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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  11,  1902. 
work-a-day  implements  for  gardening  purposes  does  not  yet 
seem  to  have  been  realised  by  head  gardeners  and  nursery¬ 
men.  Gardeners  as  a  body  are  very  conservative,  and  they 
regard  with  suspicion  any  useful  invention  that  is  likely  to 
alter  the  old  order  of  things.  However,  in  these  days  of 
keen  competition  and  rigid  economy  any  useful  invention 
which  will  save  time  and  unnecessary  labour  should  be  given 
a  fair  trial,  and  if  found  satisfactory  it  should  be  at  once 
adopted. 
I  believe  there  are  many  gardeners  and  others  who  have 
an  idea  in  their  minds  for  the  improvement  of  one  thing  or 
another  ;  but  perhaps  owing  to  lack  of  mechanical  knowledge 
they  are  unable  to  bring  it  to  perfection.  To  such  a  one  it 
would  be  surely  advisable  to  consult  an  expert  rather  than 
lose  such  an  opportunity  of  benefiting  not  only  themselves, 
but  all  the  community  at  large.  Indeed,  it  is  these  crude 
ideas  and  chance  suggestions  which  have  been  the  origin  of 
some  of  the  most  wonderful  mechanical  devices  of  modern 
times. 
Perhaps  it  would  not  be  out  of  place  to  suggest  one  or  two 
things  in  use  in  the  garden  which  would  be  all  the  better  if 
some  brilliant  individual  with  brains  would  come  along  and 
exercise  his  talents  with  the  worthy  object  in  view  of  super¬ 
seding  these  relics  of  bygone  days.  Now,  there  can  be 
nothing  more  simple  than  the  humble  but  necessary  flower 
pot.  Nothing,  I  am  sure,  could  be  invented  which  would 
suit  the  requirements  of  a  plant  better  than  those  now  in 
general  use.  It  is,  however,  almost  incredible  that  someone 
has  not  made  one  that  would  practically  be  unbreakable, 
although,  at  the  same  time,  it  would  remain  porous,  and  also 
inexpensive,  so  as  to  be  within  the  reach  of  all.  An  invention 
of  this  description  alone  would  have  a  very  beneficial  effect 
on  the  yearly  garden  bill,  and  consequently  upon  the 
gardener  also. 
The  syringe,  again,  is  a  very  important  article  to  a 
gardener,  and  one  which  is  generally  getting  out  of  order,  as 
the  unfortunate  operator  generally  knows  to  his  cost.  While 
it  is  promising  to  see  several  important  changes  in  these, 
they  are,  however,  still  far  from  perfect.  Indeed,  some  of 
them  are  as  unwieldy  as  the  ones  they  were  intended  to 
supersede. 
It  is  almost  idle  to  mention  individual  objects  which 
would  pass  through  the  hands  of  the  inventive  genius  and 
yet  come  out  scatheless.  There  is  barely  an  implement  which 
would  pass  through  such  an  ordeal.  What  a  chance  for 
young  men  with  brains !  Why  should  we  go  plodding  on, 
content  with  the  hard  work  and  low  wages,  when  there  is 
a  fortune  at  our  very  feet  only  waiting  to  be  picked  up  1 
Many  men  have  a  taste  for  experimenting,  both  scientifically 
and  mechanically  ;  here,  then,  is  a  totally  unexplored  area 
open  to  all  comers,  although  gardeners  perhaps  stand  the 
best  chance,  owing  to  their  practical  knowledge  of  the 
requirements  of  plant  life.  In  the  long  winter  evenings 
which  will  soon  be  with  us,  it  would  be  well  to  ponder  over 
these  suggestions  with  a  view  to  conduct  some  experiments, 
however  small,  having  for  their  object  the  improvement  of  all 
gardening  tools  and  apparatus. — H.  Muncey. 
