994 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 30, 1905. 
As growers must of necessity be more or 
less unprepared for competitive classes, it was 
determined that no restrictions should be 
placed on exhibitors, except with regard to 
the amount of space occupied, and that in 
order to ensure support from large, medium, 
and small growers, three classes should be 
recognised — viz., those occupying 5ft., 15ft., 
and 30ft. of tabling respectively. Exhibitors 
may show cut bloom or pot plants, or a, mix¬ 
ture of both, accompanied by any description 
of foliage or foliage plants, but flowers other 
than Carnations are not admissible. 
In order that the general public may gain 
an idea of the magnificent sight afforded by a 
large mass of Carnations, it is earnestly hoped 
that every grower will do his utmost to sup¬ 
port the show, both by exhibiting and attend¬ 
ing personally, and thus accord to the queen 
of°winter-flowering plants the honour that is 
undoubtedly her due. 
Date and particulars of show can be had on 
application. Hayward Mathias. 
Thames Ditton, Surrey. 
Mentha piperita. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir, —Undoubtedly Spearmint (Mentha 
viridis) is the proper species for culinary pur¬ 
poses, my experience being that cooks prefer 
it to Mentha piperita, which they say is too 
strong and over-flavours the dish for which it 
is used. Most writers on cookery consider 
Spearmint as the proper culinary article, 
Peppermint being the species mostly recom¬ 
mended for confectionery. H. Arnold. 
The 
FLOWER GARDEN 
IH SPRING AND AUTUftN 
II. — [Continued from page 890.) 
, That a display of noble foliage and flowering 
plants for producing as semi-tropical effect in 
the flower garden during the summer months 
has much to recommend it cannot be denied, 
especially when well done, as in the London 
parks and some private places. Nevertheless 
it is not easy of adoption in this style of 
garden ; neither is it advisable to have all 
beds of this description, but the round beds 
could be thus used (see page 889), filling the 
others with ordinary bedding plants some¬ 
thing in the following manner : —1, 1: One 
row of Lilium speciosum Kraetzeri, L. s. 
rubrum, and L. auratum platypliyllum. The 
spaces between each Lily to be filled with 
Begonia worthiana, no edging. 2, 2 : Crozy’s 
Cannas, in colours of orange, bronze, yellow, 
scarlet, and apricot; no edging. 3, 3 : Mrs. 
Pollock Geranium as a groundwork to Carna¬ 
tions Mrs. Muir, Duchess of Fife, Lady Bin¬ 
ning, and Uriah Pike; colours, white, pink, 
scarlet, and crimson, edged with blue Lobelia 
5 and 8 : Humea elegans, edged with Echeveria 
secunda glauca, a groundwork of Dactylis 
glomerata being an effective setting to the 
dark feathery sprays of the Humeas. 4, 6, 7, 
9: Herbaceous Lobelias, Fulgens, Firefly, 
Lord Ardilaun, and Queen Victoria. 10, 11: 
Tuberous-rooted Begonias, mixed colours, and 
Celosia plumosa, both colours; no edging re¬ 
quired. 12 : Yellow bedding Antirrhinums. 
13 : Bedding Asters, mixed. 14: Pent- 
stemon Newbury Gem. 15 : Double Petunias, 
mixed, English Irises Mont Blanc and 
Delicata. running through these four beds. 
16 : Hedychium gardnerianum, Grevillea 
robust a, Eulalia japonica and Farfugium 
grande, on a groundwork of Mesembryanthe- 
mum cordifolium, edged with Echeveria. 
17: Hedychium gardnerianum, Arundinaria 
falcata, and Colocasia esculeutum, on a 
groundwork of Alternanthera, edged with 
Echeveria. 18: Dracaena australis, Yucca 
aloifolia variegata, Eulalia zebrina, and 
Brazilian Beet, on a groundwork of Centaurea 
candidissima, edged Pyrethrum Golden 
Feather. 19: Hedychium gardnerianum, 
Ligularia macrophylla, Arundinaria Fortunei 
aurea, and Cliamaepeuce diacantha, on a 
ground of Alternanthera, edged with Eche¬ 
veria. 20: Hedychium gardnerianum, Wig- 
andia caracasana, Eulalia japonica, and 
Funkia ovata aurea, on a ground of Centaurea 
candidissima, edged Echeveria. 21: Dracaena 
australis, Hemerocallis variegata, Arundinaria 
Fortunei aurea, and Brazilian Beet, on a 
ground of Alternanthera, edged with Pyre¬ 
thrum. 
