IRISH GARDENlNGf 



±i 



encouraged to seek the moisture on the top of the 

 ground ; and if the watering should be discon- 

 tinued the roots suffer in the hot sun, and the 

 last state of the plant is worse than the first. 



My plan is to form with a draw-hoe a cavitv 

 in every alternate 2-foot si)ace, big enough to 

 hold two buckets of liquid, which can be poured 

 in with ease and rapidity, and when the water 

 has soaked away, the loose earth should be 

 shoved back to its place as lightly as possible. 

 The advantages of this system are almost self- 

 evident. Not a drop of water is wasted, and the 

 moisture is quickly carried down to such a 

 depth that there is no encouragement for the 

 roots to seek the surface, and so they can with- 

 stand the effects of dr>- weather. And in i5rac- 

 tice this whole process can be carried out more 

 quickly than the old system of surface aj^plica- 

 tion. 



If the ground be level and a slight depression 

 left about the roots of the plants, water may be 

 applied in the old way, but it is never so efficient, 

 while on a hillside (as in my own case) the 

 method here recommended is absolutely neces- 

 sary. 



The best Spencer or waved varieties shoidd 

 be selected, and let them be i^rocured from some 

 reliable seedsman, so that you can depend on 

 their being true to name and absolutely pure. 

 Apart from the superiority of the fiowers in size 

 and form, there is the further advantage that 

 Spencers when well grown seldom set seed, and 

 the plants continue to bloom for a much longer 

 season, and the trouble of picking off old flowers 

 is avoided. 



There are now hundreds of beautiful varieties 

 in commerce, and the task of naming the best 

 dozen is quite impossible, but I can recommend 

 the following : — Edrom Beauty (orange-pink), 

 Scarlet Emperor (scarlet), Kmg White (M'hite), 

 Dobbie's Cream (cream), Melba (light orange), 

 KingManoel (dark purple), Hercules (deep pink), 

 R. F. Felton (lavender), Rosabelle (rose), Mrs. 

 Hugh Dickson (pink on cream), Mrs. C. W. 

 Breadmore (picotee), Maud Holmes (crimson). 



There are many ways of providing supports 

 for the climbing plants, but it should always be 

 borne in mind that generally plants treated as 

 recommended will grow 8 or 9 feet high. 



■■ Melba "" is the only one in my list which 

 ■ burns ■■ badly in the sun ; but if it be giv^eii 

 a very slight shading of muslin or cajivas the 

 most beautiful flowers will be produced. 



1 would like to add a word of warning against 

 the folly of growing impure or inferioi- seeds. 

 Have nothing but the best Spencers, which you 

 should procure from some trust\\'orthy soiu'ce. 

 The resu ts will amjjiy reward you, and you will 

 never regret the small additional outlav. 



Aster Amellus and its Varieties. 



Jn small or large gardens these Michaelmas 

 Daisies should iiud a place, for in September and 

 October the Italian Starworts give such a wealth 

 of bloom, useful alike in a border or when cut 

 for indoor decoration. Their habit is neat and 

 couipact, with an average height of about two feet, 

 and their sturdy stems seldom require supports. 

 Old or young plants flower with equal freedoni, 

 and they are not particular as to soil unless it is 

 exceptionally poor. A dressing of manure dug 

 into the soil in autumn will greatly heli) the plants 

 where the .soil is impoverished, 'i'liey may be 

 easily increased by dividing or froni cuttings 

 taken in spring when the j'oung shoots appear. 



A. Amellus bessarabicus and major used to be 

 the best varieties. Then we have had other good 

 varieties, such as Charles Davis, Ke.ston, l>istinc- 

 tion, and Ferry's Favourite. 



Now. the Continental nurseries have sent out 

 varieties which are taking the lead, the colours 

 varying from deep mauve, almost a ])urple, to 

 rosy mauve, or nearly pink. 



Probably the best of all is Beaute parfaite, of 

 good habit, about 20 inches high, with bright 

 mauve flowers and lovely yellow centres, which 

 seem to make the blooms stand out well. 

 A. Preziosa is probably the darkest mauve, and 

 Fleuve Bleu, with lighter mauve flowers, has 

 ])robably the largest flowers, sometimes measuring 

 2 A inches across, but its growth is taller than the 

 others. 



In the shades approaching to pink we have 

 Beauty of Honsdorf, with flowtn-s nearly as large 

 as Fleuve Bleu : Madame K. Gaugin, very showy 

 and free flowering, almost a rosy magenta ; and 

 Madame Poichevin, with flowers of a deeper tone, 

 but not quite so pleasing. Another, under the 

 name of A. Amellus nana mifltiflora, grows 

 scarcely more than a foot high, and is covered 

 by a mass of rather small flowers of pretty ])ale 

 nink mauve. 



Schizostylis coccinea. 



The Kafflr Lily is a South African i)lant belonging 

 to the order Irideas and derives its name from the 

 style being cut into three thread-liki^ branches. 



Where cut flowers are wanted late in the 

 season this plant should lind favour if given a 

 fair trial. The llowers are of a very bright 

 crimson colour, in shape like a Montbretia, with 

 a slender tube, and are borne on one-sided 

 spikes. Though the plant is hardy, the flowers 

 open so late in the season— from October 

 onwards — that a sheltered iiosition is necessary 

 if the best results are desiretl. It succeeds best 

 when given a sheltered border and good rich soil. 

 The great point to be remembei'ed in the culture 

 of this plant is that it is a moisture-loving plant, 

 and therefore in sunuuer when in full growth 

 should be given an abundance of water. 



The Schizostylis may be [)ropagated in spring 

 by division of the roots. Tlie stems are bulV)ous 

 and thickened at the base. It is a good [)lan tf> 

 ct)llect and pot up the strongest shoots for the 

 greenhouse, as it makes a first rate pot plant, 

 and the flowers come to perfection. A IS-inch 

 pot will take about six plants, using a compost 

 of loam with some leaf mould and sand* 



