IRISH GARDENING. 



1S7 



Glasgow Flower Show, 



Over i'5C>0 outaixed for the Bed Cross. 



On September 5th and tith a most successful show 

 was held in the 8t. Andrew's Halls, Glasgow. 

 The entries ^^ere well up to previous years, and 

 the quality all that could l)e desired in spite of the 

 diftlculties to be surmounted at the present time. 

 Frviit and vegetables were prominent in view of the 

 necessity for producing as much food as possible. 

 In connection with the show a sale was organised 

 to increase the funds, and many gifts of flowers, 

 fruits and vegetables, as well as farm produce, 

 were received : the Corporation also sent surplus 

 plants. 



The opening ceremony was performed by Lady 

 Stirling Maxwell. The Lord Provost, Sir Thomas 

 Dimlop, Bart., presided, and was accompanied 

 on the platform by many prominent public men. 

 The Lord Provost remarked that " visitors would 

 be specially interested in the vegetable section. 

 At this time of stress we were all anxious to know 

 how we stood for our future food supplies, and he 

 was delighted to see that, at any rate, there was 

 an abundance of vegetables in the covmtry." 



In proposing a vote of thanks to Lady Stirling 

 ^Maxwell, Sir John Ure Primrose said that in the 

 present period of our national history gardening 

 promised to become more a common possession 

 of the community. Sir .John Stirling ^laxwell 

 had done a great deal for afforestation, and on his 

 estate had given many sites for allotments, and he 

 (Sir John Ure Primrose) thought it was the duty 

 of every patriotic citizen and of the Corporation to 

 see that allotment plofs for the peojjle hecame a 

 permanent institution i}i the city." 



In this connection it is interesting to note that 

 the Glasgow Corporation Allotments number 

 4,500 ; much private ground also has been given 

 for the same purpose, and it is estimated that 



there are aboixt S,000 plots in and arovind the 

 city. 



Prominent among the prizewinners in the fruit 

 section we were glad to note Alderman Bewley, 

 of Danum, Bathgar, whose gardener, ]\lr. Donald 

 IMcIntosh, is well known in Ireland as an able 

 cultivator. Considering the long journey from 

 Dublin it was no small achievement to secure 

 2nd prize in the competition for 12 dishes of 

 fruit, 2nd for (j dishes of fruit, 1st for a collection 

 of Pears, 1st for two Melons, 1st for 12 Figs, 1st 

 for a collection of Apples, and 2nd for twelve 

 dessert Apples. 



Astelia Cunninghamii. 



This plant is now rather attractive, as it is 

 carrying an upright branched spike of thickly set 

 berries about eighteen inches high, each fruit 

 resem'bling a n^iniat^^re apple in shape, being 

 conical, of a cherry-red colour, and darker on 

 the apex. The fruits are borne on a cup, much 

 the same as an acorn, but the latter is more 

 flattened. 



The plant in habit resembles somewhat a 

 Pineapple or Pandanus A'eitchii. though the 

 leaves are not variegated and less rigid. The 

 underside is covered with a buff- coloured 

 tomentum, and also the upper margins to about 

 a quarter of an inch, which, as the leaves become 

 older, changes to a silver shade. 



The margins of the leaves, which are a yard 

 or more in length, are not toothed, and the 

 plant is apparently quite hardy here, ha\'ing 

 passed through last winter without protection 

 and growing as an isolated specimen on the lawn. 

 It is a native of New Zealand. Each fruit is 

 about half an inch in length. 



E R. (Fota). 



Yucca filamextosa ix the Gr.orxDS at Harristowx House. 



