April 15, 1905. 
THE HARDENING 
WORLD 
varieties. The result of this revival of interest in the Potato 
is that those who* are interested in its development and culture 
are now seeking information as to the best sorts to grow, and 
what systems of culture are the best to adopt to give the most 
satisfactory crops. To these, “ The Book of the Potato,” by 
Mr. T. W. Sanders, F.L.S., will be especially welcome. The 
volume consists of 222 pages, and deals exhaustively with 
every phase of Potato culture in either garden or field; the 
history and botany of the Potato; soils and their treatment; 
manures and manuring ; how to propagate the Potato by seed, 
cuttings, eyes, and grafting; how to treat the “ sets ” or “ seed 
tubers” for planting; systems of planting; how to force 
Potatos for early use, and to grow them for exhibition; lift¬ 
ing, storing, and marketing ; how to rear new sorts; pests and 
diseases of the Potato; concluding with a descriptive catalogue 
of 270 varieties. Illustrations are given of the leading new 
and old sorts and of the various pests and diseases; detailed 
sketches of practical operations are a strong feature of the 
book. Farmers, gardeners, and, in fact, everyone who grows 
Potatos either for home consumption or for sale, will find this 
volume, which is published at half-a-crown, well worthy of 
earnest and careful perusal. 
Protecting Fruit Trees. 
The season is now with us when this is of much importance, 
and a few notes may be helpful to many cultivators. During 
my forty years’ experience in gardens widely dispersed, I have 
seen many methods and material used for tnis purpose; and I 
am convinced that frequently much evil arises from coddling, 
and this arises from using material too thick, keeping out light 
and air; aud having blinds that come close to the ground is not 
necessary. 
In the garden I am now managing, in a low situation we 
have an Apricot wall, the trees doing above an average. These 
are covered with a glass coping 18 in. wide, a rod being hung 
at the outside ou hooks; to this the curtains are hung with 
rings. These curtains are made of hexagon netting, very 
coarse; they hang to within 2 ft. of the ground, and are tied to 
pegs to keep them down. These are tied up to upright sticks 
in bundles every day to give air and light. We make a rule 
not to put them on till the blooms are opening. 
During the sixteen years I have been here we have only been 
one year without a crop, and if they should be thin at the 
bottom, there is generally abundance at the top, and a full 
crop can be left here. 
For years we had a large Apricot growing on a west wall 
with a high wall and an overhanging roof and spouting above. 
This we never protect, except with a few small branches of Fir 
at the bottom, and here we generally had a tine crop. 
Pears and Plums we have to protect. This is done princi¬ 
pally with small branches of Fir (Spruce), Yew, and things of 
a kindred nature. We cut these from trees that need pruning 
in the pleasure-ground, tying them up straight, staking it to 
the trees. This can be put on with a boy or inexperienced 
man. The chief thing is to avoid crowding, allowing it to 
hang out as loosely as possible, thus affording light and air. 
It is best to allow the branches to hang downward so that the 
rain runs off it. Generally, the ends can be pushed under the 
main branches, and this keeps it in position. Should there 
he any difficulty then, it may be tied on with raffia, etc. Eveiy 
care should be given not to use these branches too thickly to* 
hide the blooms from air and light. Seldom has this proved 
ineffectual, and if frost destroys the outside blooms, then that 
close to the wall escapes. I prefer this to fish netting, although 
we use this to one high wall two or three times thick, trained 
to long poles to keep it from the wall. 
Another simple way where expense has to be studied is to 
stand poles a good distance from the walls, tying Fir or other 
branches to them loosely. In this way much shelter is given. 
I have seen long Pea and Bean stakes used for low walls and 
open bush trees with good results by placing them thickly 
around trees, which is helpful. Con. 
.'505 
The Rock Garden. 
Plants in Bloom. 
Trillium nivale. 
Amongst the wood Lilies from North America are several 
pretty or interesting ones quite apart from the large-flowered 
T. grandiflorum. One of the smallest coming under my 
n iice is T. nivale, which might be regarded as a miniature 
lorm of the better-known plant. Each specimen consists of 
one short stem, 2 in. to 3 in. high, bearing three small ovate 
leaves, and a flower consisting of three sepals and three petals. 
r l he latter are pure white, and a short stalk carries the flower 
clear above the foliage. The whole plant, it will he seen, is 
quite of small size, and for neatness, compactness and in¬ 
terest may be compared to the Trientalis europaea, whose 
white starry flower may be seen on peaty heaths and in woods 
of the cool northern counties. As the above Trillium makes 
its growth in spring, it would die down before hot weather 
sets in, but owing to i-s flowering early in the season a 
sheltered position should be selected for it in a peaty soil 
or one consisting largely of leaf mould. 
Anemone Hepatica alba fi. pi. 
At present this beautiful plant is both scarce and expensive, 
so that few have yet been able to procure it. Judging from 
my experience in cool northern districts, it will multiply more 
rapidly in the north than in the south, so that those who are 
getting up a stock should place it under conditions where the 
sun will not beat upon the foliage during the long afternoon." 
In the cool northern districts there is no necessity for giving 
it any special treatment beyond leaving it alone, so that it 
may get established and be left undisturbed. The frequent 
breaking up of the crowns is very hurtful to the Hepaticas, 
and many plants are lost which have been recently broken up 
and planted in dry, warm situations. In districts where 
the atmosphere is relatively cool and moist, the leaves are 
truly evergreen, thus showing that the plants are under con¬ 
ditions suitable to their welfare. Near large towns the filthy 
state of the atmosphere in winter is probably as hurtful to 
the foliage as the sun in summer. The flowers are very 
double, pure white, and similar to the red and blue double 
forms, except in colour. 
Anemone angulosa rosea. 
Different coloured varieties of the common Hepatica have 
been in cultivation for a great many years, but only recently 
bas A. angulosa commenced to give varieties. The common 
form of the latter is a native of Eastern Europe, and differs 
from the common one chiefly by its larger five-lobed leaves 
and larger flowers. The variety here named is similar in 
every respect, except that the flowers are pale rose in colour 
- 1 —some .would say pink. Equally if not more scarce is A. 
angulosa alba, which bas white flowers, so that we now have 
red, white, and blue in the great Hepatica as well as in the 
common one. 
Saxifraga retusa. 
At a short distance this closely resembles S. oppositifolia, 
especially after the runners have spread over the ground some 
little way. The plant under notice is, however, distinct when 
closely examined. The creeping stems are almost covered 
with the leaves, the upper portion of which spreads out and 
corresponds to the lamina, while the lower portion is ciliated 
on the edges and corresponds to the stalk or its sheath. The 
flower stems are usually quite crowded, and though only 1 in. 
to 1| in. high they bear a cluster of three to five flowers of a 
bright rose colour. When closely inspected the small petals 
are seen to be ovate with a slender claw, but all the parts are 
beautifully adjusted, giving the tuft of flowers quite an 
attractive appearance. A cool moist situation on the rock 
garden should be selected for it, as it likes moisture like the 
better-known S. oppositifolia. 
Chionodoxa Lucilae gigantea. 
For some years after its introduction this variety gave us 
an idea that it carried only one flower. That condition might 
