IRISH GARDENING 



53 



tlicm of rare beauty, but every gardener must find 

 out the species suitable for his own garden. 



Among the Geraniums there, are several well 

 suited for rock gardens. G. argenteum is one of 

 the choicest of rock plants, alike for its silvery 

 leaves and rosy pink flowers. G. cinercmn likewise 

 should not be omitted; the silver gi'ey leaves and 

 dark losc-purple flowers iiiaking a rare combination 

 in the early summer. G. Traversii is also of the 

 dwarf, silveiy leaved section, and crossed with 

 another si^ecies gave rise to the showy G. Russell 

 Prichard, a good plant for massing for colour effexjt. 

 though the pink is rather " hard." G. Wcbbiana is 

 another dw^arf with white flowers and makes an 

 interesting variation. G. WaUichianum, a sprawl- 

 ing grower taking up a good deal of space, is never- 

 theljCss valuable for its fine blue flowers in late 

 summer; for the same reason G. Fremontii is 

 worth growing, though the habit is more erect and 

 the flowers pink. Of the Globularias the dwarf, 

 mat-like species are the choicest for mediimi-sized 

 gardens. Such species as G. cordifolia, G. nana, 

 and G. incanescens are really interesting rock 

 plants and of considerable beautj' when well 

 furnished with their heads of blue flowers. Several 

 .stronger species are in cultivation and may be used 

 effectively in lai'ge gardens. Gypsophila, in one 

 form or another, is beloved of all, and for the rock 

 gai'den quit« a number of dwarf species is avail- 

 able. One of the best is G. cerastioicUs, a tufted 

 plant 2-3 inches high bearing white flowers with 

 red veins. G. repens, whit-e, and G. repens rosea 

 are both of trailing habit and flower freely in sunny 

 pofitions. 



(To be cnnfinued.) 



Primulas, 



Present Plans for Winter Beauty. 



roNSiDERED in the light of -winter flowering plants 

 that bring brightness and charming colours to a 

 gieenhouse from October to March few subjects are 

 .so simple to gi'ow, or are of more service than 

 Primulas. He who Avould liave his house gay with 

 them next winter should not overlook the fact that 

 to have them in bloom over the longest period 

 siTangements ought to be made now for the sowing 

 of seed. My own experience prompts me to say 

 tliat steady, uninterrupted growth is better for 

 these plants than to defer sowing until the summer 

 has advanced. As a matter of fact, there is no 

 " express service " from the seed packet to the 

 flowering time of Primulas if one desires healthy 

 fohage and bold trusses for the darkest days of 

 winter. 



Arrangements for Sowing. — In obtaining seed 

 do not be led astray ^ith the idea that the cheapest 

 is the best. That is not always tlie wisest invest- 

 ment, and besides flowers that remain with us for 

 nionths, as these do, are worlh the littl" extra cost 

 involved by an outlay of the best seed. 



Methods of Sow'ing. — It not infrequently happens 

 that those who for the first time take up their 

 culture do not pay sufficient attention to details in 

 the first instance, and it is no uncommon thing to 

 hear blame Inid at tlie door of tlio seedsman. Puns 



or boxes capable of holding three or fovu- inches of 

 soil mil be required. Let these be filled three part3 

 fidl of a compost made up of decayed loam which 

 has reached the mellow stages and falls to pieces, 

 and leaf mould. Pass this through a fine sieve and 

 place a layer or two of the rough portions at the 

 bottom. Mix with the sifted compost a httle silver 

 sand, sHghtly pressing it down and making level; 

 then take the seed and sow it thinly on the surface, 

 watering it in with a fine rosed pot. A slight cover, 

 ing of the compost, or a sheet of brown paper placed 

 over the pan will complete the operation. I find 

 the best time to sow Primula seed, to ensure plants 

 commencing to bloom without much trou^^le, 

 towards the end of October, is from the middle of 

 April to the middle of May. Seed so dealt with, 

 and placed in a temperature of about 55 degrees, 

 will begin to germinate in about ten days time. A 

 greenhouse, or a striking pit, will answer, but if in 

 tlie latter the pan should not be kept too long, as it 

 is important that anything like coddling should be 

 avoided. 



Colour Selection. — There is a dehghtful assort- 

 ment of colours in the Primula sinensis of to-day, 

 thanks to the untiring work of the hybridists, that 

 A\-ould have charmed florists of a previous genera- 

 tion who had to be content wdth a very meagre 

 assortment. No\^-. ^^e can take our choice of 

 colourings that embrace crimson and ruby, rose and 

 salmon, and vermillion, blue and white. We may 

 have beautiful double sorts that our forefath'^rs 

 never imagined, and all these can be raised ^rom 

 seed sown in these early spring days for providing 

 a glorious display of colour in the gloomiest tiniG of 

 the year. Exceptionally graceful, too, are ihe 

 Stellata forms; these are .splendid for table decora- 

 tion. 



Potting Plants on. — It is advisable to pot on by 

 degrees, i.e., to use the size actually required for 

 the occasion, beginning with thumbs for the first 

 shift after the seed pan, then follow on until tlie 

 maximum size is reached, which may be five or six 

 inches. 



Frame Treat:\iext. — There comes a time when a 

 cooler atmosphere is needed than that of the greeri- 

 house, and during June provision must be made 

 for removing them to a frame out of doors, but it 

 should be a frame where coolness as well as warmth 

 i-5 available. It will be obvious, therefore, that the 

 position of the frame must be taken into account. 

 One facing south, for example, would not bo tlie 

 best, as too much heat would only induce a weak 

 and debihtated state. This could, of course, be 

 remedied in a measure by carefully shading and 

 ventilating, but the better plan by far is to locate 

 the frame for the summer months in a north 

 position. 



In potting the plants for the last time an addi- 

 tion may be made to the afore-mentioned compost 

 in the shape of old cow dung, or manure from an 

 old mushroom bed. It will be an advantage if tlu> 

 bed of the frame, on which the Primulas stand, 

 is covered with two or three inches of fine as}ie=5, 

 as these will contribute coolness to the roots by 

 preventing imdue evajioration. Space, too, mu.~t lie 

 left between the pots for growth. It is never wise 

 jiolicy to )i;iclc tiw ])lants tocether at the start, as 



