®ei( ember  2t,  1896. 
i93 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTDRE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
Foxglove*  from  seed  sown  in  July  will  also  be  ready  for  plant¬ 
ing  from  the  present  time  till  March.  Few  flowering  plants  give 
so  noble  a  display  in  return  for  but  little  labour.  Again,  how 
pretty  is  the  Golden  Rod  ;  Solidago  virgaurea  is  a  good  form  of  it 
The  plants  thrive  m  almost  any  soil  and  situation,  and  supply 
flowers  of  a  novel  character,  borne  on  long  stems.  There  are,  in 
fact,  hosts  of  beautiful  plants  in  our  herbaceous  borders  and 
shrubberies  which  may  be  turned  to  good  account  by  planting 
then;  in  positions  already  described. 
Some  of  the  best  among  them  are  Helianthus  rigidus,  the 
Doronicums  and  Funkias,  the  Evening  Primrose  (CEnothera 
Lamarckiana),  Solomon’s  S  a',  Pyrethrum  serotinum,  Honej- 
suckles.  Wood  Hyacinths,  and  the  Mulleins.  We  have  a  tad 
variety  which  grows  fiom  6  to  7  feet  in  height,  and  a  noble  and 
attractive  plant  it  is,  in  both  flower  and  leaf.  Half  a  dozen 
examples  of  it,  springing  up  in  the  form  of  an  irregular  fringe, 
cannot  fail  to  arrest  attention  or  to  leave  an  impression  behind. 
That  tropical  looking  plant  Heracleum  giganteum  (Cow  Parsnip) 
sometimes  attains  a  height  of  12  feet.  A  few  isolated  plant#  look 
well,  but  I  do  not  care  to  see  it  in  great  quantities,  except  in  a 
wide  open  expanse  of  marsh,  where  Reeds  or  Rushes  grow  in  an 
unbroken  mass.  In  positions  somewhat  sheltered  Bamboos  may 
with  advantage  be  planted.  Arundinarias  lutea,  nigra,  and  Metake 
are  a  trio  of  the  best  varieties  for  the  purpose.  Arundo  donax, 
the  noble  Reed  of  Southern  Europe,  should  be  given  a  trial  everj  - 
where,  as  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  more  hardy  than  many  suppose. 
Here  in  the  Midlands  we  have  a  lai'ge  clump  growing  on  the  river 
bank.  Several  very  severe  winters  have  not  injured  beyond  turn¬ 
ing  the  old  shoots  rusty,  and  this  did  not  seem  to  affect  the  young 
growths  pioduced  the  following  season,  wh'ch  were  as  vigorous  as 
ever.  From  this  clump  we  hope  shortly  to  establish  several  others, 
and  also  to  try  to  do  so  in  more  exposed  positions,  and  in  due  time 
to  record  the  result. 
When  planting  bulb#  or  plants  of  any  kind  it  is  necessary  to 
uproot  coarse  weeds  so  as  to  give  anything  newly  planted  a  chance 
to  become  es-tablished.  In  doing  this,  however,  numbers  of  prettj 
native  plants  are  often  found  struggling  for  an  existence.  These 
if  left  and  given  a  little  encouragement  will  help  greatlv  in  pro¬ 
ducing  scenes  of  varied  interest  and  attractiveness.  We  have 
lately  noticed  several  maeses  and  isolated  plants  of  Geranium 
pratense  and  G.  lylvaticum.  These  have  been  freed  from  weeds, 
and  a  few  bulbs  planted  between  them,  which  will  insure  a  good 
spring  and  summer  display.  The  wild  Spiraea  (Ulmaria)  is 
gen’erally  found  in  quantity  near  streams  and  on  river  banks  ;  this 
should,  of  course,  be  left  undiaturbed.  Ferns  of  all  descriptions 
may  have  ihady  nooks  allotted  to  them,  Scolopendriums  crispum 
and  vulgare  being  used  freely,  as  there  are  no  better  watersid 
Ferns. 
Where  trees  do  not  already  abound  marked  improvements  may 
be  made  by  planting  in  prominent  positions  such  attractive  ones  as 
the  Weeping  Copper  Bsech,  Weeping  Willows,  Acer  Negundu 
variegata,  and  a  few  Hawthorns,  Laburnums,  and  the  various 
varieties  of  Amygdalus  and  Cerasus.  Much  more  may  be  written 
upon  the  subject,  which  is  one  I  hope  to  treat  of  from  time  to 
time. — H  D 
A  RESTING  TOUR. 
