December -23,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
609 
for  some  years.  When  the  late  gardener  (]Mr.  G.  Gray)  was  forming  the 
framework  for  his  new  beds  in  the  Mushroom  house,  instead  of  making  a 
close  bottom  he  fixed  strips  of  wood  about  4  inches  wide  across,  leaving 
a  small  space  between  each,  and  after  the  bed  was  made  up  and  ready  for 
spawning  pieces  of  spawn  were  inserted  in  these  spaces  as  well  as  in  the 
upper  surface  of  the  bed,  and  he  was  always  able  to  cut  fine  Mushrooms 
from  both  sides.  Mr.  Randall,  the  present  gardener,  is  growing  them  in 
the  same  way,  and  is  well  satisfied  with  the  results.  He  has  also  a  good 
supply  of  Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Chicory,  and  Endive  under  the  beds. 
There  is  a  good  range  of  vineries,  and  in  the  late  house  are  some 
capital  bunches  of  Lady  Downe’s.  In  the  others  are  wintered  large  and 
tender  plants  required  for  vases  and  pedestals  in  the  flower  garden,  such 
as  Coprosmas  and  Heliotropes.  A  large  stove  recently  built  by  Messrs. 
Foster  &  Pearson  is  well  heated  and  ventilated,  and  is  now  furnished  with 
foliage  and  flowering  plants.  The  wide  centre  bed  is  filled  with  specimen 
and  decorative  plants,  while  on  the  sides  are  some  well-grown  Orchids, 
among  which  is  a  large  specimen  of  Epidendrum  ciliare,  a  common  species, 
but  one  not  to  be  despised  in  December.  We  also  observed  (  alanthes, 
Cattleya  labiata,  C.  Bowringiana,  Vanda  coerulea,  and  Cypripediums  in 
variety.  Palms,  Ferns,  Crotons,  Dracaenas,  and  Alocasia  Sanderiana  also 
occupy  the  side.s.  Two  large  Ficus  elastica  albo-variegata  are  in  the 
corners,  and  the  roof  is  well  furnished  with  creepers  of  light  and  graceful 
habit.  Stigmaphyllon  ciliatum  covers  a  good  space,  and  very  pretty  it  is 
with  yellow  Orchid-like  blooms,  while  Gloriosa  superlm,  Aristolochias, 
Smilax,  and  Asparagus  plumosa  all  find  a  place. 
In  a  smaller  and  cooler  house  is  a  fine  piece  of  Oncidium  incurvum, 
with  eleven  strong  branching  spikes,  the  light  sprays  of  which  are  so 
useful  in  making  up.^buttonholes.  The  yellow  Oncidium  varicosum  stands 
•in  contrast  to  the  scarlet  Sophronites  grandiflora  and  Masdevallia  Veitchi; 
there  are  some  well  grown  Miltonia  vexillare,  Masdevallia  tovarensis, 
Cypripedium  insigne,  C.  Leeanum,  Odontoglossum  crispum,  and 
0.  cirrhosum.  There  are  several  low  span-roofed  structures  and  heated 
pits  used  for  forcing  and  growing  plants  for  the  stove  ;  others  are  filled 
with  Primulas,  double  and  single ;  Cyclamen,  Zonal  Pelargoniums, 
Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  Heaths,  and  quantities  of  bulbs.  A  plant  worth 
passing  note  is  the  pretty  trailing  Sibthorpia  europsea  (named  in  compli¬ 
ment  to  the  botanist  and  ancestor  of  the  present  owner  of  that  name). 
Besides  the  type  are  two  other  varieties,  aurea  and  variegata,  which  are 
in  pots  suspended  from  the  roof,  and  the  numerous  slender  stems  with 
miniature  foliage  almost  hide  the  pots.  The  large  show  house  has  been 
gay  for  some  time  past  with  Chrysanthemums,  Pelargoniums,  Cinerarias, 
Bouvardias,  Deutsche  Perle  Azalea,  Begonias,  including  the  useful  winter 
flowering  Gloire  de  Lorraine.  On  the  roof  facing  the  east  Lapageria 
alba  and  rosea  have  been  and  still  are  flowering  profusely.  On  the  latter 
were  bunches  of  as  many  as  eight  flowers  on  4  inches  of  wood.  Fuchsias 
also  are  trained  up,  having  stems  like  Vine  canes,  and  producing  an 
enormous  number  of  flowers.— G.  W.^CuMMlNS. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
A  Bothy  Yuletide. 
