IRISH GARDENING 



131 



altogether complete. A further disadvantage 

 is ill the fact that the old timber must sooner 

 or later be removed if the new crop is to attairv 

 a complete density. In this removal a certain 

 auiount of damage is invariably done to the 

 young trees, especially if these consist of 

 conifers. Ash, beech, or oak, owing to their 

 elastic shoots and their capacity for making 

 new leaders when the original ones are de- 

 stroyed, do not 

 suffer to the sauie 

 extent. 



Probably the 

 l>est results aris- 

 ing from the par- 

 tial preservation 

 of an old crop are 

 obtained by leav- 

 ing narrow strips 

 or })elts at inter- 

 vals through the 

 wood, and plant- 

 ing up the cleared 

 spaces between 

 them. The young 

 trees are in this 

 case fullyexposed 

 to light, and, 

 therefore, more 

 liable to frost in- 

 jury, but the 

 canopy afforded 

 liy the old crop 

 does a great deal 

 CO check the sud- 

 den fall of tem- 

 perature, while 

 the side shade it 

 affoids prevents 

 the effect of frost 

 being felt so 

 severely, shelter 

 from the early 

 morning s u n 

 being as im2:>ortant 

 above. 



On the whole, the ultimate reco\'ery from 

 frost d image depends chiefly u]:on the vitality 

 of the individual tree. Weakly individuals, 

 when cut back two or three years in succession 

 seldom recover sufficiently to grow into useful 

 timber. As in the case of maliy other tree 

 injuries, the choice of suitable soils aiul situa- 

 tions, and the use of strong, robust plants at 

 planting will do unich to minimise the bad 

 effect of spring frosts, Avhich, like many otlier 

 evils, have to be tolerated when they cannot be 

 avoided. 



Dahwix Tulip, Piiofessor Fhaxcis Darwin 

 Much reduced. 



fro m 



as direct shelter 



Cottage and Darwin Tulips 



By J. W. Besant. 



With Se])tember here gardening people begin to 

 think of bulbs for the sj^ring display, and among 

 others Tulips have to be con.sidered. The 

 beautiful varieties of the Cottage and Darwin 

 sections are becoming increasingly popular, and 



justly so, since in 

 May and early 

 June our gardens 

 would be the 

 poorer without 

 them. 



One of the 

 greatest charms 

 of both sections 

 is their hardiness 

 — they may be 

 left in the ground 

 for several years 

 and will continue 

 to give fine flow- 

 ers. The self 

 colours are glur- 

 ious for beds and 

 groups in open 

 shrubberies, but 

 nowhere do they 

 look so well as in 

 the herbaceous 

 border, where 

 the fresh young 

 shoots of the her- 

 baceous plants 

 fast pushing up 

 just when the 

 Tuli])s are bloom- 

 ing nuike a rare 

 setting to the 

 flowers. To get 

 good blooms a 

 fairly rich and 

 This does not mean 



retentive soil is necessary 

 a\\et soil, however, but a well worked garden 

 soil, such as would glow good veget^ables or her- 

 baceous plants. Xeedless to say fresh manure is 

 detrimental and should not be placed iu>ar the 

 baseof thel)ulbs. Ground which has been well 

 manured a year or so previously is usually in 

 good order for Tuli]>s, and will coutaiii enough 

 food material in mild form to ensure satisfactory 

 gi'owth. 



The (piestioD of the "" l)rcaking "" of the colours 

 is a troublesonu^ one, and in some soils is the 

 cause of a good deal of vexation. In the writer's 

 ex))erie]ice this trouble is more common in limy 



