52 



IRISH GARDENING. 



tlie aoil in o- Jooae friable condition, j.s imie'li It^ss 

 appreciated. Too often hoeing is delayed until 

 weeds make their unwelcome appearance, and 

 then very often the sole object in mind is the 

 destruction of the weeds. Without doubt weeds 

 are unprofitable and steal from the soil food 

 which ought to bo available for the cultivated 

 crop. There is, however, much more in hoeing 

 or otherwi.se loosening the surface soil than 

 merely killing weeds. Everyone knoAvs that 

 most soils as they dry .show cracks or openings 

 all over the surface, and into thee cracks the 

 air penetrates at once in such volume that it 

 dries out the soil to a considerable depth. 



Further, when thi^ soil is carrying a crop of 

 plants of any kind their roots spread more or 

 less through the soil, and consequently all roots 

 which lie in the way of a crack become broken as 

 the soil contracts. The ends of the roots, being 

 thus exposed, are also liabk to dry up, and the 

 plants suffer seriously, and may get a fatal 

 check. By keeping the surface soil constantly 

 loose and friable to the depth of an inch or so 

 the formation of cracks is prevented, and thus 

 not only are weeds eliminated, but the soil is 

 actually kept moiiit and at the .sauie time 

 sweetened by air, which, instead of pouring in 

 through large spaces, is admitted uniformly 

 over the grovmd through millions of tiny spaces 

 between the particles of soil. Hoeing therefore 

 conserves the moisture in the soil, and is far more 

 beneficial in times of drought than artificial 

 watering. 



From now onwards many young cvopi Anil bo 

 coming through the soil, and all who are pedia])s 

 for the first time growing food are earnestly 

 counselled to diligently hoe and loosen the soil 

 between the rows. Never mind though no Aveeds 

 are to be seen or though the soil looks loose 

 enough, hoe it again whenever i.he soil is not too 

 wet and as long as you can get to work between 

 the plants. If ,you Avere short of manure in 

 spring, you Avill find hoeing repeatedly as good 

 as another ton of manure. 



Food Production. 



The present is an oyjportune time to do sonie- 

 thing to stimulate effort in food production for 

 the coming season, no matter hoAV small each 

 individua effort might be : evey little helps. 

 The February issue of Irish Gardening 

 contains timely articles giving advice and hel])f id 

 hints on this subject. Many of your readers 

 Avill be in a position to lielp further by giving 

 away to some less fortunate neighbour all 

 surplus plants, such as celery, leeks, broccoli, 

 Brussels sprouts, lettuce, saA^oy, &c. Many too 



Avijl liaA^e surplus A^egetable seeds, and these can 

 noAV be used to adsantage instead of being kid 

 by and ultimately consigned to the fire or dust- 

 hin. 



The labourers" cottage plots are fairly 

 iiumerous noAv in most counties, but, compared 

 Avith the English Avorkingiuan's plot, show a 

 loAV standard of cultivation. There is in this 

 coinitry a great lack of choice and varied 

 A'ogetables. Here there is a field for improve- 

 ment. Many Avould judge the labourer un- 

 Avortby, yet ne is dei-erAang of cA'ery help, and 

 it is surj)rising Avhat a little sympathetic help 

 may accomplish. A varied and extended supply 

 of A^egetables in the cottage plots at the present 

 is a desideratum. 



Belfast. G. D. 



Notes. 



Achillea ageratifolia. 



Tiiis is the plant Avhich is sometime;; listed in 

 catalogues as Anthemis Aizoon. It is an 

 extremely pretty plant Avith narroAv, finely cut 

 s'h'ery leaves and bearing large terminal heads 

 of white, dai.sy-like flowers. When in flower 

 the total height is about 6 or 8 inches, and the 

 effect of the silvery grey leaA^es and Avhite flower 

 heads is very cbacming. It is a !S. European 

 plant, and is ligurod in fSibthorp's " Flora 

 Graeca." A sunny, Avell-drained .situation is 

 A'eiy necessary in this comitry, otherwise our 

 damp Avintcrs and cold springs are inclined to 

 do it considerabk? damage. The floAvers appear 

 in July and make a lovely tlis])la.y. Projjaga- 

 tion is effected by division of tho roots in 

 spring and by cuttings made from the side 

 groAvths as thoy are produced in summer. 



B. 



Primula denticulata as a Cut Flower. 



This, one of the earliest hardy I'rimroses to 

 flower, is extremely useful for indoor decoration. 

 Usually at its best duriuJi the latter half of 

 March and in early April, it is this year, in 

 common A\'ith other plants, .rather later. Now, 

 in the middle of March, the heads of flowers are 

 just begiuniug to push up from among the 

 rosettes of young IcaA' es, but Avith the strengthen- 

 ing sun and fast kuigthening days they Avill make 

 ]aj)id progress, and by tho end of the month 

 should be making a bright dis]j?ay. 



Essentials in successlul cultivation are rich 

 soil, constant moisture and annual diA-ision after 

 flowering. In the bog garden they flourish \'ery 



