February  27,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
193 
craft  near  or  distant,  and  looks  into  the  flower  garden  during  the 
months  of  August  or  September.  Tliese  months  are  named 
because  until  then  the  perfection  of  the  picture  is  not  complete. 
Nor  do  the  elaborate  and  intricate  designs  of  the  carpet  bed 
send  one  away  with  note-book  and  mind  so  well  stocked  as  simple 
arrangements  of  old-fashioned,  homely,  or  familiar  flowers.  Just 
such  a  journey  brought  me  suddenly  on  some  mixed  beds  of  Ver¬ 
bena^  last  autumn,  and  though  the  note-book  shows  no  entry, 
the  impress  on  the  mind  has  not  “  rubbed  off  ”  with  the  many 
passing  events  that  have  happened  since. 
The  instance  in  question,  too,  was  in  itself  a  revival  of  the 
past  and  an  outcome  of  a  I'equest  from  an  appi'eciative  owner. 
The  probability  is  that  many  visitors  to  this  same  garden  will  be 
found  to  have  added  to  their  seed  list  a  packet  or  two  of  Ver¬ 
benas,  being  careful  that  the  source  of  supply  is  one  above  sus- 
now  than  then,  and  these  are  constantly  being  increased  or 
altered.  It  is  not  possible  to  discuss  principles  in  the  present 
note,  but  it  may  be  taken  as  a  loading  rule  that  all  the  main 
walks  should  be  amply  broad  enough  for  three  people  to  walk 
easily  abreast,  and  front  walks,  such  as  the  one  shown,  should 
be  8ft  in  breadth.  Breadth  is  regulated  also  by  the  height  of  the 
house ;  but  solidity  and  dignity  is  imparted  in  many  cases  to 
houses  of  no  great  height  by  broad,  straight  walks.  Ornamental 
basins  or  vases  relieve  the  frequent  baldness  of  front  walks,  and 
lines  of  finished  masonry  may  run  between  these  basins  or  vases 
to  the  ground-line  of  the  house,  being  only  apparent  with  the 
surface  of  the  enswathing  grass.  Where  no  terrace  is  necessary 
or  desired,  and  where,  also,  the  continuity  of  the  lawn  right  up 
to  the  walls  of  the  dw'elling  is  demanded,  the  broad  fore-walk, 
with  its  accompanying  features,  can  be  successfully  adopted. 
A  Formal 
Front. 
picion.  Being  easily  propagated  by  cuttings  in  the  spring,  it  is 
possible  to  double  or  treble  the  number  of  actual  seedlings  by 
bedding  time,  which  will  be  heljiful  in  making  the  plantation 
stronger  and  the  effect  more  highly  appreciated.  Though  useful 
for  mixed  borders,  particularly  when  raised  from  seeds,  the 
value  of  the  Verbena  is  found  when  massed  in  beds  alone.  Ribbon 
lines  of  Verbenas  to  colour  are  effective  alone,  or  associated 
with  other  plants  of  summer. — W.  S. 
Garden  Design:  a  Formal  Front. 
The  formal  front  to  which  we  refer  will  be  seen  illustrated  on 
this  page.  Success  in  effective  garden  design  depends  on  the 
proper  application  of  certain  principles  in  the  formation  of  those 
features  which  jointly  compose  the  garden.  Now,  even  with 
walks,  one  has  to  conform  to  laws  that  regulate  such  points  as 
breadth  proportionate  with  length  or  breadth  as  influenced  by 
position.  The  characteristics  of  a  walk  are  also  modified  very 
materially  by  the  presence  or  absence  of  various  features.  Your 
woodland  path  may  properly  be  narrow  and  circuitous ;  so  may 
the  paths  in  the  greater  area  of  pleasure  grounds  :  but  where  a 
path  is  designed  in  juxtaposition  with  the  front  of  the  mansion 
it  ought,  almost  without  exception,  to  be  severely  formal — 
straight,  and  supported  by  such  architectonic  bearings  as  our 
illustration  shows.  This,  and  cognate  subjects  bearing  on  garden 
design,  received  considerably  greater  attention  one  hundred  years 
ago  than  they  do  to-day  ;  yet  there  are  a  vaster  number  of  gardens 
A  Nu.'sery  School  of  Botany. 
An  innovation  that  is  not  only  unique  and  quite  original,  but 
useful  as  well,  has  recently  been  made  by  Thomas  Meehan  and 
Sons,  the  nurserymen  and  landscape  engineers,  of  German¬ 
town,  Philadelphia,  U.S.A.  This  concern  has  established  for 
its  employes  a  School  of  Botany  vith  a  systematic  course  of 
study,  and  it  has  already  met  with  great  tSKcouragement.  This 
school  is  under  the  direct  personal  care  of  Mr.  S.  Mendelson 
Meehan,  a  member  of  the  firm,  and  Mr.  Ernest  Hemming,  a  Keiv 
graduate,  who  is  a  specialist  in  herbaceous  iilants  and  in  charge 
of  that  department  for  the  firm.  The  former  teaches  the  advanced 
members  of  the  class  and  the  latter  instructs  the  younger 
element.  Both  express  themselves  as  beincr  well  pleased  with 
the  progress  of  their  pupils.  Every  employe  is  eligible,  and  it 
is  surprising  and  encouraging  to  see  what  interest  all  the 
members  of  the  class  take  and  Avliat  progress  they  make.  Nothing 
could  better  show  the  advancement  of  the  nursei-y  business  in 
this  country ;  it  is  working  ever  upward.  The  value  of  th» 
trained  man  is  becoming  everj"  day  more  appreciated.  Thi* 
departure  indicates  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  employer  t# 
educate  the  employe,  raising  the  man’s  standard,  and  thug 
making  him  wortli  more  in  every  way.  For  the  nursery  worker 
the  benefits  to  be  gained  by  studying  botany  can  be  readily  seen. 
The  advantage  such  a  class  has  to  make  the  most  of  its  studies 
on  a  large  and  complete  nursery  may  be  well  appreciated.  The 
meetings  are  held  in  the  evenings,  and  the  course  has  been  so 
arranged  as  to  make  it  interesting,  and  to  eliminate  as  far  as 
possible  tlie  natural  dryness  of  the  study. — (“  American  Florist.”) 