Eveeyone  of  us  who  can  read  has,  by  the  aid  of  the  printing  press, 
been  able  in  imagination  to  spend  Christmas  in  picnic  fashion  under  the 
blue  Gum  Trees  of  Australia  and  the  Tree  Ferns  of  New  Zealand.  We 
have  been  present  in  spirit  at  the  Yuletide  gatherings  of  Arctic  explorers, 
and  have  shared  Christmas  cheer  with  the  squatter  in  his  log  cabin  out 
West.  We  know  how  the  festive  season  is  spent  aboard  ship,  and  how 
the  mind  of  the  soldier  wanders  homeward  when  it  is  his  lot  to  watch  by 
the  lonely  bivouac  fire  on  C  hristmas  Eve.  We  know  something  of  how 
the  time  is  spent  under  all  these  circumstances,  but  to  come  closer  home 
gardeners  have  the  best  recollections  of  Christmases  in  that  best  of  all 
training  schools  for  the  craft — the  bothy.  Therefore,  I  dispel  all  things 
practical  for  the  present,  and  ask  my  readers,  young  and  old,  to  gather 
round  the  bothy  fire  with  those  who,  since  the  Christmas  of  which  I 
write,  have  scattered  in  various  directions,  several  of  them  now  holding 
good  positions  as  head  gardeners. 
To  begin  with,  there  was  nothing  new  or  original  about  our  bothy.  It 
was,  like  the  garden  itself,  quaint  and  old  fashioned,  with  all  rooms  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  casements  glazed  with  tiny  diamond-shaped  squares  of 
glass,  artistic,  but  not  admitting  a  flood  of  light.  Round  the  low  windows 
rambled  an  old  Wistaria,  which  formed  such  a  bower  over  the  door  that  it 
was  a  little  difficult  to  tell  exactly  where  the  entrance  really  was.  The 
interior  varied  little  from  that  of  other  bothies,  with  its  long  dining 
table,  its  array  of  working  coats  hung  along  the  wall,  and  its  large  open 
fireplace.  Ah  !  that  fireplace.  How  many  a  youngster,  including  the 
writer,  has  sat  and  gazed  into  its  embers  with  heavy  heart  on  his  first 
evening  of  bothy  life,  full  of  the  remembrances  of  the  home  circle,  left  for 
the  first  time,  and  downhearted  at  the  prospects  before  him.  The  few 
years  of  probationship  over,  last  evenings  have  also  been  spent  around  the 
fire,  but  with  different  thoughts.  A  few  happy  careless  years  of  youth, 
spent  mostly  under  the  roof,  made  it  a  home  full  of  pleasant  associations 
which  made  the  parting  sore.  All  grievances  were  forgotten  on  the  last 
night  of  residence,  and  the  old  bothy  was  dear,  the  fire  a  friend,  soon  to 
be  parted  with  by  the  young  gardener  about  to  continue  his  course  of 
training  in  a  new  domain. 
Behind  the  cupboard  door  which  contained  our  stock  of  culinary 
utensils  was  a  long  list  of  names,  with  dates  affixed,  telling  of  the 
coming  and  going  of  those  who  had  been  residents  of  the  bothy.  There 
was  no  rule  about  the  keeping  of  this  primitive  register,  yet  each  new¬ 
comer  duly  affixed  his  signature  and  the  date  of  his  advent,  and  added 
the  day  of  the  month  prior  to  his  departure.  No  mischievous  youth 
dared  to  erase  or  tamper  with  a  signature,  and  everyone  had  a  kind  of 
respect  for  those  heading  the  list.  I  wonder  if  they  have  forgotten  the 
column  on  the  back  of  the  cupboard  door— those  who  are  now  on  the 
downward  grade. 
It  would  be  interesting  also  to  know  what  has  become  of  all  those 
whose  names  are  still  there,  though  some  of  them  faint.  Several,  to  my 
knowledge,  have  passed  over  to  the  great  majority,  others  sought  their 
fortunes  in  Australia  and  America,  and  one  or  two  who  never  had  much 
love  for  gardening  drifted  into  the  army,  and  one  I  know  fell  a  victim  to 
a  savage  s  spear  in  South  Africa.  Others  still  followed  their  calling  till 
they  attained  good  positions,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  look  back  on  the  days 
spent  in  the  old  bothy  of  which  I  write  as  being  amongst  the  most  happy 
of  their  career.  Some  years  have  passed  since  this  hand  wrote  the 
bottom  signature,  and  doubtless  by  now  many  others  are  below  it  if  the 
custom  is  sill  continued. 
But  how  was  Christmas  spent  ?  Who  would  be  on  duty  ?  was  the 
question  asked  weeks  beforehand,  and  the  two  luckless  individuals  whose 
turn  it  happened  to  be  were  open  to  some  little  banter  ;  and  should,  in  the 
weeks  that  intervened,  any  unforeseen  accident  happen  which  altered  the 
order  of  events,  the  one  bringing  about  the  change  was  subject  to  some 
scathing  remarks.  On  the  whole,  however,  the  unfortunate  ones  met 
their  fate  cheerfully,  and  though  Christmas  was  to  be  spent  at  work, 
made  the  best  of  it.  At  the  Yuletide  of  which  I  speak  the  writer  was  on 
duty — the  first  ever  spent  from  home — and  recollects  some  feelings  of 
depression  on  seeing  portmanteaux  packed  ready  for  the  holiday. 
There  were  ten  in  all,  and  four  had  gone  home.  Lucky  four,  said  the 
six  that  remained,  and  those  who  were  free  wished  that  home  was  nearer. 
