IRISH GARDENING. 



55 



usually taking- a long time to recover, if they 

 do so at all. Small plants, firm planting", and 

 well watering afterwards are essentials to 

 success. 



Ruscus Hculeatus, better known as Butcher's 



Broom, is well known and popular as a shade 



bearer. It is a useful plant for rough ground, 



spreading by root suckers, and will stand a 



great deal of abuse. For growing under trees 



perhaps the most 



frequently m e t 



with s h r u b b y 



plant is ivy. For 



1 arge places 



where there are 



many trees ivy is 



useful, growing 



quickly in the 



poorest soil, but 



for small gardens 



there are better 



plants less apt 



to find their 



way where not 



wanted. In very 



smoky towns, 



however, where 



it is difficult to 



get anything to 



grow, ivy is often 



welcome. 



One of the best 

 shrubs for with- 

 standing smoke, 

 shade, and drip 

 from trees is the 

 w e 1 1 - k n o w n 

 aucuba, which 

 will flourish in 

 the most uncon- 

 genial surround- 

 ings. The varie- 

 gated variety is 

 most frequently 

 met with, but the 

 g r e e n - 1 e a \- e d 

 form is a hand- 

 some evergreen, 

 while there are 

 varieties w i t h 

 long, narrow 



leaves, and others with broader leaves, all form- 

 ing an extremely useful set of evergreen shrubs. 

 The common periwinkle, \'inca minor, and 



"Forming thk Ukad' 



photo specially taken to illnsirate M 



the stronger-growing species. V. major, are 

 useful low-growing subjects for undergrowth, 

 producing pretty blue flowers in summer.' 

 Gaultheria Shallon is a beautiful dwarf ever- 

 green, producing racemes of pinkish bell- 

 shaped flowers. It flourishes in shady places 

 in light soil, but languishes where there is 

 much lime present. Of deciduous shrubs for 

 undergrowth we have a useful plant in the com- 

 mon elder and its 

 varieties. These 

 grow vigorously 

 in smoky dis- 

 tricts, and are 

 useful in large 

 parks. Discrim- 

 ination must be 

 used in small 

 gardens, how- 

 ever, as a good 

 deal of hard cut- 

 ting back in 

 spring will be 

 found necessary 

 where space is 

 limited. Privet, 

 too, in several 

 forms makes 

 useful under- 

 growth, and will 

 thrive in very 

 indiff'erent soil. 

 Very useful de- 

 ciduous flower- 

 ing shrubs for 

 shady places are 

 some of the 

 stronger - grow - 

 ing hypericums. 

 The species H. 

 e 1 a t u m , H . 

 h i re inu m, H. 

 uralum, and the 

 dwarf- spreading 

 H.calycinum will 

 be found most 

 suitable. The 

 latter is an ever 

 green species and 

 a useful plant 

 for dry places. 



' OK A PuM Tree 



r. Haniniond's article on Pruning, p 2J 



The majority of the shrubs mentioned above 

 may be planted early this month, treating 

 according to directions given in previous notes. 



