THE GARDENING WORLD . January 5, 1907. 
spring plants, and even annual plants may 
be used in addition for stocking such a 
border, so long as they are good as cut 
flowers. 
F. M. W. 
-- 
THE 
Vegetable Garden. 
HINTS ON 
PLANNING. 
In gardening, soils have very much to 
be taken as found. If the soil is of a 
heavy clay, to improve it takes many 
years’ cultivation, and by the addition of 
soil and many kinds of manure. Work¬ 
ing, however, intelligently, may do much 
to lighten trouble arising from soils of 
extreme character, such as those very 
light or otherwise. It js unwise merely 
to scratch the soil, because the mere 
digging of the soil one spit deep, as 
practised in the majority of .gardens 
throughout the country, has proved a sad 
drawback to the culture of vegetables. 
So nothing is more successful to the cul¬ 
ture of vegetables than the true method 
of trenching. We see and read that the 
great success which our leading gardeners 
have attained has been due to this 
practice. In making a new garden it 
depends greatly on the individual on how 
he sets about the work. The first idea 
would be to have the ground level before 
doing anything else to it, or on a gradual 
slope facing south. 
Commence now by cutting out drains 
from 3ft. to 4ft. in depth, narrow, and in 
such direction as may ensure a fall of the 
water extracted from the soil. These 
drains may be laid 20ft. or 30ft apart as 
may be required, and consist of porous 
pipes ; then put a layer of stones or broken 
bricks over the pipes so as to keep the 
soil from choking. The object of drain¬ 
age is first, to relieve the soil of water that 
otherwise would become stagnant and 
sour and harmful to vegetation; and 
second, because soil choked with water 
excludes air, and air which follows water 
as it retreats downwards is not only 
essential to olant life, but sweetens and 
purifies the soils. Gardening under 
these conditions is pleasurable and not 
hedged round with disappointments. 
The next idea would be to mark off 
the walks, which should be 3ft. in depth, 
to allow of being filled up with stones for 
a good foundation and ample drainage. 
At the south side of the garden a cart 
road 12ft. should be made for the removal 
of vegetables, etc., and here also a hedge 
should be planted, and should run about 
4ft. or 5ft. in height. Bo!x should be 
employed as an edging to the herbaceous 
border, on the east and west side of centre 
walk, which wall enhance the appearance 
of the garden. Saxifraga umbrosa, the 
popular London Pride, is an excellent 
plant for edging the vegetable garden, 
the deep green leaves and panicles of rose- 
dotted flowers being charming, adapting 
themselves for this work. The interior 
cropping ground I will leave, owing to 
space being limited ; but if anyone wished 
me to carry out this plan, and would com¬ 
municate, I would only be too pleased to 
divide the cropping ground according to 
THE 
GRRDEfl w 
WINTER. 
the plan enclosed. [Not reproduced.— 
Ed], 
The plan shows:—1, cart entrance; 2, 
entrances ; 3, border for Leeks, etc. ; 4, 
sheds; 5, centre walk; 6, herbaceous 
border; 7, hedge; 8, border for salads, 
parsley, herbs, etc.; 9, early border; 10, 
border for the culture of show vegetables ; 
11, nurserv and miscellaneous border; 12, 
wall, 10ft. high, and should be well clothed 
with a general selection of fruit trees. 
T. W. Forsyth. 
Wishaw House. 
- 
The Bladder Fern. — Of the three 
British species of Cystoptcris recorded, 
two at least of them are also found in 
America. Indeed, the common Bladder 
Fern (C. fragilis) is found over a large 
portion of the earth’s surface, from the 
Tropics to th'e Arctic Circle in both 
hemispheres. It is interesting also to 
know that C. f. dentata, a variety found 
in this country and described many yea® 
ago, is also reported from New York and 
California. The other species, native to 
both sides of the Atlantic, is C. montana. 
- G. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
■write on ODe side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to ‘ THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care- 
fa lly read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short a rticle on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making the award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
following date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “E. T. Lawrence ” for his article 
on “Beautiful Hardy Hea.hs,” page 924. 
In the Prize Letter Competition, a prize was 
awarded to “Ruabon” for his article ou “Pegs 
Made of Bracken” ; and another to “H. Arnold ” 
for his article on “Protecting Rosas during 
Winter,” page 926. 
HOW TO 
MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL. 
During the winter months the garden 
being practically flowerless is usually 
looked upon as dreary and uninteresting. 
Much, however, may be done to relieve 
the prevailing dulness by the free use of 
neat, bright coloured shrubs (always ob¬ 
tainable from local nurserymen), such as 
golden and silver Euonymus, green and 
variegated Aucubas, sweet Bay; Cupressus 
Box, etc. Golden Privets also are splendid 
things for villa and suburban gardens, 
either to form hedges or to hide unsightly 
objects, as they retain the brightness of 
their foliage in mild winters until growth 
is again well advanced. The foliage, too, 
of most of the Christmas Roses (Helle- 
borus niger) is distinctly ornamental and 
pleasing. These should be planted, if 
possible, in a rather shady position, plant 
in early spring, and keep them well 
supplied with water during summer. 
When the blooms appear they should be 
protected in some way, preferably by hand 
lights; or failing these, strawy litter spread 
carefully beneath the flowers will prevent 
much injury by splashing. When 
thoroughly established Christmas Roses 
should be left undisturbed as much as 
possible; they delight in rather heavy 
soil. 
ErantJjis hyemalis, the yellow Winter 
Aconite, will bloom very early if planted 
in sunny positions. It will grow in al¬ 
most any kind of soil and is easily raised, 
either by sowing the seed or division of 
the tubers, any time after flowering. Be¬ 
ing very dwarf it must be planted at the 
edges of beds or borders. 
Winter flowering Irises, including I. 
reticulata, I. alata, I. tingitana, and I. 
stylosa, are also very pretty and useful, 
and are not at all particular as to soil, any 
good garden soil suiting them, and they ; 
may be planted any time after their j 
flowering season is over. Iris stylosa, ] 
by the way, although perfectly hardy and 
flowering in December, should be planted ( 
in the most sheltered part of the garden, 
as the flowers are rather susceptible to 
severe frost. Many other interesting 
winter plants might be mentioned did 
space permit, but the above-named sub¬ 
jects will, if properly treated, do much to 
enliven the garden during the dull months 
of the year, and carry us on to the time 
when the Arabis, Hepaticas, Aubrietias, 1 
early Primulas, Wallflowers, Crociuses, ■; 
and Snowdrops, and the rest of the early 
spring things are with us. 
F. A. 
Worthing. 
- ♦♦♦ - 
The American Cranberry. —A not¬ 
able feature of this fruit is the fact that 
it can be kept almost as long as an Apple J 
is in season, and certainly longer than 
many. Although juicy, it remains firm 
for many weeks, and for that reason we > 
are able to get it in the markets in a fresh * 
condition during most of the winter. 
I 
