.^52 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  30,  1904. 
nnimportant  part ;  the  real  cause  of  failure  was  lack  of 
moisture  at  the  roots  during  the  critical  period  of  flowering  and 
the  first  swelling  of  the  young  fruit;  for,  although  we  had  a 
few  welcome  showers  about  Whitsuntide,  the  Aveather  has 
since  been  so  diy  that  the  impetus  given  to  vegetation  by  the 
rain  Avas  not  long  maintained.  When  there  is  a  deficiency  of 
moisture  at  the  roots,  trees  and  plants  quickly  become  ener¬ 
vated,  and  fall  an  easy  prey  to  insect  pests  and  diseases. 
Now  for  a  few  facts  in  support  of  the  above  ideas.  The 
writer  was  recently  looking  over  a  market  garden  in  w’hich 
Plum  trees  were  planted  rather  thickly,  in  lines  50ft  apart, 
vegetables  being  grown  between.  The  owner  AA-as  bew’ailing  the 
fact  that  the  Plum  crop  Avas  very  light,  and  he  made  the 
remark  that  he  could  not  understand  it,  as  ideal  Aveather  pre¬ 
vailed  when  the  trees  Avere  in  floAver.  We  remarked  that  Ave 
were  convinced  the  partial  failure  Avas  because  of  the  dryness 
of  the  soil.  Spade  and  fork  Avere  then  set  going  beneath  some 
of  the  trees,  and  the  soil  was  found  to  be  dust  dry.  It  was  a 
sandy  loam  resting  on  gravel,  and  most  cultivators  knoAV  that, 
no  matter  hoAV  much  rain  may  have  fallen  during  the  previous 
year,  it  leaves  but  little  reserve  of  moisture  Avithin  reach  of  the 
roots — it  simply  runs  through  the  subsoil  as  it  would  through 
a  sieve,  and  there  is  no  draAving  it  up  again  through  a  bed  of 
gravel.  An  unlimited  supply  of  pond  water  Avas  in  this  case 
at  hand  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  aAvay,  and  one  may  believe 
that  a  couple  of  men,  by  the  aid  of  a  horse  and  water  cart 
could,  in  a  few  days,  have  so  effectually  AAatered  the  trees  at 
the  critical  time,  as  to  have  ensured  a  bountiful  crop. 
In  the  same  district  on  identical  land,  Ave  found  trees  in 
private  gardens  of  both  Plums  and  Damsons  carrying  Avonder- 
ful  crops,  and  on  enquiry  found  they  had  been  thoroughly 
watered  Avhen  in  flower.  This  question  of — as  far  as  possible — 
providing  means  of  watering  fruit  trees  at  critical  times  is 
becoming  an  urgent  one  in  connection  with  fruit  growing,  for  it 
often  means  that  unless  it  is  done  the  Avork  of  the  whole  year 
is  throAvn  away. 
We  can  do  but  little  to  prevent  injury  by  such  disastrous 
frosts  as  occurred  last  year ;  but  Avhen  trees  are  loaded  Avith 
blossom,  and  frosts  are  absent,  it  should,  and  we  believe  is, 
within  the  poAver  of  many  cultivators  to  ensure  a  full  crop, 
espiecially  where  there  is  only  an  acre  or  two  to  manage.  To  such 
men  the  loss  of  a  crop  often  means  the  loss  of  a  livelihood,  and 
a  little  extra  labour  expended  on  watering  would  be  repaid 
fifty  times  over. — G.  C. 
Among  the  Hardy  Flowers. 
Whether  the  AA’eather  be  summerlike  or  no,  the  flowers  of 
the  season  come  on,  recking  little,  so  far  as  one  can  see,  of  the 
character  of  the  seasons.  They  may  be  earlier  or  later,  but 
still  they  come,  and  Ave  Avelcome  them  as  gladly  as  of  old.  Many 
lovely  things  have  passed  away,  and  the  garb  of  the  present 
season  .seems  even  more  sumptuous  than  that  of  a  month  ago. 
The  gold  of  the  Cytisus  and  Genista  has  become  dimmed;  the 
WTiitethorn  has  become  shabby,  the  Tulip  has  lost  its  glory,  and 
many  more  have  passed  away.  Yet  in  their  stead  have  come 
many  goodly  blo.ssoms ;  flowers  Ave  delight  in  from  morn  till 
eve,  and  others  Avhose  beauty  is  more  ephemeral.  The  reign  of 
the  Rose  has  begun,  and  that,  in  itself,  speaks  volumes  for  the 
attractions  of  tlie  time.  Single  Roses,  double  Roses,  dAvarf 
Ro!5es,  climbing  Roses,  Roses  white,  and  Roses  gold,  Roses 
scarlet,  and  crimson,  and  blush,  and  all  intermediate  stages. 
