432 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  20,  1897. 
nothing  but  the  power  of  some  plants  to  resist  the  injurious  effects  of 
common  salt,  the  plants  certainly  not  being  benefited.  Yet  the  mode¬ 
rate  me  of  sodium  chloride  is  not  without  its  corresponding  advantages 
in  hardiness  of  plants  and  comparative  freedom  from  attacks  of  preda¬ 
tory  pests  It  i9  also  useful  for  mixing  with  compost  heaps,  and  acts 
well  against  couch  grass  in  the  land. — G.  Abbey. 
SUMMER  BEDDING. 
I  daresay  I  shall  be  called  over  the  coals  about  plants  I  intend  to 
introduce  in  my  bedding  arrangements,  and  others  I  have  purposely 
left  out,  as  many  will  not  perhaps  consider  them  as  bedding  plants. 
However,  I  do  not  intend  to  confine  myself  to  flower  beds,  for  I  consider 
a  great  many  of  the  prettiest  effects  are  otherwise  obtained. 
I  will  commence  with  flower  beds,  which  we  will  suppose  are  in  front 
of  the  drawing-room  and  dining-room  windows,  and  are  of  good  size. 
The  design  of  the  beds  should  be  to  Buit  the  form  of  bedding  you  are 
going  to  carry  out.  I  myself  prefer  large  beds,  something  after  the 
style  of  those  in  Hyde  Park,  not  a  fantastical  design  of  small  beds, 
which  look  pretty  when  no  plants  are  in  them  and  the  reverse  when 
filled.  I  also  strongly  condemn  the  carpet  bedding  system  for  a  gentle¬ 
man’s  residence.  It  is  very  well  for  the  parks,  but  one  gets  tired  of 
looking  on  the  same  thing  day  after  day.  I  will  now  give  a  few  of  my 
own  arrangements  and  the  size  of  our  flower  beds,  which  of  course 
might  be  smaller  or  larger  to  suit  ta6te  or  position,  but  it  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  large  beds  are  best  for  large  plants. 
We  have  a  centre  bed  26  feet  long  by  12  feet  wide,  with  rounded 
ends.  The  middle  row  is  formed  of  mixed  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums, 
>  rained  to  three  stakes  2  feet  out  of  the  ground,  taking  nine  plants  feet 
apart,  the  end  plant  being  3  feet  from  the  grass  edging.  Between  each 
i  air  of  these  is  a  plant  of  Lilium  auratum.  On  each  side  of  this  centre 
row,  and  2  feet  from  it,  plant  mixed  standard  Fuchsias,  eight  plants  on 
a  side,  and  trained  to  3  feet  high,  with  a  small  head,  and  secured  safe  to 
a  neat  green  stake,  which  runs  up  into  the  head.  Between  them  we 
plant  Lobelia  cardinalis.  The  Fuchsias  should  come  opposite  the  Lilium 
tiuraturos  and  the  Lobelias  opposite  the  Pelargoniums.  Next  take  a 
row  of  Ivy-leaved  kind,  the  same  as  the  centre  row,  all  round  the  bed 
and  2  leet  from  the  edging  of  grasB  and  2J  feet  apart,  and  between 
these  plant  Lilium  lancifolium  roseum.  Fill  the  whole  up  with  mixed 
Verbenas,  dwarf  Petunias,  and  Viola  Ardwell  Gem,  a  splendid  yellow 
free-flowering  variety,  and  about  6  inches  from  the  row  of  “  Geraniums” 
place  a  row  of  Sutton’s  Crimson  Gem  Begonia  all  round  the  bed,  then  a 
row  of  Begonia  Princess  Beatrice,  finishing  with  Ajugareptans  purpurea. 
