274 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  September  28,  lm 
a  couple  of  days  before  lifting.  Take  the  soil  out  about  a  yard  from 
the  base  of  the  tree  and  to  the  full  depth  of  the  roots,  working  it  out 
from  the  latter  with  a  fork  to  within  18  inches  of  the  stem  all  round, 
and  then  getting  a  couple  of  lifting  spades  quite  underneath,  lift  the 
tree  with  all  the  earth  possible,  and  place  it  on  a  hand-barrow 
previously  covered  with  a  damp  mat. 
Draw  this  up  and  around  the  roots,  and  take  the  tree  to  its  new 
position  at  once,  where  a  sufficiently  large  hole  will  previously  have 
been  made.  Trim  off  all  bruised  roots  with  a  slightly  sloping  upward 
cut,  and  carefully  avoid  injury  by  bruising  or  dry  winds  of  the  smaller 
and  more  fibrous  portions.  Then  fill  in  the  soil  to  a  proper  height  for 
the  base  of  the  roots  to  rest  on,  and  as  quickly  as  possible  place  the 
tree  in  position.  Fill  up  and  make  the  soil  firm  about  the  roots.  The 
whole  operation,  from  the  time  of  lifting  to  well  soaking  the  newly 
planted  tree  with  water,  may  be  done  in  half  an  hour  if  plenty  of  help 
is  allowed. — H.  R.  Richards. 
WITH  THE  HARDY  FLOWERS. 
Brilliant  sunshine  and  long,  dry  days  are  not  favourable  to 
many  of  our  hardy  flowers.  The  rain  which  was  falling  when  one’s 
last  notes  were  written  was  soon  dried  up,  and  plants  began  to  suffer. 
Those  in  bloom  soon  lost  their  freshness,  and  those  which  were  to 
follow  waited  for  a  supply  of  the  needed  mob t lire  before  they  could  . 
open  their  petals.  Thrips  were  abundant  and  destructive  to  the 
beauty  of  seme  flowers.  Though  these  combined  causes  made  borders 
<of  hardy  plants  duller  than  their  wont  on  light,  dry  soils,  there  were 
seme  which  appeared  to  revel  in  the  sun  and  drought. 
Among  the  more  noteworthy  of  these  have  been  the  Statices, 
whoselight  and  graceful  beauties  have  scarcely  been  sufficiently  brought 
before  the  readers  of  the  Journal.  One  of  the  best  and  mest  effective 
of  our  hardy  Statices  is  S.  latifclia,  whose  fine  leaves  and  handsome 
inflorescence  give  it  a  strong  claim  on  our  garden  space.  It  is, 
when  well  grown,  one  of  our  best  border  flowers.  Either  in  growth 
or  as  a  cut  flower  it  is  of  high  merit.  Like  most  flowers,  the  “Great 
Sea  Lavender”  varies  much  in  height,  according  to  the  soil  in  which 
it  is  grown.  One  has  seen  it  not  much  more  than  a  foot  high  ;  while 
in  other  gardens  it  may  grow  to  2^  or  3  feet  in  height.  Looked  at 
from  a  little  distance  the  fine  panicle  of  flowers  looks  less  bright  than 
when  seen  close  at  hand.  This  is  due  to  the  colouring  of  the  calyces 
and  bracts.  AVhen  near  one  sees,  however,  the  beautiful  light  blue  of 
the  individual  flowers.  When  dried,  as  all  the  Statices  may  be,  this 
is  no  gain,  but  in  growth  it  gives  much  additional  beauty  to  the 
plant.  The  rosettes  of  broad  leaves  are  very  handsome,  and  altogether 
the  Great  Sea  Lavender  may  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  indispensable 
autumn  flowers.  It  comes  from  Russia,  and  may  be  grown  from 
seeds,  or  increased  by  division. 
Nor  can  one  leave  the  Statices  without  referring  to  the  dwarfer 
and,  if  less  handsome,  pretty  species  known  as  S.  incana.  The  type 
has  small  crimson  flowers  with  whitish  calyces,  but  a  more  general 
favourite  is  the  white  variety  known  as  alba,  which  again  finds  a 
preferred  rival  among  alpine  growers  in  the  dwarf  variety  known  as 
nana.  Pretty  as  is  the  last  in  the  rock  garden,  in  the  border  the 
taller  typical  plant  is,  in  the  writer’s  view,  preferable.  Nana  is, 
however,  worth  growing,  even  though  the  plant  is  in  itself  not  quite 
so  hardy  as  some  of  the  other  species. 
