IRISH GARDENING 



29 



The Royal Horticultural and Arbori^ 

 cultural Society of Ireland. 



The Autumn Show of this Society was held in 

 Dublin on October 19th and 20th, and rarely has 

 a finer lot of fruit been seen. 



Apples were most strongly represented, and 

 were superbly finished, and, considering the dry 

 season, of more than average size. Indeed, many 

 of the examples of such dessert varieties as 

 Charles Eoss were really too big for table use. 

 On the other hand, choice dessert varieties such 

 as Cox's Orange, King of Pippins, and others of 

 that class, were almost peifect. Size in cooking 

 varieties is, perhaps, rather an advantage, and 

 certainly it was not lacking in those on view. The 

 enormous size of Brandeys, Peasgoods, Mere de 

 Menage, and others equally well known, was re- 

 markable. 



Pears were less in evidence, some examples of 

 Pitmaston Duchess being nuich too ripe. 



A wondeiful exhibit came from B. H. Barton, 

 Esq., Straffan House, Kildare, and reflected great 

 credit on Mr. Streeter, the energetic gardener, 

 whose fine exhibit of vegetables was much ad- 

 mired at the Spring Show. The exhibit consisted 

 of fine dishes of Apples and Pears, with a few 

 late Peaches, and was tastefully arranged with a 

 background of flowers and palms. The great 

 variety coming from a private garden was much 

 commented on, and the special award of a gold 

 medal was unanimously approved. On similar 

 lines was the fine exhibit of Apples and friut 

 trees put up by Messrs. W. Watson & Sons, 

 Killiney Nurseries, Co. Dublin, and which also 

 won the Society's gold medal. A silver medal was 

 awarded to Messrs. Charles Ramsay & Sons for 

 a fine floral display, while other trade exhibits 

 earning the judges' commendation were Mr. 

 Denis Byrne, Sandymount; Mr. S. A. Jones, Kil- 

 kenny, for early flowering Chrysanthemums; Sir 

 James W. Mackey. Dublin, for Bulb Bowls, and 

 Bulbowline; William Bradsliaw, Artane Nurseries, 

 Co. Dublin, for fruit and fruit trees; D. M. 

 Watson, Horticultural Chennst, for Weedkillers; 

 and Miss E. Jones, Rathgar, Co. Dublin, for new 

 seedling dessert Apples. 



Much interest was shown in the new seedling 

 Potatoes shown by Messrs. William Cotter & Co., 

 Ltd., a large Vegetable Marrow sent by Mr. C. J. 

 Hyder, Rathgar, and Furze roots for stick and 

 mnbrella handles, sent by Mr. J. Howard Parnell, 

 Glenageary, Co. Wicklow. 



In the class for a group of foliage and flowering 

 trees and shrid)S arranged for effect, the i:)remier 

 award went to the Donard Nursery, Co. Down, 

 who included in their exhibit many rare and 

 beautiful subjects such as Berherls aqiiifoViuin 

 Moseri, Cotoneaster Ilenij/i, Eledf/nus Dicksoni 

 Allied, Yucca fihnnentosn r(nie(juta, rernetti/ds 

 bearing white, lilac, and deej) crimson berries in 

 ])r<)fusion. Erica codonojes, and many others. 



There was a good display of vegetables, fine ex- 

 amples of Leeks, Potatoes. Onions, Cauliflower 

 and Celery lieing on view; but Beeroot, on the 

 whole seemed coarse. The single dishes of Onions 

 were very fine. 



The exhil)ition, on the wiii'le, was most encour- 

 aging, and during tlie afternoons theie was a 

 large attendance. If we might make a suggestion, 

 it is that the Society should arrange to display 

 bills announcing the Show in the windows of the 

 seedsmen's shops in Dublin and suburbs, and also 

 in shops of any kind in the outlying districts. 



Allotments. 



The tenure of allotments has been referred to on 

 several occasions in these notes, and, generally 

 speaking, far too many owners of land have an 

 idea that a favour is being conferred on an allot- 

 ment holder in being allowed to cultivate land 

 which at some future date may be valuable 

 ])ecause being then required for building pur- 

 poses, but which until then is lying waste. It 

 will, therefore, be interesting to see the conclu- 

 sions arrived at by the committee appointed by 

 the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and by 

 the Secretary for Scotland. The committee repre- 

 sents all the interests concerned, and has been 

 appointed to investigate the present position as 

 regards the provision by local authorities of allot- 

 ments in Great Britain, and to formulate recom- 

 mendations for such amendments of the existing 

 legislation and administration as may be desir- 

 abh^ to secure adequate provision of allotments by 



NElil.VE BOWDKXI, 



sucli local authorities and to impiove tlie tenure 

 and security of occupiers of allotments. 



Up to the present most allotments luive not had 

 much space without crops, but with the lifting of 

 Potatoes and the clearing of other crops there 

 is now a considerable amount of vacant ground. 

 Soils vary so nnich in character, that in treating 

 them no "general rule can be laid down. A large 

 group of allotnumts here is practically all clay, 

 and our experience in treating this land has been 

 to throw it up in October and November after the 

 manner of lazy beds, leaving good trenches 

 rutuiing with the slope of tlie land to carry away 

 water, which otherwise would lodge on or in the 

 surface soil. If possible, tliese plots are dressed 

 with lime after trenching, and left mitil the 

 spring. It is then in a fair condition for work- 

 ing. Light manure, or that of a strawy character, 

 is then forked into it, and the trenches broken 

 down. This is usually possible in Marcli and 

 April, and if the weather is favoural)le in these 



