SUPPLEMENT  TQ 
March  9,  1899.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  187 
It  is  fr.jqueatly  said  that  the  roots  heal  during  a  mild  winter, 
and  are  ready  to  resume  work  in  the  spring.  In  some  soils  this  is 
true,  but  in  heavy  cold  land,  and  with  the  planting  period  followed 
by  a  wet  winter,  exactly  the  reverse  occurs,  and  the  damaged  roots 
often  decay.  The  time  for  healing  wounded  tissue  is  in  the  spring, 
when  the  vitality  of  the  plant  is  re-awakening  as  it  were,  and  it 
is  then  that  damaged  roots,  stems,  or  branches,  if  cut  clean  with 
a  knife,  heal  most  rapidly  and  effectually.  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  to  obtain  the  advantages  claimed  for  autumn  planting  in  the 
respect  mentioned,  the  removal  should  be  done  earlier  than  is  the  rule — 
viz.,  while  the  leaves  are  still  on  the  trees,  and  when  the  weather 
and  soil  conditions  have  been  right  I  have  tried  this  with  good 
results.  Some  judgment  is  needed,  however,  to  avoid  attempting  it 
before  the  wood  and  buds  are  fully  matured.  I  have  proved  beyond 
all  question  that  the  cuttings  of  Gooseberries  and  Currants  inserted 
before  the  leaves  have  fallen,  in  a  situation  where  they  will  not  be 
dried,  heal  and  form  roots  much  more  readily  than  if  put  in  the 
ground  at  the  orthodox  time. 
Having  planted  fruit  trees  at  all  periods,  from  the  early  autumn  to 
the  spring,  partly  as  a  matter  of  business,  and  partly  from  an  experi¬ 
mental  bias,  I  have  satisfied  myself  that,  under  certain  conditions,  and 
with  due  care  in  the  operation,  planting  can  be  as  safely  performed  at 
the  present  time  as  in  October  or  November,  and  sometimes  with  even 
better  after  resnlts.  The  main  point  is  to  have  the  soil  in  good 
condition  and  to  watch  the  trees  closely  in  the  event  of  an  early  start 
into  growth  being  followed  by  a  hot  dry  season,  when  a  moisture¬ 
holding  mulch  over  the  roots,  or  the  judicious  supply  of  water,  will 
prevent  any  serious  results.  It  must  be  remarked  in  this  connection 
that  I  always  cut  the  trees  back  immediately  after  planting,  and  this 
reduces  the  danger  of  early  growth  being  made  before  the  trees  can 
supply  what  is  required  from  the  roots.  The  lower  buds  are  consider¬ 
ably  longer  in  starting,  thus  giving  the  tree  a  better  chance  to  recover. 
— L.  Castle. 
A  REVERIE. 
I  SUPPOSE  that  no  reader  of  the  Journal  will  envy  me  the  distinc¬ 
tion  of  being  one  of  the  oldest  contributors  to  these  pages  ;  such 
distinction  as  it  is,  IMr.  Ilobert  Fenn  and  I  share  it  together.  It  is 
now  near  upon  forty  years  since  I  became  associated  with  it.  and 
of  what  changes  in  men  and  things  those  years  tell  !  JMy  mind  goes 
back  to  the  old  offices  in  Fleet  Street,  where  Mr.  Johnson  and  the 
Doctor  used  to  sit  enthroned.  Then,  what  a  long  line  of  ghosts  march 
past  as  one  thinks  on  John  Standish,  Cnarles  Turner,  Donald  Beaton 
(shrewdest  and  keenest  of  observers),  ani  a  host  of  others,  whose 
facile  pens  used  to  fill  its  pages.  And  then,  what  changes  of 
fashion  in  the  things  we  had  to  do  with.  At  one  time  one  can 
remember  how  the  Verbena,  at  another  the  Show  Pelargonium,  at 
another  the  Hollyhock,  then  the  Fuchsia,  the  tuberous-rooted 
Begonia  held  their  sway  in  our  gardens,  until  they  had  reached  such  a 
degree  of  perfection  that  growers  were  contented  with  the  package  of 
seed,  instead  of  the  collection  of  named  varieties. 
Those  years  have  seen  also  the  introduction  of  new  claimants,  for 
w'hat  was  the  Japanese  Chrysanthemum  and  the  Gladiolus  forty  years 
ago  ?  Those  years  have  witnessed,  too,  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
bedding-out  system  of  gardening,  which  at  one  time  absorbed  all  the 
space,  time,  and  energy  of  those  who  bad  charge  of  private  gardens; 
and  when  they  met,  the  talk  used  to  be  of  how  many  thousands  of 
“Geraniums,”  Verbenas,  and  Calceolarias  they  had  put  out  for  bedding. 
