358 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  29,  189? 
v  4 
of  common  salt  over  the  beds  when  raked  down  in  the  spring  will 
prevent  weeds  and  otherwise  act  beneficially.  Liq  aid  manure  is  a 
good  stimulant  for  Asparagus  when  in  full  growth.  It  is  on 
growth  made  during  July  on  which  the  next  year’s  crop  of  heads 
so  much  depends.  Too  many  persons  continue  cutting  Asparagus 
longer  than  is  good  for  the  plants.  The  middle  of  June  is  the  time 
to  cease.  Connover’s  Colossal  and  Sutton’s  Perfection  are  two  of 
the  best  varieties  with  which  I  am  acquainted. — E.  Molyneux 
HARDY  FLOWER  NOTES. 
Virgil’s  Tityrus,  reclining  peacefully  under  the  canopy  of  the 
spreading  Beech,  is  sometimes  taken  as  typical  of  rural  felicity. 
Happy  and  prosperous,  he  was  the  envy  of  less  fortunate  swains 
whose  lot  it  had  not  been  to  enjoy  the  favour  of  so  powerful  a 
patron.  The  writer  is  in  less  happy  mood.  He  is  reclining  too, 
but  under  his  own  roof-tree,  and  between  the  sheets,  and  so  cut 
off  from  the  opening  of  the  flowers,  and  the  gladsome  sights  and 
sounds  of  the  garden  in  April.  Relapse  after  relapse  of  influenza 
culminated  in  an  attack  which  acted  so  injuriously  upon  a  slight 
injury  to  one  of  the  lower  limbs,  that  he  has  no  prospect  of 
moving  about  for  some  days  at  least.  Thus  the  present  notes  can¬ 
not  fail  to  lack  the  freshness  they  might  have  had  if  inspired  by 
the  pleasures  of  the  garden  itself.  By  dint  of  craning  one’s  neck 
or  by  supporting  oneself  with  a  chair  for  a  second  or  two  in 
course  of  a  limping  progress  to  and  from  the  fireside  while  the  bed¬ 
making  is  in  course,  we  can  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  garden  now 
displaying  its  spring  treasures. 
It  is  only  a  glimpse,  and  if,  like  Oliver  Twist,  we  ask  for  more, 
it  is  only  in  part  given  by  some  cut  flowers  brought  in,  or  by  a 
verbal  report  from  the  cara  sposa.  All  this  is  sheer  egotism, 
however,  and  is  only  excusable  on  account  of  our  desire  to 
apologise  for  what  must  be  the  dulness  of  the  succeeding  lines. 
Though  cut  off  from  the  garden  for  the  time,  we  know  well  what 
flowers  are  to  be  seen  now.  The  Trumpet  Daffodils  have  not  yet 
passed  away  to  their  summer’s  rest,  and  still  droop  their  heads 
gracefully  or  stand  boldly  to  invite  the  gaze  of  the  passer-by.  The 
Bhort-cupped  varieties  are  now  in  profusion  to  bear  them  company, 
and  to  help  to  cheer  and  charm  us.  We  study  their  beauty 
joyfully,  yet  wistfully,  as  we  look  at  the  cut  flowers  before  us. 
Joyfully  because  of  their  exceeding  loveliness.  Wistfully  because 
we  cannot  see  them  as  we  love  them  best,  with  heaven’s  canopy 
overhead,  and  the  soft  breezes  of  April  dallying  gently  with  their 
flowers  and  leaves. 
We  hear  glowing  accounts  of  the  beauty  of  such  as  C.  J  Bick- 
house,  Sensation,  Duchess  of  Westminster,  Princess  Mary.  William 
Backhouse,  and  others,  but  as  we  know  them  we  deny  ourselves  the 
pleasure  of  having  them  brought  into  the  house,  preferring  rather 
to  let  them  seed  in  hope  that  we  may  be  able  to  add  one  or  two 
flowers  to  the  improvements  all  who  love  the  Daffodil  look  for  in 
its  blooms.  The  weather  has  improved,  aid  April  now  woos  them 
less  roughly.  Not  with  gentle  words  and  soft  movement*,  but  with 
hailstorms,  drenching  rains,  and  wild  winds  did  the  month  at  first 
court  the  Daffodils.  Empress  and  some  others  of  similar  habit 
maintained  their  dignity,  but  the  white  Trumpets,  such  as  cernuus, 
Colleen  Bawn,  albicans,  Mrs.  J.  B.  M.  Camm,  with  other  modest 
flowers,  bore  the  rough  treatment  with  gentle  forbearance,  looking 
down  to  the  sodden  ground  as  if  appealing  for  more  gentle  treat 
ment.  Fortunately,  every  day  was  not  the  same,  and  when  the 
sun  shone  for  a  few  hours  all  was  changed. 
