44 



IRISH GARDENING 



Massed iu shrul'liciies or in lx>d8 by themselves; in 

 the hcrbaeeoub border and tho flower garden. G(mkI 

 rich soil must be provided and water given in pleiit v 

 during dry weather. 



Some of the finest varieties for massing are to 1m' 

 found among the so-called Decoratives, tho Pwoiiv- 

 flowered varieties and the singles. 



Among the first naimd may Ik' mentioned 

 CriiuHoii Flat), a luilliaiit. fiery -crimson variety. 

 JJelicc, rose pink; iHurHcr, scarlet: Siilphiirni. 

 yellow, and W'arueford. white. Of Cactus varieties 

 Alabaster, white; /•'. U . I'clUnvcs, orange or term 

 cotta rod: Mrs. M- Stmhrick, silvery pink: and 

 Husscr, yellow, may be mentioued. lUeony-flowered 

 sorts are popular in the garden, and the following 

 may l)e recommended i—fyttfrfj/, orang.- red; 

 Ilolman Hunt, crimson: (irruadier, scarlet; Sheila, 

 ro.sf i)ink; Melatupus, yellow, and Quceu ]Vil- 

 hehuina, white. Collarette varieties include Firc- 

 flaiiic, scarlet tipped yellow with yellow collar; 

 Henri Farmau, yellow and red, with cream collar; 

 Medallion, yellow; Joan, scarlet with yellow collar. 

 and Siralloiv, white. Pompons include- Adelaide, blush: 

 Bacchitii, crimson scarlet; Emihj Hopper, yellow; 

 Glou-, coral; h'crissa, rose, and Uliitr Asfrr, white. 



The Miguous, which grow about eighteen inches 

 high, are useful in many ways, and include Albion, 

 •white; Bcnbow, crimson; Daffodil, yellow, Etna. 

 crimson; Xiceus, white; Regent, crimson, and soon. 



The now popular singles have come greatly into 

 favour since the introduction of the beautiful Star 

 varieties by Messrs. Cheal, of Crawley, who have 

 done so much to popularise the best modern Dahlias. 

 It is not correct to say that the Star Dahlias are 

 truly single, for they consist of several rows of 

 florets, but have open centres and are surpassingly 

 light and graceful, and delightful for massing. 

 Among others the following can be recommended : — 

 White Star, pure white, with orange yellow centre: 

 Crawley Star, rose pink; Surrey Star, tangerine, 

 suffused copper and rose; Autumn Star, terra-cotta 

 flushed red; Coral Star, coral red; Evening Star, pale 

 rose; Morning Star, carmine shading to lake; Oraitye 

 Star and Scarlet Star. 



The Wheat Plant. 



This is the subject of a new monograph by Pro- 

 fessor John Percival, M.A., F.L.S., and is the out- 

 come of many years of study and experiment. 

 Professor Percival is well known as the Professor of 

 Agricultural Botany at Heading Univer.sity College, 

 and his works on Agricultural Botany and Agri- 

 cultural Bacteriology are standards. 



This new monograph is Super Royal 8vo.. and 

 extends to about 500 pages, w-ith over 200 illustra- 

 tions. Part I. deals with the gi'ain; germination: 

 the root; the leaf; the stem; the inflorescence and 

 the flower. 



Part II. is devoted to History and Classification, 

 the various cultivated races of Wheat, to hybridisa- 

 tion, breeding and selection and yield. The work 

 should be of supreme interest to all engaged in 

 wheat growing, for on an increased supp.y of 

 wheat largely depends the future pea-je and progress 

 of the world. 



Published by Duckworth & Co.. 3 Henrietta St.. 

 London, W.C. 2. "Price 63s. net. 



Allotments. 



TuK parks iu I ;« I hist und nmny otii.r towns are once 

 again resuming their pre-war appearance. The 

 eviction of the allotment holders has not been 

 carried out without a certain amount of i)rotest, but 

 in most towns there is still sufficient land available 

 lor plants without encroaching on the public parks, 

 which, after ail. were not intended for allotments. 

 .Mlotnitiit holders could not claim the right to 

 virtual possession of portions of lajid which were set 

 ai)art for the general public, and from which they 

 wen^ practically excluded. Tlie war arose and 

 rendered cultivation of the land an absolute 

 necessity, but land in parks was always laboured 

 under sufferance, and from the cessation of actual 

 warfare thf iK)silion was one of uncertainty to the 

 plot holder, and there was every appearance at ono 

 time that they would be treated with very httle 

 comtesy indeed. Tho question of eviction, how- 

 evi>r, hung over .so long that in the end the majority 

 were prepared to hand over the plots without suffer- 

 ing financial loss at least. 



TIk' system of control with allotments in parks 

 was fundamentally wrong in principle. Nevertheless 

 they served an excellent purpose, and undoubtedly 

 increased the food supplies, which was the primary 

 and sole object in view. With allotments, as with 

 other forms of land cultivation, the letting should 

 not be of a temporary kind. Those allotments are 

 best cultivated where the holders have some security 

 of tenure. Further, according to the completeness 

 oi that control .so development arises. The hedges 

 and fences are better kept, the cultivation 

 is higher, the sense of responsibility and 

 satisfaction is more complete, if the whole 

 management is vested with the holders. The forma- 

 tion of local committees should be encouraged, so 

 that the interests of the groups of plots are best 

 served. In almost any to\vn or urban district there 

 are evidences to show that under these conditions, 

 veritable gardens have arisen, and it is in the multi- 

 plication of these areas that ti-ue progress in the 

 allotment movement will be assured. 



Potatoes. — This is the most important month for 

 planting Potatoes. If the early varieties have not 

 already been planted, a commencement should be 

 made with these, and then the second-early and 

 p.iaincrop kinds. The w'hole of the crop should be 

 planted this month if possible. Potatoes for plant- 

 ing vadij be about the size of a hen's egg. If the 

 sets are much longer they ma}- be cut lengtliAvise, 

 observing that buds are on each piece. It is not 

 necessary to mention methods of how to plant, but 

 i* the land has not been manured, to save labour 

 manuring and planting can be done in one operation. 

 The usual depth to plant is about four inches on 

 heavy soils and six inches on light soils. Most of 

 the early sorts are dwarf growers and a convenient 

 distance between the rows is two feet, allowing 

 one foot between the sets. The maincrops should 

 be allowed thirty inches between the rows, and 

 fifteen inches between the sets. If the manure is 

 scarce as much as possible should be given to 

 Potatoes, as this crop will stand manuring up to 

 twenty tons per statute acre. 



C.vn.iFi.owERS. — Any plants in frames should be 

 planted out if this has not already been done, other- 



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