June  2,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
457 
broad).  No  shiubberies  bordered  its  walks,  nor  were  separated  I'rom 
them  by  narrow  verges  of  turf,  as  we  often  see.  There  were  shady 
walks  through  groves  of  deciduous  trees,  and  ancient  gnarled  Yews 
overcanopied  our  paths.  The  shrubberies,  if  they  may  be  called  such, 
were  not  alternated  with  sombre-hued  Conifers.  These  latter  had 
their  positions  on  the  lawns,  where  their  noble  proportions  might  be 
distinctly  seen,  and  were  represented  by  Cedrus  Libani,  C.  deodara, 
Cupressus  macrocarpa,  Picea  Nordmanniana,  Cryptomena  japonica, 
Juniperus  virginiana,  Thuiopsis  borealis,  and  Pinus  excelsa. 
Amongst  specimen  deciduous  trees  were  Ailanthus  glandulosa  (Tree 
of  Heaven),  Tulip  Tree  (Liriodendron  tulipifera).  Acacia  hispida 
(Robinia),  Catalpa  syi'ingsefolia.  Scarlet-flowered  Chestnut,  Pendulous 
Birch,  Weeping  Ash,  and  Weeping  Elm.  The  plantations  of  forest 
trees,  which  had  been  planted  in  clumps,  were  mostly  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  grounds,  and  were  composed  of  Conifers  and  hard  woods. 
The  shrubs  were  arranged  in  masses.  In  the  springtime  the  eye 
was  gladdened  by  specimen  Rhododendrons,  or  clumps  of  the  same  in 
distinct  colours;  spotted  varieties  were  excluded.  Masses  of  Ghent 
Azalea  lent  charm  to  the  scene,  with  their  soft  and  delicate  colours.  The 
grassy  glades  amongst  the  mighty  trees  were  studded  with  Narcissi, 
Snowdrops,  Primroses,  and  Forget-me-nots.  Then  we  would  pass  a 
clump  composed  of  English  and  Persian  Lilac  and  Laburnums.  All 
were  given  sufficient  room  for  full  developm>-nt.  Another  clump 
would  be  double-flowering  Cherry,  Siberian  Crab,  and  Almond  trees. 
There  were  Forsythia  suspensa  (unpruned)  and  masses  of  Pyius 
japonica,  each  alone.  Magnolia  conspicua  was  a  mountain  of  snow. 
The  Costorphine  Plane  and  Norway  Maple  lent  a  glow  of  golden 
light  to  the  scene.  Ribes  .sanguinea.  Guelder  Roses,  Mock  Orange 
(Philadelphus  coronarius),  and  double-flowering  Thorns  were  here  also 
in  groups. 
Summer  and  autumn  flowering,  or  autumn  tinted  leaves  would 
oppose  the  groups  of  spring  flowers,  and  so  a  picture  of  colour  and 
diversity  of  light  and  shade  filled  seven  months  of  the  year.  Amongst 
the  groups  of  summer  and  autumn  flowers  were  Spiraeas  ariaefolia, 
Lindleyana,  confusa,  Douglasi,  and  Thunbergi;  Deutzia  crenata 
fl.-pl.,  Weigelas  in  variety,  Cornus  sanguines,  and  its  gold  and  silver 
variegated  forms ;  Hydrangea  hortensis,  H.  paniculata ;  Buddleia 
globosa  ;  Berberis  stenophylla,  B.  dulcis,  B.  vulgaris  ;  Snowy  ^Mespilus; 
Ceanothus  azureus,  and  C.  Gloire  de  Versailles:  Fuchsia  Riccartoni, 
F.  corallina;  Escallonia  macraulha,  E,  Phillipiaua.  and  Aibutus  uuedu, 
beautiful  both  in  flower  and  fruit. 
During  the  summer  the  groups  of  Acer  Negundo  variegata,  Prunus 
Pissardi,  and  Golden  Elder,  the  three  mixed  in  numerous  groups,  lent 
a  touch  of  colour  and  warmth.  The  golden  hued  Conifers  were  in 
unmixed  masses,  and  included  the  following  varieties,  which  appear  to 
be  the  only  ones  out  of  numbers  of  so-called  variegated  Conifers 
that  are  worthy  of  a  place  in  a  collection  from  the  distinctness  and 
brightness  of  their  hues — Retinospora  plumosa  aurea,  R.  obtusa  aurea, 
Cupressus  Lawsoniana  lutea,  and  Thuia  occidentalis  aurea. 
