224 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  18,  189?, 
ness  returns,  and  the  fact  is  forced  upon  us  that  the  life’s  limit  of 
the  tree  is  approaching.  Still  we  cherish  the  hope  that  the  sun 
of  spring  will  awake  it  from  its  winter’s  rest,  but  in  rain.  The 
end  of  the  once  vigorous  and  fruitful  tree,  now  old,  has  come  at 
last.  Those  who  have  known  it  long  and  loved  it  well  grieve  over 
its  loss,  and  recount  its  famous  doings  in  the  past. 
So  it  is  in  human  life.  The  young  succumb  through  adverse 
contingencies,  the  old  remain  to  ripen  and  in  time  they  fal^ 
leaving  a  blank  never  to  be  filled  in  like  manner  again.  A  great 
tree  fell  in  the  garden  of  humanity  when  Dr.  Hogg  sank  quietly 
to  rest  in  charity  with  all  men  in  the  early  hours  of  Monday 
morning  last — an  event  that  will  be  memorable  in  the  annals  of 
horticulture. 
Further  reference  to  the  deceased  gentleman  will  be  found  in 
subsequent  pages. 
OUR  HARDY  PLANT  BORDER. 
Honesty  (Lunaria  biennis). 
The  gardens  of  the  wealthy  are  commonly  occupied  with 
choice  exotics,  effective  either  for  foliage  or  flowers  ;  but  are  some 
of  the  old  plants  that  were  favourites  in  our  grandfather’s  time 
as  often  grown  as  their  merits  demand  ’?  Honesty  is  certainly  one 
of  those  that  with  ordinary  care  and  judgment  in  selecting  suitable 
situations  will  give  ample  return  for  the  attention  accorded,  though 
it  is  excluded  from  many  gardens.  Perhaps  one  reason  for  this  is 
because  the  variety  best  known  has  flowers  of  a  purplish  colour, 
a  tint  which  is  not  in  fashion,  and  ladies  frequently  condemn  it  on 
this  account,  though  when  they  have  seen  a  bed  or  border  of 
vigorous  plants  in  full  flower  their  opinion  has  been  known  to 
change,  as  ladies’  ideas  in  such  matters  will  do  occasionally. 
There  is  something  peculiarly  stately  and  distinct  in  the  habit 
of  a  well-grown  biennial  Lunaria.  The  foliage  is  not  unlike  the 
greenhouse  Cineraria  in  size  and  substance,  but  more  angular,  and 
with  longer  leafstalks,  the  leaves  radiating  evenly  from  the  central 
stem  ;  then  when  the  branching  inflorescence  is  fully  expanded  a 
fine  pyramidal  specimen,  3  feet  or  more  in  height,  is  obtained  that 
cannot  fail  to  attract  admiration.  The  contrast  between  a  weakly 
ill-treated  plant  and  one  that  has  had  its  requirements  properly 
studied  is  as  great  with  Honesty  as  it  is  with  others  that  come 
under  the  cultivator’s  care,  and  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  a  plant 
acquires  a  bad  reputation. 
The  objection  as  to  colour  is  overcome  to  a  considerable  extent 
by  grouping  the  purple  and  white  varieties  together  either  in  beds 
or  in  neighbouring  lines,  the  dwarfer  habit  of  the  white  form 
rendering  it  suitable  for  a  front  line  or  margin.  A  white- flowered 
variety  of  Lunaria  biennis,  according  to  the  books,  has  been  known 
for  300  years,  but  it  is  much  more  rarely  seen  than  the  purple  form, 
and  is  strange  to  many  persons  who  are  familiar  with  the  common 
one.  The  white  form  we  have  seems,  however,  to  be  distinct  from 
this,  and  is  much  smaller  in  all  its  parts,  except  the  flowers,  which 
are  of  the  usual  size  and  of  a  peculiar  solid  white  that  is  rare 
amongst  flowers,  especially  those  derived  from  purple  or  crimson 
specific  types.  The  leaves  are  dark  green,  and  the  appearance  of 
the  plant  is  altogether  so  compact  and  pleasing  that  it  is  worth 
more  attention  for  itself  alone,  while  as  a  companion  to  its  coloured 
relative  it  is  invaluable. 
