May 1, 1905 
and as so many creeping plants throw out 
roots from their branches, if they get 
amongsb ground that they like, it will be 
found that they will root into the fine 
gravel very freely, so keeping themselves 
secure over the stones. 
The plants that are suitable must of 
necessity be regulated by considerations of 
soil, climate, and position, besides the all- 
important one of expense. Where dressed 
blocks of sandstone are used, “border gar- 
dening”’ becomes a pleasure, second only to: 
good “wall gardening,” and is more than 
enough to occupy the leisure’ of even an 
energetic amateur, for in a large garden 
thesia edgings are measured by the mile, 
my before-quotied rose garden having over 
half a mile, yet I count it small. To the 
much-to-be-envied owner of such stone 
edgings all things are possible. To the 
best of encrusted Saxifragas, fragile moun- 
tain pinks, rare primulag, colonies of Ra- 
mondia pyrenaica alba, lovely drifts of 
phlox, there igno limit. There is no neces- 
sity for covering up all the “stone.” Fore- 
most come pinks. Their soft grey-green 
foliage looks like bloom during the winter, 
and their flowers are ever welcome. Some- 
how I have become possessed. of a pink that 
ig really marvellous. The “grass” is nearly 
as strong as in, Carnations. In November 
the wide belt is white with’ big flowers like 
a perfectly grown Mrs. Sinkins, a tinge of 
green at their heart. December transforms 
them inti a white flower with faint red 
markings, but April finds them) Carna- 
tions! I mean they go steadily on, flower- 
ing all the summer, but, when the cool 
rains come in March they throw up 15-in. 
to 18-in. stems with six tol twelve flowers. 
On October 20 I gaithered a handful of 
perfect blooms. I simply dibble in the 
cuttings 2 in. apart, abouti March, as close 
to my flint border as I can. A year after 
the stone is hidden by a 12-in. wide belt. 
_Thave a run of 150 ft. of this pink. All of 
the Dianthus family are beautiful. Nearly 
all of the Saxifragas are good, but the 
Moszy and London Pride sections are the 
most useful. Of the former, 8. trifuécata 
(the Stag’s Horn’ Saxifiraga) is, perhaps, the 
best, the old London Pride being hard to 
beat. Where a wide border is wanted the 
giant-leaved Saxifraga (S. crassifolia) ig un- 
rivalled, as any one whi hias seen it) at 
Mentone will agree. Double primroses, 
aubrietias, auriculas, primulal denticulata. 
violas (the American vars., such! as V. pe- 
data and V. cornuta, - tufted! pansies 
Veronica rupestris, the double white Ara. 
bis, Lithospermum prostratum, phlox, he- 
patica, sedums, sempervivums in variety, 
and Gentians are a few of the best. Not 
every one has seen! the violet “California’’ 
as ani edging miles in length. TJ saw it 
once, and have never forgotten it—~an enor- 
mous orange “grove” a couple of miles 
above Nice, the trees planted in large 
oblong beds, each: with! ai foot wide border 
of this violet in full bloom. Where a wider 
border is needed for shrubberies, the vari- 
ous ivies, gold and silver leaved ag well as 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
the plain, are good, particularly for cool 
borders, when Snowdrops are beautiful 
planted amongst the Ivy. Where a little 
trouble is not objected to, various ‘half- 
hardy or deciduous things can be used. As 
an_ illustration, large pink oxalis for the 
summer, wiith Myosotis dissitiflora for win- . 
ter and spring, or anemone and dwarf nas- 
turtiums. Dwarf bulbs make good edgings. 
All the scillas, chionodoxas, crocus, “‘spe- 
cies’ hyacinths, and the musearis, triter 
leias, sparaxis, sternbergias, and autumn 
crocuses are afew, Al good edging for a 
sunny shrubbery is yellow alyssum, with 
either parrot tulips or, Spanish irises plant- 
ed amongst it. Thrifts and Sweet Williams 
are good. Fo ai fruit garden alpine striaw- 
berries and violets are among the best, and 
the thymes for the kitchen garden. 
A. BAYLDON. 
Dawlish, S. Devon. 
HARDY PERENNIAL SEEDLINGS. 
There is no more interesting work than 
the growing of hardy perennials from seed. 
