154 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Potato Early Floiindkr, p. 15'J. 



Dublin Plotholders. 



Interesting Function at the ^Mansion House. 



As an instance of the popularity and success of 

 the Allotment movement it is interesting to note 

 that under the Land Cultivation Committee of 

 the Dublin Corporation no less than 1,23.5 plots, 

 each one-eighth of an acre in extent, have this 

 year been brought under the spade. We had 

 an exceptional opportunity of seeing the results 

 obtained in the whole of these plots during a tour 

 of inspection in July, and can testify to the 

 general thoroughness displayed in cultivation, 

 hardly any instances of neglected plots being 

 evident. Some of the areas which had been 

 brought under cultivation bore evidence, even 

 at the time of our visit, of appalling difficulties 

 at the outset. None but men and women of 

 immense grit and determination and inspired by 

 the imperative necessity of producing more food 

 could possibly have kept up the labour necessary 

 to turn fields of bricks and old mortar, tin cans 

 and rusty wire into smiling gardens stocked with 

 wholesome, succulent vegetables. While the 

 Plotholders themselves deserve all possible credit, 

 a mead of praise is due to the Land Cultivation 

 Committee for their enterprise in securing so much 

 land in the short time at their disposal last spring. 

 A word of commendation is also due to those 

 who were entrusted with the setting out of the 

 plots which has been done on an excellent plan, 

 facilitating easy progress through and among the 

 plots. Special thanks are due to Mv. Lyre, the 

 City Treasurer, and his courteous assistant. ^\i\ 

 Murphy, for their untiring efforts, and particu- 

 larly for their excellent work in obtaining money 

 for prizes to be offered for the best plots in the 

 various areas. 



It was for the purpose of presenting prizes to 

 the successful Plotholders that the meeting in the 

 Mansion House was called on the 11th of Septem- 

 ber, The Lord Mayor, who presided, was sup- 

 ported on the platform by several Councillors, 



Sir T. W. Pussell and Mr. Cill of the Department, 

 ^Ir. T. Furlong, and Miss Harrison, who, in con- 

 nection with the ^"acant Land Cultivation 

 Society, has done an enormous amount of work 

 in stimulating the Allotment movement through- 

 out Ireland. 



Previous to the distribution of prizes speeches 

 in favour of Allotments were delivered by several 

 of those accompanying the T<ord Mayor on the 

 platform. These have been fully reported in the 

 daily press and need no further comment here. 



One subject mentioned by several speakers 

 calls for some notice, however, that is, the acquir- 

 ing of some part of the Phoenix Park for Allot- 

 ments. There seems still a hankering after the 

 broad acres of the Park to satisfy the longings of 

 many yet without plots. So far as it lay in the 

 power of Irish Gardening we have done our 

 best to support the Allotment movement, and we 

 have spared no trouble to publish the best advice 

 regarding the management of Allotments in order 

 to help the inexperienced, but we say, with all 

 sincerity, spare tlie Park as long as possible. 

 There is possibly no other public park in the world 

 to equal it : it is the property of the nation and 

 something to be intensely proud of. The Donegal 

 man and the Cork and Kerry man has as much 

 interest in the Pha-nix Park as the Dublin resi- 

 dent. Its plantations of rugged Thorns, noble 

 Oaks, tapering Cypresses, beautiful Birches, 

 handsome tree- bordered avenues and broad 

 playing fields are worthy of the most jealous care. 

 Chambers's Garelieer of the World says : — 

 " Dublin, as a whole, with its fine bay — often 

 compared to the Bay of Naples — its splendid 

 park . . . and beautiful environs, is one of 

 the handsomest capitals in Europe." Let us then 

 exhaust every other possible area before touching 

 the Park. There must be land in the vicinity of 

 Dublin which could be made available. In 

 another column readers will notice a reference 

 to Allotments in Glasgow, and will note with 

 satisfaction that private owners there did not 

 hesitate to give land for this purpose. 