One  product  of  the  Lunaria  is  greatly  valued — namely,  the 
rounded  silvery  white  inner  partition  of  the  seed  pod  (from  the 
fancied  resemblance  of  which  to  the  full  moon  the  generic  name 
is  derived),  and  where  these  can  be  allowed  to  remain  until  they 
are  matured  huge  bunches  can  be  obtained  that  are  unrivalled  for 
room  decoration  in  winter,  especially  if  something  furnishing 
bright  colour  can  be  associated  with  them,  such,  for  instance,  as  the 
expanded  seed  vessels  of  Iris  foetidissima.  (Obviously  when  it  is 
desired  to  secure  the  Honesty  seed  pods  the  plants  must  not  be 
placed  in  a  conspicuous  position,  for  they  have  a  very  untidy 
appearance  until  the  inflorescence  can  be  cut  away. 
In  the  culture  of  Honesty  the  two  most  important  points  which 
in  our  experience  influence  the  results  are  early  sowing  and  early 
transplanting  with  the  greatest  possible  care.  The  first  or  second 
week  in  April,  if  the  soil  is  in  good  condition,  is  a  good  time  for 
sowing  the  seed,  ordinary  well  dug  but  firm  soil  being  suitable, 
and  we  have  found  the  seedlings  do  best  without  any  manurial 
aid  in  their  first  stages.  The  transplanting  must  be  done  imme¬ 
diately  the  seedlings  have  produced  the  first  leaves  after  the 
cotyledons,  for  Btrong  downward  roots  are  a  characteristic  of  the 
Lunaria,  and  if  these  are  broken  or  damaged  when  more  progress 
has  been  made  the  plant  never  properly  recovers.  Every  root 
must  be  preserved,  and  the  planting  should  be  preferably  done 
when  the  soil  and  atmosphere  are  moist,  otherwise  watering  will 
be  needed  frequently  until  the  young  plants  have  become  estab¬ 
lished.  Unsatisfactory  results  are  more  frequently  due  to  late 
or  careless  planting  than  to  any  other  cause. 
It  is  usually  advised  to  plant  this  Lunaria  in  partially  shaded 
positions  or  near  shrubberies,  and  in  a  general  way  the  advice  is 
sound,  but  an  instance  may  be  cited  in  connection  with  the  shade 
recommended  as  necessary  which  shows  how  difficult  it  is  to 
generalise  in  dealing  with  the  behaviour  of  plants.  One  of  the 
finest  displays  of  Honesty  we  ever  had  was  in  a  narrow  border 
immediately  in  front  of  a  lean-to  vinery  facing  due  south,  which 
being  situated  at  a  high  part  of  the  garden  had  the  full  effect  of 
the  sun  all  day.  Yet  the  plants  grew  here  most  vigorously, 
produced  handsome  foliage,  and  flower  stems  4  feet  high.  The 
soil  was,  however,  rich,  firm,  and  moist,  for  it  was  connected  with 
the  vinery  border,  and  that  being  rather  small  was  frequently  and 
heavily  watered.  Beyond  this,  too,  the  plants  were  put  out  very 
early,  and  had  well  rooted  in  the  soil  before  the  sun  had  gained 
power  enough  to  be  injurious.  In  front  we  had  a  band  of  white 
Pinks  that  flowered  early,  and  when  we  could  get  the  two  together, 
as  we  did  sometimes,  the  effect  was  very  pleasing. 
In  the  border  now  under  consideration  the  heavy  moist  soil 
undoubtedly  suited  the  plants,  but  there  was  little  difference  in 
their  behaviour  in  the  shade  of  trees,  or  in  the  open  where  the 
other  conditions  had  been  provided.  Nitrate  of  soda  in  very  small 
quantities  has  a  stimulating  effect  upon  these  plants  if  used  early 
in  June,  so  that  there  is  time  for  the  growth  and  leaves  to  become 
well  developed  and  firm  before  autumn.  The  lightest  sprinkling 
around  the  plants  increased  the  size  of  the  leaves  greatly,  and 
affected  the  subsequent  development  of  the  flower  stems  in  the 
same  marked  degree.  Sulphate  of  ammonia  has  a  similar  influence, 
but  not  quite  so  marked,  and  we  prefer  the  former  ;  while  super¬ 
phosphate  or  potash  had  little  perceptible  effect,  though  we  fancied 
that  where  the  superphosphate  was  employed  the  seed  pods  were 
somewhat  larger,  but  this  was  not  determined  accurately,  though  it 
will  be  noted  another  time  more  carefully. 
