92 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  4,  1897. 
shoald  strive  to  obtain  tubers  of  medium  size,  well  charged  with  starch, 
and  making  good  food,  rather  than  big  ones  that  are  so  largely  composed 
of  water  and  imperfectly  formed  flesh.  I  think  we  have  very  much  to 
learn  even  yet  concerning  Potatoes  and  their  culture.  So  far  our  trials 
have  chiefly  been  in  relation  to  production.  Now  we  seem  to  need  tests 
of  capacity  to  secure  the  highest  quality. — A.  D. 
BRIEF  NOTES  ON  ALPINE  FLOWERS. 
(Continued  from  page  8.) 
The  Winter  aconite. 
Though  this  is  not  one  of  the  choice  and  rare  gems  of  the  rock  gardern 
its  brightness  now  in  the  second  week  of  January,  in  a  low  shady  corner) 
makes  it  worthy  of  a  passing  note.  It  is  sometimes  seen  in  hot,  dry 
positions,  where  it  is  weakened  by  the  long  period  of  ‘‘drying  up” 
which  it  so  frequently  encounters  in  summer  in  such  a  situation.  The 
little  Eranthis  hyemalis  is  one  of  the  tuberous-rooted  plants  which 
should  not  be  any  longer  out  of  the  ground  than  can  be  helped,  and 
also  likes  to  have  always  a  little  moisture  about  it.  In  a  low  damp 
corner  it  is  at  home,  and  increases  at  the  root,  and  by  means  of  its  seeds 
also.  I  do  not  intend  to  say  anything  about  its  little  flowers,  which  are 
so  bright  and  cheery  when  there  is  little  else  to  warm  up  these 
dull  corners.  These  flowers  must  speak  for  themselves,  but  this  brief 
note  may  not  come  amiss  and  may  induce  some  to  give  it  more  suitable 
treatment  than  before. 
Sempervivum  arachnoideum. 
This,  and  other  “  cobwebby  ”  Houseleeks,  frequently  looks  very  un¬ 
happy  in  winter,  especially  in  a  wet  season,  and  this  is  more  noticeable 
when  they  are  planted  on  the  flat.  Here  they  generally  appear  very 
unhappy  unless  growing  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock  garden  or  on  the 
face  of  a  wall.  The  rain,  which  has  so  often  been  with  us  this  winter, 
takes  away  the  whiteness  of  the  woolly  tomentum  with  which  the  little 
rosettes  are  overspun  and  makes  it  dull  looking.  Not  seldom  do  these 
cobwebbed  Houseleeks  damp  off  in  some  wet  localities,  where  all  the 
conditions  are  unfavourable.  The  wall  is  certainly  the  best  place  to 
grow  them  outside.  Although  the  rosettes  are  smaller  on  a  wall,  the 
tomentum  is  whiter  and  the  plants  more  healthy  in  their  looks.  A  good 
start  may  be  made  by  making  a  small  hole  in  the  mortar  of  a  wall, 
filling  it  up  with  a  mixture  of  clay  and  cow  manure,  and  inserting  in  this 
compost  the  base  of  one  or  two  rosettes  of  the  Houseleek.  The  hole 
may  be  made  so  that  the  mouth  of  it  shall  be  slightly  turned  upwards, 
so  as  to  direct  into  it  more  of  the  rain  that  falls  than  it  would  other¬ 
wise  obtain.  The  spring  is  the  best  season  of  the  year  for  planting,  and 
in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  one  or  two  rosettes  originally  planted 
will  have  increased  into  a  neat  little  mass.  This  is  a  very  good  way  to 
grow  the  most  of  the  Houseleeks,  all  of  which  look  very  well  on  the  face 
of  a  stone  or  brick  wall. 
Saxifraga  aizoon  on  a  Roof. 
We  often  see  Houseleeks  and  Stonecrops  on  roofs,  but  seldom  any  of 
the  Saxifrages.  Some  species  are  not  at  all  adapted  for  such  hot  and 
dry  places,  but  it  is  wonderful  to  see  how  well  the  encrusted  ones  do  on 
a  roof,  always  provided  of  course  that  they  are  not  allowed  to  become 
quite  shrivelled  up  and  scorched.  A  compost  of  stiff  clay  and  cow 
manure,  with  a  little  lime  rubbish  among  it,  should  be  mixed  with  a  little 
water,  made  rather  firm,  and  put  on  the  roof  while  wet.  The  Saxifrage 
may  be  planted  in  this  before  it  becomes  dry.  In  very  dry  weather  the 
leaves  sometimes  becomes  quite  limp,  and  when  this  is  seen  to  be  the 
case  it  will  be  well  to  apply  a  little  water  by  means  of  a  syringe  or  hose 
This  will  soon  revive  the  drooping  plant.  A  large  plant  of  a  Saxifrage, 
such  as  aizoon,  looks  very  handsome  on  a  ,low  roof  with  its  long,  grey, 
strap-shaped  leaves  forming  large  rosettes,  and  surmounted  in  spring  by 
its  flowers  on  long  stalks.  One  such  plant  on  the  roof  of  an  outhouse  in 
the  writer’s  garden  is  very  pretty  even  in  this  early  season  of  the  year. 