• - - 
C  - 
Town  Trees.1 
The  Horse  Chestnut  (AEsculus  hippocastanum)  has  fared 
better  this  year  than  the  Limes.  Grand  as  is  the  leafage  and 
beautiful  as  are  the  flowers,  the  trees  (now  early  September) 
far  from  beautify  their  locations  in  smoky  districts  and  building- 
heat-reflected  situations,  for  some  trees  retain  but  a  sere 
remnant  of  summer  clothing.  Even  in  country  towns  there  is 
a  strong  objection  to  be  placed  against  the  common  Horse 
Chestnut,  that  of  its  spiny  capsules  and  large  shining  seeds  on 
footpaths  and  roadways,  involuntary  penancing  pedestrians  in 
autumn,  and  whilst  on  the  trees  stone-throwing  boys  cannot 
resist  the  inducement  of  a  “  sling.”  The  double  flowered  variety 
is  not  open  to  this  drawback ;  but  it  also  has  parted  with  most 
of  its  leaves,  therefore  must  be  placed  in  the  same  category  as 
the  species,  both  very  little  better  for  not  turning  “  seedy  ” 
end  become  leafless  earlier  than  Limes.  Neither  aphides  nor 
red  spider  can  be  saddled  with  the  mischief,  therefore  I  must 
put  it  on  the  thin  texture  of  the  leaves  and  their  indifferent 
resistance  of  drought. 
[*  A  full  notice  and  description  of  the  genus  Tilia,  or  Lime  Trees,  forming 
one  of  the  articles  of  this  series,  was  given  on  July  25,  1901,  page  71. — Ed.] 
The  Chestnuts. 
The  red  or  scarlet-flowered  Horse  Chestnut  (iE.  rubicunda) 
is  in  some  cases  leafless  and  in  other  instances  fast  parting  with 
the  foliage.  This  is  very  regretable,  as  it  produces  very  fine 
terminal  racemes  of  flowers',  and  is  a  very  distinct  and  beautiful 
tree,  and  does  not  attain  so  large  a  size  as  the  common  Horse 
Chestnut,  usually  not  more  than  half,  hence  not  calculated  to 
outgrow  the  space. 
Of  the  Smooth-leaved  Horse  Chestnut  (AS.  glabra),  with  its 
greenish-yellow  flowers  and  very  smooth  leaves  larger  than  in 
the  common  species,  the  evidence  is  meagre,  but  what  there  be 
points  to'  very  little  better  adaptation  for  resisting  the  heat- 
reflected  influence  of  town  atmospheres.  For  country  towns 
this  and  the  scarlet  are  very  fine  in  the  early  part  of  summer ; 
but  the  leaves  will  not  stay  on  the  trees  in  droughty  seasons 
without  littering  after  August,  and  capsules  dropping  on  foot¬ 
ways  are  a  source  of  inconvenience  to  pedestrians. 
The  Elms. 
Passing  to  the  Elms  as  next  least  resistant  of  town  reflected 
heat  and  drought,  the  field-loving  or  so-called  English  Elm 
(Ulmus  campestris)  has  withstood  the  weather  and  its  enemies — 
the  frog,  cuckoo  or  jumper  fly  (Euacanthus  interruptus),  and 
red  spider  (Tetranychus  telarius) — better  than  the  mountain 
loving  Scots  or  Wych  Elm  (17.  mohtana)  for  its  leafage  has  been 
made  whitish,  especially  near  the  midribs,  and  the  leaves  are 
falling  in  showers,  the  result  of  red  spider  work. 
The  Cornish  Elm  (IT.  c.  cornubiensis),  with  its  small,  strongly 
veined,  coriaceous  leaves,  bright  brown,  smooth,  flexuous,  and 
compact  branches  when  young,  but,  unlike  man,  becoming 
erect  with  age,  has  battled  bravely,  and  occupies  comparatively 
little  space  on  account  of  the  narrow  branches,  spread  in  pro¬ 
portion  to  the  tree’s  height.  Similar  remark  applies  to  the 
Exeter  Elm  (U.  m.  fastigiata)  and  to  the  purple-leaved  (U.  m. 
purpurea),  the  red  spider  not  liking  the  leafage  of  the  latter 
variety  so  well  as  that  of  the  green-leaved  forms. 