Now  if  you  have  only  a  small  lawn  this  one  bed  to  my  fancy  would  give 
more  pleasure  during  the  summer,  if  well  looked  after,  than  six  or  seven 
of  smaller  size.  I  saw  a  striking  instance  of  this  last  season  in  a  large 
place  J  went  to  look  over.  A  beautifully  kept  lawn,  with  an  endless 
number  of  flower  beds  just  in  front  of  the  windows,  and  nearly  the 
whole  bedded  with  Geraniums  (I  might  say  thousands  of  plants).  I  was 
told  these  had  been  a  blaze  of  bloom,  but,  alas  1  the  dreaded  rain  had 
come,  and  on  the  whole  of  these  plants  not  a  single  good  truss  of  bloom 
was  to  be  seen,  but  just  a  mass  of  green  foliage.  I  could  imagine  the 
contrast  with  this  and  the  bed  I  have  described. 
In  arranging  a  round  bed  12  feet  across  place  a  good  large  Canna  in 
the  centre  (Ehmanni  iridiflora),  round  this  place  five  dark-leaved  Cannas 
(Frarcois  Lapent),  2  feet  from  the  centre  one.  About  2  feet  from  last 
plant  five  standaid  Fuchsias,  just  opposite  the  Cannas,  and  between  the 
Fuchsiws  plant  green-leaved  Cannas  (such  as  Arthur  Crozy),  growing 
about  2£  feet  high.  Fill  this  in  with  a  few  Browallia  elata,  Phlox 
Drummundi,  mixed  Mimulus,  and  a  few  Gladiolus  and  Hyacinthus 
candicans,  edged  first  with  Begonia  Crimson  Gem,  and  next  Cineraria 
maritims,  finishing  off  with  Ajuga  reptans  purpurea.  On  a  diamond¬ 
shaped  bed,  about  9  feet  across,  place  a  good  plant  of  dark-leaved  Castor 
Oil  in  centre  (Ricinus  Gibsoni),  and  plant  at  each  angle  a  variegated 
Maize,  with  a  good  plant  of  Salvia  Sutton’s  Scarlet  Queen  between  them. 
The  Maize  and  Salvia  should  be  2  feet  from  the  grass  edging.  Fill  in 
with  yellow  and  white  Marguerites, and  dot  in  four  good  plants  of  Salvia 
patens,  one  behind  each  scarlet  Salvia,  and  four  good  clumps  of  Lilium 
tigrinum,  one  behind  each  Maize.  Edge  first  with  dark-flowered 
Heliotrope  (President  Garfield),  and  finish  with  Euonymus  radicans 
variegata.  A  good  effect  on  an  cval  bed  may  be  formed  by  dotting 
in  seven  trained  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums,  2  feet  high,  six  Swainsonia 
Osborni,  with  six  Lilium  lancifolium  roseum  dotted  down  the  centre 
row,  filling  in  with  Marguerite  Carnations  and  Lobelia  speciosa.  Edge 
first  with  Marigold  Legion  of  Honour,  and  finish  with  Dactylis  elegan- 
tiasima  variegata.  This  grass  to  keep  it  in  nice  order  should  have  the 
outer  foliage  pulled  off  every  time  the  bed  is  edged,  or  it  is  apt  to 
become  shabby  before  the  summer  is  over. 
