is done they frequently die in winter, especially on heavy soils. 
The most satisfactory results are obtained by lifting the plants 
in autumn and taking off the young growths singly which 
appear at the base with some roots, and potting in 60-sized 
pots. These should be wintered in a cold frame and planted 
out now in a good porous soil, when each plant will produce 
one spike of bloom, the side shoots of which should not be 
removed, or much of the beauty is lost. These plants are often 
attacked by a small maggot at this time of year, which pre¬ 
vents the leaves from expanding, and eats the young growth if 
not destroyed. In addition to the double white form there is 
one with deep lilac flowers which received an Award of Merit 
from the R.H.S. last year. This is the scarcest and most 
pleasing of all. A variety known as the old double purple is 
of dwarf habit, and veiy pleasing when well grown. Another 
which ]n^C<luces a, very large spike of bloom has flowers of a 
pale lilac shade. To grow Rockets well they must have a good 
open position, be propagated annually as advised, and have 
liberal supplies of clear and liquid manure water during the 
flowering period. 
Aubrietias. —Few rock plants which flower during the spring 
months produce a more pleasing effect than these, and with 
the numerous varieties now obtainable, a good selection of 
colours can be made. If given good soil and drainage, they 
soon make large masses, and should be planted so that they 
can grow over the rocks and clothe them with sheets of bloom. 
They are easily propagated from cuttings taken after the 
flowering period, and a good selection will be found among the 
following: Fire King, perhaps the best of all ; Dr. Mules, 
Moerheimi, Bridesmaid, Souvenir de Win. Ingram, Lilac Queen, 
Rcyal Robe, and Prichard’s Al. 
Somewhat similar in habit to the Aubrietias and flowering at 
the same time is Arabis aubrietioides, which has pale, rose- 
coloured flowers. Arabis bellidifolia is also a very beautiful 
alpine but rarely seen. It has tufts of glaucous green foliage 
and numerous spikes of pure white flowers about 2 in. in height 
Both these plants deserve inclusion in any good collection of 
hardy plants. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Hardy Fruit. 
Gooseberry Caterpillar.-— Few seasons go past without see¬ 
ing this pest, and if left undisturbed many days, great havoc 
is soon played among the bushes, and the foliage defoliated, 
which means a, poor return of fruit. It is doubtful whether 
a better plan can be advocated than hand picking, carefully 
searching underneath the leaves, where they usually hide, and 
either squeezing the depredators between thumb and finger, 
or placing in a pail partly filled with lime freshly slaked." A 
few large sheets of paper spread under the bush, and the latter 
well shaken will fetch many offenders to the ground, when it 
is easy to destroy them with a brick or similar weight. If 
time can be afforded, a thinning of the shoots may well be 
practised and would save much cutting out at the annual piuu- 
ing time, beside allowing more space for gathering the fruit, 
and the better ripening of the shoots left, for next year’s supply. 
Apricots should be examined, and where a thick set has 
taken place, a partial thinning of the fruits may be given, 
dispensing with those that are ill placed or too crowded to 
come to perfection. Look out for the maggot so prevalent 
some springs on Apricot trees; these are found curled up ii 
the young growths, which soon get crippled if not got nd of. 
In the case of young trees, do not rob it of too many shoots 
at any one time; in fact, it is wisest to let them grow at 
will for a time, or exuberant growths will result—an evil to 
be avoided as much as possible, as such wood is always un¬ 
fruitful and far more liable to gumming than medium-size 
spoofs. Guard against dryness at the root where glass or 
other wide copings are over the trees, and providing the 
weather remains as mild as April came in, the front protection 
to this fruit may be taken away towards the end of the month, 
and the coping a week or ten days later, when the uppermost 
growths should be pinched at the fourth or fifth leaf, as well 
as any strong growth, thus encouraging an even flow of sap to 
all the branches. 
Peach and Nectarines, as noted in the calendar for the 1st 
inst., require frequent attention from the time the flowers 
expand up to when the fruits are cleared front the tree, either 
in battling with insect life, thinning of the shoots, also fruits, 
'and eventually the regulation and tying of the shoots. An 
early manipulation of the latter is essential, as well as know¬ 
ledge how to perform it, as the future of the tree is in the 
hands of the disbudder, and if carelessly done may be ruined 
for some years, if not entirely; therefore a. practical hand 
should undertake, or at least supervise, this important work. 
Although an early start to remove superfluous shoots is advo¬ 
cated, no greater mistake can be made than of denuding the 
tree of too many at any one time; a gradual diminution must 
be the motto, thus extending the work to some three or four 
weeks, allowing several days to elapse between each thinning 
and beginning at the top of the tree, where usually growth is 
more advanced. A partial thinning of the fruits as in the 
case of the Apricot may also be followed, and as this work 
proceeds keep an eye on the remaining growths, dusting with 
tobacco powder any that show signs of aphis, and see that 
sufficient moisture reaches the roots of the trees throughout 
the season. 
Plums could not promise better as far as blossom is con¬ 
cerned, and it is to be hoped good crops of fruit will be forth¬ 
coming ; even standards are smothered with bloom, and all 
that is now wanted is mild v 7 eather to ensure a crop. The 
