IRISH GARDENING. 



103 



of the water, and from among them the curious 

 yellow inflorescence is produced. The plant 

 belongs to the .4^runi family, but the spathe, 

 which is usually large and showy, is in Orontium 

 rediiced to a small shenth. The spadix, how- 

 ever, is well developed, somewhat resejnbling a 

 club, and on it the rather inconspicuous flowers 

 are produced. 



Propagation is effected by division of the root, 

 an operation not always easj^ when tlie plant is 

 growing in water, but careful manipulation 

 with a sharp spade or strong knife is effective in 

 getting off side growths. The Golden Club is 

 attractive growing by the side of a tmall pond 

 or lake in conjunction with Water Lilies, the 

 Cape Pond Weed AjDonogeton distachyon, the 

 Bog Bean, Menyanthes trifoliata, the Water 

 Violet, Hottonia paliistris, and others of the 

 smaller aquatics. B 



Saponaria ocymoides versicolor. 



Thls forms a most attractive mound, being a 

 mass of flowers in the middle of June. The 

 prevailing shade at a few yards away is pale 

 pink, but on clo.ser examination it will be found 

 that some of the flowers are pink and others 

 white, hence the varietal name Apparently the 

 pink colour fades to white after a few days. It 

 is perhaps not so fine as the best pink forms, of 

 which there are several, differing only in shade, 

 but there is ample room for any plant which is 

 at once easy to grow and still not coarse. 

 Propagation is easy of all the forms of S. 

 ocymoides by means of cuttings inserted in 

 sandy soil from now onwards Young growths 

 now appearing among the flowering shoots make 

 suitable etittings and root readily in a few weeks. 



Kerria japonica. 



Most gardeners are familiar with the double 

 form of this plant, so often found in shrubberies 

 everywhere, but less often do we meet with the 

 type. 



The single-flowered plant is dwarfer in habit 

 than the double-flowered form, and differs some- 

 what in habit, forming a dense mass of twigs, 

 which in May are well furnished Avith yellow 

 flowers. It is, in the writer's opinion, a more 

 ornamental shrub than the double form, less stiff 

 in habit, and the flowers more elegant. The 

 double-flowered plant was first introduced, 

 reaching England in 1804. The type arrived in 

 1834, and it was not until it flowered that the 

 present name of Kerria was bestowed. Kerria 

 japonica is a native of China, though introduced 

 through Japan, where it is only known as a 

 cultivated plant. 



A Useful Early^flowering Herbaceous 

 Plant. 



Verbascum densiflorum is one of the earliest 

 of the taller-growing perennials to come into 

 flower. In early June it begins to push up its 

 spikes of coppery-yellow flowers, and continues 

 to be effective for many weeks after. Flowering 

 at the same time as the Oriental Poppies, the 

 pink, purple and white Lupins, and the hardy 

 Geraniums, it contributes very effectively to the 

 early show of perennials. Of supposed hybrid 

 origin, seeds are seldom if ever produced, but 

 as if to compensate for this propagation is easily 

 effected by means of root cuttings. Pieces of the 

 fleshy root as thick as a pencil removed in 

 autumn, and cut in sections about 2 inches long, 

 will make good plants the folloAving summer. 

 They should be dibbled into pots or boxes, and 

 kept from frost all winter. In spring young 

 leaves will soon push forth from the '' crown " 

 which has formed during winter, and ere they 

 grow too large the cuttings should be potted 

 singly ijito 3 or 4-inch pots, from which, when 

 well established, they may be planted out. 



Sedum pilosum- 



A GROUP of this pretty Stonecrop has been most 

 attractive for some time past. Unfortunately 

 it is only a biennial, but usually makes plenty 

 of seeds from which a supply of plants is easily 

 maintained. The colour is a beautiful soft pink, 

 deepening with age ; as a rule flowers tend to get 

 light in colour after expanding, but as a friend 

 pointed out lately, the opposite is the case m itli 

 Sedum pilosum. The rosettes of small hairy 

 leaves, quite unlike the ordinary conception of 

 a Sedum, are themselves very pretty, but they 

 disappear as the plant proceeds to flower. 



Modern Farming.* 



We have been favoured with a copy of this new 

 monthly magazine, the avowed oljject of which 

 is to keep farmers in touch with up-to-date 

 methods of cultivation and general farm manage- 

 ment. Considerable attention is given to Tractor 

 work, and the first of a series of articles is 

 entitled " What a Farmer should know about his 

 Tractor." Many useful notes are given on 

 Dairying, Poultry, " How to get and keep Farnx 

 Labour," &c. 



The general tone is much in the way of that 

 which we associate with Canadian and American 

 journals devoted to Agriculture, and we have 

 no doubt many of our readers who have the 

 management of farms will find much of interest 

 in Modern Farming. 



* Published at .36 Vine Street, London, E.L 