No  wonder  the  rosarian  is  engrossed  with  the  beauty  of  his 
favourites  at  this  time.  The  more  eclectic  plantsman  has  a  love 
for  the  Rose  even  greater  than  some  would  suppose,  but  he  has 
many  favourites  all  claiming  some  attention  at  his  hands. 
Poppies. 
The  floAver  of  Lethe  is  no  longer  so  despised  as  was  at  one 
time  the  case.  Many  noAv  appreciate  the  colour  and  the  form 
of  the  glossy  crinkled  floAvers  of  the  perennial  Poppies,  and  it 
is  not  an  unsafe  prophecy  to  predict  a  time  when  the  perennial 
Papavers  shall  be  as  varied  and  as  beautiful  as,  say,  the  exqui¬ 
site  Shirley  Poppies.  The  Oriental  Poppies  have  undergone 
great  improvements,  and  the  hybrids  of  various  colours  are, 
many  of  them,  very  beautiful.  Among  them  all,  one  cannot  but 
like  that  fine  plant,  Papaver  Mrs.  Moon,  with  its  crowd  of 
‘‘fluttery”  floAvers  of  such  bright  colouring.  It  is  less  stiff 
than  many,  and  its  lesser  stature  than  that  of  some  of  the 
greater  forms  of  P.  prientale  makes  it  a  most  useful  flower  in 
the  foreground  or  middle  of  the  border.  Then,  apart  from  the 
many  forms  of  P.  orientale  of  many  colours  and  shades,  there 
IS  the  fragile,  but  beautiful,  flower  of  P.  pilosum ;  Avith  the 
pretty  blooms  of  P.  rupifragum ;  while  those  who  would  include 
with  the  Papaver,  AAmuld  have  more  variety 
still  in  the  yellow  and  blues  of  these  flowers. 
Campanulas. 
With  the  Avriter,  at  least,  only  some  of  the  BellfloAvei'S  are  in 
bloom,  and  the  glory  of  the  Campaniles  and  carpets  of  beautiful 
bells  is  not  yet  at  its  zenith.  Beautiful,  hoAvever,  is  the  pretty 
versicolor  or  Tenorei,  AA'itli  its  heads  of  light  blue  floAvers,  from 
4in  to  12in  high.  It  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  least  common 
of  those  in  bloom,  and  has  oniy  one  fault — that,  it  may  be, 
rather  a  bad  one  Avith  some  floAvers — it  spreads  or  runs  about  at 
the  roots  a  little  too  freely ;  partaking  in  this,  but  naught  else, 
of  the  rapunculus  type,  a  terror  in  the  garden  and  a  continual 
source  of  despair  to  the  gardener.  Fortunately,  hoAvever,  it  i.s 
not  so  pronounced  in  its  aggressive  propensities.  Others  come 
on  quickly,  and  soon  we  shall  have  many  spires  and  cushions 
or  trailing  miniature  curtains  of  the  Campanula  race. 
Libertias. 
The  Iris-like — so  far  as  regards  foliage — Libei'tias  are 
generally  popular  whenever  seen  at  this  season,  and  some  few 
have  done  very  Avell  this  season ;  although  it  mu.st  be  said  that 
their  hardiness  in  all  parts  of  these  islands  is  under  grave 
suspicion.  There  are  several  in  cultivation  noAv,  and  I  feel  sure 
that  only  a  little  care  is  required  to  groAv  the  most  of  these 
in  most  of  our  gardens.  They  must,  hoAvever,  have  a  dry  soil, 
rather  elevated  above  the  general  level  by  preference,  and  a 
sunny  position.  Even  in  the  Aberdeen  di.strict  such  of  the 
genus  Libertia  grandiflora  can  be  grown  Avell ;  Avhile  L.  ixioides 
and  L.  formosa  seem  to  do  almost  as  Aveil.  Here  at  present 
there  is  a  fine  plant  of  L.  grandiflora,  covering  a  little  knoll, 
and  bearing  many  spikes  of  its  white  flowers.  It  resents  re¬ 
moval,  and  Avas  tAvo  or  three  years  before  coming  into  bloom 
here  after  first  planting.  One  may  safely  recommend  a  greater 
trial  of  these  Libertias. 