The  honey  bees  from  their  hives,  the  humble  ones  from  their 
holes  in  the  hedgerow  bank,  came  into  the  garden  and  buzzed 
noisily  among  the  flowers,  bearing  them  down  by  their  weight. 
Even  the  tortoiseshell  butterfly,  tempted  by  the  bright  sun  to  essay 
flight,  fluttered  from  flower  to  flower.  What  was  there  to  bring 
these  welcome  marauders  to  the  garden’s  bounds,  inducing  them  to 
leave  the  wider  pastures  beyond  ?  Shall  we  tell  ?  We  have  told 
of  the  Daffodils,  but  they  form  not  a  tithe  of  the  garden’s  bloom. 
Great  clumps  of  Arabis,  which  we  Bhould  call  “  like  snow  ” 
were  it  not  for  the  yellow  seminal  organs,  abound,  and  to  these  the 
winged  creatures  which  add  so  much  to  the  garden’s  pleasures  hie 
their  way.  It  is  a  “  common  ”  flower,  and  so  by  many  thought  not 
worth  growing.  Common  though  it  is,  this  Rock  Cress  is  not  often 
seen  at  its  best,  forming  compact  mounds  of  flowers  among  which 
not  a  leaf  is  to  be  seen.  Here  on  the  dryish  soil  and  generally  on 
a  slightly  raised  position  it  is  perfect  in  its  season. 
So,  too,  it  may  be  said  of  the  Aubrietias.  I  sometimes  think 
that  he  who  can  bring  such  flowers  as  these  into  greater  notice 
confers  upon  his  countrymen  and  countrywomen  a  true  boon, 
giving  them  a  new  interest  in  this  work-a-day  world,  a  fresh  zest 
in  life,  and  often  a  key  which  will  open  the  way  to  a  store  of 
hidden  treasures.  The  brightest  of  our  Aubrietias  are  bright 
indeed,  and  make  the  old  A.  deltoidea  look  dull  and  dowdy  beside 
them.  I  know  a  little  front  garden  in  the  outskirts  of  a  neigh¬ 
bouring  town  where  some  beds  are  edged  with  this  old  species,  and 
every  time  I  pass  it  I  feel  a  Btrong  inclination  to  advise  the  owner 
to  replace  it  with  some  of  the  brighter  kinds,  such  as  Hendersoni, 
Eyrei,  or  Leichtlini,  which  come  fairly  true  from  seed.  I  am  more 
tolerant  of  a  few  of  the  pale  varieties  in  my  own  garden,  but  I 
have  many  of  the  newer  plants  in  all  positions.  At  present  they 
are  bright  masses  of  colour,  delightful  in  every  way,  and  especially 
on  rockwork,  giving  little  or  no  trouble  beyond  a  clipping  over 
with  the  scissors  after  flowering. 
Charming  little  flowers  are  some  of  the  Muscaris,  or  Grape 
Hyacinths.  The  common  M.  botryoides  can  hold  its  own  with 
almost  any  of  them  for  beauty  of  colour,  but  with  our  usual 
perversity  and  craving  for  “  something  new  ”  we  seek  to  add  others 
to  our  gardens.  Some  of  these  are  inferior,  but  others  have  points 
of  beauty  which  make  them  acquisitions.  Of  the  latter  class  is 
M.  conicum,  which  I  was  pleased  to  see  recently  received  an  award 
of  merit  from  the  R.H.S.  when  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Barr  &  Son. 
Very  fine  in  its  way  is  this  bright  blue  Grape  Hyacinth,  which  I 
have  grown  for  several  years.  Another  Muscari  appears  to  have 
been  shown  lately  as  M.  botryoides  candidum.  I  have  not  seen 
any  plant  under  this  name,  but  from  the  description  am  led  to 
think  that  it  may  be  the  same  as  a  variety  I '  have  here  as 
M.  b.  carneum.  This  has  hardly  a  tinge  of  the  colouring  in  it 
which  could  be  indicated  by  the  name  carneum.  The  single 
flowers  on  the  spike  are  large,  and  the  spike  itself  is  larger  than 
the  small-flowered  M.  botryoides  album.  I  have  a  good  many  of 
these  Grape  Hyacinths,  but  one  fears  the  names  are  far  from 
reliable  in  any  numerous  collection. — S.  Arnott. 
ARRANGEMENT  OF  HOUSES  FOR  EFFECT. 
This  is  often  done  in  &  formal  style,  quite  contrary  to  Nature’s 
plan,  without  any  regard  to  contrasts  of  form  and  colour,  which  are 
absolutely  essential  where  a  miscellaneous  collection  of  plants  is  found. 
