127 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
.Fcbruai'y  11,  1904. 
Ferns  and  Rhododendrons  for  Garden  Effect. 
It  is  only  in  the  outlying  parts  of  what  are  generally  termed 
the  pleasure  grounds  surrounding  private  residences  that  one 
finds  the  Shield  Ferns  and  Bracken,  in  harmony  with  Rhododen¬ 
drons  and  other  shrubs.  But  hovr  good  that  effect  may  be  is 
shown  by  the  illustration  on  this  page.  At  the  pre.sent  time,  when 
shrubberies  and  coppices  are  still  being  re-arranged  or  new  ones 
planted,  such  a  pictorial  guide  may  be  of  service  in  presenting 
a  vivid,  “  ultimate  effect.”  We  inight  plead  in  this  place  for  tb.e 
inclusion  (while  planting)  of  some  of  the  hardy  Cyclamens, 
Colchicums,  and  Sternbergias,  whose  claims  we  have  often 
advocated,  and  colonies  of  which  could  so  well  bo  dotted  about 
between  clumps  of  Ferns.  Further,  by  way  of  naturalising 
plants,  and  also  in  order  to  insure  a  greater  variety  and  succession 
of  floral  beauty,  many  Liliums  could  be  planted  just  on  the 
fringes  of  the  Rhododendron  beds,  and  would  beneflt  from  the 
shelter  and  soil  of  the  latter. 
- - 
Vegetable  Notes. 
Cultivation  of  Asparagus. 
The  position  held  by  this  vegetable  in  kitchen  gardens  is 
recognised  by  everyone.  The  careful  cultivation  it  has  received 
for  a  groat  number  of  years  is  manifest  in  some  old  kitchen 
gardens  now  by  the  wealth  of  succulent  grass  that  is  obtained 
from  old  plantings,  which  tends  to  show  the  almost  inex¬ 
haustible  productiveness  when  well  made  and  cultural  details 
regarded  afterwards.  By  reason  that  .Asparagus  remains  for 
consecutive  years  in  permanence,  it  is  important  to  have  the 
position  Aveli  chosen,  and  ground  well  prepared  prior  to  the 
planting  season.  One  best  suited 
IS  where  it  can  l)e  fully  exposed  to 
the  sun’s  influence,  yet  by  some 
means  protected  from  the  cutting 
winds  from  the  north  and  east 
(juarter. 
The  Cjuestion  of  suitable  soil  is 
of  paramount  importance  to  insure 
each  year  successive  supplies  of 
stout  grass.  I  have  no  doubt  but 
uhat  a  porous  loam  is  most 
conducive  to  ’  the  growth  of  this 
vegetable.  Where  this  exists  a 
good  return  is  given,  without  so 
much  labour  being  entailed  in  pre¬ 
paring  the  ground.  In  many 
localities  this  ideal  is  far  from 
being  attained.  Soils,  as  is  generally 
admitted,  vary  so  much  in  cha¬ 
racter.  Therefore  the  medium  has 
to  he  ajjproached  in  some  measure 
artificially  by  the  admixture  of 
suitable  constituents. 
To  assume  tiiat  a  fi’esh  plant¬ 
ing  is  intended,  either  in  beds  or 
on  the  grouncl  level,  if  natural 
conditions  will  permit,  a  thorough 
commencement  should  be  made  by 
deeply  trenching  the  plot,  using  a 
good  layer  of  the  longest  litter  at 
the  bottom  of  the  trench,  and  as 
the  work  proceeds  a  substantial 
tilth  should  be  the  object  aimed 
at,  by  incorporating  with  the  whole 
proportionate  quantities  of  road 
scrapings,  mortar  rubble,  and 
farmyard  manure.  This  should  be 
allowed  to  I'emain  in  an  iinbrokeii 
state  until  the  time  of  planting. 
This  procedure  of  trenching  subjects  the  ground  to  a  porous  t 
and  deep  tilth  ;  also  lays  the  basis  of  ultimate  success,  which  ' 
will  be  evidenced  year  by  year,  whereas,  if  due  attention  were  I 
not  given  to  this  earliest  and  important  detail,  a  series  of  ' 
failures  would  probably  'ensue,  especially  on  heavy  laud,  by  a 
whip-like  kind  of  growth,  that  woivld  predominate  instead  of  the 
.■•turdy  grass  so  much  ap])reciated  for  culinary  use. 
