140 
JOrimAL  OP  ffORTIGULTURB  AND  COTTAGP  GARDPKPR. 
Au^iit  l2,  189?. 
conveniences  above  described  are  not  at  command  horse  or  hand 
watercarts  must  be  brought  into  use,  if  fine  fruit  is  expected, 
entailing  many  hours  of  laborious  work.  Mauy  gardeners  know 
well  that  this  is  one  of  the  most  diflBcult  problems  they  have  to 
deal  with,  yet  they  are  obl'ged  to  struggle  on  attempting  to  produce 
good  results  under  adverse  circumstances,  when  a  comparatively 
small  outlay  would  soon  repay  the  first  cost. 
In  commerce  this  water  question  is  one  which  receives  just 
attention  ;  in  private  gardens  it  is  too  often  neglected  altogether 
to  the  great  disadvantage  of  all  concerned,  especially  in  these  days 
of  rigid  economy  when  gardens  are  expected  to  pay  their  way, 
which  they  never  will  do  unless  conducted  on  more  intelligent  lines. 
If  their  owners  would  grasp  and  grapple  with  this  matter  we  should 
in  the  future  see  less  waste  of  force  and  more  satisfactory  returns 
in  gardens  where  the  labour  allowed  is  totally  inadequate.  Let  us 
alt,  however,  bear  in  mind,  and  act  upon  the  stern  fact,  that  at  the 
present  time  wall  trees  carrying  good  crops  must  have  water  in 
abundance  to  produce  good  results. — H.  D. 
• 
HARDY  FLOWER  NOTES. 
Pull  of  changes  is  the  garden  of  hardy  flowers.  These 
come  not  as  quicWy  as  those  of  the  kaleidoscope,  but  are,  as 
it  were,  dissolving  views  melting  imperceptibly  one  into  another. 
From  the  time  when  the  first  Snowdrop  pierces  the  winter-bound 
soil  until  the  last  Aster  shrivels  under  the  bitter  frost-laden  winds 
of  tbe  dying  year  the  pageant  of  beauty  moves  along  before  our 
charmed  eyes.  Ere  the  Snowdrop’s  maidenly  band  has  vanished 
from  sight  the  brave  Crocus  comes  into  view,  and  before  it  again 
has  passed  away  the  Daffodils  and  Tulips  draw  near — a  gallant 
band.  And  so  it  is  as  Summer  dawns,  reigns,  and  yields  her  sway 
to  Autumn’s  golden  rule. 
The  procession  seems  to  come  with  richer  and  brighter  beauty, 
bewildering  in  variety,  clad  in  all  the  colours  from  the  dye-house 
of  Nature’s  laboratory.  These  summer  flowers  come  in  less  formal 
bands  than  those  of  the  earlier  season.  They  are  more  mingled 
with  others,  yet  look  none  the  less  beautiful  because  of  this.  The 
Gypsophila  has  for  its  comrade  the  Orange  Lily  or  the  Phlox,  and 
neither  suffers  from  the  companionship — nay,  rather  each  one 
gains,  the  lightness  and  grace  of  the  Gypsophila  showing  well 
beside  the  stiffer  beauty  of  the  Lily  or  the  rounded  flowers  of  the 
Phlox,  while  they  have  their  colouring  softened  and  made  more 
pleasing  by  the  lace-like  cloud  cast  over  their  glowing  petals. 
The  rounded  heads  of  some  of  the  Alliums  emerge  from  among 
their  escort  of  Pinks  ;  Sidalceas,  with  delicate  white  rr  pinkish 
flowers,  have  their  modest  colouring  made  more  pleasing  by  associa¬ 
tion  with  some  deep  crimson  Poppies.  The  bright  red  or  soft  pink 
blooms  of  the  Everlasting  Peas  climb  up  the  trellis  on  the  outhouse 
wall  none  the  less  happily  because  beside  them  are  the  bright 
orange-yellow  flowers  of  that  beautiful  flower,  the  Eccremocarpus. 
And  all  this  beauty,  this  pageantry,  this  gay  colouring,  soft  grace, 
or  elegance  of  form  stand  within  the  reach  of  almost  all  possessing  a 
garden. 
