368 
THE GARDENING WORLD. J une J 9 ° 7 - 
means of seeds or divisions of the root- 
stock. The last process may be carried 
out either in autumn or in March, when 
growth is about to recommence. Usually 
it will supply all the plants that are re¬ 
quired for a garden, and even if a larger 
number were required, this could be ob¬ 
tained by cutting off each crown separate¬ 
ly, with" a few roots attached. In the 
course of a single season these little pieces 
would make nice flowering plants to bloom 
next year. 
-4f4 - 
- J-loeing - 
Its Value 
to Growing Plants. 
At this time of the year the various gar¬ 
dening operations become much more 
numerous and many more tools are 
brought into use to carry out the same. 
I therefore wish to advocate the use of 
one simple tool more persistently than is 
already done. The tool in question is the 
— as frequently found — ‘‘rusty old hoe, 
and this implement should be one of the 
brightest and sharpest members of the 
“tool shed.” The erroneous idea of styling 
it a mere weed destructor” should be 
earnestly remedied and a much higher 
rank of honour bestowed upon it. Y\ hat 
is the real use of the hoe ? Simply this: 
To aerate and sweeten the soil; and as 
this practice is undoubtedly the main fea- 
tnure of healthy and robust growth of 
crops, let us appreciate the same to the 
fullest extent. The hoe should be 
regularly brought into use during spring 
and summer whenever the ground 
becomes caked or soddened by ex¬ 
cessive heat or rain, to allow the free 
admittance of air to the roots and also 
to conserve the moisture beneath the sur¬ 
face. This is easily done by breaking up 
the soil to the depth of two or three inches 
to form a coating of fine soil all over the 
ground. Land treated in this manner is 
always kept in an open friable condition, 
whereby the welcome showers of summer 
are readily soaked up and conveyed to the 
roots instead of running away, as it would 
do, on hard-baked land. As the chemical 
elements are made soluble by air and mois¬ 
ture it directly indicates the necessity of 
aerating the soil. If the hoe is used two 
or three times a week on a certain strip 
of ground and another untouched, the 
striking luxuriance and superiority of 
growth and productiveness of the crops 
crown on the former patch will readilt 
be observed, especially with the Cabbage 
tribe. The trouble of keeping down weeds 
is at once arrested by this regular practice 
of hoeing, and where they have become 
at all prominent hoe down with a sharp 
tool and allow them to wither on the sur¬ 
face to form humus, of which good ground 
is largely composed. In conclusion, I sav 
hoe regularly, avoid weeds, have good 
crops and a respectable garden. 
Southall. Hube^e Yates. 
-- 
Thornes Floral and Horticultural Society. 
We are asked to state that this years 
show of the Thornes (Wakefield) Floral 
and Horticultural Society will be held on 
the last Saturday in July instead of m 
September as formerly. 
Cottage Gardening. 
Summer Bedding 
and Hardy Perennials. 
The cottage garden will now have a ridy 
appearance, the bulk of the laborious work 
will be over, and the cottager will have a 
little leisure time before the constant use 
of the hoe is necessary. 
It is now time to be giving a little atten¬ 
tion to the flower garden or border, and 
preparations must be made for a summer 
display. Cottagers, as a rule, have not the 
convenience for raising plants suitable for 
summer flowering. Nurserymen now 
make quite a business of raising suitable 
plants and sending them out thoroughly 
hardened, so the cottager cannot do better 
than consult the advertisement columns 
of The Gardening World, which con¬ 
tain .a- varied collection at prices within the 
reach of all, and to owners of small flower 
gardens this is undoubtedly the best way 
of stocking them. The usual plants for 
the flower garden are too well known to 
need description. When plants such as 
Stocks; Asters, or other annuals are pur¬ 
chased they should be planted in the even¬ 
ing, and if the weather is dry, thoroughly 
water. Plants of this description should 
be shaded with paper if the weather is 
bright, which will prevent the foliage from 
drooping and cause the plants to become 
more quickly established, and this is easily 
practicable in a small garden by placing 
small twigs to keep the paper off the plants. 
A smart look-out must be kept for slugs, 
which are partial to young annuals. Po- 
tatos cut in two should be placed in the 
‘vicinity of the plants, which will generally 
attract the slugs, from which they can be 
periodically removed. 