Forming  Rockeries.  • 
It  is  yet  much  too  early  to  plant  out  alpine  flowers,  but  not  too  soon 
to  form  the  rockeries  upon  which  they  are  to  grow.  Instructions  in 
forming  rockwork  have  been  given  in  the  Journal  before,  but  it  is 
difficult  to  impress  too  strongly  upon  those  about  to  construct  rockeries 
that  the  welfare  of  the  plants  should  be  considered  in  preference  to  the 
picturesqueness  of  the  structures  upon  which  they  are  to  grow.  A  good 
body  of  earth  free  from  holes  and  cavities  is  necessary.  This  soil  ought 
to  be  good  if  at  all  obtainable.  The  stones  must  also  be  arranged  in 
such  a  way  that  rain  will  soak  through  the  earth,  and  not  run  off  as  it 
falls.  This  will  not  be  the  case  if  the  rockery  has  too  steep  a  slope,  and 
a  series  of  terraces  on  which  the  flowers  are  planted  will  be  found 
very  suitable  for  the  purpose. 
There  are  some  plants  which  prefer  to  hang  over  stoneB,  or  to  grow 
from  a  crevice,  but  these  nearly  all  send  roots  away  into  the  soil  behind 
and  below,  which  must  be  supplied  with  moisture  from  somewhere. 
There  are  many  steep  rockeries  which  are  dust  dry  in  summer,  but 
in  which  flowers  needing  moisture  at  their  roots  are  expected  to 
thrive.  It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  disappointment  iB  certain 
to  result  should  this  requirement  not  be  satisfied, 
Alpines  in  Frames. 
Rather  a  critical  season  for  Alpines  in  frames  is  at  hand  ;  one  may 
almost  say  is  here.  Air  should  be  freely  admitted  unless  in  very  hard 
frost.  But  for  being  in  pots,  which  might  be  rent  by  the  frost,  they 
would  be  better  to  have  air  even  then.  With  the  mild  weather  prevalent 
of  late  it  is  necessary  to  give  air  to  prevent  damping  off.  Rotting  and 
decaying  leaves  ought  to  be  taken  away  and  a  free  circulation  of  air 
encouraged.  Slugs  may  also  be  looked  for  and  captured  as  speedily  as 
possible,  as  on  some  plants  their  ravages  are  quite  destructive.  Coal 
ashes  do  not  give  the  immunity  they  are  said  to  yield.  Sometimes  these 
pests  of  the  garden  are  found  clinging  to  a  piece  of  cinder,  apparently 
quite  comfortable  upon  the  surface  of  what  is  placed  to  keep  them  away. 
The  glass  of  the  frames  may  be  kept  propped  up  at  both  back  and 
front.  If  the  frames  admit  of  ventilation  further  down  air  may  also  be 
given  there.  Very  small  and  weakly  plants  are  better  in  a  greenhouse 
with  a  little  fire  heat,  but  with  plenty  of  air.  Keep  them  near  the  glass 
and  water  carefully,  keeping  them  slowly  growing  on  until  they  can  be 
properly  hardened  off  before  planting  out  in  spring. 
Cyclamen  Coum. 
The  little  space  remaining  for  these  notes  may  not  unprofitably  be 
devoted  to  the  beautiful  little  Sowbread  which  bears  the  above  name. 
An  early  form  in  my  garden  has  its  deep  crimson  flowers  lifted  up  ready 
to  unfold  their  closely  packed  petals.  These  little  hardy  Cyclamens  are 
always  much  admired,  although  their  flowers  look  tiny  beside  those  of 
the  best  of  the  Persian  Sowbreads.  The  admirer  of  alpine  flowers  can 
hardly  he'p  having  an  affection  for  these  little  plants  with  their  round 
flattened  tubers,  round  leaves,  and  beautifully  formed  and  coloured 
flowers.  There  is  not  space  to  tell  much  more  about  this  Cyclamen.  It 
likes  a  sheltered  but  Bhady  Bpot,  and  appreciates  the  partial  shade  of 
trees  or  dwarf  shrubs.  A  little  limestone  or  old  mortar  rubbish  mixed 
with  rich  loam,  or  even  sandy  peat  made  firm,  is  not  unwelcome  to  it. 
