IRISH GARDENING 



III 



nuuiy of the tree or shrubby hcibited kinds which 

 fruit freely, Muachii and Moi rowii being probably 

 the best, but nitida, pileatu and pileatu Yitnmin- 

 en.se are distinct evergreens which bear blue or 

 violet berries, the last-named, so far as my experi- 

 ence goes, being the best; its clusters of violet, 

 bead-like berries are entrancing. 



Every boy and girl has an intelligent knowledge 

 of the Apple, but of its family (Maht.s) I would 

 like to mention one that came here many years 

 ago under the name of Mulus edulis. The late 

 Mr. F. W. Burbidge, after tasting one of its 

 fruits, declared that its name should be Midus 

 Unedo. It bears all along its branches clusters of 

 small fruits that colour beautifully in September, 

 and some of our boys try them, but only once. 



golden-berried form is unique as a fruiting tree, 

 whilst r. Auciipdiia nanus develops into an 

 erect cokuiui of dark green leafage, amongst 

 which its immense clusters of rich red berries are 

 very striking. 



Fruiting Roses which have excelled themselves 

 this year are numerous, from the humble Burnet 

 Rose with its glistening berries of almost jet 

 black. The various hybrids of the Japanese Rose, 

 li. rugosu, some with immense berries borne 

 singly, and others with trusses or sprays of scarlet, 

 coral, or crimson, B. Moyesii, B. macrophylla, 

 and B. sericea, with their curious bottle-shaped 

 fruits, the curious fruits of B. (jymnocarpa that 

 have no proper end. The magnificent fruits of 

 B. pomifem, and the quaint, but not beautiful. 



(See 



Berberis aggregata. 

 Some Fruiting Trees and Shiiiljs. 



The Pernettya is a disai)p()inting bush in many 

 places, but where it does well it is more than 

 worth its room. Do not plant it in any soil that 

 contains lime. 



rhvtinia variahdis is a small tree, probably 

 l)etter known for the brilliant autiunn colouring 

 of its foliage. It. bears, fairly regularly, bunches 

 of small bright red fruits. 



Pyracanthus or Fire Thorn, that up to recently 

 figured as a member of the gicat Thorn tribe, has 

 now been honoured with a family of its own. The 

 old Laelandii is well known, and the newer ones 

 will also assert themselves when their fruiting 

 beauty becomes better known, (ribsii, oJ)tn.'<(itiini, 

 and Boiiers'ii are excellent representatives of the 

 new genus. 



In the Pyrus group the member.s of the Moun- 

 tain A.sh tribe, Pyrus Aucupdiiii aii- cvri- 

 popular. A sturdy variety that is known a.^ .Amcii- 

 cana (l)ut why I do not know) has iiumcnsf 

 l>unches oi large, glowing scarlet berries. The 



hips of B. iniciopln/lhi, well-named the Hedgehog 

 Rose. Without embracing the Dady Had, K. uf 

 K., or any of those deservedly popular members, 

 this familv would deserve a whole epistle to 

 itself. 



I dare say it is only known to a certain few that 

 the Connnon Butchers' Broom, Busciis aculeatus, 

 is a beautiful plant when in fruit, but the plants 

 being dioecious, tiie red berries can only be pro- 

 duced when plants of the both sexes are growuig 

 together, and it was a long while bi'fore 1 could 

 tell " tother from which." 



The scarlet-fruited Elder, l^atnhitciis nnemosus, 

 is a handsome tree when laden with its bunches 

 of scarlet berries resembling lobsters (when 

 boiled). linfortinuitely, the blackbirds and 

 thrushes " go nap " on them as soon as they are 

 ripe. . 



The Skimmias, and I was almo.^^t forgettnig the 

 .Aucuba, arc useful evergreen shru.l)s with scarlet 

 berries in winter. 



