456 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 6, 1907. 
Alpines. 
During May and early June the alpines 
are at their best. I wish in this note to 
draw the attention of alpine lovers to 
several of this interesting class of plants. 
Alyssum speciosum. — This is a new 
species, and is typically alpine. It forms 
a low-spreading mass of stems, bearing 
dull green leaves and large heads of 
bright yellow flowers, larger than in the 
typical A. saxatile. Growing only 1 in. 
high, it is therefore very valuable. It 
prefers a dry, sunny position, in soil con¬ 
sisting of threequarter parts broken stone 
and quarter part of loam and leaf-mould. 
My plants were raised from one of Messrs. 
Bee’s id. packets; it could probably also 
be grown from cuttings. 
Iberis gibraltarica. — This is one of 
the finest of the Candytufts, and is 
perfectly hardy in the Midlands. It 
grows from 6 in. to 9 in. high, 
bearing large corymbs of white flowers, 
sometimes tinged with lilac, and re¬ 
mains in bloom several weeks. Soil 
as for Alyssum speciosum. Propagation 
by cuttings in very sandy soil. 
Androsace coronopifolia. —Although 
only a biennial, no garden should be 
without this gem. It forms rosettes of 
bright green leaves, from which rise wiry 
stems 6 in. high, bearing loose heads of 
pure white flowers % in. across on very 
fine stalks. The flowers look as though 
they were floating in the air. It flowers 
from the beginning of May to September, 
and ripens seed freely, which, if sown as 
soon as ripe, produces plants that bloom 
the following year. The soil should be 
sandy. 
Ledum buxifolium. — I was enchanted 
when I first saw this little vivacious shrub 
in flower the other day. It is evergreen, 
and grows about 6 in. high, the stems be- 
Article Describing Several 
Pretty Plants 
Suitable for the Rock Garden. 
ing covered with dark green, box-like 
leaves, and bearing terminal heads of 
flowers white internally, and punk-tipped 
externally; the buds also are pink. This 
lovely little plant prefers a peat soil well 
drained, but moist in full sun, and is one 
of the dwarf shrubs which should be more 
often found in rock gardens. 
DODECATHEONS. —Although very sel¬ 
dom seen, these are not difficult to grow. 
They form rosettes of leaves, from which 
arise stiff stems 6 in. to 1 ft. high, bear¬ 
ing a large number of Cyclamen-like 
flowers, generally pinkish-purple in 
colour and beautifully marked at the 
mouth. I grow D. Hendersoni; flowers in 
early May, rosy purple 6 in., D. Meadia 
at the end of May, and D. integrifolium 
in June. All succeed in a north aspect 
in soil consisting of threequarter parts of 
peat and leaf-mould, and a quarter part 
of broken stone. It is easily raised from 
seeds, and flowers in two to three years. 
I have at present a pot full of healthy 
young seedlings from a id. packet of 
seeds. 
Tiarella cordifolia.— This, often 
called the Foam Flower, is now in bloom, 
and its floriferousness is wonderful, the 
plant being covered with spikes of white 
flowers with orange anthers. It seems to 
grow in any soil and anywhere, but pre¬ 
fers shade. Propagation is by division 
and from its runners. 
One must not close without mentioning 
the alpine Phloxes now a mass of bloom ; 
these will flourish all the better in full 
sun if a little peat is placed at the roots. 
Thrifts, the alpine Wallflower, Arenarias, 
and Aubrietias are also all combining to 
make one more and more the slave of 
these bewitching plants. 
E. B. Anderson. 
On- 
- Watering - 
Pot Plants 
And Gardens. 
This is a very important operation in 
connection with the cultivation of plants, 
particularly those grown in pots, for there 
are numerous subjects that may easily be 
injured or even killed by receiving either 
too much water or an insufficient supply. 
As a rule, soft-wooded plants and all 
those of quick growth require more water 
than those of a slow-growing or hard- 
wooded nature, though exceptions may 
sometimes be found. Seasons of growth 
and of rest have also to be considered, 
and the supply of water regulated accord¬ 
ingly. 