The irregular spaces on the north side of 
the garden may be planted with Azalea mollis 
and Ghent varieties, Japanese Maples and 
Tree Paeonies, with Eremurus robustus and 
Lilium candidum and L. chalcedonicum 
amongst them. These will give a grand dis¬ 
play through June, and take off the fresh- 
planted appearance of the central design. 
Such plants as Dasyliriou, Arundos, Arto- 
carpus, Oranges, and greenhouse Palms could 
be stood amongst them for the summer. The 
flower garden can thus be made gay for nearly 
eight months in the year, and need not look 
bare even during the winter, if a number of 
the bright-coloured Conifers and evergreens 
are kept in pots, and wiien the bulbs are 
planted, plunge enough of them to give a 
finished appearance. For instance, five 
plants would be sufficient for a round bed 
which is 8ft. in diameter. One row of plants 
at 4ft. apart would be sufficient for the other 
shapes. H. Arnold. 
{To be continued.) 
SUPPLEMENTARY REPLIES 
^ BY OUR READERS 
To Answers in the “ G. W.” Enquire Within. 
Fruit Trees and Vegetables. 
No greater mistake can be made in the 
culture of hardy fruit than planting vege¬ 
tables or flowers in close proximity to the 
stems of fruit trees, either against a wall or 
in the open. Two feet would be quite close 
enough to plant; by planting closer the roots 
would penetrate down amongst the fibrous 
roots of the trees, which are the chief fruit 
producers and ought to be near the surface 
of the ground. The best plan will be to give 
the trees an annual dressing of half-rotten 
manure or wood ashes during the winter, and 
fork it in lightly. Surely a narrow space of 
ground around fruitful trees is no disgrace. 
L. S. Small. 
Plant for Edging. 
Lavender Cotton (Santolina Chamaecy- 
parissus) is perfectly hardy even when ex¬ 
posed, if the soil is light and well drained. I 
have one plant 5ft. in diameter, standing at 
about the highest point in this neighbourhood, 
and it has been in the same position many 
years. In the spring, just as the plant starts 
growing, I cut it back to about lin. of the 
old growth, and from this it throws out shoots 
a foot or more long; this shows that it would 
be an unsuitable plant for the purpose, even 
if it were used—all its beauty would have to 
be cut away to keep it in bounds. This is a 
beautiful plant in the right position, and I 
myself should not think of planting it as a 
permanent edging to garden paths. 
G. Waller. 
Chinese Sacred Lily (Narcissus Tazetta). 
All the varieties of Narcissus Tazetta can 
be grown in water glasses, like Hyacinths, or 
in bowls. When growing them in the latter 
style the bowls must be filled up with stones 
to within half an inch of the top, mixing with 
the stones a few pieces of charcoal. The 
bulbs should he placed down into the stones 
up to the collar. Then fill the bowls with 
water, just covering the stones. Add more 
water from time to time as it evaporates or is 
absorbed. If no greenhouse is at hand, place 
the bowls in a sunny window by day, moving 
them further into the room at night in case 
of frost. The plants should not be placed in a 
room where gas is burnt; a too dry 
atmosphere shrivels up the flower buds. 
Should the flowers need any support, a piece 
of strong wire or thin stake may be Inserted 
into tire bulbs, tying the stem to it. The 
variety can he got into flower in six weeks. 
L. S. Small. 
Gloxinias that Failed. 
In all probability it was owing to too hot 
and too dry a bottom on which “ C. A. B.’s” 
Gloxinias were standing which caused insects 
to gain such a hold as to disfigure their 
foliage and consequently prematurely stop 
blooming. If the staging on which they stood 
was simply an open lattice one, with hot- 
water pipes beneath, that would be all in the 
insects’ favour, and extremely detrimental to 
the Gloxinias. Although Gloxinias like a 
warm and fairly bright position, they do not 
like a “ dry ” heat. Stagings should be 
covered with a layer of either shingle, ashes, 
or crushed cockle shells that may be kept 
moist if Gloxinias are expected to do well; the 
slight amount of evaporating moisture thus 
rising to the under-sides of the leaves is very 
beneficial to the plants. It is possible to err 
on the side of giving too much heat. I have 
seen splendid stuff grown the greater part of 
their season in cold frames. 
Herbert Morris. 
Saving Leek Seed. 
The best way of saving Leek seed, I con¬ 
sider, is to sow the seed early in March on a 
warm border in drills 1ft. apart, thinning 
them out-when large enough to handle 8in. 
or 9in. apart. Keep them free from weeds 
and well watered in dry weather. Some weak 
manure water'occasionally will benefit them 
and induce good strong plants from which 
should spring some fine large heads of seed. 
As soon as the seed stems begin to run up, 
