April  19,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
333 
GARDEN,  CI/EA'NINCS 
Tbe  Dellgbts  of  Gardening. — Everyone  who  has  once  tasted 
the  real  delights  of  gardening  returns  to  it  with  zest.  Tranquilly 
pursued  it  gives,  says  a  contemporary,  a  certain  richness  to  life  and 
thought,  a  wholesome  basis  for  intellectual  labour.  It  is  a  common 
bond  between  the  wise  and  the  ignorant,  a  pursuit  wherein  men  of 
different  station  can  interchange  roles,  and  mutually  impart  knowledge. 
Rivalry  is  of  the  friendliest.  The  cottager’s  Rose  may  surpass  that 
of  a  duke,  and  the  interest  of  one  in  his  specimen  be  as  keen  as  that 
shown  for  the  flower  of  the  other. 
Bulbs  In  Hyde  Park. — The  displays  of  spring  flowering  bulbous 
plants  in  the  London  parks,  which  are  so  eagerly  looked  for  by  all 
visitors,  are  now  rapidly  advancing  in  beauty.  In  the  many  beds  that 
flank  the  walk  running  parallel  with  Park  Lane  the  bulbs  are  flowering 
handsomely,  and  will  be  a  source  of  delight  to  thousands  of  visitors 
during  the  coming  weeks.  Both  the  spring  and  summer  bedding  in 
this  park  are  invariably  exceptionally  handsome,  and  many  designs  may 
there  be  noted  for  subsequent  use  in  private  gardens.  The  bulbs  in 
Victoria  Park  are  decidedly  backward. — F. 
Garrya  elllptlca. — I  was  pleased  to  see  the  illustration  (page  288) 
of  this  neglected  shrub,  and  was  much  interested  in  the  accom¬ 
panying  remarks.  When  looking  round  the  gardens  of  a  friend  a  short 
time  back  I  observed  a  plant  growing  on  an  east  wall,  and  was  informed 
it  produced  catkins  8  or  9  inches  long  with  great  freedom  every  year. 
The  plant  is  worth  growing  as  a  shrub  in  the  open  or  trained  on  a  wall, 
not  only  for  the  sake  of  variety,  but  also  for  its  unique  appearance. 
It  thrives  in  a  mixture  of  fibrous  loam  and  burnt  refuse,  annually  top- 
dressed  with  leaf  soil.  I  have  seen  beautiful  specimens  that  have  been 
treated  as  indicated. — 0. 
Overdoing  Gardening, — I  went  to  stay  at  a  very  grand  and 
beautiful  place  in  the  country,  where  the  grounds  are  said  to  be  laid 
out  with  consummate  taste.  For  the  first  three  or  four  days  I  was 
enchanted.  It  seemed  so  much  better  than  Nature  that  I  began  to 
wish  the  earth  had  been  laid  out  according  to  the  latest  principles  of 
improvement.  In  three  days  time  I  was  tired  to  death  ;  a  Thistle,  a 
heap  of  dead  bushes,  anything  that  wore  the  appearance  of  accident 
and  want  of  intention  was  quite  a  relief.  I  used  to  escape  from  the 
made  ground  and  walk  on  the  adjacent  goose  common,  where  the  cart 
ruts,  gravel  pits,  bumps,  coarse,  ungentleman-like  grass,  and  all  the 
varieties  produced  by  neglect  were  a  thousand  times  more  gratifying. — 
Sydney  Smith. 
What  Plants  Require  In  Feeding. — There  is  yet  a  great  deaj 
to  be  learned  regarding  the  positive  influence  of  feeding  various  crops  . 
yes,  and  even  the  different  varieties  of  one  plant  respond  differently 
to  the  application  of  fertilisers  and  water.  These  and  similar  questions 
afford  good  opportunities  for  investigation  by  experiment  stations.  At 
a  meeting  of  the  New  Jersey  Horticultural  Society  one  of  the  most 
instructive  papers  presented  was  that  detailing  the  work  along  these 
lines  now  in  progress  at  the  State  Experiment  Station.  The  excellent 
results  that  have  been  produced  by  the  use  of  yard  manure  do  but 
confirm  the  practical  experience  of  so  many.  But  the  end  is  not  yet,  and 
the  work  merits  the  attention  of  growers  everywhere.  A  further  line 
of  inquiry,  and  one  not  yet  sufficiently  advanced  to  be  reported  on  is 
in  connection  with  the  tree  fruits,  from  which  we  anticipate  some 
important  data.  This  is  a  study  of  the  annual  drain  upon  the  soil  for 
the  essential  elements  of  plant  food.  This  was  begun  in  1896,  when  the 
trees  were  set ;  at  the  end  of  the  season  one  tree  of  the  several  kinds 
of  fruits  was  defoliated.  The  amount  was  recorded  and  a  sample 
analysed  at  the  station  laboratory.  The  annual  growth  of  these  trees 
also  is  measured  and  recorded,  and  when  trimmed,  the  amount  removed 
is  measured  and  samples  taken  for  analysis.  As  the  trees  come  into 
fruiting  the  fruit  will  also  be  sampled  and  analysed.  This  will  be 
continued  annually  for  a  time,  and  “  American  Gardening  ”  believes 
that  at  the  end  of  a  few  years  there  will  be  in  all  probability  very 
important  facts  regarding  the  growth  of  trees,  and  their  annual  needs 
as  they  develop  and  come  into  bearing. 
