i6: 



IKlSll CAKDKNINC 



opinion and athiti' liriii<i coiistaiil ly soiiLilit niid h 

 freely given. In faet, this extensive coi respond u 

 ence largely added to liis laboin-s. and most ol it li 

 Mas done diu'ing \vhat ought to have heen his i 

 hours for rest and reereation. ]iall was of .i (| 

 studious and retiring disiiosit ion. and liis 

 iiielinations lod him to the ex])erimental side nf ;i 

 gardening and to tlie study of i)Iants and ]il;in1 I 

 life in the conditions of nnttiic latlicr 

 tlian to ])raetieal and Inisthng gatdcniiiu 



On several occa- 

 sions he went to 

 Switzerland to col- 

 lect and to study 

 ])lant life. He visited 

 Bulgaria and col- 

 lected many interest- 

 ing and rare plants, 

 and brought back 

 valuable inform a- 

 tion as to the con- 

 ditions mider A\'hich 

 plants grew in that 

 coiintry. He also 

 spent a considerable 

 period collecting 

 plant.s and seeds in 

 the maritime Alps, 

 both on the French 

 and on the Italian 

 sides. Ball w^as 

 keenly interested in 

 hybridisation, and 

 conducted several 

 interesting experi- 

 ments with much 

 snccess. Some of 

 the results of these 

 experiment? are now 

 well known, and 

 some plants have 

 been called after 

 him. There are noAv 



at Glasnevin still imflo\\ered crosses made by 

 him of Berberis, Mahonia, Calceolaria, Ribes, 

 Campanida, Escallonia, &c., which are full of 

 promise. 



On the retirement of Mr. Houston from the 

 position of Editor of Irish Gardening Ball was 

 appointed in his place, and it is unnecessary to 

 point out the success he achieved in that position. 

 It was patent to every reader, and the high 

 reputation in which this Irish periodical is 

 now hekl is largely due to liis skill and 

 enthusiasm. 



Ball had a wide circle of friends in this coiuitry, 

 and by them his quiet, gentle manner, his open- 



.MKJIAKLMAS I )A1S1J 



dcd gcncrosilN , his w illingricss to iielp and to 

 Liuidc. wcif Ueeidy ap])reciate(l. .Many letters 

 lia\(' been received at (Jlasn(>vin exiMvssing 

 icgic't at his loss. From these the following 

 (plot at ions may l)e given : 



" His was such a fpiiet, retiring, and yet deep 

 ;iiid |i(.\verf\d nature that it is a great loss to 

 I lie world he should ])ass away so yoimg." 



■ He is the first of my fighting friends to be 

 killed. T had a i-eal liking for him, his soft voice, 

 kind brown eyes, 

 clmckling laugh, 

 a II d li n e na t u I'e 

 al I appea le.l to 

 me." 



■■ It was a i)ait i- 

 eularly fine thing 

 for a man of his 

 peaceful habits to 

 join, and oidy those 

 who knew him well 

 will ever thoroughly 

 a])preciate how 

 much he gave up 

 and what a wrench 

 it was to him to 

 t h r o w u ]) t h e 

 work he loved so 

 well." 



*' His keenness was 

 infectious, and his 

 loss to horticulture 

 in Ireland, and 

 especially to Irish 

 Gardening, will be 

 deeply felt." 



In conclusion, it 

 may be truly said, 

 few men have lived 

 a better life or died 

 a nobler death. 



F. W. M. 



Badly Ai 



Kniphofia Nelsoni. 



This is one of the smaller i;rowing Torch Lilies, 

 and one tliat is far too little grown in gardens. j 

 For tile average herbaceous border it has claims 

 beyond the stronger varieties, which are mostly 

 forms of K. aloides. ' 



K. Nelsoni produces narrow, almost grass-like, 

 leaves which do not interfere unduly with 

 neighbouring i)lants unlike the tall kinds which 

 require a great deal of space and sometimes fail 

 to flower. K. Nelsoni, on the other hand, rarely 

 fails to flower ))rofusely, and a score or more of 

 elegant spikes may be produced from a com- 

 ])aratively small i)lant. The flowers are aptly 

 described as flame-coloured, and are i)roduced in 

 September. In addition to their value in the I 

 garden tlie flower spikes are useful for cutting. 1 