Autumn  wms  resplendent  in  the  glow  of  colour  with  Siberian 
Crab  and  Crataegus  Crus-galli  in  fruit,  and  leaf  tints  of  green,  gold, 
crimson,  and  russet.  Crataegus  pyracantha  and  C.  pyracantha  Lelandi, 
with  their  coral  berries,  and  the  Mountain  Ash,  lent  its  scarlet  to  the 
show.  The  Scarlet  Oak  (Quercus  coccinea).  Scarlet  Maple  (Acer 
rubrum),  and  Acer  colchium  rubrum,  Rhus,  and  Dimorphanthus 
mandshuricus,  all  added  their  radiance  to  the  glorious  autumn  days. 
As  the  grounds  of  this  fair  place  were  undulating,  and  in  some  parts 
the  slope  was  sharp  and  steep,  the  banks  from  high  to  low  ground  were 
planted  with  masses  of  Berberis  aquifolia,  B.  vulgaris  atro-pnrpurea 
(rich  crimson,  in  leafage).  Vincas  major  and  minor,  and  the  golden 
and  silver  variegated  foliage  varieties.  Hypericum  calycinum.  Erica 
carnea  and  E.  herbacea  were  beautiful  with  their  pink  bells,  as  were 
Gorse  and  Broom  ;  Juniperus  sabina  and  J.  communis  also  clothed 
these  banks. 
A  winding- stream  had  jdanted  on  its  banks  clumps  of  Bamboos, 
Guelder  Roses,  red,  yellow,  and  black-twigged  Willows;  the  latter 
enlivened  the  banks  of  the  stream  in  winter  with  their  warmth  of 
colour.  All  trees  and  shrubs  were  unrestrained  in  growth.  There 
was  some  pruning,  but  no  contorting  with  the  shears  ;  all  groups  and 
masses  were  irregular  in  outline,  and  no  exact  measured  distances  had 
been  observed.  This  was  a  place  without  iron  or  wood  palings  or 
tree  guards,  and  there  were  no  so-called  rustic  arbours  or  alcoves — it 
was  given  up  to  beauty  of  Nature  alone. 
There  was  no  regular  flower  garden,  but  around  the  outskirts  of 
the  lawns  were  large  circular  beds  in  which  scarlet  “Geraniums,” 
flowering  Gannas,  Lobelia  cardinalis.  Zinnia  elegans.  Salvia  splendens, 
S.  coccinea.  Coleus  Verschaffelti,  Iresines,  and  Alternanfhera,  with 
numerous  flue-foliaged  sub-tropical  plants  were  placed.  Chamserops 
Fortune!,  Chamserops  excelsa,  and  Musas  gave  brightne.ss  and  character 
to  the  whole.  Within  this  domain  was  a  rockwork.  Not  such  as 
we  often  see,  a  pile  of  stones  placed  as  if  there  had  been  a  violent 
upheaval  from  the  centre  of  the  earth,  but  a  piece  of  natural  rockwork 
like  the  sides  of  an  alpine  pass,  bared  in  jdaces  to  show  the  stone. 
The  crevices  that  held  sufficient  soil  were  planted  with  Ajuga  reptans, 
Alyssum  saxatile,  Antennaria  iuar_;aritac(.a,  A.  tomeiitosa,  Arabis 
albida,  A.  albida  variegata,  Aubrietia  grseca,  Campanula  pumila,  C. 
pumila  alba,  Gentiana  acaulis,  blue  Hepaticas,  Iberis  saxatilis,  Saxi¬ 
frages  in  variety,  Sedums,  Vincas,  and  Daphne  cneorum.  This  rock 
garden  was  the  face  of  a  natural  declivity  with  a  northern  aspect,  and 
bounded  one  side  of  the  sweepina:  gravel  approach  to  the  chateau. 
It  may  not,  perhap.«,  be  possible  in  lesser  places  to  plant  the  great 
variety  of  trees  and  shrubs  here  mentioned,  and  to  plant  them  in 
separate  groups  or  in  groups  composed  of  three  varieties,  yet  it  is 
possible  to  give  more  distinctness  to  shrubberies,  and  thereby  add  to 
the  jdcturesqueness  of  a  place  by  planting  in  groups  of  threes,  fives,  or 
greater  numbers  than  by  the  all  too  prevalent  dotting  and  alternating 
system. 
This  article  would  be  incomplete  without  a  few  words  on  colour. 
The  hybridist,  in  his  eagerness  for  new  varieties,  has  sent  into  com¬ 
merce  in  all  departments  of  the  garden  plants  whose  flowers  are 
spotty  and  indistinct,  and  we  should,  if  we  wish  to  be  effective,  steer 
clear  of  such  confusing  colours  as  these.  Beauty  of  colour  defined  by 
sesthetical  writers  is  characterised  by  purity,  brightness  and  softness 
found  only  in  hues,  tints,  and  shades.  The  first  are  those  primary 
colours,  red,  yellow,  and  azure,  and  their  secondaries  produced  in 
combination,  and  the  tertiaries  resulting  from  the  combination  of  the 
secondaries.  All  other  colours  are  either  tints  or  shades.  The  tints 
are  produced  by  the  admixture  of  white,  and  the  shades  by  the  addi¬ 
tion  of  black.  To  attempt  analogous  harmonies  in  such  a  circum¬ 
scribed  space  as  the  petals  of  a  flower  is  almost  absurd;  and  even  in 
essaying  harmonies  of  contrast  with  tints  of  the  same  colour  one 
should  be  intense  and  the  other  soft,  and  then  the  intensity  of  the  one 
will  be  heightened,  and  the  softness  of  the  other  mellowed. — 
F.  Street. 
LESSONS  OF  THE  SEASONS. 
