Pot-pourri from a Surrey garden

1895. ' The Story of the Plants,' by Grant Allen, is a humble, little popular bdols ; but I am sure its perusal will bring pleasure and increased understanding to many who read it. One of his sayings is * that plants are the only things that know how to manufacture living material. Eoughly speaking, plants are the producers and animals the consumers.' 246 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN 1896. 'The Bamboo Garden,' by A. B. Freeman Mitford, C.B. Mr. Mitford tells us in his preface that his book is simply an attempt to give a descriptive list — what the French call a catalogue raisonne — of the hardy Bamboos in cultivation in this country. We ought to be grateful that he has brought within the reach of every- body all that is to be said on this most beautiful family. 1895. 'A History of Gardening in England/ by the Hon. Alicia Amherst. This is by far the most interest- ing and remarkable book that, I believe, has ever been written on the subject, and far surpasses in every way Mr. Johnson's ' History of Gardening,' before alluded to. The book is full of information, drawn from patient and most diligent research, and will be of real utility to students of the literature and history of gardening and to the owners of large places. It contains little that will practically help people who live in cottages and small villas. It alludes only very indirectly to the beautiful illustrated flower books, especially the foreign ones, which so far exceed our own in artistic beauty and skill. It is rather sad that when the Society of Gardeners wished to illustrate their plants in 1736 they had to engage the services of Jacob van Huysum, brother of the Dutch flower-painter ; and to this day the best periodical coloured flower-printing, though painted by Englishmen, is printed in Belgium (vide ' The Garden '). Miss Amherst's book is one for constant reference ; and the greater one's knowledge, the greater will be one's appreciation of it. I cannot but regret, however, that it has been printed on the disagreeable modern shiny paper, which also makes the book most inconveniently heavy. This paper, I am told, facilitates the reproduction of the illustrations ; but these, also, are very hard and ugly, and quite unworthy of the book. It is almost impossible to keep pace with the modern NOVEMBER «47 books about gardens, they are so numerous. Just to complete my list I will mention several in my possession, for, as the motto of one of them says, ' It is a natural consequence that those who cannot taste the actual fruition of a garden should take the greater delight in reading about one.' ' Voyage autour de mon Jardin,' by Alphonse Karr, is charming, and has been translated into English. ' The Praise of Gardens,' by Albert F. Sieveking, is a collection of quotations of all that has been written about gardens. The selection is very complete. Unfortunately the book is out of print. I need hardly mention ' The Garden that I Love,' by Alfred Austin, as it has been such a favourite with the public. It is, of course, a book written less to instruct about gardening than to show what a beautiful and enchanting place a garden is for conversation, especially when the right people come together.