AcorsT 2, 1913. 
583 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
k 
GEEANIUM IBEEICUM. 
An effective group below terrace wall in Coombe Court Gardens. 
bastard trenched and heavily dressed with 
farmyard manure, and depend upon, for 
further supplies of nourishment, diluted 
liquid manure derived from stables. 
Ground of this description, after being 
dug, should be prepared for the straw¬ 
berries by having a few inches of its sur¬ 
face finely broken and levelled. For the 
main crops, quarters fully exposed to the 
sJin are to be preferred, south borders being 
best for the earliest crops, and north bor¬ 
ders the most suitable for late crops. By 
so arranging the varieties according to 
their seasons we secure the best possible 
results. 
The best plants are those obtained from 
young plantations that were formed the 
previous season, the strongest runners 
being selected and layered in 2Jiii. or 3in. 
pots as early in the season as they can be 
rocured, and grown on without neglect by 
eeping them carefully supplied with 
apart, and in the rows two feet asunder. 
Compact growers of the type of Givon’s 
Late Prolific, Loxford Hall Seedling, or 
Lax tons Latest may be placed closer to¬ 
gether. Wait for a showery time in which 
to plant, but avoid doing so when the soil 
is very wet. See that tlie balls of soil are 
moist when the plants are turned out of 
their pots, and embed them quite firmly 
and sufficiently deep for the surface of the 
ball of soil to be slightly covered when the 
planting has been completed. 
Subsequent treatment will chiefly consist 
in watering if it is n^essary, and care 
sliould be taken in attending to this to })re- 
vent the balls of soil containing the roots 
becoming dry. Also pay attention to keep¬ 
ing the plants free from runners, and the 
surface soil frequently stirred with the 
hoe. Once the roots have taken freely to 
the soil, a good watering with diluted 
liquid manure should be given. This will 
Hericart de Thury is unsurpassed, and 
as a perpetual St. Antoine de Padoue can 
be strongly reoommende<l. 
Thos. Coomber. 
The Hendn> Gardens. 
GERANIUM IBERICUM. 
In the pursoiit of novelties it sometimes 
happens that meritorious plants are over¬ 
looked because they are commonplace or 
old-fash ione<l, or perhai)s there is a sus¬ 
picion of coa.rs<uu»68 about them that makes 
their pn^mce uiulCsirable among choicer 
plants. It is prolvably for the first of tlu'se 
reasons that Geranium ibericum is so s<d- 
<loni inclikhMl in hardy flower borders. Yet, 
despite its oUl-world character, it is a sub¬ 
ject that at once attnicts attention in June 
in the border. T^ie flowers are of a fine 
shade of blue, large in size, and are pro¬ 
duced in tile freest possible manner, and 
eronti. ®"^,,,?«PPressing their extend 
L Iv they , she 
placed their parents, and 
davs to In position for a 
chwk- h f recover from 
inrif • planted out. In la: 
plants fr to ascertain that ” 
?untlrs ‘desired to obt 
straw (Lrr ®i though ste 
eases of P'^nts are not often met w 
member vf ^ 
'•^.Sina dl Hericart de Th 
for rea^snn ^,in this way, i 
P<H.ially for'+V^'* advisable, 
able soils dealing with unfavo 
atofk of n’lanf, ^®®®*nn?lly change tl 
« '■ehable securing fresh ones fi 
varieties, j 
luthier stalks, such as Lc 
' they should h^®^ Sovereign, and Progr. 
aneuid be arranged in rows three f 
both strengthen the plants and cause 
their crowns to develop. Plants so treated 
will produce splendid crops of fruit the 
first season, and the fruit will be larger 
in size and earlier than that produced 
in beds of some age, though the 
crops produced by plants the second year 
after planting will be heavier, and will 
also afford supplies of ripe fruit in succes¬ 
sion to that of young plants of the same 
variety. 
We have given most of the leading varie¬ 
ties a fair trial, and can recommend the 
following, as early kinds : Vicomtesse Heri¬ 
cart de Thury and Royal Sovereign; for 
main crops, President, Sir Joseph Paxton, 
The Bedford, Countess, Fillbasket, Reward, 
and Laxton’s Profit; of late varieties 
Givons Late Prolific, Laxton’s Latest, 
Eleanor, Waterloo, and President Loubet; 
as a white fruiting variety, Louis Gau¬ 
thier ; for preserving purposes, Vicomtesse 
when boldly grouped in quantity it forms 
a conspicuous object throughout the month 
of June. It is a deciduous perennial of the 
most persistent character, and, like Gera¬ 
nium armenum, G. Endressi, and G. gran- 
difforum, it succeeds in praetk-ally any 
kind of soil, and is a suibject to commend 
for arid ground and semi-shade. Once fully 
established it callls for little attention be¬ 
yond a mulching of farmyard manure at the 
annual overhauling of the borders. Tliis 
species, with the others named, are readily 
increased by division at any time during 
the resting period. Thomas Smith. 
Coomhe Court Gardens. 
The Berg^amot or Osweg^o 
Tea.— This is a grand border flower, espe¬ 
cially if the soil is rather damp. The bright 
scarlet flowers render it very showy, and 
the delicious fragrance of the entire plant 
makes close inspection particularly aeree- 
able.—W. T. ^ 
