228 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
March 29, 1913 
SHRUBS FOR DRY BANKS. 
Mounds and hillsides where the ground 
is naturally dry and sandy are among the 
most difficult positions to clothe satisfac¬ 
torily with shrubby vegetation, especially 
when the introduction of better soil is im¬ 
possible, and only a comparatively small 
sum of money can be expended on the un¬ 
dertaking. But that it is possible to effect 
this may be noted in various directions 
where bare and ugly sites have been trans¬ 
formed in the course of a year or two into 
positions of beauty by the use of the right 
kind of plants. 
The preparation of such ground for 
the reception of plants usually means the 
removal of all coarse herbage, such as weeds 
and grasses, the forking out of undesirable 
roots such as nettles or couch grass, and 
forking ^the ground over 9 or 12 inches 
deep. In fact, for some of the most suit¬ 
able shrubs for the position it would be un- 
^se to dig the ground deeply or manure 
it, ^ such treatment would encourage 
rapid and rank growi;h, the roots would be 
deficient in fibres, and flowering would 
suffer. On the other hand, the poor and 
moderately hard soil tends to keep the 
plants dwarf and bushy, the roots fibre well, 
and the maximum amount of flower is ob¬ 
tained. A point to remember, however, is 
that small plants stand a better chance of 
success than large ones, therefore it is ad- 
visable to use quite young stock rather 
than try to create an effect at once by 
planting older specimens. It is also neces¬ 
sary to keep the plants watercKl during dry 
weather for the first year, and, if possible, 
give the ground a mulch of leaves to keep 
it from drying rapidly. Weeds must be 
kept dow’n until the plants are vigorous 
enough to crow’d them out, otherwise some 
of the little shrubs may be smothered be¬ 
fore they are in a position to compete with 
the natural vegetation. 
exercising a little care and fore- 
thought m the arrangement of the plants, 
^ offect may be obtained which 
will be more in keeping with the character 
of the ground than any formal distribu¬ 
tion of plante would be. Thus, there should 
be no hard line between one kind of plant 
and another; rather let the outline of each 
group be irregular, and encourage the dif. 
ferent sorts to intermingle. Neither should 
a formal border or margin be allowed but 
I^et grass and plants meet, and arrange 
rrT to a broken outline, 
pen the proper arrangement of tall and 
dwarf shrubs adds much to the general 
appearance. By allow ing tall-growung sub¬ 
jects to approach the front, and groups of 
dw\arf plants to recede here and there, a 
broken and irregular effect is produced 
which adds greatly to the appearance of tho 
plantation as it vadvances in age. ^e 
presence of large stones about the ground 
IS not a great disadvantage, for a piece of 
rock standing in the midst of a mass of 
gorse or patch of heath adds a picturesque 
touch to the scene. 
In districts where pine trees abound it 
is sometimes possible to provide a verv 
pretty feature by underplanting a group 
of mature pines. This may be effectivelv 
accomplish^ bv using the* various kinds 
of erica and culluna. The spring-flowering 
and autumn kinds can either be used sepa¬ 
rately or intermingled, but in either case 
bold groups of each kind should be formed. 
In the milder parts of the country a wide 
selection of species is available, for all the 
semi-tender, Southern European ones may 
be used, and these, by their greater size, 
add considerably to the effect of a group 
composed chiefly of the British species. 
For general planting, how^ever, other sub¬ 
jects are perhaps more generally useful 
than the heaths. The double-flowered gorse 
is one of the best, and the poorer the 
ground the better it seems to do. In light, 
sandy, or gravelly soil, it forms short 
grotwths, grows about 2^ ifeet high, and blos¬ 
soms profusely. Its great advantage over the 
single-flow'ered gorse is that there are no 
disfiguring seed pods to follow the flowers. 
Another useful plant is found in the French 
orse (Ulex Galli). On poor soil this forms 
ense cushion-like masses a foot or so high, 
each clump appearing as a ball of gold in 
September. Associated with late-flow’ering 
heather and ling it is most attractive, and 
many hillsides and commons in the south 
and west counties are ablaze with these 
associated plants every autumn. On chalky 
soils the common juniper (Jimiperus com¬ 
munis) and the savin (Juniperus sabina), 
with its several varieties, may all be used. 
Lavender grows well in combination 
with gorse, also the Cotton Lavender (San- 
tolina chamsecyparissus), whilst the various 
rock and sun roses, species of helianthemum 
and cistus, are excellent for the purpose. 
