IRISH (lAKDKMXC 



Notes. 



The Month's Work. 



A Lightning: Plant Firmer 



Mi: a. M \((:i;K(;c.1!. loivst n-, A l.lfyl.-i\. s.'n.ls ;i 

 |iliuloi:iapli (s.-f p. ti(l) sliowiiin a iiovfl dfviic f..i- 

 liiiuiiiii tlic soil rouiiil tlic lools of yoim^; tn'<s. 



Ml- .Marjrrt'gor writes : ■ Aftfi- tin- vci-y sc\(ir 

 w.-allHT \vf havf jusl cxin-riciutMl. scfiiliiiKs liiuil 

 out ill thi' autumn will !)(• nunH- nv less liltc<l u|> 

 .•lit <<r tlu' soil hy tlif fiost. aiul tli.'\ will rr(|nif.' 

 to l)t' im-ssi'd .lowu aiiaiii l.rt'oic flir harsh winds 

 of siuiu^,' Mow. 



••TIh' usual i.racti «■ is to tread thciu down 

 with the feet, a pro<-ess slow and lahorious. 



• A ^daiue at the pliotoKi-ipli will explain our 

 arranireuu'ut . It is a siini>le nari'ow roller in tlie 

 I'oriu (d' a ho^' harrow, with a heavy stoui- placed 

 w.dl over the wheid to ^ive the necessary weiirhl . 

 The whe.-l is then run a'.on^' t lu- lines close to the 

 has.' of the plants. We liiul this simple plan 

 exj.editious. :i}u\ the ivsults sat isfact ory ." " 



Hymenanthera crassifolia 



Tins shrul) is inf eivst intr iiuisnnndi Ihat it helouKs 

 to the same family as our i^ardeii \ i(das — 

 \ iol.triea — and it also possesses features wliich 

 mak" it most decorative and attractivo. 



The tiowei-s cannot he clainu-d as possessinj; 

 a.ny interest from a decorative point of view, 

 being very inconspicuous and of ;> \iolet-like 

 colour. 



The sniall entire leaves are leathery in texture 

 and of an evergreen nature, somewhat resembling 

 the better known Cotoneastei-s, while the stems 

 id' tin- shrub are possessed of a silky - grey 

 c(doui'. The nuist attractive characteristic of the 

 shrub is its Ix-rries. which are freelv prodiu-ed 

 close t<. the stems: they are of a wliite colour, 

 aiul stand out sti'ikingly anti efi'ectively against 

 the green leaves : they are i»roduced in autumn, 

 .and remain attached to the plant thioughout the 

 winter. There seems to be some diversity of 

 opiniiui regarding its hardiness. It is i)ei"fectly 

 hai'dy in the south-west of England. l)ut when 

 ]danted against a wall it certainly grows more 

 vigorously, and often attains a height of H to 1(1 

 feet. It is a native of New Zealand, being intro- 

 duced about forty years ago. 



American Honour for Sir Harry Veitch. 



TiiK (ieorge Robert White Medal of Honour, 

 which is awarded annually by the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society, has been awarded to Sir 

 Harry Veitcli for the year 1914. Sir Harry is 

 the first Hiitisher to be accorded this distinction, 

 and readers of Tuii^H Gardeni.nc; will join us in 

 heartily congratulating this distingxiished liorti- 

 culturist on the honour shown iiim. Little need 

 be said here of Sir Harry's services to horticulture 

 in all its i)hases. For many years to come the 

 name of Veitch will remain in gardens ; though, 

 alas ! the old house is no more, to the sorrow and 

 regret of all who have, in days gone by, had 

 dealing.s with the famous firm of .Tames Veitch & 

 Sons. The enormous number of new plants 

 which have been introduced to cultivation by the 

 various members of the firm is sufficient in itself 

 to render the name of Veitch im])erishable. 



The Flower Garden. 



lU W K 



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d Diinie.Mth. iialb 



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ire 



Mtion old tnbei-s 



superior- to s|ii-iiiui le.i pl;int>. as the lalt.r are 



longer' in comirm into Mower and ;ii'e usiiallv less 

 lloi'iferous. The tubes which have 1>een doi'mant 

 1 hi'oiiL'hoiit the winter' .are now showing buds, 

 .ind in -.onie c,is,.s srver-al .ippcir- on the root 

 Nto.k. In >M.h e.isrs II, .• r,,ol >tock uui y be 

 di\ided into suitable si/,is. and I'l'serving growths 

 with e.uh ilct.uiicd liihci- oi- tul)ei"s. These nuiy 

 be plante.l foitliwith where thev are to tlowi'r, 

 covering th.' I)u.i> with I inches to (i inclies of soil. 

 The best elTect is obtaine«l })y massing. Init this 

 clfect is sometiiiu's lost through using a, number 

 of \;n'ieties where tuie is enough. 



Swi:i:'r Pka. Krom this date until the end t,( 

 the month Sweet Pea plants raised in pids or 

 boxes should be planted where tliev are to (lower. 

 If the plants are in box.-s the soil should be 

 alloweil to become (piite di-y befoi'e ])lanting is 

 commenced, when the ro(ds can be separated 

 without loss. Sweet I'eas i-eipiii'e lirm planting 

 antl thorough wateiings afterwards, unless the 

 weather is showery. The ((uestion of manure 

 nnist be de<'ided upon its merits by each culti- 

 vator. It may be harmful at this stage in certain 

 soils, b\it in very ])oor soils manure iruiy be 

 needed to start the plants into vigorou.s growth. 

 For this puriiose very slight a]»])li('ations of soot, 

 leaf-mould, oi' su perphospluit c nuiy be useful. 



CiiKV.s.wTiiK.Mr.M.s. Plants of early-flowering 

 Chrysanthemums which have l)een |)ro]ierly 

 hardened may now be planted. They grow very 

 strong in rich soil, but over-luxui'iant growth is 

 not desirable ; therefore choose a moderately rich 

 soil, and plant in firm ground. Those of the 

 "Massie" ty|>e in jjarticular should not be 

 encouraged to make too vigorous shoots. These 

 early flowering Chrysantheuuini.s are valuable for 

 lilanting in mixed borders in autumn, when the 

 summer flowering subjects are over. For this 

 ])ur])f)se a stock should be grown in the reserve 

 garden, and the plants moved to the border when 

 they are in liower. 



Annuals. — Seedling annua's growing in boxes, 

 ])ans or pots need careful attentiorv. as they may 

 become drawn if neglected, and s])indly plants 

 never give satisfactory results. Tliin or trans- 

 plant the seedlings directly they are large enough 

 for removal. Those of the slrongei'-growing kinds 

 may be ])ricked out in beds of soil ari'anged on 

 the floor of cold frames. It is an advantage to 

 lirst s])read some finely broken maniire on the 

 bottom of the frame, for the roots will grow into 

 this, rendering it an easy matter to lift the plants 

 with good })alls of soil. 



Hardy Annuals such as Candytuft, Larkspur, 

 Lupis, riarkia, &c., may be sown out-doors 

 froui the middle to the end of the month. I 

 prefer to sow them in lines "n the beds or borders 

 where they are to bloom. The i)la.nts are not so 

 difificult to thin and weed in the early stages as 

 when sown broadcast. 



Hardy Ferns. — This is the best time to trans- 

 l)lant or to divide deciduous Ferns. Large plants 

 growing wild in the woods may be dug up with 

 lialls of earth anfl re])lanted in suitable situations 