To  insure  the  best  results  with  the  seed  pods  for  home  use,  they 
should  be  gathered  as  soon  as  they  are  perfectly  ripened,  and  the 
seeds  can  be  seen  within  ;  if  left  too  long  they  are  liable  to  become 
discoloured,  and  are  then  useless  for  decorative  purposes.  The 
stems  are  cut  off  near  the  heart  of  the  plant,  tied  together  in  loose 
bundles,  and  suspended  in  a  cool  shed  where  they  will  be  safe  from 
damp,  and  can  dry  gradually.  The  two  outer  valves  of  the  pods 
must  be  removed  by  hand,  as  the  partitions  are  easily  split,  and  no 
other  method  that  we  have  tried  is  satisfactory. — A  Countryman. 
(To  be  continued.) 
AS  OF  A  DREAM. 
I  THINK  “  A.  D.”  gave  very  good  advice  on  page  95  about  planting 
trees.  It  has  set  me  thinking  of  the  long  ago,  and  to  resuscitate  noies 
which  were  ship-shaped  for  these  pages  in  its  first  issues  under  the 
cognomen  of  the  “Cottage  Gardener.” 
Memory  1  Why  I  seem  to  remember  it  as  well  as  if  it  only  occurred 
yesterday.  I  was  a  very  precocious  gardener  ;  began  in  fact  by  destroy¬ 
ing  my  mother’s  household  store  of  wooden  spoons  through  using  them 
for  spades.  This  caused  my  father  to  buy  me  a  toy  spade  at  our 
neighbouring  town  of  Bury  St.  Edmunds.  I  very  soon  afterwards  made 
cause  to  try  this  “  spade’s  ”  capabilities  ;  and  I  had  uprooted  a  good  por¬ 
tion  of  newly  planted  Gooseberry  “  trees"  before  it  was  discovered  what 
1  was  about ;  but  I  uprooted  also  during  my  labour  a  tiny  Ash  seedling, 
which  a  born  instinct  must  have  caused  me  to  replant  in  a  narrow  strip 
of  flower  border  flanking  the  wall  of  our  cottage  on  Rushbrook  Green. 
Well,  there  the  Bapling  remained.  My  mother  would  not  allow  it  to  be 
removed  till  it  became  so  large  it  began  to  undermine  and  endanger  the 
house.  Eventually  the  tree  was  planted  in  the  park  by  Mr.  Joseph 
Wigg,  who  was  gardener  to  the  late  Col.  Rashbrook  for  many  years.  The 
replanting  of  the  tree  was  a  subsequent  cause  of  many  Ash  trees  being 
planted  in  the  park  by  Mr.  Wigg.  They  had  arrived  at  a  good  size  when 
I  last  saw  them  twenty-two  years  ago,  but  I  shall  hope  to  see  them  again 
before  I  die.  At  any  rate  “A.  D.”  can  learn  from  the  above  that  I 
began  to  do  what  he  now  recommends  ever  so  many  years  ago,  and  he 
can  tell  you,  if  he  feels  so  disposed,  that  he  has  been  familiar  with  a 
good  bit  of  my  latter  days’  work  in  this  respect. 
I  will  return  to  A.D.  1820.  Age  and  mischief  increasing,  I  was  sent 
to  the  village  dame’s  school.  After  a  spell  of  some  two  years,  and  learn¬ 
ing  but  little,  Dame  Weatley  was  very  glad  to  be  rid  of  me,  as  I  never 
could  desist  from  “  worritting  the  flowers  and  things  in  her  garden.” 
Poor  old  soul  1  she  might  as  well  have  included  herself  in  the  observation. 