How  rushing  can  be  resting  is  a  matter  that  can  only  be  fully 
comprehended  by  those  victims  of  circumstances  who  day  by  day 
and  night  by  night  are  glutd  to  the  desk,  with  the  pen  ever  at 
work  in  the  “interests  of  horticulture,”  and  the  winning  of  daily 
bread.  Such  is  the  life  of  the  Scribe.  A  change  is  rest,  and  thus 
rest  to  him  is  to  be  “  on  the  move.”  So  true  is  "this  that  while 
most  persons  “  sit  down  to  their  meals,”  he  marches  about  during 
luncheon.  That  is  to  him  a  rest — a  change,  though  only  of  a 
momentary  character,  and  he  needed  a  wider  fleld  in  which  to 
repose,  at  least  so  said  his  guardian  angel — the  missus 
You  are  getting  as  thin  as  a  rail,  said  she, 
And  as  white  as  a  sheet  you  have  come  to  be ; 
Lay  down  the  pen  and  away  with  me — 
Away  to  bonnie  Scotland. 
The  appeal  was  irresistible,  and  accepted.  But  then  came  the 
conditions,  “  No  visiting  flower  shows  and  reporting  ;  no  going  from 
garden  to  garden  for  note,  note,  noting.  Let  the  shows  alone  ;  let 
the  gardens  go  ;  leave  the  book  at  home,  but  let  us  see  the  fresh 
green  fields  a#  we  pass  by,  the  hills  and  dales,  the  ‘heath  and 
shaggy  wood,’  the  mountains  and  the  tea.  Let  us  call  on  old  friends 
who  still  remain,  or  find  new  ones  of  their  kith  and  kin  or  with  the 
aame  kind  hearts  ;  see  old  places  with  familiar  names,  and  be  happy 
for  a  time  by  the  renewal  of  old  aisociations.  It  is  to  be  a  resting, 
not  a  writing  tour,  or  we  may  as  well  remain  at  home.”  True, 
practical,  if  womanly,  philosophy,  and  so  it  had  to  be.  But  there 
were  no  conditions  for  the  after  term,  and  thus  the  ruling  passion 
can  aisert  itself  without  any  breach  of  conduct,  and  the  pen  will 
have  its  run  now  the  “  Rest  ”  is  over. 
On  the  Way. 
At  the  end  of  August  the  rains  had  exerted  their  vivifying 
power,  and  the  banks  and  fields  brown  and  sere  so  long — devoid  of 
even  a  tinge  of  green  in  the  South — had  assumed  a  fresher  hue. 
This  was  so  far  cheering,  but  as  we  sped  northwards  the  verdancy 
increased,  and  the  small  harvest  which  was  safely  gathered  behind 
us  seemed  to  be  lingering  half  in  and  half  out,  but  in  greater  plenty 
than  it  was  on  the  iunny  slopes  of  the  Surrey  hills  or  the  dried-up 
Sussex  Wea'd.  The  further  we  went  the  richer  the  herbage  and 
fuller  the  fields,  and  we  teemed  as  if  in  a  new  land — the  air  cool, 
bracing — a  change  indeed,  and  exhilarating  after  a  roasting,  stifling 
London  season. 
York. 
We  had  gone  far  enough  for  once,  and  desired — at  least,  the 
missus  did — to  see  the  ancient  city,  and  as  she  was  the  master  of 
the  purse  had  to  be  obeyed.  It  is  well  to  recognise  the  power 
of  those  who  pay,  forgetting  it  has  led  many  a  man  astray.  An 
ancient  city,  indeed — a  city  nearly  2000  years  old — the  seat  of  the 
first  Parliament.  The  Yure-wick  of  the  ancient  Britons,  the 
Jorwick,  or  Yorwick,  of  the  Danes,  the  York  of  to-day,  and  thus 
we  see  the  growth  of  a  name.  A  most  interesting  city  is  York 
with  its  splendid  walls  and  “  bars  ”  (ancient  entrance  gates),  its 
magnificent  minster  and  richly  stocked  museum  in  pleasant  gardens 
that  stretch  from  it  down  to  the  river,  and  which  include  the 
picturesque  ruins  of  St.  Mary’s  Abbey. 