If  it  be  a  large  stove  all  the  walls  should  be  hidden  with  greenery,  and 
the  plan  of  having  turf  behind  a  screen  of  wire  netting  in  which 
may  be  planted  Selaginella  denticulata,  Ficus  repens,  Adiantums, 
Nephrolepis,  Nephrodiums,  Begonia  Rex,  and  Pothos  argyrea,  with 
others  is  excellent.  The  roofs  should  be  covered  by  Allamanda9, 
Bougainvilleas,  Clerodendron  Balfouri,  Stephanotis,  Ipomaea  Horsfieldi, 
Passitiora  princeps,  and  others  in  variety,  which  must  not  be  tied  to  the 
extreme  tips,  as  is  often  done,  but  allowed  to  hang  with  lreedom 
and  grace  to  display  their  flowers  as  if  growing  in  their  own  native 
woods. 
The  pillars  should  be  clothed  with  such  plants  as  Gloriosa  superba, 
Cissus  discolor,  Paullinia  thalictrifolia,  or  D.pladenias  ;  while  underneath 
open  stages  Fittonia3  and  Tradescantias  will  thrive.  There  should  also 
be  sufficient  plants  for  draping  the  extreme  front  of  the  stages,  for  which 
purpose  Panicum,  Selaginella  cassia,  and  Tradescantia  zebrina  are 
admirably  adapted.  The  collection  should  be  arranged  as  Nature 
arranges  her  trees,  shrubs,  and  rocks,  in  masses  of  irregular  outline  and 
height  Noble  foliage  or  specimen  flowering  plants  ought  to  stand 
distinct,  as  princes  amidst  their  peers,  so  as  to  give  boldness  and  character 
to  the  whole. 
The  centre  of  the  house  must  be  the  most  prominent  feature,  as  the 
focus  on  which  the  eye  will  rest  from  either  end.  There  should  be 
groups  of  colour  and  groups  of  greenery,  and  plants  of  arching  and 
delicate  outline  will  be  found  useful  to  break  the  formality  of  more 
rotund  specimens.  Of  course  the  tallest  plants  will  be  at  the  back  or 
the  centre,  as  the  case  may  be.  But  the  great  point  is  to  avoid  having 
a  bank  of  plants  as  is  often  seen,  as  if  someone  had  been  using  the  shears 
so  as  to  have  everything  exactly  as  we  see  a  bank  of  clipped  Laurels. 
White-leaved  foliage  plants  should  play  a  prominent  part  to  lighten  and 
break  up  more  sombre  hues,  just  as  white  flowers  are  used  to  prevent 
doubtful  colours  clashing.  I  think,  instead  of  the  dotting  system  or 
alternating  plants,  it  is  best  to  arrange  them  in  small  groups  of  threes  or 
fives  or  even  greater  numbers,  according  to  size.  Then,  instead  of  the 
eye  wandering  in  bewildering  amazement,  it  will  be  able  to  rest  and  take 
at  a  glance  the  design,  proportion,  and  harmony  of  the  whole. 
In  regard  to  conservatories  or  flowering  houses  the  same  general 
remarks  are  applicable,  with  the  qualification  that  there  will  be  less 
foliage  and  more  flowers.  All  naked  surfaces  should  be  covered,  pots 
must  be  hidden  as  much  as  possible,  and  other  appliances  for  elevating 
the  plants  which  sometimes  becomes  necessary.  In  addition  to  the 
remarks  of  contrast  of  form  applicable  to  the  stove  we  must  have 
contrasts  and  harmonies  of  colours.  Keep  apart  all  shades  of  red,  even 
in  the  case  of  pink  and  white  in  the  same  flower.  Do  not  place  near 
pink  crimson,  scarlet,  or  purple  shades.  Hues  of  magenta  are  very  bad 
to  arrange,  as  they  appear  to  overpower  all  other  colours.  At  the 
present  time  the  semi-double  Azaleas  (which  are  to  be  preferred  to  the 
single,  more  spotted  sorts)  must  not  be  mixed  promiscuously,  but  each 
colour  or  shade  alone.  Hyacinths  in  the  softer  shades,  as  pink,  blush, 
pale  yellow,  pale  blue,  and  white,  make  a  very  pleasing  group. 
It  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  the  two  colours  together  must  be  contrasts  ; 
one  must  be  vivid,  whilst  the  other  is  soft  and  delicate.  White  being  a 
neutral  tint  blends  with  any  colour.  The  striking  contrasts  are  red  and 
green  in  their  various  shades,  purple  and  yellow,  crimson  and  yellow, 