It  seems  almost  superfluous  to  draw  attention  to  any  of  the 
Montbretias,  for  by  this  name  most  of  the  Tritonias  are  best  known  in 
gardens.  Yet  one  can  hardly  over-estimate  their  worth  to  those  who 
care  for  variety  in  floral  charms  in  autumn.  I  am  not,  however, 
going  to  say  anything  about  the  better  known  hybrid  Montbretias, 
but  to  pen  a  few  lines  in  favour  of  Montbretia  or  Tritonia  rosea, "a  plant 
seldom  seen  but  deserving  the  attention  of  growers  of  hardy  flowers 
who  can  appreciate  its  soft  and  distinct  colour.  It  does  not  much 
resemble  the  hybrid  Montbretias.  The  flowers,  which  are  of  a 
beautiful  rosy  pink,  are  more  tubular  in  shape  and  are  more  loosely 
arranged  than  those  of  the  others.  It  is  one  of  the  plants  about  whose 
hardiness  I  had  at  first  some  doubts,  but  from  observation  of  its  ways 
in  other  gardens  and  in  my  own  I  feel  assured  of  the  hardiness  of 
Tritonia  rosea  in  any  but  the  coldest  districts.  This  plant  comes  from 
.South  Africa,  and  may,  in  some  gardens,  require  a  little  protection  in 
the  way  of  a  covering  of  litter  in  winter. 
Several  of  the  Starworts  or  Michaelmas  Daisies  are  in  bloom.  One 
generally  pleasing,  though  its  blooms  are  neither  large  nor  well  formed, 
is  Aster  acris.  It  gives  a  perfect  bouquet  of  flowers  of  bright  lilac- 
purple.  Comparatively  poor  in  themselves,  sprays  of  these  flowers  may 
be  used  with  effect  among  others  in  a  cut  state.  A.  amellus  major  is 
fully  open,  as  are  the  greater  number  of  the  useful  Starworts  in  full  blow. 
So  frequently  does  one  see  the  brilliant  varieties  of  Lobelia 
cardinal  is  in  gardens  that  it  is  rather  a  pleasant  relief  to  see  the 
tall  kinds  of  different  colouring.  The  varieties  of  L.  syphilitica 
are  not  widely  grown,  and  one  of  these,  or,  it  may  be,  a  hybrid 
with  L.  syphilitica  as  one  of  its  parents,  is  most  pleasing  at  the 
present  time.  It  is  L.  Millevi,  a  plant  which  gives  a  gcod  spike  of 
well-coloured  blue  flowers.  It  seems,  as  L.  syphilitica  does,  to  like 
a  rather  moist  soil,  but  grows  fairly  well  in  a  dry  one  provided  plenty 
of  water  is  giver. 
These  few  notes  have  been  written  to  speak  of  plants  giving  a 
break  in  colour  from  the  yellow  Helinnthuses  and  their  kind.  There 
are  others  w’hich  might  be  referred  to  if  space  were  available.  We 
can  think  of  the  Japanese  Anemones,  now  becoming  varied  in  their 
forms  and  shades  of  colour.  Then  there  are  Violas,  the  stately 
Tritomas  or  Kniphofias,  and  tall  Gladioli,  beautiful  in  hue  and  of 
lovely  markings.  Bright  yet  are  Phloxes,  though  many  have  suffered 
from  the  stress  and  strain  of  the  drought.  Stately,  too,  are  the  late- 
flowering  Aconitums  or  Monkshoods. 
One  might  go  on  for  a  time,  but  the  glory  of  the  garden,  though 
for  the  time  fainter  than  it  was,  is  yet  too  varied  to  be  told  of  except 
at  greater  length.  Through  all  are  the  Sunflowers  and  their  allies— 
the  riches  of  the  time. — S.  Arnott. 
PROSPECTS  IN  WILTSHIRE. 
