SUPPLKMEST  TO 
March  9,  1899.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  197 
places  in  the  gardening  world  sufficient  outlines  to  form  not  only  an 
ideal  picture  but  a  possible  one.  Wandering  last  summer  through  the 
unkept  portions  of  an  old  domain,  and  following  the  course  of  a 
streamlet  to  where  it  tumbled  into  a  Bracken-fringed  pool,  it  came  as 
a  surprise  to  find  some  dozen  pure  white  spathes  of  the  common  Calla 
springing  through  the  handsome  foliage  in  their  water  bed.  Thus 
tieated  the  Calla  is  a  unique  plant  for  the  position,  but  rarely  seen. 
Hardiest  of  the  hardy,  which  does  not  seem  to  be  generally  known, 
or  one  might  wonder  that  its  claims  are  not  oftener  recognised.  A 
mile  away,  in  the  same  demesne,  a  miniature  lake  where  once  that 
yellow-buttoned  vagabond  Nuphar  lutea  reigned  supreme,  its 
aristocratic  cousins,  Mons.  Marliac’s  beautiful  hybrids,  worthily  hold  the 
position;  and,  judging  by  fine  specimens  of  N.  chromatella  and 
N.  rosea,  appear  to  be  well  able  to  hold  their  own.  It  is  needless 
to  compare  the  happy  surroundings  of  these  lovely  Lilies  with  those 
of  the  tank,  tub,  or  formal  fountain  to  which  they  are  too  often 
relegated,  yet  scarcely  superfluous  to  point  out  some  of  the  bye-ways 
into  the  kingdom  of  picturesque  gardening,  by  most  of  which  admission 
is  practically  fne. 
Taking  an  annual  peep,  in  late  summer,  into  an  old  fashioned 
garden,  where  all  is  not  only  done  decently  and  in  order,  but  well  done, 
it  is  astonishing  to  see  how  the  Torch  Lilies,  Tritoma  Uvaria  grandi- 
flora,  have  usurped  space  in  the  herbaceous  borders  to  the  detriment 
of  lesser  things.  If  wishes  had  wings,  fain  would  one  fly  with  them 
to  the  bare  banks  of  a  fairly  extensive  lake  near  at  hand,  which,  to 
me,  seem  always  hungering  for  their  company.  As  the  shuttle  of 
thought  flies  through  the  loom  of  memory  comes  back  a  feature  of  one 
particular  place  where  a  pretty  pond  in  the  foreground  of  the  shrub- 
i)i  ries  was  adorned  on  the  one  side  by  a  bold  grouping  of  Tritomas. 
The  glow  of  the  torches,  in  their  season,  duplicated  by  reflection  in 
the  water,  left  no  question  as  to  suitability  of  position.  It  was 
veritably  the  plant  for  the  place,  and  the  pdace  for  the  plant.  Yet 
impressions  of  failures  are  second  only  in  value  to  those  of  success, 
and  possibly  more  educational.  Probably  the  above  happy  results 
Avere  accidental,  for  on  the  opposite  bank  the  same  planter  had 
dotted  a  number  of  Arundo  conspicua,  like  “Daisies  all  of  a  row.” 
It  had  been  done  designedly,  doubtless,  and  so  had  the  Tritoma 
planting,  but  here  no  design  was  apparent. 
Work  without  design  must  perforce  bring  many  unfortunate 
illustrations  into  a  chapter  of  accidents,  and  the  best  book  of 
design  of  which  I  know  is  that  whose  impressions  are  deiply 
graved  by  a  life’s  observation.  It  teaches  one  to  know  his  pre¬ 
rogatives,  feel  his  power,  and  admit  his  re.^ponsibility  as  a  subject 
under  the  imperial  dominie u  of  Nature  in  the  kingdom  of 
picturesque  gardening.  Knowing,  feeling,  and  admitting  such,  he 
will  rarely  err  or  fall  short  in  the  labours  of  love.  Every  vantage 
point,  from  the  top  ct  a  ctumbling  wall  to  the  depths  of  a  dell  or 
dingle,  is  suggestive.  One  looks  at  a  bare,  unlovely,  loose-topped 
wall,  and  feels  ashamed  of  its  nakedness.  Heigh,  presto  !  and  over 
many  years  and  many  miles  memory  brings  back  such  another, 
but  partly  clad  in  a  thick  glowing  coat  of  Erinus  alpinus.  Of 
such  is  the  beauty  of  fitness  of  thing  to  a  purpose  ;  the  same  plant 
in  bed  or  border  being  insignificant  in  its  humility. 
jMeek  Alpines,  bold  Gunneras,  featheiy  Arundos,  quaint  Irises, 
Sumachs,  and  such  plants  as  crown  the  dying  year  with  a  glory 
of  crimson  and  gold,  each  seem  to  adapt  themselves  to  certain 
positions,  which  not  only  enhance  their  beauty,  but  is  duly 
reciprocated  in  their  surroundings.  A  host  of  tangling,  twining, 
trailing  plants,  ever  trying  to  escape  from  the  bondage  of  tie  and 
trellis,  on  the  one  hand  ;  gnarled  and  naked  tree  stumps,  crannied 
cliffs,  old  bridges  (aud  new  ones)  on  the  other ;  all  waiting  for 
the  ministering  hand  to  bring  them  ii.to  happy  union.  Infinite 
variety,  endless  interest,  surpassing  beauty,  all  such  good  things 
are  provided  for  those  who  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  picturesque 
gardening,  where  shears  and  primness  cease  Irom  troubling,  and 
weary  gardeners  are  at  rest. —  E.  Knowldin. 