But  here  again  time  has  wrought  its  changes,  and  the  herbaceous 
border,  with  its  more  interesting  occupants,  now  commands  the 
attention  of  the  gardener. 
What  developments  of  the  future  we  may  look  forward  to  we 
cannot  tell,  but  1  hope  and  believe  that  when  the  pens  drop  from  our 
hands,  others  more  vigorous  will  take  them  up;  and  at  any  rate,  it 
may  be  permitted  for  me  to  wish  a  long  course  of  prosperity  to  the 
Journal,  which  I  have  humbly,  but  I  trust  faithfully,  striven  to 
uphold.— H.  IIONYWOOD  D’Ombrain. 
“FOR  GARDENING  AND  GARDENERS.” 
The  use  of  mottoes  is  ancient,  and,  strictly  speaking,  should 
boar  allusion  to  the  achievement.  This  characterises  that  of  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture,  for  “gardening”  means  work  done  in  a 
garden,  and  “gardeners”  imply  the  workers.  A  garden  may  be 
defined  as  a  piece  of  land  of  any  description  or  size,  attached  to  or 
connected  with  a  residence,  and  set  apart,  either  for  the  cultivation  of 
plants  and  flowers,  or  for  the  purpose  of  growing  fruits  and  vegetables. 
The  love  of  a  garden  and  its  products,  in  every  way,  betokens  inborn 
notice  and  appreciation  of  the  beauties  and  utilities  of  Nature.  Flowers, 
and  the  plants  specially  grown  to  produce  them,  have  a  universal 
charm,  presenting  a  means  of  endless  study  and  enjoyment.  Fruits 
.and  vegetables  are  of  the  greatest  national  importance,  as  representing 
•  a  necessary  source  for  supplying  wholesome  food.  _ _ 
The  value  of  a  garden  cannot,  therefore,  he  over-estimated,  as  it 
tends  to  promote  health — the  first  wealth — and  is  also,  by  the  ver\ 
nature  of  its  products,  not  merely  conducive  to  the  well-being,  but 
essential  to  the  existence  of  society.  A  garden,  conse((uently,  of 
some  description,  wherever  practicable,  in  conjunction  with  every 
dwelling  house,  is  one  of  the  prevailing  characteristics  of  civilise  i 
life,  frcim  the  highest  to  the  lowest  class.  The  form  and  extent  of 
the  garden  necessarily  vary  according  to  the  amount  of  availabb: 
space  to  be  enclosed  or  the  requirements  and  taste  of  those  who  have 
to  incur  the  expense  of  preparing  or  maintainiug  it. 
But  of  all  departments  of  gardening  the  fruit  and  kitchen  garden 
is  most  important  on  the  score  of  utility,  and  requiring,  whether 
small  or  large,  the  exercise  of  considerable  skill,  judgment,  and  fore¬ 
thought  to  attain  to  satisfaction  in  crops.  The  higher  branches — 
such  as  the  forcing  of  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables,  cultivation  of 
Orchids  and  other  plants  under  glass — are  included  in  the  term 
gardening — the  art  which  enables  mankind  to  make  the  most  cif 
Nature’s  gifts. 
Gardening  means  not  only  to  increase  but  to  improve  the  produce 
of  the  land.  ’Pherefore  every  gardener — boy  and  girl,  youth  and 
maiden,  man  and  woman — whosoever  attains  to  this  in  greatest 
measure,  not  only  derives  most  interest,  pleasure,  and  profit,  but  docs 
a  real  service  to  the  country.  All  gardeners,  amateur  and  professional, 
learn  from  Nature,  from  patiently  tried  experiments,  from  failure 
as  well  as  from  success,  what  is  the  best  means  of  accomplishing 
i 
Fig.  41. — Mr.  Geo.  Abbey. 
an  object.  No  small  advantage  to  them  is  that  nearly  all  that  can 
be  known,  and  quite  all  that  need  be  known,  can  be  learned  from 
carefully  reading  the  information  transmitted  from  the  older  to  the 
younger  branches  of  the  craft,  and  handed  onwards  with  the  gradual 
but  certain  improvements  of  the  age. 
In  this  work  the  Cottage  Gardener  and  Journal  of  Horticulture 
has  borne  a  full  share  for  half  a  century,  and  still  exists,  “  as  a  giant 
refreshed,”  to  maintain  right  to  its  motto,  and  achieve  in  the  future, 
as  in  the  tnst,  everything  desirable  “  for  gardening  and  girdenrrs  ” — 
G.  Abbey. 