Amongst  the  latter  was  the  youngest  hand  ;  an  apprentice  boy  having  his 
first  Christmas  experience  in  a  bothy.  Poor  lad  !  he  shed  a  few  tears, 
but  we  cheered  him  up,  and  he  grew  brighter  when  someone  informed 
him  that  there  was  a  hamper  for  him.  It  was  quite  a  mother’s  hamper, 
full  of  thought  for  the  tastes  of  her  truant  boy.  A  plum  pudding,  cake, 
mince  pie,  and  such-like  simple  dainties  to  make  his  Christmas  cheerful. 
She  would  like  him  to  come  home,  but  was  a  widow,  and  it  could  not  be 
managed.  Her  husband  had  died  and  left  her  with  a  family  ;o  provide 
for,  and  through  friendly  influence  her  eldest  boy  was  given  a  start  in  our 
bothy — a  start  he  has  taken  advantage  of  and  continued,  as  he  has  now 
reached  the  foreman  s  stave  on  the  ladder  of  his  career. 
Another’s  home  was  among  the  hills  o’  Scotland,  so  for  him  a  visit 
was  out  of  the  question,  though  doubtless  he  was  not  forgotten  by  those 
gathered  round  the  log  fire  somewhere  away  in  the  Hie’lands.  A  third 
was  worse  off,  as  he  had  no  home  except  the  bothy,  and  the  fact  seemed 
to  strike  him  with  the  greatest  force  at  such  times  as  these.  But  young 
men  are  not  sentimental  long,  and  low  spirits  soon  departed  as  we 
gathered  round  the  bothy  fire  on  Christmas  Eve,  determined,  as  Mark 
1  apley  would  put  it,  to  be  jolly. 
The  old  place  looked  gay  in  its  Christmas  garb  of  suitable  decoration, 
for  in  cutting  the  material  for  other  purposes  the  hest-berried  sprigs  of 
Holly  had  been  carefully  put  aside  for  the  bothy,  and  a  journey  had  been 
made  to  the  top  of  the  tallest  Blenheim  Orange  tree  in  the  orchard  for  a 
bunch  of  Mistletoe.  There  is  always  something  about  the  Christmas 
season  that  makes  it  quite  distinct  from  any  other,  and,  no  matter  what 
the  circumstances,  spirits  usually  rise  to  the  occasion.  So  it  was  with  us 
on  Christmas  Eve,  gathered  round  the  bothy  fire  telling  stories  of  other 
Yuletides  and  how  they  were  spent,  and  making  the  old  place  ring  again 
with  songs  of  the  season,  accompanied  by  that  favoured  instrument  of 
the  bothy,  the  concertina. 
There  was  work  for  the  duty  men  of  course,  and  when  the  time 
came  for  banking  up  the  fires  everyone  accompanied  them  on  their 
rounds,  and  the  sound  of  Christmas  carols  mingled  strangely  with  the 
rattle  of  the  shovel.  Sounds  of  music  and  singing  broke  on  the  clear 
frosty  air  in  various  directions,  telling  of  “  waits  ”  abroad.  The  work 
completed,  quick  march  was  made  to  the  gardener’s  house,  near  which  six 
pairs  of  stout  lungs  gave  vent  to  “  While  shepherds  watch,”  Later  on 
six  healthy  appetites  were  appeased  by  the  head  gardener’s  Christmas 
cheer,  while  his  better  half,  a  kind  soul  who  had  sons  of  her  own,  and 
took  a  motherly  interest  in  the  young  men,  made  her  guests  happy.  It 
is  this  friendly  relationship  between  head  gardeners  and  those  under  them 
that  brings  out  the  best  qualities  of  the  young  men,  and  adds  to  the  benefit 
of  both. 
The  next  day  six  men  formed  a  mutual  co-operative  society  for 
preparing  a  Christmas  dinner,  and  at  length  succeeded.  Their  errors  of 
commission  and  omission  were  many.  'The  different  ingredients  were 
ready  at  different  times  ;  but  the  event  lasted  the  longer,  and  did  not 
appear  to  be  the, less  enjoyed.  May  all  young  men  make  themselves  equally 
contented  in  the  bothy  this  Christmastide  is  the  wish  of  one  still  young, 
though  an— Ex-Joueneyj[AN. 
The  Reseeve  Gaeden. 
Ix  all  gardens,  whether  large  or  small,  there  should  be  a  portion  of 
ground  set  apart  for  the  accommodation  of  plants  after  they  have  served 
their  purpose  in  the  flower  beds  or  shrubbery.  Many  which,  owing  to  the 
shortness  of  their  flowering  season  or  other  causes,  are  not  suitable  for  a 
permanency  in  the  flower  garden,  may  be  transplanted  here.  Amongst 
these  may  be  classed  Auriculas,  Polyanthus,  Primroses,  and  Violets.  Most 
of  these  are  propagated  by  division  of  the  root,  and  when  they  are  transferred 
back  to  their  quarters  in  the  reserve  garden  will  be  the  best  time  for 
dividing  them,  and  thus  increase  the  stock.  During  the  summer  months 
Wallflowers,  Sweet  Williams,  Campanulas,  and  other  plants  of  that 