Those  of  us  who  care  for  rare  flowers  may  indulge  ourselves  by 
acquiring  plants,  part  of  whose  interest  consists  in  their  exceeding 
scarcity  or  in  whose  cultivation  difficulties  arise.  Those  who,  from 
necessity  or  choice,  prefer  cheaper  flowers  or  those  needing  the 
mirlimum  of  care  can  find  among  the  -hardy  flowers  many  which 
are  within  their  reach,  and  still  as  beautiful  as  those  beyond  their 
power.  Among  these  will  come  the  Madonna  Lily,  worthily  so 
called,  the  flower  of  grace  and  purity,  the  flower  with  which  is 
inseparably  connected  legends  and  traditions  which  make  it  doubly 
dear. 
Even  were  it  not  so,  and  its  only  attraction  its  own  intrinsic 
beauty,  Lilium  candidum  would  e^er  find  its  way  into  the  affections 
of  the  lover  of  flowers,  and  occupy  one  of  the  best  niches  in  his 
temple  of  beauty.  It  is  not  amiss  to  speak  of  it  now  when  its 
pure  flowers  have  just  passed  away,  and  it  is  time  for  those  who 
have  it  not  to  think  of  procuring  this  Virgin  Lily.  August  is, 
perhaps,  the  best  time  for  planting,  and  no  one  should  delay  much 
longer  in  obtaining  the  bulb*.  The  question  of  where  to  plant  is 
inseparably  connected  wi;h  that  of  the  blight  or  disease  which  at 
times  reduces  to  despair  the  hope  of  the  gardener. 
It  would,  perhaps,  be  rash  to  say  that  any  precaution  in  this 
way  would  give  immunity  from  an  ailment  so  disappointing.  That 
is  too  much  to  hope,  as  in  some  seasons  there  are  gardens  in  which 
it  appears  to  be  impossible  to  ward  it  off.  It  is  not,  however,  an 
impracticable  thing  to  reduce  to  some  extent  the  recurrence  of  the 
diiliguring  blight  which  prevents  the  blooms  from  opening,  and 
•  makes  tbe  beautiful  Lily  no  longer  a  thing  of  joy.  The  facile  pen 
•of  “D.,  Deal,"  has  on  page  71  dealt  in  a  very  useful  way  with  the 
question  of  where  to  plant,  and  one  is  pleased  to  find  it  possible 
to  be  in  full  agreement  with  a  writer  of  such  long  experience. 
This  is  all  the  more  agreeable,  because  the  frequent  advice  to  plant 
in  deep,  heavy  loam  is  not  always  satisfactory.  One  is  not  disposed 
to  be  dogmatical  on  the  question — so  varied  are  the  peculiarities  of 
gardens — but  a  sunny  situation  in  light  or  sandy  soil  is  what  I 
should  be  disposed  to  recommend  also. 
There  are  some  who  advise  planting  in  boggy  ground,  and 
others  who  are  in  favour  of  keeping  the  crown  of  the  bulb  above 
the  level  of  the  soil.  The  former  I  should  hesitate  to  adopt  for 
permanent  planting,  and  the  latter  is  not  so  satisfactory  if  regular 
and  annual  flowering  is  desired,  as  it  is  sure  to  be.  It  is  better  to 
keep  the  crowns  at  least  2  inches  below  the  surface. 
On  the  question  of  sun  or  shade,  one  may  remark  that  com¬ 
parison  of  plants  in  the  same  district  appears  to  show  positively 
that  plants  under  tbe  partial  shade  of  trees  are  attacked  in  years  in 
which  those  in  full  sun  escape.  Should  the  disease  once  appear 
there  is  little  hope  of  much  pleasure  from  the  flowers  that  year. 
Anti-blight  has,  with  some,  enabled  the  flowers  to  open,  even  if  the 
foliage  had  been  attacked  and  destroyed.  The  absence  of  the  leaves, 
however,  detracts  so  much  from  the  appearance  of  the  plants  that 
were  it  not  that  the  application  may  be  of  advantage  for  another 
season  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  apply  it.  These  remarks  may 
be  of  service  to  some  beginning  the  cultivation  of  this,  the  purest 
and  among  the  noblest  of  all  our  hardy  Lilies. 
Among  tbe  hardiest  of  all  our  tall  garden  flowers  are  many  of 
the  Aconitums  or  Monkshoods.  Their  poisonous  nature  causes 
them  to  be  shunned  by  many,  and  instances  are  said  to  be  known 
of  death  having  been  caused  by  the  roots  being  mistaken  for  those 
of  .esculent  plants.  This  is  a  danger,  perhaps,  more  apparent  than 
real ,  and  there  are  other  flowers  less  valuable  for  garden  purposes 
with  equally  dangerous  properties.  The  beauty  of  the  Monkshoods 
is  sufficiently  evident,  and,  if  kept  away  from  the  vegetable  garden 
and  no  pieces  of  root  left  lying  about,  any  mishaps  which  might 
arise  from  their  being  mistaken  for  those  of  the  Horseradish  will 
be  avoided. 