To  make  a  round  bed,  8|  feet  across,  look  attractive,  place  in  the 
centre  a  Canna  (such  as  Florence  Vaughan),  and  three  others  round 
it,  about  2\  feet  from  the  centre  one  (such  Cannas  a3  President  Carnot, 
dark  leaf  and  large  red  flowers),  dot  in  a  few  well  prepared  Celosia 
pyramidalis,  and  then  fill  up  to  within  18  inches  of  the  grass  edgings 
with  Rouble  mixed  Zinnias  ;  15  inches  from  the  grass  edging  take  a  row 
of  Tropaeolum  Minnie  Warren  and  Lobelia  speciosa,  planted  alternately 
all  round  the  bed,  finishing  with  Euonymus  radical s  variegata.  Charm¬ 
ing  beds  may  be  formed  with  tuberous-rooted  Begonias,  with  a  few 
Liliums  lancifolium  roseum,  rubrum,  Kraetzeri,  and  longiflorum  Harrisi 
dotted  about  amongst  them,  and  edged  with  Begonias  Princess  Beatrice, 
Afterglow,  or  Ajnga  reptans  purpurea.  I  prefer  hardy  edgings  to  my 
beds,  as  they  are  there  ready  for  the  spring,  and  will  stand  two  seasons 
very  well  with  a  little  fine  soil  worked  in  and  about  them  with  the 
band.  The  dark-leaved  Ajuga  reptans  i9  a  very  useful  plant ;  where  it 
does  well  it  saves  me  growing  Iresine,  and  also  comes  in  for  a  spring 
bedding  plant.  If  wanted  for  its  foliage,  the  blooms  should  be  kept 
pinched  off,  but  it  is  really  a  very  pretty  spring  flowering  as  well  as 
foliage  plant ;  sometimes  the  leaves  decay  a  little  in  the  winter,, 
but  they  soon  shoot  out  again  in  the  early  spiing,  and  look  as  well 
as  ever. 
Before  leaving  this  portion  of  the  subject,  perhaps  I  had  better 
explain  how  I  grow  these  plants  ready  for  the  beds.  The  Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums  are  rooted  in  August  in  the  usual  way,  and  established 
in  60-size  pots.  When  these  pots  are  filled  with  roots,  some  time  after 
Christmas,  or  when  the  first  vinery  is  started,  they  are  transferred  to 
32-sized  pots,  and  three  stakeB  of  the  height  desired  placed  in  each  pot, 
a  wire  ring  being  fastened  to  the  top  of  the  stakes  the  same  size  as  the 
rim  of  the  pot,  or  nearly  so.  The  plant  is  kept  neatly  tied  round  these 
stakes  till  bedding  time,  and  about  a  month  after  that  I  take  no  more 
trouble  with  training.  The  Fuchsias  are  rooted  about  the  middle  of  the 
summer,  and  potted  singly.  They  are  kept  to  one  straight  stem,  and 
when  cold  weather  sets  in  are  treated  to  a  moderately  warm  bouse  or  pit, 
and  shifted  into  48-sized  pots,  having  a  neat  stake  placed  to  them  the 
desired  height  (3  feet),  and  when  they  get  to  the  top  of  the  stake  the 
top  of  the  plant  is  pinched  out  about  3  inches  below  the  top  of  ihe 
stake.  The  stem  is  disbudded  to  within  three  pairs  of  leaves  from  the 
top  of  the  plaDt,  and  then  allowed  to  make  a  small  head  out  of  these 
three  top  buds.  As  soon  as  these  buds  have  shot  a  few  inches  the  points 
are  pinched  out,  and  so  on  till  about  the  middle  of  May.  We  then  have 
a  nice  little  head,  which  shows  the  bloom  to  advantage.  About  the  end 
of  March  the  planes  have  their  last  shift  into  24-size  pots,  and  by  ihe 
first  week  in  June  are  ready  for  planting  in  the  beds.  When  planted 
they  Bhould  be  secured  to  a  neat  green  stake,  which  runs  up  into  the 
head,  and  the  shoots  all  secured  to  the  stake  with  green  or  brown  fine 
twine.  It  will  then  take  a  very  rough  wind  indeed  to  damage  them,  in 
fact  they  will  stand  much  better  than  Dahlias. 