The  museum  gardens  coniist  of  extensive  slopes,  and  contain 
fine  trees,  with  bright  flowers  in  their  season  ;  also,  to  pass  from 
the  gay  to  the  grave,  the  finest  “  display  ”  of  ponderous  stone 
coSins  to  be  found  probably  in  any  other  gardens  in  the  kingdom. 
Whose  they  were,  and  whose  the  hands  that  hewed  them  out  of 
stupendous  rockvS,  are  thoughts  to  which  they  inevitably  give  rise, 
but  which  cannot  be  answered.  These  wondrous  relics  of  the  far 
past  times  tell  us,  however,  that  the  men  of  those  times  were 
men  of  metal,  and  their  (Roman)  tenacity  in  accomplishing  their 
purpose  seems  to  have  been  transmitted  to  the  Yorkshire  men  of 
to-day.  _ 
The  walls  of  York,  which  are  admirably  prr served,  form  a 
promenade  of  an  unique  character  which  no  tourist  should  miss. 
They  afford  grand  views  of  the  city  and  country  beyond,  and  the 
four  ancient  *'  bars”  or  gateways  from  east,  west,  north  and  south 
are  architecturally  imposing,  apart  from  the  historical  associations 
with  which  they  are  of  necessity  connected.  Micklegate  Bar,  a 
noble  structure  erected  more  than  500  years  ago,  is  famous  as 
having  cruelly  exposed  to  public  view  the  heads  of  various  nota¬ 
bilities  during  the  time  of  the  Wars  of  the  Roses.  Walmgate  Bar 
is  distinguished  by  being  the  only  example  in  England  with 
barbican  complete.  Then  there  are  the  Monk  and  Bootbam  Bar#, 
the  last  named  near  the  Bootham  field,  in  which  the  celebrated 
Yorkshire  flower  shows  and  galas  are  held. 
Thus  do  we  pass  from  the  ancient  to  the  modern,  and  from  the 
rugged  masonry  of  past  centuries  to  the  up-to-date  and  excellent 
Barker’s  Hotel  for  a  handshake  with  its  genial  host  and  diligent 
Secretary  of  the  first  great  provincial  horticultural  exhibition  of 
the  year — Mr.  Charles  Simmons.  Then  do  we  find  in  St.  Saviour- 
gate  (all  the  streets  in  York  seem  to  be  “gates”)  what  it  is  always 
pleasant  to  see— a  once  son  of  toil  enjoying  his  “  resting  tour  ”  of 
life,  surrounded  by  ail  the  luxuries  he  can  wish  for,  the  result  of 
diligence  in  business  and  honourable  work.  Hard  as  many  find  it 
to  live  in  this  old  land  of  ours,  and  many  as  are  the  complaints  of 
its  decadence  and  waning  trade,  a  venture  may  be  made  in  suggest¬ 
ing  that  during  no  past  period  of  its  long  history  have  so  many  of 
its  workers  by  their  industry  and  prudence  “  risen  from  the  ranks  ” 
into  positions  with  which  they  are  satisfied,  and  in  which  they  are 
respected,  a#  in  these  io-called  degenerate  days. 
If  the  trade  were  gone  and  wage-earners  could  nothing  win, 
whence  come  the  crowded  trains,  racing  each  other  as  fast  as  the 
lines  can  be  cleared  with  their  packed  cargoes  of  humanity,  mostly 
on  pleasure  bent?  Railways  are  rich,  and  every  year  growing 
richer  ;  they  also  add  to  the  wealth  of  thousands,  but,  perhaps, 
make  the  millions  poorer.  Still,  these  millions  obtain  the  money 
before  they  spend  it,  and  too  many,  it  is  feared,  make  themselves 
poor  by  spending  beyond  their  means  in  some  kind  of  luxuries, 
and  then  find  relief  in  casting  the  blame  on  the  “count  y  .  ’  It  is 
convenient,  and  fortunately  the  country  is  strong  tn  ugh  to  bear 
it.  Work  diligently,  but  especially  spend  prudtnJy,  is  a  lesson 