Lupins. 
The  Lupinus  is  a  really  summer  floAver,  and  many  of  us  have 
pleasant  recollections,  going  back  for  many  years,  of  the  noble 
spikes  in  gardens  of  long  ago.  It  seems  as  if  the  Lupin  had 
taken  a  neAv  lease  of  life,  for  some  of  the  iieAA'er  forms  of  L.  poly- 
phyllus  are  both  varied  and  beautiful  in  their  colouring ;  while 
the  tree  Lupins  are  unsurpassable  in  their  season.  I  have  here 
a  noble  yelloAV  tree  Lupin  more  than  6ft  in  diameter,  and  as 
many  in  height.  It  is  coveted  by  many  Avho  see  it  lighted  up 
by  the  sun,  Avhile  at  other  times  its  golden  spikes  are  very 
beautiful.  More  lasting,  hoAvever,  are  the  herbaceous  Lupins, 
and  before  this  the  Avriter  has  called  attention  in  the  pages  of 
the  Journal  to  their  value.  It  is  pleasant  to  see  fresh  interest 
in  them.  Here  there  is  a  plant  called  L.  grandifolius.  Pro¬ 
bably  it  is,  as  the  botanists  consider,  only  a  form  of  L.  poly- 
phyllus.  It  has  long  spikes  of  purple  floAvers  and  handsome 
leaves,  even  more  ornamental  on  account  of  their  size  than 
those  of  the  ordinary  L.  polyphylius. 
Other  Flowers. 
One  might  tell  of  the  Pyrethrums,  Avith  their  lovely  flowers 
of  many  shades;  the  Cisti,  Avith  fugacious,  but  lovely  blossoms; 
the  Helianthemums,  Avith  equally  short-lived  blooms  of  the 
same  character ;  the  early  Lilies  Avith  their  grace  and  beauty ; 
the  Polemoniums ;  the  Saxifragas,  a  fcAv  of  Avhich  are  yet  in 
bloom ;  or  the  Achiileas,  the  Geraniums,  Erodiums,  and  the 
Mimuluses.  One  might  speak  of  the  earliest  of  the  perennial 
Peas ;  the  deliciously  fragrant  Pinks ;  the  Veronicas,  AAuth  their 
charming  spikes,  tall  above  the  plant,  or  trailing  over  the 
rockwork ;  the  Columbines,  not  yet  over ;  the  Astrantias,  tPe 
Tiarellas,  the  Mitellas,  and  the  Heucheras,  Avith  their  graceful 
spikes  of  little  flowers.  That  constant  succession  and  change, 
which  is  one  of  the  charms  of  a  garden  of  hardy  flowers,  is 
never  more  observable  than  in  summer.  One  beauty  departs ; 
another  comes  upon  the  scene.  One  joy  vanishes  for  the  year; 
another  enters  to  drive  away  the  regret,  and  to  cause  a  fresh 
delight.  It  is  a  daily  round  of  pleasure  to  wander  among  these 
hardy  floAvers,  to  admire  the  neAvIy-opened  flower,  and  to  see 
the  first  bit  of  colour  appear  through  the  opening  bud. — 
S.  Arnott. 
- - 
Derivation  of  Common  Names  of  Fruits. 
Probably  many  people  have  Avondered  lately,  as  they  were 
eating  Gooseberries,  Avhat  connection  there  AAms  between  the 
berry  and  a  goose.  There  is  none.  "Goose”  is  a  corruption 
of  "gorse,”  a  prickly  shrub.  The  Cranberry,  on  the  other 
hand,  has  something  to  do  Avith  a  bird,  for  it  is  named  from  a 
fanciful  resemblance  of  its  slender  stalk  to  the  legs  of  a  crane. 
Strawberries  do  not  groAv  on  straws,  but  straAved,  or  strewn, 
along  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Mulberry  ”  in  Anglo-Saxon 
was  "murberie,”  and  the  "  mur  ”  is  allied  to  the  Latin 
"  morum  ”  and  the  Greek  "moron,”  a  Mulberry  tree.  The 
Bilbery,  which  groAAS  in  such  profusion  on  some  of  our  moors, 
is  really  the  blueberry  (Blaeberry).  And  it  does  not  need  a 
Macaulay’s  schoolboy  to  tell  us  Avhence  a  Blackberry  gets  its 
name. — ("Daily  Chronicle.”) 