These  Fuchsias  will  do  a  second  summer,  but  after  that  the  heads 
get  too  large,  and  are  better  used  for  other  purposes.  When  I  want  to 
keep  them  a  second  summer  I  shake  all  the  old  soil  from  the  roots,  then 
prune  the  head  and  roots  back,  pack  them  as  thickly  as  I  can  into  an 
old  wine  case,  and  cover  the  roots  with  garden  soil  and  road  grit,  then 
store  them  away  in  a  cold  pit,  outhouse,  or  stokehole.  With  about  three 
waterings  they  keep  all  right  till  the  end  of  February  ;  then  they  must 
be  potted  in  the  usual  way.  I  might  say  the  place  they  are  wintered  in 
should  be  quite  cool,  but  free  from  frost.  Zonal  Pelargoniums  you  will 
see  I  have  left  ou",  of  my  bedding  arrangements,  for  the  reason  I  have 
already  mentioned.  They  have  more  than  once  disappointed  me,  for 
just  at  the  time  I  have  wanted  my  beds  to  look  the  brightest  a  rain  has 
come,  and  then  the  blooms  are  spoilt  for  several  days.  I  should, 
however,  recommend  a  few  in  the  mixed  borders,  and  also  for  vases. — 
( Read  by  Mr.  W.  Townsend  at  a  meeting  of  the  Reading  Gardeners' 
Association.') 
(To  be  continued.) 
A  Reverie. — There  is  always  a  willing  public  to  take  hold  of 
a  novelty  and  test  it  on  its  merits,  but  perhaps  there  is  no  section  of 
these  purchasers  more  ready  to  experiment  than  the  men  who  grow  fruit 
for  profit,  and  especially  small  fruits.  The  records  of  novelties  of 
Strawberries,  for  example,  during  the  last  few  years  show  some  very 
remarkable,  not  to  say  surprising,  facts  in  this  respect  ;  hosts  of  varieties 
have  been  offered,  hosts  of  growers  have  tried  them,  and  the  places 
thereof  know  them  no  more.  Yet,  for  all  that,  it  is  not  to  be  said  that 
progress  is  not  made  ;  quite  the  contrary,  progress  goes  on  apace,  but  of 
the  thousands  of  subjects  offered,  new  and  distinct  though  they  may  be, 
yet  do  they  fail  to  prove  superior  in  some  one  essential  characteristic, 
while  not  falling  behind  in  any  other.  Nature  is  not  lavish  in  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  marvellous  departures  from  the  normal  type — freaks  are 
unusual  to  her,  and  it  is  only  a  freak,  so  to  speak,  that  can  show  any 
wide  divergence  from  well-established  lines.  Nature  and  man  are 
striving  to  two  totally  different  ends  ;  Nature  has  in  view  the  perpetua¬ 
tion  of  the  species  by  progeny  of  the  individual,  and  her  best  efforts  are 
directed  towards  the  one  end  of  perfecting  seed.  Man,  on  the  other 
hand,  in  his  demands,  more  frequently  than  not,  strives  to  “develop  ” 
some  special  part  of  an  organ  to  a  monstrous  extent,  and  this  will  be 
done  at  the  expense  of  some  other  part  of  the  plant,  say  in  constitution 
or  size.  That  plants  so  grown  through  a  long  series  of  generations  do 
lack  constitutional  vitality  would  seem  to  have  an  abundant  proof  in 
the  proneness  of  certain  high-bred  types  to  succumb  to  disease.  In  the 
event  of  the  forcing  and  directing  hand  of  man  being  withdrawn. 
Nature  again  steps  in,  and  in  a  surprisingly  short  period  of  generations 
she  will  have  brought  the  object  of  man’s  neglect  into  harmony  once 
more  with  the  multitude  around  ;  energy  will  be  now  directed  to  the 
perfecting  of  the  seed,  and  all  the  luscious  parts  so  valued  by  man, 
reduced  to  the  extent  that  the  necessities  for  their  distribution  will 
allow.  In  the  meantime,  vigour  and  health  are  regained.  When  man 
sets  out  to  run  in  the  face  of  natural  law  he  has  a  hard  time,  and  so  it  is 
that  the  raiser  of  novelties  is  so  often  doomed  to  failure,  for  Nature  has 
the  first  pull,  is  ever  present,  ever  ready  to  grab  hold  of  the  least 
advantage  given.  Nature  is  persistent,  man  is  erratic. — (“  American. 
Gardening.”) 
