292 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Septem'er  34,  1898. 
actual  merits  as  displayed  in  a  normal  season.  If  such  is  the 
case,  as  is  not  unlikely,  the  trials  cannot  be  regarded  as  complete, 
and  it  seems  desirable  that  several  of  the  more  promising  varieties 
should  be  grown  again  another  year. 
A  number  of  those  grown  this  season,  however,  need  no  further 
trial,  for  their  unsuitability  for  garden  culture  in  this  country  was 
abundantly  demonstrated.  While  it  is  not  for  a  moment  suggested 
that  all  the  varieties  or  stocks  from  continental  houses  were 
inferior,  for  two  were  very  good,  it  is  all  the  same  a  fact  that  the 
stocks  of  home  growers  or  dealers  were  far  superior  on  the  whole 
to  those  obtained  from  abroad.  This  is  evident  by  the  marks  of 
merit  accorded,  as  no  less  than  ten  out  of  the  twelve  stocki  which 
obtained  the  special  approval  of  the  examiners  were  from  the  seeds 
of  British  firms. 
It  is  the  truth,  and  it  would  serve  no  good  purpose  to  suppress 
it,  that  several  of  the  continental  stocks  of  Beet,  however  suitable 
they  may  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  Channel,  are  of  no  use  what¬ 
ever  in  this  country.  The  plants  are  as  strong  and  coarse  as  Man¬ 
gold  Wurtzels  and  of  nearly  all  colours,  but  those  approved  »t 
table.  Estimated  for  the  purpo.se  for  which  Beet  is  grown  with  us, 
dozens  of  rows  at  Chiswick  could  only  be  regarded  as  cumberers  of  the 
ground.  Even  if  true  to  character,  as  many  of  the  stocks  certainly 
are  not,  they  represent  field  crops  for  cattle  rather  than  garden 
crops  for  table  use.  The  trials  have  shown  that  there  is  a  great 
amount  of  rubbish  among  Beets,  and  it  would  lead  to  nothing  but 
disappointment  if  the  rank  growing  continental  varieties  were 
grown  in  British  gardens. 
Though  we  have  said  the  trials  as  a  whole  were  not,  owing  to 
the  peculiar  nature  of  the  season,  so  complete  and  satisfactory  as 
c.mld  be  desired,  they  have  shown  beyond  all  doubt  that  there  are 
several  stocks  not  in  the  least  worth  trying  again  ;  but  there  are 
others  which  might  well  be  subjected  to  a  further  test,  as  they  may 
have  been  prejudiced  this  year  through  incidences  of  the  drought, 
while  one  or  two  of  promising  character  were  practically  buried  by 
the  gross  growth  of  the  coarser  forms  that  ought  to  be  banished 
from  gardens  for  evermore. 
In  testing  the  stocks  only  those  that  were  true  to  the  type  were 
noticed,  rows  that  were  mixed  being  passed.  Two  or  three  roots 
from  each  true  stock  were  pulled  and  sliced  longitudinally  half 
way  through,  so  as  to  thoroughly  expose  the  flesh  for  determining 
its  colour  and  texture.  In  some  varieties  the  preponderating 
colour  is  red,  in  others  crimson,  in  others  again  approaching  a 
blackish  purple.  The  last-mentioned  colour  found  little  favour  by 
the  examining  gardeners,  whose  duty  it  is  to  supply  the  best  of 
everything,  for  the  substantial  reason  that  only  bright  red  or 
crimson  Beet  is  acceptable  at  table,  the  blackish  roots  not  being 
tolerated.  The  darkest-leaved  Beets  have  not  always  the  brightest 
roots,  as  some  are  too  dark  ;  while  the  Cheltenham  Green-top  is  as 
bright  in  the  root  as  any,  and  brighter  than  most.  There  is  no 
clearly  defined  line  between  the  reds  and  the  crimsons,  as  the 
colours  merge  into  each  other  more  or  less. 
Those  varieties  and  stocks  that  the  most  closely  approached 
the  ideal  in  brightnesjs  and  texture,  and  for  which  three  marks  of 
merit  were  awarded,  are  as  follows: — Nuttincj's  Dtoarf  Red,  from 
Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Nutting  &  Sons,  and  Heinemann  ; 
Cheltenham  Green  Top,  from  Messrs.  Nutting  &  Sons,  Yates, 
Watkins  &  Simpson,  and  J.  Yeitch  &  Sons  ;  Dell's  Crimson,  from 
Messrs.  Dobbie  &  Co.,  and  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons  ;  Perfection 
Dwarf  Red,  from  Messrs.  Hurst  &  Son  ;  Egyptian  Tumip-rooted, 
from  Messrs.  Watkins  &  Simpson,  and  Yilmorin  &  Co. 
Here  we  have  only  five  varieties  in  twelve  stocks  out  of  eighty  ! 
Surely  there  are  others  which  might  be  in  better  form  another 
season,  and  it  seems  desirable  that  a  small  sub  committee  of 
practical  experts  in  the  growing  of  Beet  and  testing  it  at  table 
should  be  ap  pointed  to  assist  the  Superintendent  at  Chiswick  in 
making  a  selection  from  the  whole  collection  for  growing,  with  any 
others  that  might  be  accepted,  another  year,  the  whole  to  be 
accurately  described  for  the  information  of  those  cultivators  who 
cannot  make  trials  for  themselves.  Spinach  and  Seakale  Beetar. 
received  no  awards,  as  the  majority  of  the  Committee  did  not 
regard  them  as  possessing  sufficient  culinary  value  for  speciaB 
marks  of  approval. 
LAKE  AND  RIVER  BANK  GARDENING. 
