84 



IRISH (.Ain)i:MXG 



Cinerarias 



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.lisnl 



tl.s. 



Fi:\v plants cixw cM|ual the \ai-ioiis 

 Ciiicraria for produciiij,' a ^'oiuct'iis 

 throuudioul the winlcr and early spriiijj: nioi 

 Tlu' kinds (ifti-n nu't witli are tliosi' know 

 largc-tlowiTi'd. the jjlants l)ein<r dwarf and ( 

 l)aet in hal)it. Tliev can he i)roenred in \ai 

 shades of coloiu-. smli as lihic, white, ciiii 

 hhie-eil^.d. A:e. : hut h.r -en.ral |.uii)os 

 L'ood reiiahle niixeil strain 

 is ])ieferal)le. Other dwarf 

 kinds are Anticpie l^ose. the 

 flowers hein^' a pretty shade 

 .>f rose : liut it is a plant 1 

 never really adniiit-d. 

 ^h^tador is similar in hahit . 

 hilt the tfoweis ari' orange 

 searlet. and is worth irrow - 

 ing on tliat aeeoiint. The 

 hest seetion to my mind is 

 the stellata or polyantha. 

 and they eertainly have 

 gained great popularity of 

 late years. They grow from 

 2 to 4 feet high, and the 

 immense lieads of star- 

 shaped flowers are produced 

 on long stalks, whieli render 

 tliem ideal subjects for cut- 

 ting or general decorative 

 work as pot ])lants. Here 

 again a first-class mixture 

 is excellent for most gardens 

 although they are offered 

 in shades of light blue and 

 white, but so far as my 

 experience goes they do 

 not come true from seed. 

 The Feltham Beauty strain 

 is somewhat similar to the 

 stellata group, the flowers 



being larger and the petals broader, but 

 the true star shape is retained. It is an 

 excellent plant where tall kinds cannot be 

 accommodated, as there are many distinct and 

 attractive shades of colour, while the haliit 

 leaves nothing to be desired. In the ('actus 

 Blue we have a delightful i)lant of com])act 

 growth. The flowers are a beautiful clear ])lue 

 of various shades, with the petals slightly 

 twisted and bent near the tij)s, which give the 

 blooms a distinct and pleasing effect. 



One firm also offers an intermediate strain, 

 but sufficient has been written to show what a 

 wealth of material there is to choose from, and 

 if the strains are increased at the same rate as 

 they have of late years, the gardener who cannot 



regularlx \ isit the \aiious shows 

 dillieult task in knowing what to eh 

 Cinerarias are rai.sed from seeds. ; 

 tinu- to sow them is earl\ in .liuic ; 

 ■A later ImI.^Ii. The seed !■ 

 oiilx he li-htK .nxeivd uitli 

 ol- pan> should hr well .h 

 w it hin an inch ot t lie i im \s 

 .•(.mpost. li pi;. .•.■<! ill -CI 

 liame uhi.'li is kcp 



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.SliOWlNG DKPTH ()F J^KAT IN A Bo<+ W HKliE 



Seeds of Pinus Pinaster were sown. 



Is. and the best 

 ic. aiul .Inlv for 

 nil and slioiihl 

 M.il. The p,,l.. 

 I. an<l hlled to 

 iim \s It li ordinary pott inu 



lose. L'eniiiiiat ion will soon 

 and when the seedlings have made 

 e tiii\ leaves they should be j)laced 

 singl.N ill small jx.ts. A 

 litdit . airy, cool position is 

 1 hen needed to secure strong 

 and stui'dy growth. When 

 siitVuiently advanced they 

 must be given larger re- 

 ci'ptaeles, until the flowering 

 size is reached. For this 

 pin])ose pots (i inches in 

 diameter should be chosen 

 for the smaller growing 

 kinds, and 7 and S inch 

 pots for the stellata grouj). 

 A suitable com])ost consists 

 of good fibrous loam three 

 parts, leaf mould one part, 

 and a moderate sprinkling 

 of coarse sand to render 

 the whole porous. A large 

 quantity of drainage is not 

 needed, but sufficient must 

 be provided to secure a free 

 outlet for water. At the 

 final potting a little arti- 

 ficial manure may be incor- 

 ))orated in the soil. 

 Throughout the early stages 

 of growth the plants ought 

 not to become pot -bound 

 or starved in any way. 

 C'inerarias enjoy a cool, 

 moist bottom and plenty 

 of air, and a little shade may be necessary when 

 the weather is exceptionally hot, but this must 

 not be overdone, or the plants will become weak 

 and spindly. Although the subject of the present 

 note should not be allowed to get dry at the 

 root, a certain amount of care is required in 

 liandling the water pot, or some of the plants 

 may suddenly colla])se, while the foliage is 

 brittle, and in consequence is easily broken. 

 After the final potting and the pots are filled 

 with roots, alternate waterings with weak liquid 

 manure will be beneficial, but this must be dis- 

 continued directly the flowers commence to 

 open. 



The principal insect pests are red -spider and 

 greenfly, but the former only appears when 