OAMELLIAS. 
I  READ  recently  in  one  of  the  horticultural  publications  the  follow¬ 
ing  words  : — “Mr.  Wm.  Paul  does  not  share  the  general  impression 
that  this  fine  old  plant  is  as  dead  as  Queen  Anne  (commercially),  or 
he  Avould  not  continue  to  devote  so  much  space  and  attention  to  it.” 
No,  my  friend,  no  ;  I  do  not  share  that  impression.  The  Camellia  is 
not  even  “commercially”  dead,  but  living  and  influencing  (if  in  a 
small  and  select  circle)  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  life,  waiting  until  the 
foolish  fantasies  of  fashion  shall  be  corrected,  and  transformed^ by  taste 
and  reason.  If  flower  hawkers  and  fashion  seekers  look  upon  it  with 
disdain,  there  are  those  still  living  who  love  and  cherish  it.  I  have 
faith  in  the  past,  present,  and  future  of  these  lovely  evergreen  shrubs 
or  trees,  for  trees  they  will  grow  into  if  given  the  necessary  space  for 
j  tree  development.  It  is  true  that  there  are  fashions  in  gardening  a»  ■ 
I  well  as  in  other  things,  and  it  is  well  that  it  is  so,  for  as  a  sequence 
I  many  bright  and  beautiful  things  are  brought,  within  our  view.  But 
I  few  of  us  follow  all  fashions,  and  I  certainly  should  not  think  of  follow¬ 
ing  a  fashion  which  ignored  the  most  beautiful  of  all  our  easilv 
j  cultivated  flowering  evergreens. 
Then  as  to  change.  The  mind  of  man  is  so  constituted  as  to 
delight  in  change.  Even  in  this  dull  climate  of  ours,  after  much 
sunshine  we  delight  in  shade,  after  a  long  spell  of  dry  weather  we 
delight  in  rain.  But  the  change  should  either  bring  joy  to  our 
senses  by  the  uprising  of  equal  or  superior  beauty,  or  comfort  to  our 
hearts  by  the  reflection  that  it  is  a  ble.ssing  in  disguise.  With  their 
permission  I  would  ask  my  fashionable  friends  whether  all  the  fashion¬ 
able  flowers  Avhich  have  supplanted  the  Camellia  in  recent  times 
surpass  or  equal  it  in  beauty  or  usefulness.  From  November  to 
March,  all  through  the  winter  months,  one  has  from  these  almost 
hardy  evergreens  matchless  foliage  and  a  succession  of  floAvers  of 
almost  unsurpassable  beauty. 
It  has  been  said  that  the  Camellia  is  difficult  to  cultivate.  In  my 
opinion,  however,  it  is  as  easy  to  grow  as  a  Laurel,  a  Laurustinus,  or 
a  iSweet  Bay.  But  it  is  not  hardy  and  should  not  be  grown  out  of 
doors  except  in  the  south  or  west  of  England,  or  elsewhere  against 
walls  at  the  seaside,  or  in  other  favourable  conditions  of  soil  and 
climate.  Few  Journal  readers  can  reipure  instruction  from  mo  on 
cultivation,  but  to  those  few  I  may  say,  Grow  Camellias  in  turfy  loam 
or  turfy  peat  and  old  cow  manure,  with  sand  if  the  loam  be  of  close 
texture.  Prepare  the  soil  well  in  advance.  In  potting  press  the  soil 
very  firmly  round  the  roots,  but  do  not  hammer  it  down  into  an 
impenetrable  mass.  The  plants  should  be  freely  Avatered  when 
floAvering,  and  even  more  when  growing,  Avith  very  careful  and  mode¬ 
rate  supplies  at  other  times.  Drainage  should  be  perfect.  A  low 
temperature,  but  over  32°,  is  desirable  in  every  month  excepting  April, 
May,  and  June,  when  50°  to  60°  by  night,  and  60°  to  75°  by  day, 
Avith  shade  during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  are  most  suitable. 
Fig.  49. — Mr.  William  Paul. 
Syringe  freely  when  in  active  growth.  Prune  fearlessly  in  autumn  if 
the  plants  become  mis-shapen,  but  do  not  cut  back  if  you  can  help  it 
into  older  than  one  or  tAvo  seasons’  previous  groAvths.  Never  mind 
i  sacrificing  a  few  flower  buds  when  pruning.  At  the  end  of  June 
remove  the  plants  to  a  north  border  Avhere  they  ;'et  onlv  the  early 
moining  sun,  and  let  them  remain  there  during  July,  .August,  and 
September.  Beconvey  under  glass  at  the  end  of  Sert''nd'er,  merely 
excluding  the  frost  unless  early  flowers  are  Avanted,  wlien  more  or  less 
beat  maybe  employed.— Wm.  Paul,  Royal  Nurseries,  Waltham  Cross, 
JJerts. 