Being a "lover of hardy perennial plants, 
I consider there is no garden, however 
small, but should have a border devoted 
to their culture. Plardy perennials will 
thrive in any ordinary garden soil, and are 
of a permanent character, many continu¬ 
ing to bloom for months, and the majority 
useful as cut flowers. 
In The Gardening World for May 
4th a fine collection of hardy perennials 
is offered for 6s., and to those that have 
not a hardy flower border my advice is to 
speculate that amount, and at the end 
of the vear vou will be enthusiastic over 
hardy flower's. In the list given no de¬ 
tails are presented, but the names to the 
uninitiated do not carry much weight. No, 
a few'notes on the foregoing might bring a 
few recruits to the. .hardy plant growers 
ranks, so I will state them as explicitly as 
possible. 
Adenophora lilifolia is a 'plant closely 
resembling the Campanulas, blue flowered, 
height one foot, flowering June and July. 
Anemone japonica alba, white flowered, 
height two feet, flowers - from August to 
October. Aquilegia Jiybrida (flowers, red 
and sulphur, height three feet), blooms 
from June to August 
Campanula persicifolia has blue cup¬ 
shaped flowers, height two feet, flowers 
Julv and August. Campanula alliariae- 
folia is white flowered, height two feet, 
flowers Julv to September. Centranthus 
ruber is a handsome plant, with deep-ied 
flowers, height two to three feet, flowers 
June to September. Coreopsis granca- 
flora has bright yellow flowers ; should be 
in every collection. Height two to three 
feet, flowers June and July. 
Delphinium hybridum is a stately bor¬ 
der plant, with flowers varying in colour 
from pale blue to dark indigo, some hav¬ 
ing a tinge of pink, height four to five 
feet. Digitalis lutea is a showy bordei 
plant, yeilow flowered, height two feet 
flowers July. Eryngium planum is : 
beautiful plant in flower and foliage, blue 
flowered, height two feet, flowers Julyanc 
August. Erigeron speciosus, a fre< 
flowering plant with Aster-like flowers 
colour purple with yellow centre, heigh 
two and a. half feet, flowers June to Octo 
ber. Galega orientalis is purple flowered 
height two to four feet, flowers June t 
October. Geum Heldreichii, large orang 
flowers, height one foot, flowers in spring 
Gypsophila paniculata is a pretty plan 
bearing tiny white flowers in myriads o' 
slender stems, grand as cut flowers ; heigh 
two to three feet, flowers June to August 
Hesperis matronalis (Damask Violet) ha 
sweet-scented white flowers ; height two t 
three feet, flowers June to September. Ir: 
germanica Fairy is lavender, height tw 
feet, flowers June. Linaria origanifolia : 
purple flowered ; height one foot, flowet 
June to August. Nepeta Mussini is blu 
flowered ; height two feet, flowers June an 
July. Oenothera speciosa is a free flowe 
ing plant bearing pinkv-white flower; 
height two feet. It blooms June to Sej 
•tember. 
Potentilla (Cinquefoil) is a brilliant, fre 
flowering plant, in season from June i 
August. Primula japonica has dark crin 
son flowers ; height one foot, flowers i 
spring. Siclalcea Candida, a free flowe 
ing plant bearing white ’ flowers: heig 
two feet, in season during September ar 
October. Tellima grandiflora is a beau! 
ful yellow flowering plant, with rich, rul 
coloured foliage in spring. It flowers 
April and May; height two feet. Thali 
trum glaucum -is a pretty foliaged plat 
bearing yellow flowers ; height three to ; 
feet, flowers June and July. The for 
going is a grand collection for a cotta 
border, and when once planted requir 
little attention except weeding and t 
taller kinds staking. SPADESMAN. 
- 444 - 
Giant Rhubarb. 
Some particularly fine specimens 
Hobday’s giant Rhubarb, first introduc 
to the public some two years ago, wc 
shown by Messrs. W. Cutbush and St 
.at the last Royal Horticultural Societ 
Exhibition on May 14th. The sticks"* 
over 4ft. long, and of remarkably go- 
shape and colour. 
Prizes for Children. 
The Finchlev Horticultural Society 
offering six prizes to children attend if 
the elementarv schools of Finchley for 
best essays on horticulture. Essays nV 
be posted to the Secretarv, Mr. Spell ■ 
Phoenix Cottage, Dollis Road, Finchb 
by June 1st. 