It  ie,  perhaps,  safer  to  purchase  plants  of  these  in  small  pots,  out  of 
which  they  can  be  turned  with  the  earth  attached.  The  leading  growers 
of  hardy  plants  for  sale  keep  them  in  stock  in  these  pots,  and  there  is 
less  danger  of  losing  them  when  thus  obtained  than  if  lifted  from  the 
open  ground.  C.  Coum  may  also  be  grown  from  seeds,  which  should  be 
sown  aB  soon  as  ripe  if  they  can  be  obtained.  A  few  established  plants 
will  soon  produce  self-sown  seedlings.  The  final  words  of  this  note  must 
be  : — “  This  is  a  charming  little  plant,  worthy  of  care  on  account  of  it» 
beauty.”— -Alpinus. 
(To  b*  continued.) 
WINTER  WORK. 
In  a  note  on  the  present  severe  weather  we  are  experiencing,  an 
esteemed  contributor  says  “  gardening  operations  are  at  a  standstill.” 
Never  in  my  experience,  which  may  be  allowed  to  date  from  the  time  I 
went  “  Covent  gardening  ”  as  a  small  boy  in  knickers,  has  it  been  my 
lot  to  participate  in  such  a  dead  state  of  affairs  as  that  indicated.  The 
work  of  the  ground,  such  as  digging,  may  be  temporarily  stopped,  but 
gardeners,  as  a  rule,  know  in  how  many  other  ways  their  energies  may 
be  exercised.  It  is  to  be  hoped  in  any  case  that  with  the  advent  of 
frost  and  snow  the  community  at  large  do  not  believe  that  means  the 
departure  of  work  from  any  number  of  gardens. 
I  have  jotted  down  a  few  things  which  may  be  worthy  of  mention 
in  the  Journal,  and  that  may  with  advantage  be  proceeded  with  at  the 
present  time.  We  are  at  present  busy  clearing  dead  wood  from  shrub- 
berries,  also  pruning  shrubs  that  are  growing  into  each  other,  and  where 
snow  does  not  lie  thickly  giving  a  good  clean  out.  Wheeling  should,  as 
much  as  possible,  be  proceeded  with  now ;  rubbish  fires  may  be  kept 
going,  snow  will  require  to  be  swept,  pea  sticks  as  they  come  to  hand 
sorted  over  and  pointed,  and  pegs  made  for  use  later  on.  Such  work 
done  now  will  save  much  valuable  time  in  the  summer. 
Where  labels  are  not  bought  they  may  now  be  made  and  tied  in 
bundles  according  to  the  various  Bizes.  Stakes  for  herbaceous  plants  in 
borders  should  be  looked  to,  those  worn  out  put  on  one  side  for  firewood 
and  new  ones  pointed  and  tied  in  bundles  ready  for  use.  Boxes  for  pro¬ 
pagation  and  seed  sowing  may  be  made  ;  sometimes  frame  lights  are  at 
liberty  and  may  be  taken  under  cover,  when  a  handy  man  will  paint 
and  repair  them  where  necessary.  Manure  should  be  obtained,  turned,, 
and  got  ready  in  preparation  for  hotbeds.  Tne  humble  but  useful  art  of 
pot-washing  may  now  be  practised  in  warm  water; 
In  the  middle  of  the  day  we  have  proceeded  for  a  few  hours  with  the 
pruning  and  nailing  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  but  we  do  not  advocate 
this  work  to  be  done  in  very  cold  weather,  as  it  is  next  to  an  impossibility 
to  do  it  as  well  as  is  desirable.  All  these  things,  however,  got  well  in 
hand  now,  will  prote  helpful  hereafter  when  the  pressure  comes  and 
work  crowds  on  us  faster  almost  than  is  in  our  power  to  cope  with. 
Extraneous  help  will  in  a  number  of  cases  be  brought  to  bear  on 
work  under  glass,  such  as  limewashing,  glass  washing,  winter  dressing, 
the  preparation  of  soils  which  have  been  placed  under  cover.  There 
may  be  ice  wells  to  fill,  with  all  the  work  that  this  operation  involves 
but  enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  if  we  have  no  digging  there  need 
be  no  dearth  or  cessation  of  work  simply  because  we  are  having  a  spell 
of  wintry  weather,  and  if  our  “  Standstill  ”  friend  were  at  my  disposal 
I  could  find  him  plenty  of  exercise. — A  Busy  Bee, 
Iris. — Where  there  is  a  large  demand  for  flowers  Irises  will  be 
found  most  useful  if  only  taken  up  and  placed  in  early  vinery  or  Peach 
houses,  but  if  for  conservatory  work  they  will  repay  extra  care  by  potting 
them.  Their  Orchid-like  flowers  predominating  above  other  flowers 
form  a  feature  for  Eastertide  if  taken  up  at  once. — A.  E. 