To the mani who handles a great number 
cf different kinds it becomes very absorb- 
ing. To the untrained eye, with seedlings 
in the cotyledonous state, one kind is very 
much like another, yet to the expert they 
are ad casy to distinguish’ as the plants 
when; in a more advanced stage. 
Many peculiarities may be observed 
during the germination of different kinds 
of seed. Iberis sempervirens gives off a 
very disagreeable cdor, not unlike that of 
boiled cabbage in an intensified form, 
which gradually disappears as the seedlings 
appear above the ground. Penstemon Digi- 
talis, along with some of the other species, 
has a peculiar and distinctive odor which 
is very pronounced at the time of germina- 
tion. It id no doubt caused by ai chemical 
change taking place at that time similar to 
that which takes place when barley is malt- 
ed, and leads to the thought, how many 
unknown, products are there still! to be dis- 
covered that my be of value? 
With delphinium seed, there is always a 
mold that makes its appearance during 
germination on the top of the soil before 
the seedlings push through! the ground. At 
first thid used tol cause me annoyance, as it 
was thought to be a fungus in the soil, 
but from close observation and many ex- 
periments, it ig proved to be always pre- 
sent with the germination of the seed, and 
ig not’ necessarily detrimental. 
The majority of seedlings rapidly push 
up thio seed leaves, or cotyledons, clear of 
the soil and spread them out horizontally, 
whila others remain very close, barely form- . 
ing any stem. The gaillardia is a good 
illustration of this. The seedlings seem to 
have barely enough strength to push 
through the soil. Perhaps the hot, dry 
winds of the western! plains, where they 
are native, have, taught them not to be too 
previous. There is some natural cause for 
every variation, even though we pass the 
matter by, thinking it their nature so to 
be. 
5 
Tho actual pricking out of the various 
kinds of seedlings is a very simple matter, 
est by the artificial method above stated. 
but at the same time it pays to do it right. 
The boxes should always have sufficient 
crevices to ensure good drainage. If tightly 
made, when the wood becomes wet it swells 
and will often makes the boxes watertight. 
dry and have a good proportion of sand 
mixed with it. If about 1 in. of well 
rotted manure, such as that from: a spent 
mushroom bed, be spread over the bottom 
of the box, it will help maintain an even 
moisture in the soil and prevent the fine 
soil from washing through the crevices, be- 
sides being good for the plants. 
Tn filling the boxes, press the soil down 
evenly round the sides, so that an even 
surface will be maintained after it has been 
watcred. Pricking out is rather a tedious 
job, especially if the seedlings are very 
amall; but with practice a boy soon be- 
comes expert. Keep the plants im rows, 
even if only planting am inch’ apart, as it 
may be necessary to surface the soil if it 
should become baked or green, and! it will 
make the weeding of them much easier. 
Weeds are never too small to pull out; if 
left too long, this cannot be done without 
uprooting the plants. 
Ernest Heine, 
eeeeecesr 
GOOD ROOM PLANTS FOR WINTER. 
Amateurs are always inquiring the 
names of a few good room and window 
plants, particularly for the winter, when 
flowering ones from a greenhouse seem to 
quickly fade. One reason of so many 
failures is that they are bought from bar- 
rows, and these plants are forced in heat 
to make them sell. They look in the per- 
fection of health, but, so to say, possess 
no stamina, and the change from the hot- 
house to the dwelling-rcom is too great. 
The Parlour Palm (Aspidistra lurida 
variegata) is one of the best of all room 
plants, and stands first im my selection. 
The reason is that the leaves are leathery, 
and practically impervious to dust. The 
flowers are very curious, not attractive, 
and produced on the surface of the soil. 
Loam mixed with peat is a good soil, and 
provide good drainage. After potting 
stand the plants in the greenhouse if pos- 
sible to assist them to become more 
quickly established. A great fault is con- 
etantly repotting plants, which! is not re- 
quired: As ai rule, in the case of such 
things as these, the less they are disturbed 
at the roots the better. A: great check is 
imposed by his constant disturbance, and 
they never increase properly. Iti is essen- 
tial ta sponge the leaves frequently with 
tepid water to remove dust and dirt from. 
the surface. Once a week at least this. 
should be done. f 
India-rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is 
the next best room plant for winter. It 
is not so useful nor so vigorous as the As- 
pidistra, as there is a certain objection- 
able stiffness about ijt, but if often thrives 
where it is impossible to grow flowers. A 
