ii6 



IRISH GARDENING 



the Madonna Lily, the Nankoen I^ily. the Mar- 

 tagon l.ily, the Orange l-ily. and so On— inaki- a 

 point of studying tliose tliat root from the stein 

 as well as from the ))ase of the bull), as they re- 

 ciuire deeper planting or a summer nnileh " into 

 whieli the stem roots may j;ro\v ; the eatalo^iiKs 

 ijenerally classify them accordingly ; and, furtlier, 

 let the Lily grower harden his heart the first year 

 after planting and i)revenl the flowers from" de- 

 v.-ioping l.y just nipping out the point of the shoot 

 as soon as the huds c-an lie seen, in this way the 

 l»ulbs will heeome nmc-li stronger, and will estalv 

 lish themselves and inove more satisfactory in 

 later years. 



It is just as well to realise too, that Snowdroi)s 

 planted at this late season are not likely to make 

 a great display next spring. Snowdrops resent 

 being dry for any length of time, and show it bv 

 sulking .sometimes for several years. Those who 

 would establish Snowdrops should get into touch 

 with a grower and ask him to send the necessary 

 i)ulbs when the flowering season is over, and 

 before the leaves begin at all to decay. Planted 

 thus they rarely fail to establish themselves at 

 once, and flower well the following season. Even 

 the town dweller with little or no garden may- 

 have his few pots of Daffodils. Tulips or Crocuses, 

 or his window boxes may be gay with the same 

 flowers supplemented by Sciilas or Chionodoxas, 

 or mixed with Wallflowers, Arabis, Pansies or 

 other spring flowering plants according to taste. 

 For the expenditure of a few shillings or a few 

 jiounds, according to means, we nuiy face the 

 winter months with the sure knowledge tliat the 

 Aconite and Snowdrop, the Daffodil. Tulip and 

 Anemone will bloom for us and gladden the open- 

 ing months of the new year long before the 

 swallows come back from the south. 



B. 



Notes and News. 



Bouvardias. Valuable Plants for 

 Winter Blooming. 



BouvAKDiAS are useful, not merely for general 

 decorative work for greenhouse or conservatory, 

 l)ut also for their blossoms when used in a cut 

 state for personal wear, and their culture is such 

 that those who have small houses, and manage to 

 winter a miscellaneous collection of subjects, may 

 depend on them. It is possibly, not generally ap- 

 preciated, that it is .best for them if they can be 

 given some weeks of open air treatment, prepara- 

 tory to housing them in September. This ensures 

 wood ripening, a point sometimes lost sight of 

 but contributes not a little to their free flowering. 

 It, then, for a time Bouvardias can be stood, either 

 in the open, or in a cold frame, with the lights 

 removed, it will help them. When so located, thev 

 must not he permitted to become drv, and to guard 

 against this, the pots can be partly plunged in fine 

 ashes which will conserve moisture. After their 

 removal to the house, air should be admitted freely, 

 anytiimg like a close, stuffy atmosphere beiiic^ 

 avoided. So prepared, the plants will bloom for 

 weeks in a house, kept genially warm. 



W. LixpERs Lea. 



Galtonias. Hyacinthus candicans. 



Bl.Al 



Iki.ii.s 



I'hk luriosity aroused by the sight of groups of 

 Cialtonias m l>lr)om in a garden last summer led 

 one to rightly eonchide, that the persons who saw 

 them, were una((|iiainted with the lieautiful ivory 

 white hell-like flowers. Although thev are Cape 

 .l)ulbous plants, tli.y are of comparatively easy 

 culture and in warm sheltered districts may be 

 left in the ground the year round, with no more 

 protection than that afforded by a few leaves, or 

 cocoa fibre over the surface, the bulbs may be 

 l)lanted in late autumn, or early .spring, and are 

 be.st suited when they can be given a .somewhat 

 light, well drained soil, and a sunny position. 



As Galtonias bloom in July and Augu.st they 

 are more effective if planted in groups aniong.st 

 (jladioh, early Phloxes and Delphiniums. It' has 

 always i)een a matter of surprise to me that more 

 people do not take up their culture, which is really 

 very simple. The flowers are borne on thick stems, 

 which need no support, and they are further en- 

 hanced i)y robust foliage. Bulbs are not very 

 expensive, l)ut it is well to lift them in the autumn 

 in damp, low-lying localities, and replant in March 

 as thi.s will be found the safest procedure. I call 

 attention to them now in the time of their flower- 

 ing in the hope that someone, not hitherto ac- 

 quainted with them, may be induced to do so 1 

 have often grown them in eight inch pots, but 

 they do not grow so fine as when planted in the 

 open ground, from the fact that their root space 

 is limited. * 



W. LiNDERs Lea. 



Beshcorneria yuccoides in Flower at 

 Greenfield House, Co. Tipperary. 



Brought here from England by W\ B. Purefoy 

 some ten years ago, this is the first year it has 

 flowered It is a native of Mexico, and is rarely 

 seen m bloom in Ireland. 



The grey-green leaves, 3 feet long by 3 inches 

 broad, and streaked with a whitish graining are 

 .somew'hat similar to those of an Agave, thouc^h 

 they differ in being neither thick nor fleshy, and 

 are not armed with spines or thorns. The flower 

 spike is aoout 10 feet high, and bends over in a 

 curve by its own weight, about 6 inches in girth 

 at the base, and tapering quite small at the end. 

 It throws many branchlets, more than 2 feet long 

 and is everywhere provided at all the joints with 

 conspicuous bracts of varying sizes 



The spike itself, the branchlets, and the bracts 

 are all of vivid pmk tint, deeper in shade in the 

 branclilets, and the flowers that hang down from 

 them, as well as from tlie end of the spike, some- 

 times in clusters, are dull red at the base and 

 greeri at the tip, each from 1 to 2 inches long. 



It IS, perhaps, a more curious than an actually 

 i)eautiiul infloreseence. It seems not to object to 

 a little frost, but I think it is sensitive to the 

 dampness of our climate, and something to screen 

 It from excessive rain seem desirable. I have 

 covered this plant from rain from November to 

 April every year. 



The Gardens, Greenfields, 

 Tipperary. 



Pat Schofield. 