There  are  many  species  and  varieties,  blue,  yellow,  and  white 
being  the  prevailing  colours.  Of  the  many  only  one  can  be  noticed 
at  present.  This  is  A.  variegatum  bicolor,  a  pretty  plant  with 
blue  and  white  flowers,  which  always  looks  well  when  in  good  con¬ 
dition,  and  lasts  long  in  bloom.  The  typical  A.  variegatum  is  said 
to  be  blue,  and  there  is  also  a  white  form,  but  the  one  under  notice 
I  consider  the  brightest  and  most  appreciated.  The  height  to 
which  it  grows  varies  with  the  soil  and  other  conditions,  and  may 
be  stated  generally  as  from  2  to  6  feet.  Large,  well  grown  plants 
are  very  effective  with  their  neat  leaves  and  rather  loose  racemes 
of  pretty  helmet-shaped  flowers.  Like  most  of  the  genus  to  which 
it  belongs,  A.  v.  bicolor  is  not  fastidious  as  to  soil  or  situation, 
and  gives  little  trouble  from  year  to  year.  Another  satisfactory 
plant  is  the  white  variety  of  the  black-rooted  Mullein,  which  has 
the  oaradoxical  name  of  Verbascum  nigrum  album. 
Unlike  many  of  the  Mulleins,  it  is  a  true  perennial  plant,  and 
is,  moreover,  perfectly  hardy  and  easy  to  grow.  Almost  all  who 
see  it  are  pleased  with  its  long  spikes  densely  crowded  with  white 
flowers  and  contrasting  purple  centres.  It  is  n'^t  a  rare  plant, 
although  often  absent  from  gardens,  and  even  from  many  hardy 
plant  nurseries.  V.  n.  album  is  readily  increased  by  division,  and 
increases  at  a  moderately  rapid  rate.  In  light  soil  it  grows  about 
3  feet  high,  or  a  little  more.  The  plants  named  ara  not  such  as 
will  appeal  to  the  owner  of  a  large  collection.  They  are  cheap 
flowers,  easily  grown  as  a  rule,  and  such  as  the  beginner  might  well 
include  in  his  garden. 
We  have  all  been  beginners  once,  and  in  the  days  when  our 
plants  were  few  and  our  knowledge  still  more  scant,  we  welcomed 
anything  which  would  tell  of  such  flowers  as  these.  If  these 
words  bring  some  into  the  ranks  of  hardy  plant  growers,  or  help 
others  on  their  way,  they  have  served  their  purpose  and  fulfilled 
their  aim.  Those  who  wish  to  read  of  less-known  flowers  can 
have  their  innings  again. — S.  Arnott. 
Fruit  and  Health.— -Each  year  people  grow  to  appreciate  more 
fully  the  value  of  fruit,  and  eat  it,  not  as  a  luxury,  but  as  a  staple 
article  of  food.  Fruits  are  nourishing,  refreshing,  appetising,  and 
purifying,  and  consequently  have  effect  upon  the  health.  Yet  there 
are  differences.  Grapes  and  Apples  are  highly  nutritious.  Grapes 
usually  agree  with  the  most  delicate  persons,  for  they  are  so  easily 
digested.  Nothing  is  easier  to  digest  than  a  baked  Apple,  taken  either 
with  or  without  cream.  Oranges,  Lemons,  and  Limes  are  of  great 
value  as  a  means  of  improving  the  complexion,  and  they  are  especially 
good  if  taken  before  breakfast.  Ripe  Peaches  are  easy  of  digestion  and 
are  sustaining.  Nothing  is  better  to  enrich  the  blood  than  Strawberries, 
which  contain  a  larger  percentage  of  iron  than  any  other  fruit.  Fruit 
with  firm  flesh,  like  Apples,  Cherries,  or  Plums,  should  be  thoroughly 
masticated,  otherwise  it  is  difficult  to  digest.  The  skin  of  raw  fruit 
should  never  be  eaten.  Never  swallow  Grape  stones.  Stale  fruit  and 
unripe  fruit  should  never  be  eaten,  and  very  acid  fruit  should  not  be 
taken  with  farinaceous  foods  unless  the  person  has  vigorous  digestion, 