Springtime,  with  its  trying  alternations  of  clouds  and  sunshine, 
heat  and  cold,  scathing  nor’easters,  soft  balmy  breezes,  rain  and' 
drought,  brings  to  the  gardener  anxiety  and  encouragement — lessons 
by  the  way,  which  make  the  sum  of  that  euphonious  term,  “dear 
bought  experience.”  And  as  the  years  roll  by,  filling  the  brief  span 
of  time  which  marks  our  existence  on  this  earth,  we  gather  wisdom ; 
we  are  bound  to  do  so  if  we  read,  mark,  and  record  the  lessons  brought 
to  us  season  by  season,  applying  them  subsequently  to  our  practice 
in  furtherance  of  that  striving  for  success,  that  steady  improvement, 
which  is  the  end  and  aim  of  every  earnest  intelligent  tiller  ot  the 
soil. 
Surely  it  may  be  claimed,  as  a  result  of  experience  so  gained,  that 
last  autumn,  wlien  the  summer  crops  were  gathered  in,  we  had  every 
bit  of  bare  soil  thrown  up  roughly,  in  view  of  as  complete  a  destruc¬ 
tion  of  the  larvae  of  insect  pests  as  might  be,  and  of  that  fine  deep 
seed  bed  in  spring,  which  the  action  of  rain,  frost,  wind  during  winter 
upon  soil  so  exposed  renders  a  certainty.  Aye  !  sure  enough  have  we 
long  ago  come  to  regard  autumn  as  the  ending  and  beginning  of  the 
gardening  year.  The  very  fact  of  reaping  brings  to  mind  the  certainty 
that  seed  time  will  come  round  again  right  speedily,  for  the  seasons 
are  so  interwoven,  have  such  a  mutual  influence  upon  each  other,  that 
one  tells  upon  another  for  good  or  evil — not  altogether,  but  certainly 
in  no  inconsiderable  degree,  according  to  how  we  prepare  for  it.  Let 
full  recognition  be  accordecl  to  the  importance  of  this  work  of  prepara¬ 
tion,  to  the  acquisition  of  sufficient  knowledge  to  enable  us  to  do  all 
we  can,  and  to  grasp  the  reason  why  of  the  matter. 
On  the  evening  of  the  2 1st  of  last  September  I  went  to  an  allotment 
field  to  hold  a  demonstration — an  informal  open-air  lecture  in  which 
attention  is  called  to  object  lessons  in  the  gardens  in  view  of  imparting 
instruction.  On  these  occasions  one  first  of  all  goes  round  the  gardens, 
for  inspection  and  a  chat  with  the  men  as  one  after  another  they  join 
in  the  stroll,  and  then  comes  the  address.  The  theme  of  conversation 
this  time  was  the  frost  of  a  week  ago  which  had  cut  off  the  Runner 
Beans,  blackened  the  Potato  haulm,  and  so  brought  the  season  of 
growth  to  an  abrupt  and  premature  conclusion. 
The  discussion  of  this  catastrophe  brought  out  the  fact  that  these 
gardens  were  so  liable  to  early  frost  in  autumn  and  late  frost  in  spring, 
that  the  crops  were  always  sown  late  and  gathered  early.  The  reason 
of  this  was  self-evident;  the  land  was  heavy  and  wet ;  it  was  equally 
obvious  that  the  men  did  not  understand  how  serious  an  evil  this  was, 
or  that  it  was  really  the  cause  of  the  frost.  The  matter  was  made 
plain  to  thetn  that  evening ;  they  were  told  how  vapour  was  constantly 
given  off  by  waterlogged  soil;  how  on  the  night  ot  that  fatal  irost  all 
the  crops  were  enveloped  by  a  dense  mist  from  this  source;  how  the 
frost  which  would  cut  them  off  under  such  conditions  would  do  no 
harm  to  similar  crops  on  drier  soil.  Attention  was  also  called  to 
unmistakeable  natural  indications  of  the  sodden  condition  of  the  soil, 
for  there  before  us  were  patches  of  Coltsfoot  (Tussilago  lartara), 
and  Horse-tail  (Equisetum),  best  known  in  the  Midlands  as  Joint 
G  rass. 
Having  thus  explained  the  cause  of  the  evil,  the  remedy  was 