They, more particularly the latter, thrive 
excellently in the poorest soil, and certainly 
stand the winter and flower better in poor 
than in rich ground. The Brooms species 
of cytisus and genista, especially tiie com¬ 
mon Cytisus scoparius, are excellent for the 
purpose, but it is a good plan to cut them 
over annually after the flowers have faded, 
otherwise they become leggy. There is 
one broom, however. Genista virgata, w hich 
may well be used as a dot plant to give 
height here and there. In quite poor soil 
it attains a height of 10 or 12 feet with a 
like spread, and blossoms finely. Berberis 
aquifolium is a good evergreen for the pur¬ 
pose, and it may either be allowed to attain 
a height of 3 or 4 feet, or be kept quite 
dwarf by an annual pruning. Prunus 
spin<Ka serves for a group where a tall- 
growing plant is required, whilst its double- 
flowered form would also be excellent for 
the purpose could it only be obtained in 
larger quantities. Cydonia Maulei is an¬ 
other shrub which deserves attention, al¬ 
though it is less at home in quite poor 
soil than some other subjects. Should the 
planter desire to introduce trees into the 
group, then the common birch might be 
^ed with effect, for the silver trunks stand¬ 
ing amongst the greenery of the under¬ 
growth is always attractive. The mountain 
ash k another effective tree for such a 
position, whilst the white beam tree (Pyrus 
aria) is also suitable. Both these are very 
attractive during late summer and early 
autumn, when laden with bright-coloured 
fruit; they, however, lack the graceful out¬ 
line of the birch, and are, perhaps, less 
effective than the mature trunks of Scots 
pines, though still beautiful. 
J^ow. W. Dallimore. 
Ag:athaea coelestis.— This, popu¬ 
larly termed the Blue Marguerite, is an 
easily-grown and pretty greenhouse plant. 
It 10 of bushy growth, and the daisy-like 
flowers are about an inch acroes, the spread¬ 
ing florets being of a pleasing shade of light 
blue. It will flower for months together, 
and is very useful for cutting from.—W. 
MAIN CROP AND LATE 
POTATOES. 
Special care should be taken in the pre- 
paration of the seed tubers, some time pre 
vious to planting, by encouraging stronr 
and sturdy grow ths. This alone will pre^ 
vent those unsightly gaps so often observed 
in plots that are planted direct from the 
seed sacks. At tlie time of planting such 
tubers appears to be quite as perfwt a« 
those boxed up, but they may possess no 
living eye, hence the blank spaces. No 
growth will result, and the tuber, if lifted, 
will be as soimd as the day it was planted! 
To guard against this, place the tubers 
eyes upiw'ards, thickly, in boxes, or or 
shelves in a light and airy fruit room or 
other store-house. It will take longer to 
plant and require more care if this method 
is followed, but the ultimate result will am- 
ply repay the trouble taken. Therefore, 
for the garden crop, the time taken up wiil 
not be spent in vain. 
A very important factor in the produc¬ 
tion of good heavy crops of jmtatoes is tn 
procure all, or part, of the crop for seed 
purposes from a distant source each season, 
whether it be from Ireland, Scotland, or 
neighbouring counties, as an appreciable 
and pleasing difference will be noticed in 
the results. 
The middle of April is early enough for 
madncrop planting, and the ground should 
have been brought into good condition 
either by ridging (a good plan) or trench- 
ing, and any manure used should have been 
buried quite two montlis previous to plant¬ 
ing. Fresh manure is liable to force sapp.v 
top-growth, foredoomed to disease, hen« 
it should be avoided. Potatoes vary .greath 
in various localities, and in 
soils, therefore it is diflhcult to name ‘‘the 
best ’’ late varieties. A potato that has 
stood, and is standing, the universal t«t, 
is a good selection of Up-to-Date, and for 
flavour and cropping, with go<^ disea^ 
resisting powers, it is still the chief 
to grow in quantity. Wliite City is good 
in flavour and a long keeper. . 
Plant lat<> varieties in rows two 
inches apart, and allow eighteen inches 
from plant to plant. Ply the hoe fre¬ 
quently. lightly earth at the first sign 
growth,’ and apply a dressing of siip^ 
phosphate, or potato manure, 
rows, previous to earthing, if gro^ 
are at all weak. G. Ellwoo . 
Swanmore Gardens. 
THE ORCHARD HOUSE. 
As a rule the orchard house contains a 
oellaneous assortment of peaches, ^ ' 
apples, plums, etc., in pots; but it wo 
a^advantage if the e^yeral kinds could^ 
grown separately; certainly 
tarines require a compartment to i 
selves, for the earliest crop wiU 
be stoning, if the fruits have n 
ready passed this trying ordeal, * 
very lit4 progress will be noti^ble 
budding and pinching having been 
on conjointly with thinning, vigqroi 
will still require constant attention 
pinching of shoots and laterals. ^ 
ings and careful feeding, which 
described as the mainsprings ot sn .j 
pot fruit culture, must be continued ^ 
the fruits are nearly ripe. Whatever is 
—rich top dressings, liquid f and 
or soot water—changes are neces^ y» 
supplies of moderate strength appli^^ Pientv 
quent intervals give the best results- , 
of water is necessary at this tl»« 
once the balls of pot trees become dry 
effect on the crop is fatal. if a bag 
twrice daily with soft water, and 
of soot immersed in the tank keep 
and stimulate the foliage, and help 
red spider and other pests in ch^K. 
Warter Priory GaiSens. F, Jorda- 