Sugar  Beet.  —  We  learn  that  under  the  auspices  of  the  Sugar 
Beet  Committee  of  the  Central  Chamber  of  Agriculture,  a  limited 
number  of  experiments  are  to  be  made  during  the  coming  season  in 
the  growth  of  this  useful  vegetable.  Oxford,  Kent,  Hants,  Hereford, 
Suffolk,  Beds,  Wilts,  Berks,  Worcester,  Lancaster,  and  Warwick  have 
been  selected  as  the  counties  in  which  the  trials  are  to  be  made,  and  it 
has  been  decided  that  each  plot  selected  for  the  experiment  shall  be 
at  least  1  acre  in  extent. 
Almond  Trees.  —  The  chief  arboricultural  attraction  of  the 
metropolis  at  the  present  moment  is  found  in  the  hundreds  of  Almond 
trees  whose  branches  are  wreathed  with  flowers.  The  lateness  of 
the  season  has  of  course  affected  them,  as  it  has  done  everything,  but 
though  rather  later  than  usual  they  are  none  the  less  appreciated 
Thousands  more  might  advantageously  be  planted  in  suburban  London, 
where  they  appear  to  thrive  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner.  The 
Poplars  in  South  London  are  rapidly  swelling  their  buds  under  the 
influence  of  sunshine  and  shower. — H. 
Where  IMCarket  Gardening  Pays. —  The  value  of  land  under 
fruit,  as  compared  with  shooting  preserves,  was  recently  demonstrated, 
says  a  daily  paper,  at  a  sale  at  Yarmouth.  A  market  garden  occupa¬ 
tion  at  Ormesby,  four  miles  from  the  town,  fetched  no  less  than  £1400, 
representing  £280  per  acre,  the  highest  price  paid  for  a  long  time  for 
agricultural  land  in  Norfolk.  This  was  the  first  lot  of  the  sale.  The 
last  lot  touched  the  other  extreme.  This  was  a  3|-acre  plot  at 
Winterton,  a  few  miles  distance,  which  only  realised  £25,  or  less  than 
£8  per  acre,  though  it  affords  plover,  snipe,  and  rabbit  shooting. 
Azalea  Duchess-  of  Wellington. — At  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  I  observed,  among  the  several  Azaleas 
exhibited,  a  variety  named  Duchess  of  Wellington.  This  I  thought 
one  of  the  most  charming  plants  in  the  whole  exhibition.  It  had  not 
the  brilliant  beauty  of  other  exhibits,  but  was  rather  of  a  chaster  and 
more  refined  type.  The  plant  was  shown  by  Messrs.  R.  &  G.  Cuthbert 
of  Southgate,  who  received  an  award  of  merit.  A.  Duchess  of 
Wellington  belongs  to  the  Ghent  section,  and  has  neat  flowers  of  a  pale 
blush  colour  and  with  brilliant  rose  on  the  upper  portion.  It  is  a  variety 
that  can  scarcely  fail  to  find  a  wide  popularity. — Visitor. 
The  Barr  Daffodil  Cup. — It  was  most  unfortunate  that  this  cup 
should  have  been  offered  for  competition  on  the  occasion  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society’s  meeting  on  April  10th.  The  effects  of  the 
lateness  of  the  season  were  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  there  was 
only  one  competitor,  whereas  there  ought  to  have  been  at  least  half  a 
dozen.  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  for  anyone  to  know  when  the 
arrangements  are  made  what  the  weather  will  be  prior  to  the  date 
chosen,  but  it  seems  regrettable  that  some  scheme  cannot  be 
formulated  by  which  a  fair  competition  can  be  secured.  There  is 
certainly  no  honour  in  winning  a  prize  when  there  is  no  other 
exhibitor;  the  honour  comes  with  numbers  of  competitors,  and  the 
higher  the  average  quality  the  greater  the  amount  of  interest  derivable 
from  the  class.  Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  offer  a  cup  that  is  thoroughly 
well  worth  the  winning,  and  the  keener  the  struggle  the  better  for  all 
concerned. — Daff. 
Iieather  Jackets. — These  are  said  to  be  the  well-known  daddy 
longlegs  in  a  grub  state,  and  are  so  called  on  account  of  the  toughness 
of  their  skins.  Like  other  enemies  of  the  gardener,  they  are  not 
common  to  everyone ;  indeed,  while  they  may  be  very 'familiar  in 
one  garden  they  are  absolutely  unknown  in  another.  Their  presence, 
however,  is  very  quickly  felt,  either  under  glass  or  in  the  garden, 
when  young  plants  such  as  Melons  or  Cauliflowers  are  planted  in  soil 
infested  with  them,  and  it  may  be  said  remedies  for  exterminating  them 
are  not  many.  I  have  recently  had  some  trouble  among  IMelons  planted 
in  newly  cut  soil,  some  being  eaten  off  just  beneath  the  surface.  A 
search  among  the  injured  plants  revealed  the  enemy  lurking  beneath 
the  soil  close  by.  Recent  experience  shows  that  not  until  they  arrive 
at  an  adult  or  full-grown  stage  do  they  seek  or  take  food — tender  Melon 
plants.  A  lump  of  turfy  soil  placed  on  the  bed  near  each'plant  acts  as 
a  decoy  or  hiding  place  for  them  during  the  day,  and  a  morning  search 
being  instituted  will  soon  clear  them  out.  I  have  not  tried’this’simple 
trap  for  them  in  the  garden,  but  I  do  not  doubt  that  it  would 
be  equally  effective.  This  little  expedient  which  has  done  me  such 
signal  service  might  be  found  useful  to  others  similarly  troubled.  I 
cannot  say  whether  old  turf  stacks  are  likely  to  be  free  [from  these 
grubs,  or  if  they  are  fouud  only  in  that  recently  cut. — W.  S. 