But  of  all  Elms  for  vigour  and  keeping  clean,  not  any 
approach  the  Chichester  or  Huntingdon  form  of  the  smooth- 
leaved  Elm  (U.  glabra  vegeta),  the  tree  attaining  a  height  of 
30ft  in  ten  years  from  the  graft.  The  record  of  this  and  the 
preceding  species  or  varieties  of  Elm  apply  to  country  towns, 
for  in  smoky  districts  the  trees  in  their  various  degrees  are  in 
sore  distress,  some  leafless  and  others  with  but  scanty  and  serecl 
foliage.  In  no  sense,  however,  are  .Elms  so  defoliate  as  the 
Limes  and  Horse  Chestnuts.  The  latter  do  not  submit  readily 
to  pruning.  Elms,  on  the  other  hand,  though  not  as  tractable 
as  Limes,  bear  almost  any  amount  of  lopping,  not  only  with 
impunity,  but  with  advantage,  as  the  young  growths  from  their 
greater  vigour  are  more  resistant  of  the  adverse  influences  of 
town  atmosphere,  and  when  the  trees  are  becoming  aged,  there 
being  no  question  of  their  doing  this  prematurely  in  smoky 
districts,  pollarding  gives  the  trees  a  new  lease  of  life,  and  is 
the  best  of  all  preventives,  or  even  cures,  if  taken  in  time,  of 
the  attacks  of  the  Elm  bark  beetle  (Scolytus  destructor). 
Hornbeams. 
Hornbeams  find  little  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  town  planter, 
though  not  any  trees  better  endure  rough  and  windy  situations 
and  thrive  in  poor  conditions  of  soil.  It  forms  a  good  hedge 
plant  and  bears  pruning  well,  hence  submits  to  restriction  and 
with  benefit,  always  provided  the  pruning,  with  the  object  of 
securing  a  vigorous  growth,  be  done  in  the  winter  time.  Of 
all  trees,  this  Hornbeam  (Carpinus  betulus)  is  the  most  liable 
to  possess  “  witches’  besoms,”  which  render  it  very  singular  in 
the  winter  time,  some  having  the  “brooms”  at  the  ends  of 
branches,  as  is  common  also  to  Birch,  and  then  very  interest¬ 
ing  to  lovers  of  Nature.  The  Hornbeam  fares  badly  in  smoky 
towns,  and  even  in  open  ones  suffers  from  attacks  of  various 
insects,  especially  small  caterpillars,  which  riddle  the  foliage. 
Even  this  may  be  an  advantage,  as  affording  food  for  the 
insectivorous  birds,  which  are  not  the  least  desirable  accompani¬ 
ments  of  town  sylvanry. 
The  Birches. 
Birch  (Betula  alba)  is  simply  the  “queen”  of  country  towns 
as  well  as  “  of  the  woods.”  No  other  tree  combines  so  much 
elegance  and  graceful  beauty,  and  even  in  fall  of  leaf  the  tints 
of  rich  yellow,  scarlet,  or  red  are  “  pleasant  to  the  eyes.”  The 
drought  and  reflected  heat  of  confined  spaces  trouble  the  silver, 
white,  or  common  Birch,  and  it  has  marked  its  dislike  by 
shedding  its  leaves,  which,  littering  in  September,  are  neither 
pleasing  nor  safe.  Of  the  varieties  of  common  Birch,  the  white 
and  purple  leaved  (B.  a.  albo-purpurea),  with  leaves  rich  purple 
and  a  metallic  lustre  above,  pale  beneath,  branches  sub- 
pendulous,  is  very  effective.  The  weeping  Birch  (B.  a.  pendula) 
strangely,  like  the  weeping  Ash,  bears  town  impurities  better 
than  the  common  Birch,  while  its  leaves  or  shoots  are  more 
slender  and  smoother.  Of  the  cut-leaved  weeping  Birch  (B.  a. 
laciniata  pendula)  Young’s  variety  is  the  best,  the  leaves  being 
deep  green,  and  deeply  cut  (laciniated).  Of  relatively  small  trees 
not  any  are  more  lovely  than  the  Birches. — G.  A. 
(To  be  continued.) 
