[OO 



IRISH CAkDKMNG. 



Jll.Y 



and there 



strai^^trliiii; piece ot lieiitiaii; 



venia 



On tlie loresliore taeiiii^- tliis situation is an- 

 other field for study. We liiul Arenaria verna 

 i^ro\vin*j' in everv small ereviee in the rocks, 

 sendini,'- up its wee star-like lloueis troni dense 

 tufts of screen, j^-rassy-like leaves. 



Down in between the hui;e stones, which 

 have become worn bv the action ol water in 

 aijes, will be found «,^rowing' the Maidenhair 

 fern, .Xdianlum capillus-veneris, so luxuriating^ 

 that it would tlo credit to a stove greenhouse. 

 Also a few jilants of Neotinea intacta, a little 

 plant which is interestinj;- chielly because it is 

 one o( those plants which do not re-occur else- 

 where in the British Isles, and points again to our 

 having once belons^ed to the mainland of Europe. 

 It seems curious to find tender plants, such as the 

 last two mentioned, growing- in association with 

 the hardy Alpine plants in one habitat. 



There was also growing Helianthemum 

 vernale, a most delightful rock rose oi' deep 

 yellow tone, but this plant is by no means 

 common, its coarser brother predominating — 

 viz., H. vulgare. I also saw tw^o plants of 

 H. vulgare tomentosum which have thick, fleshy 

 leaves, densely covered w^ith greyish hairs. 



The Sea Pink, Armeria maritima, was here 

 abounding in such quantity that it presented a 

 wave of colour, and was considerably stronger 

 and of altogether different character to that 

 seen in Connemara. 



Leaving this most glorious Alpine scene 

 we toured on to Ballyvaughan. Here we en- 

 countered literally acres of Gentiana verna. 



Words almost fail me to describe those shining 

 stars of blue, stretching up the hillside and 

 meeting the familiar Dryas octopetala. 



We wandered among the splendours of 

 Gentians, noticing various forms, some being 

 dark dense blues that have made them famous, 

 while others shine like opals and g^litter in the 

 western sun. 



Such magnificence, such luxuriance, such 

 telling amalgamation of hues, made a picture 

 that an artist could not depict I 



Yet when seen it is painted within the mental 

 vision never to be forgotten. 



A memory of that delightful work oi' nature 

 shows a touch of a master hand. I-ong years 

 of evolution, strenuous efforts to become more 

 worthy than its fellows, truly Gentiana verna 

 has accomplished that aim, for it is indeed the 

 star of the western shore. 



Notes 



Till-: technical education o\ the gardener is a 

 matter of considerable national importance, and 

 its inlluence upon horticultural progress cannot 

 be ignored, especially in these days of rapid 

 transit and keen intei national competition. In 

 I'^ngland there is Kew, where considerable 

 numbers oi' men are turned out yearly as highly 

 trained gardeners. There are colleges and 

 schools throughout the country entirely devoted 

 to a scientific and practical training in horticul- 

 ture, while quite a number of county councils 

 have special institutions for a similar purpose. 

 The effect of all this is that English gardens are 

 being gradually staffed by men of the highest 

 rank in the profession — men well equipped in 

 that special knowledge that makes for efficiency 

 and success. 



The education oi' the gardener in the sciences 

 underlying the practice of horticulture has 

 always received considerable attention in Scot- 

 land. For a very long number of years back 

 gardeners at the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens 

 have had the advantage of special courses of 

 instruction from men oi' university rank on 

 chemical, physical and natural sciences, and 

 with the happiest results. We now note that 

 the East of Scotland Agricultural College is 

 promoting a scheme whereby young men fol- 

 lowing a series of instruction for two winter 

 sessions can qualify for certificates in the art of 

 gardening. The scheme includes (0 chemistry, 

 (2) botany, (3) zoology, (4) geology and me- 

 teorology, (5) land surveying and mensuration, 

 (6) horticultural botany, (7) horticultural chem- 

 istry, (8) horticulture, (9) entomology, ( io» book- 

 keeping. (11) arboriculture (optional). No cer- 

 tificate can be granted to any candidate who 

 fails to produce evidence of having undergone 

 at least a twelve months' practical training in 

 an approved nursery or garden. 



Wh 



AT are we doing in this country in the 