Pot Plants.—A ll greenhouses, large 
or small, should have a tank or cistern 
for the storage of rain water, which is 
generally conducted from the roof by 
means of pipes led into the tank,‘the 
latter being raised a little from the floor, 
which will be the means of keeping the 
water about the same temperature as that 
of the house. Rain-water is undoubtedly 
the best for plants of every description. 
The next important consideration is to 
find out when a plant requires watering. 
This can be decided in one or two ways, 
as, for instance, by observing the colour 
of the soil on the top of the pot whether 
dark or light; if dark it will, in nearly 
all cases, denote that the soil is moist, 
and that no water is required, if light it 
will generally mean that the soil is dry 
and the plant may be watered. Observe 
the ground out of doors in rainy weather, 
and again when it is d/y, this should give 
you an idea of wet and dry soils. Where 
the soil cannot be seen, the pot may be 
tapped, and should it sound as if the pot 
were empty, the soil is dry, but if there 
is little or no ring, the soil is wet. Fill 
a pot with damp soil, and another with 
dry, and tap both and observe the dif¬ 
ference. When quite satisfied that the 
plant requires water, give it a good soak¬ 
ing. Should a plant by mistake get over¬ 
looked, and consequenlty suffer greatly 
for want of water, it is best to stand it in 
a pail of water and keep shaded for a 
time till it recover. 
Time to Water. —In summer the eve: 
ing is the best time to water, as then tl 
soil in the pots has a better chance 
getting soaked right through, and tl 
plant a longer period during which 
draw up the moisture, before the si 
dries it up the following day. In wint 
water is best applied in the morning, 
that the dampness arising from it m; 
be carried off during the day. 
Watering Out of Doors.— The nece 
sity for watering out of doors will deper 
on the seasons and other circumstance 
but it is best not to begin the operatic 
too soon, as when once started it must l 
continued till rain comes. In the ca: 
of recently-transplanted trees and shrub 
when necessary to water they should a 
ways have copious supplies. Mulch tl 
surface of the soil, as this tends to pr 
vent undue evaporation, a point whic 
also applies to fruit trees, etc., in a di 
spell in.the summer. When found nece 
sary to water crops, etc., out of doors, 
is always best to give a good soakm 
once or twice a week rather than t 
merely sprinkle the surface every day c 
so. 
H. Ross. 
The Yulan 
As a Wall Plan 
(.Magnolia conspicua). 
The well-known Magnolia grandiflor 
is now so generally regarded as one of ou 
handsomest wall plants that little nee 
be said respecting it. Magnolia con 
spicua, however, though more often foun 
growing in the open or in mixed border 
than on walls, is equally well adapte 
for the latter purpose, being both hard 
and free flowering. Unlike M. grand: 
flora, which is evergreen, with its flowei 
ing season from July to September, M 
conspicua is deciduous flowering whe 
leafless during the early spring month: 
the flowers, however, being followed b 
luxuriant foliage lasting well throughou 
the summer and autumn. 
It is not frequently to be seen excep 
in more extensive gardens in the country 
owners of suburban gardens having in 
sufficient room for planting the tree i 
the open. Used as coverings for walls 0 
house fronts, however, it might with ad 
vantage be much more generally planted 
for there are few things more effective o 
which would give more pleasure to thei 
owners. It is, moreover excellent fo 
town and suburban gardens, growing an< 
flowering with the same freedom as th 
well-known Wistaria. 
It should be planted in the autumn 0 
in early spring, not later than March, ii 
a sunny position, preferably on a soutl 
or south-west wall. Very little pruning 
is necessary, and this should be dom 
after flowering, merely cutting out a fev 
of the weakest growths and otherwisi 
keeping the tree in shape. This Magno 
lia is not very particular as to soil, any 
thing of a free open nature suiting it 
This, however, should be thoroughly 
drained, anything approaching stagna 
tion in the soil being fatal to its well- 
