82 



IRISH garde:ning. 



16 pilots to the statute acre, but, as a wide path 

 must be jjrovided alongside each plot to enable 

 a cart to pass, it is usual to get about 13 plots 

 to the acre. The Municipal Technical Institute 

 has given a considerable amoiuit of assistance in 

 laying out the gardens, and their Horticultural 

 Instructor also visits the plots and gives advice 

 on their cultivation Lectures are also given, 

 and, in addition, eiglit demonstration plots are 

 conducted from the Institute. On these plots a 

 selection of vegetables is grown and space set 

 apart for a flower border. A good deal of educa- 

 tion is yet necessary to convince many of the 

 labouring classes in Ireland that there are other 

 useful vegetables as well as Potatoes, Cabbages 

 and Turnips. 



One of the rules of the Association is that plot 

 holders must grow at least four kinds of vege- 

 tables and a border of flowers. Also men failing 

 to cultivate their plots to the satisfaction of the 

 Association may be deprived of the same with- 

 out any compensation. This useful rule does 

 away Avith badly cultivated plots overgrown 

 with weeds, and enables a man to occuiJ^^ the 

 plot to the satisfaction of himself and adjoining 

 plot holders. Complaints, however, in this 

 direction have been very rare indeed. It is not 

 allowed to sub-let or transfer plots, but holders 

 on giving them up must surrender them to the 

 Association, and thus a pernicious practice of 

 buying and selling plots, common in Eng- 

 land, is avoided. In fact the Association 

 reserve the sole right of control throughout, 

 and local committees, when formed, act entirely 

 under the jurisdiction of the Association. This 

 may seem a somewhat arbitrary method, but the 

 thorough success of the whole scheme has 

 justified its adoption. Subscriptions to the 

 plots are payable in advance, also the purchase of 

 seed potatoes and artificial manures from the 

 Association, and it is a matter for congratulation 

 that with such a large number of plots arrears 

 for rents, &c., are absent. 



The plot holders in Belfast are drawn from 

 practically all classes of the community, and the 

 standard of cultivation is remarkably high. It 

 is felt that this high standard is partly due to 

 competitions, and accordingly competitions have 

 been arranged for 1917 in each section. Prizes 

 will be awarded for the best plots of vegetables 

 and the best plot of vegetables and border of 

 flowers as a whole. A silver cup is also ]Dre- 

 sented for the best group of plots in the city. 

 It is proposed to hold this year, in September, 

 the first annual show, and a hall has been 

 engaged for the purpose. A schedule has 

 already been drawn uji and posted on the plots. 

 The show will comprise a large number of 

 classes, both for vegetables and flowers. 



During the winter a series of lectures for plot 

 holders were given at the Queen's University 

 and the Technical Institute which were ex- 

 tremely well attended. A summary of the 

 lecture was prepared before the address was 

 delivered and distributed free of charge to each 

 person when entering the hall. 



The demand for plots in Belfast is still 

 unsatisfied, and the percentage of men who 

 give up their plots after the first season is very 

 small. It is proposed therefore to promote 

 further extensions at the earliest convenience. 

 Various schemes have been established and will 

 be further elaborated for the benefit of holders 

 and the success of the plots, which should make 

 the Garden Plot movement in Belfast unique 

 throughout the kingdom. 



G. H. Oliver. 

 [In connection with these notes we hoj)e to 

 publish several photographs next month. — Ed.] 



Winter and the Rock Garden. 



The alpine gardener has passed through what 

 is 2:)robably the most severe winter in his ex- 

 perience. The late autumn and early winter 

 were marked by persistent hard weather and 

 followed by three months of most wintry 

 weather — sleet, hail, snow and wet frosts — and 

 as late as April 1st there was three-quarters of 

 an inch of ice on a water barrel here. 



The frosts, inasmuch as they resembled arctic 

 conditions, did no injury to the Saxifrages, 

 though gardens out of reach of the immediate 

 influence of the sea appear to have suffered very 

 badly in regard to tender plants and shrubs. 



The excessive wet weather caused a certain 

 amount of '" rusting off " amongst the Saxi- 

 frages, bvxt nothing beyond the average, and the 

 only effect of the hard weather was to postpone 

 the period of blooming. 



In 1916 Saxifrages — Burse riana Gloria and 

 speciosa — were in bloom by the middle of 

 January ; this year they were not at their best 

 until the third week in March ; both plants 

 flowered well, one piece of speciosa — measuring 

 some three inches across — had at least eighty 

 blooms on it. Burseriana multiflora was about 

 ten days later, but bloomed very freely, each 

 spike carrying a head of four or five flowers. 



Amongst the Englerias, Grisebachii was 

 trying to throw up its flowering spike during 

 the last days of December, but made slow 

 jDrogress until March, and is now at its zenith ; 

 thessalica has flowered, but the dull crimson 

 spikes are not attractive. 



Some of the yellow Kabschias have done very 

 well and apiculata (as usual) was most floriferous. 

 One piece of Paulinas was very fine, it runs 



