SEPTEMBER 



IRISH GARDENING. 



H3 



smallest could be left in the seed bed till spring. 

 Cauliflowers could be wintered in a sheltered portion of 

 the garden in a nursery bed, protecting them with spruce 

 boughs during severe weather. 



For natu re-study work there is ample material at hand 

 in autumn. Besides the autumn flowers there are 

 numerous fruits to be studied, and special attention 

 should be paid to the method by which plants secure 

 the dispersal of their seeds. Collections of weed seeds 

 might be made in small corked glass tubes ; the birds 

 which are seen feeding on weed seeds should be noted. 

 Leaf-eating caterpillars are abundant in August and 

 September, and their life-histories could be studied by 

 keeping them in breeding cages in the schoolroom. 



The autumn work might fittingly be ended with the 

 study of the fall of the leaf 



Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland 



THE Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland held 

 their Autumn Show on Tuesday, 22nd August, 

 in Lord Iveagh's beautiful grounds at Stephen's 

 Green, Dublin. The weather was all that could be 

 desired, the show was well attended, and in every way 

 it appeared to be a success. 



The Lord Lieutenant and Lady Aberdeen visited the 

 show in the afternoon, and were received by members 

 of the committee and the secretary, The show was an 

 improvement on last year's both in number and in 

 quality of exhibits. 'The attendance was also better 

 than last year, and it would appear that the Dublin 

 public are taking more interest in their horticultural 

 society than they have done for some time past. 



One of the finest exhibits in the show was that of 

 grapes, exhibited by Lady Emily Howard Bury, Charle- 

 ville, TuUamore, King's County (gardener, Mr. Roberts), 

 and it was well worthy of the large gold medal awarded. 



A very fine collection of crotons. other foliage plants, 

 grapes, melons and peaches was staged from the Vice- 

 Regal Lodge Gardens, which was awarded a cultural 

 certificate. 



Hardy cut flowers were the chief feature of the show, 

 and considering the very dry season it was a pleasant 

 surprise to see the flowers in such good condition. It 

 is evident that hardy herbaceous plants are growing in 

 public favour annually, chiefly because of the ease by 

 which they can be cultivated. 



Pot plants were very well shown, W. Robertson, Esq., 

 Hermitage, Dundrum (gardener, Mr. Green), being first 

 for twelve stove or greenhouse plants, and also for six 

 zonal pelargoniums. For three fuchsias, Sir E. Coch- 

 rane, St. Michael's, Ailesbury Road (gardener, Mr. 

 Colgan), was first, F. V. Westby, Esq., Roebuck 

 Castle, Dundrum (gardener, Mr. Simmons), being first 

 for four colours. 



Roses were not up to the usual standard, the hot, 

 dry weather having disastrous effects on the plants 

 producing good blooms. The Lord Ardilaun Challenge 

 Cup was won by Dr. Campbell Hall (gardener, Mr. 

 Faris) ; second, \V. H. Calvert, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 

 Crothers) ; third, F. Thorpe, Esq., Enniskillen. For 

 the twelve Hybrid Teas Dr. Campbell Hall was again 

 first ; Dr. O'Donel Browne, Naas (gardener, Mr. Milne), 



being second. These two competitors were similarly 

 placed in the class for twelve Teas and Noisettes. In 

 the four classes open to nurserymen there was poor 

 competition, H. Dickson and Son, Belmont. Belfast, 

 winning all the first prizes and the two medals. 



Dahlias were below the usual standard in size, though 

 colour was well maintained. The Lord Ardilaun Chal- 

 lenge Cup was won by R. H. Stubber, Esq., Mr. Meehan 

 being second and Lady Annaly third. R. H. Stubber, 

 Esq., Lady Redmond, R. H Maunsell, Esq., and R. T. 

 Harris, Esq., were the chief prize-winners in the other 

 dahlia classes. 



For the best collection of hard\- cut flowers shown 

 in vases there was strong competition, first going to 

 Mrs. Mitchell, second Lord Plunket,and Mrs. Keith third. 

 The Watson Challenge Cup, for twelve vases of 

 picotees or carnations, was won by Mrs. M. G. Millar, 

 Mrs. H. Hutchinson being second. 



Sweet peas were a fine feature in the show, and some 

 very good spikes were e.xhibited. For the champion 

 class collection of eighteen varieties in single vases, 

 the first prize and gold medal were won by J. Hall, Esq., 

 Moy, County Tyrone ; second and silver medal bj' 

 Lord O'Neill (gardener, Mr. Wadge). The challenge 

 cup presented by Sir J. G. Nutting, Bart., for nine 

 bunches in nine varieties, was won by Miss Field, 

 Shanganagh Park, County Dublin ; Jas. Hall, Esq., 

 Moy, being second ; and Lady Redmond third. The 

 cup presented by Miss Osborne, for six bunches, open 

 onlv to those who have never won a prize for sweet 

 peas at the society's show, was won by Miss Rowle}-, 

 Sylvan Park, Kells ; second, C. W. Parr, Esq., Ballivor ; 

 third, Mrs. Meade, Old Connaught, Bray. The chief 

 prize-winners in the single classes were Lady Redmond, 

 Miss Rowley. Lord O'Neill, Mrs. Butler, Jas. Hall, 

 Esq , and Lady Rathdonnell. 



Fruit was very well shown, grapes being very good, 

 and also were the melons and apples. 



For the best two bunches of white grapes Lady E. 

 Bury was first, Sir A. Coote (gardener, Mr. Thornton) 

 was second, E. Bewley, Esq., Danum (gardener, Mr. 

 Clarke), third. Lady E. Bury was again first for Black 

 Hamburg, and also for any other variety black. 



The Earl of Meath (gardener, Mr. Childs) was first 

 with very good peaches, N. Hone, Esq., being second, 

 and Mrs. Carlyle third. 



P'or nectarines N. Hone, Esq., was first, Mrs. Good- 

 body (gardener, Mr. Davis) was second, and Mrs. H. 

 Hutchinson third. 



For the best green or white-fleshed melon the Earl 

 of Meath was first ; Col. Claud Cane, St. Woolstans. 

 Celbridge (gardener, Mr. Horton), second ; and C. M. 

 Doyne, Esq., third. E. Bewley, Esq., was first for 

 scarlet-fleshed melon; second, Mrs. Summers; third. 

 Col. Claud Cane. 



Apples were well shown, there being some very fine 

 specimens of cooking apples and very highly-coloured 

 dessert apples, especially the Beauty of Bath and Lady 

 Sudeley from County \\'exford. There was good com- 

 petition in the collection of six dishes for prizes pre- 

 sented bv Sir F. W. Moore. Mrs. Goodbody was first, 

 Sir E. Cochrane second, and Major Henry, Firmount, 

 Naas (gardener, Mr. Taylor), third. A. Claude Ellis, 

 Esq., Ramsgate, Gorey, was first for Beauty of Bath, 



