June 22, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
415 
A Chat About 
Herbaceous 
Borders. 
Tfpe Beautiful JVIatiposa Iiily. 
No. 3 - 
(Calochortus pulchellus. 
_ 
Wherever it is intended a border is to 
be made the ground should be thoroughly 
trenched, and if at all inclined to be 
water-holding, it should be drained as 
well. An elaborate system of drainage is 
not necessary, about si'x inches of brick 
rubbish in the bottom of the trenches as 
made will be found sufficient. The soil 
should be a good firm loam, and if this 
is not attainable, it must be brought as 
near as possible to this condition, either 
by liming and manuring with farmyard 
manure in the autumn, and laying it up 
rough for the winter if heavy, or by add¬ 
ing heavy soil and farmyard manure in 
!he spring if light. 
Planting in cold districts is best done 
in March or April. Many of the plants 
ire large enough to plant with a spade, 
but the smaller plants are best put in with 
1 trowel. 
Renovating the border is recommended 
every three years; at the same time, if 
it is" properly made in the first instance, 
and receives an annual dressing of well- 
rotted farmyard manure forked in in 
March, with the strongest growing plants 
divided, such as Asters, it will go a con¬ 
siderable time longer. It should never 
be manured in the autumn, as this only 
harbours slugs, etc., and while on the sub¬ 
ject of slugs, a sprinkling of coal ashes 
round the choicer subjects will do much 
:o keep these pests from the young growths 
just as they are coming up. When it 
does become necessary to clear out, the 
plants should be laid on o'ne side, stick¬ 
ing the labels into them, with" the excep¬ 
tion of Paeonies, Hellebores, bulbs, etc., 
and proceed as for a new border. Allow 
it to settle before planting. After plant¬ 
ing level with a Dutch hoe, and endeavour 
to make as neat a job as possible without 
the assistance of the rake. This tool is 
best left alone, especially on fresh-macle 
borders, as it causes the surface to cake 
in dry weather or become water logged in 
wet weather, consequently the soil is sour 
before the plants get a start. 
When dividing up old stools of strong- 
1 growing perennials, always select outside 
growths for replanting, and discard the 
old stool altogether. 
Positions for special plants should be 
selected, holes dug out and filled with the 
soil necessary for their successful cultiva¬ 
tion before the border settles, then drive 
in a stake to denote its position when 
planting time comes, attaching a label to 
the stake with the name of the plant it is 
proposed to put there. Spaces also should 
be left for planting Canterbury Bells, East 
Lothian Stocks, Nicotiana Sanderae, and 
many other plants which we may have a 
liking for and are easily raised from seed ; 
I while, if the owner is a Dahlia enthusiast, 
. no doubt the gaps will be filled with these 
plants. 
H. Arnold. 
Stirlingshire. 
-- 
The boisterous weather has done great 
damage to bedding plants and many tall 
herbaceous plants, such as Delphiniums, 
Poppies and Pyrethums. 
The above is not a Lily in the true 
sense of the term, although it is a mem¬ 
ber of the Lily family. In the particular 
genus to which it belongs it has a pecu¬ 
liar form of flower, the three inner petals 
being so arranged as to make the bloom 
appear almost globular. Owing to this 
shape it is sometimes named Cyclobothra, 
but as several other forms are found in 
the genus, it is expedient to call them all 
Calochortus. The flowers are of a bright 
yellow, but particularly the three inner 
segments, which give the flower its pecu¬ 
liar character, and they are also bearded 
on the inner face. 
The bulbs may be planted rather late 
in the autumn or in the new year, so as 
to retard their growth until the worst Of 
the winter weather has passed before the 
Calochortus 
Odontoglossum gandavense. 
The sepals and petals of the above 
handsome variety are brownish-violet, 
with white tips and edges. The lip is 
white with a violet base. A First-class 
Certificate was accorded it at the Temple 
Show when exhibited by M. C. Yuylsteke, 
Ghent. 
plant comes into leaf in the open ground. 
The soil selected should be light and 
rich, and where the natural soil is sandy 
this will suit, but it can always be imi¬ 
tated by using sand and leaf mould to 
mix with the natural staple. The soil 
should also be well drained, naturally, so 
that it does not continue in a sodden state 
in winter after rain has fallen. Some 
people grow the bulbs in cold frames, 
which would throw off the wet in winter, 
but others again grow the plant in pots 
for the decoration of the greenhouse or 
conservatory, unless the cultivator actu¬ 
ally has an alpine house of some descrip¬ 
tion. In the open selection should be 
made of a place where the bulbs will 
ripen off gradually after flowering and 
become rather dry than otherwise, so as 
to thoroughly mature the bulbs. 
pulchellus. Maclaren and Sons. 
Odontoglossum crispum solum. 
The above is'a very unique form, inas¬ 
much as the flowers are white except the 
lip, vdiich is dark purple-red. thus mak¬ 
ing a striking contrast as the varietal 
name is meant to indicate. First-class 
Certificate to Messrs. F. Sander and Sons 
who staged it at the Temple Show’. 