The  Chrysanthemum  season,  although  it  really  extends  over  the 
whole  year,  resolves  itself  into  a  much  shorter  space  of  time  from  a 
floral  point  of  view,  and  for  the  next  few  weeks  enthusiasts  will  eagerly 
scan  pages  of  the  Journal  to  learn  the  comparative  prospects.  Judging 
from  a  standpoint  of  ripened  wood,  the  season  ought  to  prove  a  good 
one,  for  rarely  has  there  been  one  in  which  sunshine  has  been  so 
little  interrupted.  Much  complaint,  however,  comes  from  growers  in 
the  West  of  the  great  labour  this  summer,  which  in  so  many  cases 
has  had  to  be  supported  with  water  drawn  from  some  distant 
source  by  manual  labour.  Those  having  a  good  water  supply  have 
been  distinctly  favoured.  Having  seen  some  collections  varying  in 
number  and  also  in  quality,  I  append  a  few  notes  upon  them. 
Heywood. 
My  annual  inspection  of  this  collection  reveals  what,  in  my  opinion, 
is  the  best  that  Mr.  W.  Robinson,  Lord  Ludlow’s  gardener,  has  had 
for  some  yearB.  Unlike  some  other  collections  inspected,  his  plants 
are  remarkable  both  for  their  height — many  of  them  requiring  the 
steps  to  manipulate  their  buds — their  vigour,  freedom  from  yellows, 
and  carrying  as  they  do  their  foliage  w'ell  down  to  the  pots.  The 
buds  in  various  stages  of  development  are  advancing  very  satisfactorily, 
and  show  much  promise  of  a  fine  display  later  on.  Lord  Ludlow  takes 
a  deep  interest  in  bis  “mums,”  and  well  supports  his  gardener  in  the 
necessary  material  for  successful  competition — new  varieties — which 
support  is  justified  in  the  annual  display  and  prizewinning  records. 
The  following  are  a  few  among  the  most  prominent  of  the  newer" 
ones  : — Hon.  W.  F.  D.  Smith,  Lady  Anglesey,  Lord  Ludlow,  M.  Louis 
Remy,  The  Wonderful,  Wattle-blossom,  Australian  Belle,  Catherine 
Rogers,  Emily  Towers,  H.  J.  Jones,  Henry  Weeks,  Jane  Molyneux, 
Lady  Crawshaw,  Lord  Cromer,  Madeline  Davis,  Mrs.  Barkley,  Mrs. 
Coombes,  Mrs.  W.  Seward,  R.  Hooper  Pearson,  Reginald  Godfrey, 
Sir  Herbert  Kitchener,  W.  Cursbam,  W.  Adams,  Little  Nell,  Hero  of 
Oir.durman,  and  J.  R.  Upton.  Of  older  Japanese  mention  might  be 
made  of  Mrs.  Mease,  G.  J.  Warren,  Mrs.  H.  Weeks,  E.  Molyneux, 
Pride  of  Stokell,  The  Convention,  Miss  Nellie  Pockett,  John  Pockett, 
Le  Grand  Dragon,  Mrs.  White  Popham,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Barks,  Lady 
Hanham,  Joseph  Chamberlain,  Viviand  Morel,  and  Madame  Carnot, 
all  in  fine  condition. 
Incurved  varieties  are  in  an  equally  satisfactory  state,  and  mdny 
promising  buds  are  developing.  Out  of  a  collection  of  400  plants, 
however,  representing  four  sections,  Japanese  must  naturally  out¬ 
distance  the  others  in  numbers.  Mrs.  H.  J.  Jones,  Miss  Annie  Hills, 
Chrysantheme  Bruant,  and  Mrs.  Col.  Goodyear  were  particularly  notice¬ 
able  among  the  newer  incurved. 
Leighton  House,  Westbury. 
For  some  few  years  this,  the  residence  of  W.  H.  Laverton,  Esq., 
J.P.,  C.C.,  has  held  a  very  good  record  for  Chrysanthemums  in  the 
West,  the  late  gardener,  Mr.  P.  Mann,  and  his  wife,  both  being 
honoured  with  novelties  carrying  their  names.  Mr.  Mann’s  successor, 
Mr.  G.  P.  Bound,  has  made  a  determined  effort  to  maintain  the  tra¬ 
ditions  of  the  past,  though  he  cannot  call  in  that  support  from  the 
world  of  novelty  to  any  thing'approaching  the  extent  of  his  neighbour, 
Mr.  Robinson.  This,  however,  may  be  remedied  another  year,  and 
while  necessary,  is  not  all-important,  since  the  collection  is  grown 
entirely  for  home  decorations,  which  are  extensively  carried  out  during 
the  winter  in-  nths.  Numbers  of  bush  plants  as  well  as  those  for  pro¬ 
ducing  specimen  blooms  arc  grown  for  this  purpose. 