Gardening  in  this  fair  island  is  spreading  fast — so  fast  that 
the  whole  land  will  soon  become  a  veritable  garden  abounding  in 
many  phases  of  beauty,  some  natural,  some  artificial,  but  eack 
interesting  and  attractive  in  its  way.  We  no  longer  think  of 
confining  our  attention  to  the  garden  proper,  and  growing  there 
only  the  many  beautiful  hardy  trees,  plants  and  shrubs  brought 
from  other  lands,  but  woodland  walks,  shrubberies,  hedgerows,, 
pastures,  lakes  and  river  banks  are  each  in  turn  rendered  more 
attractive  by  planting  near  them  hosts  of  showy  or  pretty  bulbous 
plants  and  other  perennials  which  become  naturalised,  and  diiplay 
to  us  their  beauty  at  freely  as  if  they  were  in  their  native  home. 
This  is  certainly  a  form  of  gardening  not  expensive  to  carry  out, 
and  if  a  certain  amount  is  done  each  year  the  surroundings  of  the 
mansions  of  the  wealthy,  or  the  homes  of  thoie  lesi  favoured  with 
this  world’s  goods,  are  constantly  growing  in  both  beauty  and 
interest,  as  well  as  in  the  capacity  to  supply  flower*  in  abundance 
without  having  to  draw  so  largely  upon  the  garden  proper 
Water  is  universally  acknowledged  to  be  so  essential  a  feature 
in  park  or  garden  scenes,  that  great  expense  is  often  incurred  in 
forming  lakes  and  streams  where  such  do  not  exist  in  a  natural 
itate.  Fortunate,  therefore,  are  the  owners  of  estates  through 
which  some  winding  river  flows,  or  where  an  extensive  lake  is  fed 
by  natural  streams  ;  beautiful  beyond  compare  can  these  sometimes 
be  made  when  Art  steps  in  and  supplies  the  requisite  touch  of  colour 
which  Nature  often  denies.  We  have  lately  been  attempting  some¬ 
thing  in  this  direction,  and  hope,  as  time  goes  on,  to  add  other 
features,  so  that  the  banks  of  “  Shakespeare’s  Avon,”  which  runs 
beneath  the  castle  walls  will  be  brightened  with  flowers  of  many 
colours  as  the  season  of  each  comes  round.  Irises  are  now  claiming 
our  attention.  These  are  being  planted  by  thousands  in  bold, 
irregular  masses  down  to  the  water’s  edge.  The  well-known  native 
Iris  Pseudo-acorus,  we  have  in  plenty,  some  growing  in  the  water  a»- 
well  as  on  the  banks. 
Reeds  and  Rishes  there  are,  too,  in  abundance  which  give 
boldness  throughout  the  summer  months.  On  the  sloping  banks 
are  planted  English  Irises  and  Iris  hispanica,  the  latter  in  by  far 
the  greater  numbers,  because  they  flower  early,  at  a  time  when 
their  many-coloured  blossoms  are  in  great  demand .  The  soil  is 
light,  and,  like  almost  all  river  bank  soils,  fairly  rich.  Taste  and 
judgment  require  to  be  exercised  in  selecting  positions  for  various 
species  of  plants,  especially  those  which  flower  in  summer  time, 
otherwise,  Rushes  which  grow  plentifully  on  the  water’s  edge  will 
hide  less  vigorous  vegetation  ;  but  with  Irises  and  other  bulbous 
plants  the  case  is  different,  because  they  flower  before  the  stronger 
growing  ones  have  made  much  growth.  The  planting:  should  be 
done  with  an  eye  to  the  effect  from  mid-stream,  so  that-  when 
boating  is  indulged  in  pleasant  surprises  continually  come  to  view; 
Take  as  an  instance  a  point  where  a  slight  bend  occurs  with- 
perhaps  an  overhanging  tree.  How  delightful  when  rounding  the 
bend  to  come  unexpectedly  upon  gorgeous  scraps  of  Irises  in  flower, . 
their  beauty  heightened  by  the  bright  sunlight  sparkling  on  the 
water.  Crocus,  Snowdrops  and  Scillas  are  also  well  adapted  for 
planting  by  river  banks;  indeed,  they  display  their  ch  rms  to- 
greater  advantage  in  such  positions  than  when  planted  on  level 
ground. 
In  addition  to  planting  them  in  groups  and  fringes  by  them¬ 
selves,  it  is  well  also  to  insert  bulbs  among  the  Irises,  a  succession 
of  flowers  is  then  obtained  from  the  same  spot.  Daffodils  of  the 
common  varieties  succeed  admirably  along  the  ridges  of  the  banks, 
allowing  a  fringe  of  them  to  extend  here  and  there  almost  to  the 
water’s  edge.  They  seem  to  have  a  happy  knack  of  taking  care  of 
themselves  and  of  increasing  very  fast.  When  that  fine  variety 
Sir  Watkin  becomes  more  plentiful  what  a  feature  it  will  create  in 
such  positions. 
Antirrhinums  of  both  tall  and  dwarf  varieties  are  also  easy  to 
establish,  and  then  they  take  care  of  themselves,  for  they  seed 
abundantly,  and  if  a  few  of  the  old  plants  die  ten  times  the  number 
of  young  ,  ones  struggle  with  each  other  for  the  vacancy  ;  for  this 
reason  they  should  be  planted  from  1  to  2  feet  apart.  On  dry 
stony  banks,  or  near  bridges  where  a  part  of  the  bank  is  walled 
up,  a  fine  feature  may  be  made  with  these  ;  a  few  young  plants- 
inserted  in  the  crevices  of  such  walls  now  will  in  a  few  years, 
develop  into  a  colony.  We  have  a  thousand  strong  plants  grown, 
from  seed  sown  last  spring  ;  these  will  shortly  be  planted  where ve?^- 
room  can  be  found  for  them, 
