126 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 23, 1907. 
EDGINGS 
. FOR FLOWER AND . . 
VEGETABLE GARDENS. 
Although this is not a time to carry out 
.such work, still a few hints and sugges¬ 
tions on “edgings” may be welcomed in 
preparation for n&Xt year. 
Nothing is more unpleasant to the eye 
than edgings out of order. Tiles and 
boards are only great fungi breeders; 
terra cotta tiles frequently get split by 
frost into a hundred pieces, and nothing 
can keep the eye from yards of edging 
that appear as if chopped by an axe. 
Oyster shells and anything of a fancy or 
artificial nature have no recommendation 
whatever. There is no necessity for such 
edging when we have a quantity of beauti¬ 
ful flowers and evergreen edging material. 
The common Box is a well-known 
edging, and is the most useful of all, 
though in places where there is much 
damp and treacherous frosts Boxwood re¬ 
fuses to grow. When relaying, take up 
the plants, pull them to pieces, and use 
the strong young growth, which must be 
clipped to one leveh Prepare the soil by 
adding plenty of leaf mould, and then 
make the ground firm by treading. 
Stretch out the line and take out a notch 
about 6in. or more deep, then lay the 
plants in touch with one another; replace 
the soil, and firm well. The growth must 
be regularly clipped each year, say in the 
spring, in the following way :— Stretch 
out the line the whole length of the 
edging, so as to show the correct height, 
and then cut evenly both top and sides. 
In cases where Boxwood refuses to 
grow, Sea Pinks or Thrift will take its 
place, and will live almost anywhere. It 
is a pretty tufted plant, with rosy flower- 
heads, and may be propagated by pulling 
the plants apart in spring. 
One of the most charming subjects for 
edging borders are white Pinks ; these are 
more popular than any flower for the pur¬ 
pose. They are of free growth, and have 
silvery leaves- at all seasons, whilst those 
in June are a mass of snowy flowers. 
Mrs. Sinkins and Her Majesty are both 
good varieties, well adapted for the pur¬ 
pose. They are very hardy, and easily 
increased by cuttings. 
Saxifraga umbrosa, the popular London 
Pride, is an excellent plant for edgings 
for the vegetable garden, the deep green 
leaves and panicles of rose-dotted flowers 
being charming. When the plants are 
becoming worn out, take them up and 
divide the tufts. Seedlings may be easily 
raised by sowing in spring. 
Myosotis, or Forget-me-not, although 
not a very large family, is a gem for 
edgings. The propagation of Myosotis 
is extremely simple, namely, by sowing 
seed as soon as ripe in the open ground. 
They may also be increased by division 
of the roots in spring, or by cuttings in¬ 
serted in sandy soil in a shady place 
during the summer. M. alpestris is a beau¬ 
tiful plant, and is impatient of dryness at 
the roots, or a heavy non-porous soil.. It 
is covered during its flowering period with 
blossoms of the loveliest blue. 
Although straight lines of edging have 
an artificial aspect, they are of most ser¬ 
vice to gardens when neatly trimmed, 
thus lending an appearance of smartness 
to the garden. 
J. W. Forsyth. 
Wishaw, N. B. 
-f+4- 
Oak-leaved Mountain Ash. — Accord¬ 
ing to “ The Florists’ Exchange ” there is 
a variety of the Mountain Ash under this 
name in North America. In this country 
there is a cut-leaved variety named Pyrus 
Aucuparia asplenifolia, which might be 
the same thing. 
Hearing Plants Grow.—Two Ger¬ 
mans have discovered a method by which 
they can hear plants grow. In the ap¬ 
paratus the growing plant is connected 
with a disc, having in its centre an indica¬ 
tor which moves visibly and regularly, 
and this on a scale fifty times magnified 
denotes the progress in growth. Both 
disc and indicator are metal, and When 
brought in contact with an electric ham¬ 
mer/ the electric current being inter¬ 
rupted at each of the divided interstices 
of the disc, the growth of the plant is as 
perceptible to the ear as to the eye 
- G. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
write on one 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, 1 1 any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
- ♦++ - 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article 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 
folic wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thin Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
ie 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 “W.H.W. ” for his article on 
“Nerines,” page 117. 
In the Prize Letter Competition, a prize was 
awarded to “D. Erlam ” for his article on 
“Making Rockeries”; and another to “ W. 
H. Matthew’s ” for his article on “ Coreopsis 
grandiflora,” page 112. Most of these letters 
are too long to be eligible for a prize. 
THE CARE OF.. 
Garden Tools. 
♦ ~ 
If any of the tools in gardens are sc 
familiar to almost everyone that a men 
enumeration of them might be considerec 
sufficient; yet the difference between i\ 
good and a bad one, both being employee 
for the same purpose, is of great import 
ance. The spade is one of the most com 
monly used implements, and it is not per 
haps too much to say that with one of the 
modern improved kinds a man could do 
with the same exertion, io per cent, more 
work than he could with the heavy, easily 
clogged kinds formerly in use. But be 
sides the advantages from more work be 
ing performed, it is always the case tha’ 
with a well adapted tool of a superioi 
description the work is also better done 
On this account, tools that are very com 
mon are, nevertheless, noticed, in orclei 
to point the good properties which the; 
ought to possess. 
The care of tools, etc., is a matter o 
considerable importance, although it 1 
too often neglected. Economy, not onh 
in outlay, but also in labour, is securec 
by attention to the proper cleaning anc 
storing of all tools when not in use. Ir 
large establishments, w r here a large num 
her of implements of various kinds an 
required, a tool-shed should be provided 
with arrangements for convenient and safe 
storing. Brackets and hooks agains 
walls for sieves, ropes, scythes, rakes 
spades, etc., shelves, drawers, or cup 
boards for small tools, and boxes fo: 
labels, twine, pegs, etc., should be fur 
nished in every orderly tool-shed, and thi 
men should be taught to return ever 
article to its proper place when not ii 
use. 
Wet days may be turned to account b; 
oiling, sharpening, and repairing an; 
tools that require it. Even in small gar 
dens a suitable place for the storage o 
tools ought to be found, instead of, as i 
too often the case, throwing them into an; 
corner or out-of-the-way place, where the; 
either get spoilt with rust or damp, o 
are mysteriously missing when next re 
quired. Men work better when in gooc 
health than in bad, and in like manner 
with good, clean tools, more and bette' 
work is accomplished than is possible 
when they are either rusty or blunt 01 
rickety. 
W. Sherringham. 
Dorset. 
-- 
In an article on Runner Beans in Tlu 
Teek Times of May last, it is stated thai 
“.Some people so earlier, but there i; 
realty no advantage in doing sow.” Jusi 
sew! 
The Mulberry Tree. —James I., whe 
wished to encourage the growth of the 
silk industry in this country as a source 
of revenue, is credited with having intro¬ 
duced the Mulberry Tree into England 
and with this object he imported man) 
shiploads of young Mulberry Trees, mos' 
of which were planted round the metro¬ 
polis. 
