94 



IRISH GARDENING 



Reviews. 



Flowering Plants of the Riviera.* 



Many people leave our British shores to escape 

 the fogs and sunless weather of winter and to 

 enjoy the sunny weather and mild climate of the 

 winter along the Mediterranean coast. To these 

 this book will be a useful companion if they 

 have any taste for botany oi love of plants, 

 and those interested in hardy flowers and Alpine 

 plants will find many of their favourites de- 

 scribed and figured. 



; The wild vegetation of the Eiviera is seen at 

 its best in late spring, and a characteristic point 

 is that the majority of trees and shrubs are ever- 

 green, and many of the smaller plants have 

 silvery leaves covered with hairs to assist in 

 checking evaporation during the hot summer 

 weather. 



Mr. Stuart Thompson is already known as the 

 author of " Alpine Plants of Europe," and in the 

 book under notice he gives a descriptive account 

 of 1,800 of the more interesting species found in 

 the Riviera, some of which are illustrated by 

 coloured plates, and there are reproductions of 

 photos by the author. 



There is a chapter on " Collecting and Pre- 

 sers'ing Plants," a short glossary of botanical 

 terms, while A. G. Tansley, M.A., gives an 

 introduction to the Plant Associations of the 

 Riviera. 



* " Flowering Plants of the Riviera." By 

 H. Stuart Thompson, F.L.S. Published by 

 Longmans, Green & Co., London. Price, 10s. 6d. 

 net. 



Commercial Orchid Growing.* 



This book deals with Orchids for the cut flower 

 trade. The author recommends market florists to 

 devote at least one house to cultivating a batch 

 of some popular kind, such as Cattleya labiata, 

 and advises growers not to be scared by erroneous 

 impressions that these beautiful plants are very 

 difficult to grow. The work is divided into 

 lifteen chapters giving the most suitable kinds to 

 grow, their proper treatment, and also a monthly 

 calendar of operations. 



Houses for Cyi:)ripediums, Cattleyas, &c., are 

 described, giving their proper site and construc- 

 tion, and much more practical advice is given on 

 this phase of Orchid culture, which is likely to 

 become of increasing importance. 



*" Commercial Orchid Growing," by C Alwyn 

 Harrison, F.R.H.S. Pp. 132. Illustrated. 

 Price, 2s. The Lockwood Press, 1 Mitre Court, 

 Fleet Street, London 



The Week-end Gardener.* 



In the preface Mr. Farthing explains the title of 

 his book. He realises that gardening requires 

 daily effort and attention, but he endeavours to 

 cater for that vast and increasing army of ama- 

 teurs who find most of their leisure hours towards 

 the week-ends. Luckily, the interest and plea- 

 sure derived from gardening does not in the least 

 depend upon the size of the garden, for one may 

 often naeet a keen and enthusiastic gardener in a 

 cottage or a villa garden as well as in a large 



demesne. In 1911 Mr. Farthing published, 

 under the title " Saturday in my Garden," a 

 series of articles which had appeared in the Daily 

 Express, and the " Week-end Gardener/' is 

 supplementary to liis first book. 



Starting with .January, the book is like a large 

 calendar of gardening for the week-ends, laying 

 out work for all the year I'ound. It runs to IIU 

 ])ages, and is abundantly illustrated with jflates 

 and diagrams useful to the novice. 



Most of the popular plants, such as Dahlias, 

 Chrysanthemums, Roses, Carnations, Tomatoes, 

 <tc., receive special notes, while bedding plants, 

 hardy plants, and annuals all conie in for notice. 



In the book there are a few mistakes ; for in- 

 stance, where Tropseolum polyphyllum is de- 

 scribed as a climber ; Geranium Endressi is twice 

 described with crimson flowers, whereas they are 

 a clear pink ; and in the chapter on Wall Garden- 

 ing Primula denticulata and sikkimensis are re- 

 commended for sunny walls ; in reality, to grow 

 them well, they need a cool, moist soil. 



Taken altogether, the book is one which will be 

 of great value to many amateurs and novices, 

 and excellent value for the money. F. B. 



* " The Week-end Gardener." By F. Hadtield Farthing. 

 Price 3s. 6d. nett. Published by Grant Richards, 

 8 iSouth Building, High Holborn, London. 



Notes. 



Gardening for Amatkurs, edited by H. H. 

 Thomas, to be completed in twenty-four fort- 

 nightly parts. Part 6 deals with Roses, and 

 contains numerous and beautiful illustrations of 

 single blooms of leading varieties, and also 

 artistic gardens with arches, pergolas and roses 

 in a border. The articles are sound, and treat of 

 the culture of the Rose for decorating and for 

 exhibition, while general notes tell the amateur 

 what work should be done in May. 



The April number of the Journal of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society contains many good and 

 useful articles, with a ])hoto of the late Sir Trevor 

 Lawrence, who for so long and so worthily held 

 the office of President of the Society. Some of 

 the articles in this number are — " The Cooking of 

 Vegetables," by C. H. Senn : " Autumn Border 

 Flowers," by B. Crisp ; " Difficulties in Flower 

 Show Schedules," by Rev. W. Wllks ; " The 

 History and Development of the Strawberry," 

 by E. A. Bunyard, &c. 



Successful Fox Farming. — The Prince Edward 

 Island Government received nearly £8,000 in 

 fox taxes during the past year, and the present 

 outlay upon ranches there is estimated at over 

 82,400,000, the farmers of Prince Edward Island 

 liaving found it more profitable to grow foxes 

 than to grow wheat, and the industry has proved 

 so attractive that efforts are being made to 

 extend it to other i)arts of the Dominion. 



Canadian Fish for British Market. — The lirst 

 shipment of frozen halibut from British Coluinbia 

 has arrived at Grimsby in splendid condition. 

 The consignment, which consisted of 1 1 tons, was 

 sent from the British Columbia Fisheries, of which 

 Sir George Doughty. M.P. for Grimsby, is Chair- 

 man. It is intended to have regular consign- 

 ments despatched in future, and it is anticipated 

 that salmon will be similarly imported at au 

 early date. 