The  system  of  planting  is  best  determined  by  the  natural 
condition  of  the  soil  beneath  the  prepared  surface.  On  a  light, 
warm  loam  it  may  safely  be  plantccl  on  the  ground  level.  In 
the  case  of  heavy  soil  it  would  bo  practicable  to  adopt  the 
method  of  raised  beds:  this  would  be  advantageous  for  the 
double  ]mrpose  of  warmth  and  dryness  during  winter  and  spring. 
A  very  good  mode  is  to  plant  in  a  straight  row  two-year-okl 
plants,  1ft  ajrart.  and  loin  between  cacli  row.  An  alley  may 
be  left  at  every  third  row,  at  a  rea.'onable  distance  from  i>ach 
outside  row  ;  at  the  completion  of  every  pair  a  2ft  space  can  bo 
allowed.  This,  if  required,  can  be  utilised  during  the  early  part 
of  the  suinmer  for  a  short  season  crop,  such  as  saladings. 
There  is  generally  same  attempt  with  growers  din-ing  the 
spring  to  surface-dress  the  permanent  beds  of  Asparagus.  I 
firmly  adhere  to  the  practice  of  meeting  this  retiuirement  with 
a  throe  layer  of  light  compost,  consisting  of  sand,  road  grit, 
si)ent  mushroom  dung  or  leaf  soil,  in  proportionate  quantities, 
mixed  with  soil  preserved  from  disused  Jlelon  or  Cucumber 
beds.  A  surface  of  this  character,  the  grass  can  easily  push 
through  clean  and  straight,  and  are  also  delicately  blanched  at 
the  base.  The  oft-rcpcated  manurial  dressing  afforded  at  this 
stage  in  seme  gardens  could  with  advantage  be  dispensed  with 
until  the  season’s  crop  is  secured;  then  an  approved  manurial 
dressing,  such  as  salt  or  Clay’s  fertiliser,  applied  would  have  a 
most  beneficial  effect.  A  mulch  of  short  dung  afforded  the  beds 
during  the  month  of  July  would  have  far  more  cultural  gain 
upon  the  succoeding  crop.  Prevention  against  the  plants 
becom.ng  too  dry  at  the  root,  and  cultural  details  regarded 
throughout  the  season  of  growth,  accelerates  the  formation  of 
healthy,  robust  buds  by  the  autumn.  These  in  a  great  measure 
govern  the  quality  of  the  future  crop. — F.  W.  G. 
Potato  Culture. 
A  very  pleasant  and  instructive  evening  was  spent  o’l 
Wednesday,  Deceml)er  30,  by  the  Stanishaw  allotment 
holders,  ivho  met  at  the  Avenue  Hotel  for  a  two-fold  purpose. 
Ihe  first  was  to  partake  of  supper,  which  was  a  very  well  served 
rejaast,  and  the  second  was  to  listen  to  a  very  instructivo 
lecture  on  Potato  growing,  delivered  by  IMr.  T.  A.  Weston 
gardening  assistant  to  Mr.  W.  P.  Wright.  Hythe,  Kent.  Mr! 
We.ston  mentioned  that  in  the  time  of  King  James  the  plant 
was  so  rare  that  it  cost  2s.  per  pound,  but  gradually  it  liecame 
a  staple  food,  and  the  extent  to  which  it  vas  grown  in  Fui’ope 
at  the  pre.sent  time  was  enormous.  If  Ib  itain  would  only  grow 
the  Potato  propeilv,  he  was  convinced  that  this  country  would 
easily  defeat  Germanv.  Germany,  too,  found  many  uses  for  its 
Potatoes,  including  the  production  of  bad  whisky.  Ivast  month 
we  imported  no  h'ss  a  (piantity  than  1.83(),18{lcv  t.  from 
Germany.  With  regard  to  the  recent  boom,  he  ladieved  that  i:" 
was  .staited  Ity  the  newspapers.  Derby  Success  was  at  lOs.  iier 
pound,  while  anothei'  variety  was  .€5  per  ounce,  and.  for  the 
]n'ice,  anyone  might  think  tliat  the  tulxu's  weri'  studde.l  with 
diamonds.  The  main  thing  in  Potato  growing  was  to  tiiia  out 
the  variety  that  suited  the  soil.  A  collection  of  fifty  vari-.*ti_es 
W!XS  shown,  including  such  new  and  valuable  varii'ties  a.  Dis¬ 
covery,  Xorthei'U  Star,  Derhv  Succe.ss,  Farlv  Queen.  -Alph.a, 
Gold  C’oiii.  King  Fduard,  Fmpress  Qiuaui.  Bugbeater,  Sir 
'W  alter  Raleigh,  and  Piide  of  the  Ochils. 
