66 



IRISH GARDENING. 



We do not suppose that many individual 

 allotment holders will care to purchase the 

 materials and act alone ; in fact, the cost of the 

 necessary ingredients is now so high that it 

 would hardly be worth while. At the present 

 time, however, there are many colonies of plot 

 holders, varying in numher from 20 to 200 or 

 more, and in their case combination and co- 

 operation will solve the difhculty. 



Let each colony at once elect a small com- 

 mittee to find out the quantity of material 

 required to spraj^ all the Potatoes in the plots, 

 and having done so immediately get an estimate 

 from a seedsman or horticultural chemist for 

 the supply. This will show at once the cost per 

 head, according to the area each has to spray. 

 Allowance must also be made for the hire of 

 spraying apparatus, and jjossibly for men to do 

 the work and supervise the proper mixing of the 

 ingredients. 



These are details Avhich can be arranged 

 between no^\' and the end of June or early July, 

 when the first spraying is usuallj^ done. The 

 important point is that if plot holders seriously 

 think of spraying they must set about securing 

 the materials now. 



The standard spray fluid for Potatoes is 

 Bordeaux Mixture, composed of Sulphate of 

 Copper and lime mixed in water. 



The ordinary formula is 8ulphate of Copper 

 (98%) 12 lbs.. Quicklime G lbs. to 100 gals, of 

 water. From 120 to 130 gals, may be applied 

 per acre. 



A further point in cultivation, which is helpful 

 in combating disease, is to see that the Potatoes 

 are thoroughly " earthed up " or '' landed,'' as 

 the thicker the layer of soil about them the less 

 chance there is of spores, dropping from the 

 leaves, reaching the tubers. 



Dwarf Achilleas* 



Among the many plants which we grow on our 

 rock gardens none are prettier or more interesting 

 than the Dwarf Achilleas or Milfoils, as they 

 are sometimes called. The genus as a whole 

 includes many species very dissimilar in height 

 and habit, varying from the low -growing gems 

 of the hills to the giant A. Filipenduiina of the 

 Caucasus region, and which in our herbaceous 

 borders rises to a height of 5 or 6 feet. The 

 dwarf species are most niunerous, some having 

 green leaves and others foliage of silvery white- 

 ness. It is somewhat to be feared that there is 

 considerable confusion in the naming of many 

 of the dAvarf species in cultivation, and in the 

 absence of reliable specimens for comparison 



accurate identification is a matter of some 

 difficulty. 



Cultivation on the whole is not difficult, 

 except that souu; of the silvery-leaved species are 

 iuipatient of winter damjniess, and should have 

 positions selected accordingly. They flourish 

 very well as wail plants, where the shoots can 

 hang down away from the soaking soil Avhile the 

 loots can penetrate deeply into the soil behind. 

 When grown on flat pockets plenty of sharp grit 

 should be scattered under the branches as a 

 ])rotection from the damp surface. 



Propagation presents no difficulty, as cuttings 

 of most strik(^ easily, while several species 

 produce good seeds occasionally, but not 

 abundantly, every year. In wet seasons the 

 flower heads seem to rot before seeds can mature. 



Among the many known in gardens the 

 folloAving can be recommended as worth 

 growing I : — 



A. n.geratifolia, described in the last issue of 

 Irish Gardening and illustrated in the present 

 number. 



A. atrata, a green-leaved species, bearing 

 white flower heads in late summer. 



A. Clavennse, a very pretty plant Avith sih^ery- 

 Avhite leaves produced from short firm stems and 

 bearing Avhite flower heads in early summer. 



A. compacta, an eastern species, Avith much 

 diA'ided sih^ery leaA'es and Avhite fioA\ers. 



A. Herba-rota, native of Central Europe, 

 having green, toothed leaves, and bearing White 

 tloAver heads in early summer. 



A. Huteri, found in SAvitzerland, and another 

 of the sih'ery-leaved species A\'ith Avhite floAver 

 heads. 



A. + Jaborneggii, said to be a hybrid betAveen 

 A. ClaAfennse and A. moschata ; foliage interest- 

 ing, but in the Avriter's experience a shy fioAverer. 



A. moschata, from Italy, and bearing green, 

 deeply toothed leaves and heads of A\'hite 

 fioAvers. 



A. nana, Avith pinnate, green leaA'es and Avhite 

 fioAver heads. 



A. rupestris, in the Avriter's opinion the best 

 of all the green-leaA'ecl species, producing 

 abundance of A\'hite floAA'ers in early summer. 



A. serbica, one of the best of the silvery species, 

 A\ ith tufts of narroAv leaA^es and fine A\'hite HoAver 

 heads. 



A. tomentosa, one of the best knoA\n, produc- 

 ing a dense mat of finely-cut green leaves, 

 surmounted in summer by many fine rich j^elloAv 

 floAA^er heads. 



A. umbellata, a Olrecian species, Avith beautiful 

 sih^ery, lobed leaA^es and umbels of Avhite floA^er 

 heads. 



B. 



