172 



IKISII GARDENING 



Hints to Novices. 



Ws i;. M. I'oi 1... K. 



Mn^l Ml 111.. >|.iinu l.c.l.lin- sli.n.l.l !„• f..iiii.l.-(f.l . 

 \\'allllou,i-s. Su.rt Williiiiiis. K..iv'cl-.Mi'-N<'l>. 

 (•.uilcrlmrv Hrlls. |-..x-l..\ .■>. \ inl.-is. \c., ina> 

 all I..' transi.laiit.'.l In. in th.ii- xiinnic r t|iiart .i- 

 to wlu'i-.'vcr (h.y ai-,. want. .I. W'allllnw.r i~. 

 iiulispciisahii. in aii\ uaiil.-ii. imt «.iily docs it a. 1. 1 

 .-..iisi,!,. ral.lv lu llu- <<.l(.ur cITccl. hut i( is casilx 

 lais.'.i frniii sf.-.l.and it is nii.- ..f tin- iiiosl swcitU - 

 sf.-iil...! ,.|- ..ur uanl..ii plants. " lil...,,! H..,l ■ 

 and ■• Cl.itli ..r (i..ld •• arc the two must ^M'n<-rall\ 

 i.'ri>wn. lull I'linirosf Dauir. j.alc lemon, and 

 Ivistcrn (^iicrn. a curious nuxturc of salm<ui rose 

 and l.uir. nd^'ht well lu- added. Vulcan isan.dlier 

 deep Velvet crin'son, with lai-^'e (lowers. 



Canlerliury Mells are not always popular, an.l 

 tliev certainlv are verv ujjiv and unli.lv w livn ..nl 

 of fl..wer. as tile old (lower stems occasi..nall > 

 tiirow out a second liloom. hut it is never sul'li- 



•ientlv yood to make a show 



•aiui.d 



d.'l..'nded on. hut wh.'ii in I'ull (l.iwer th.v ar ■ 

 v.-rv liandsom... an.l on.' -.ts in th,. ('anl.ihur\ 

 li.-lis a shadeof pal.' lav.'U.l. !■ hlu.. an.l pal.' pink 

 tliat is )Md connnon in (lowers, and is really onl\ 

 c(|ualled in Sweet IVa.. Tlie unsii^htly apjuar- 

 ance and tht- waste of space can he ohviated hy 

 plantintr a little further apart, and in tiie sprin;,' 

 raisinu a small stock <d' some Ko<><l sliowv annual 

 to he phinted out hetweeu the ("anter])ury Hells, 

 towards tlie end of May, sucli annuals as (Hiia 

 linidora.. wlute, aljout 18 inches lii<i;li. wiiich will 

 remain in flower initil late in the season, or 

 (i. densidora. lilac, more crowded in the liead 

 Ihaii tile former. Iiut just as fre<'. Tliese two 

 .-ouid he sown hroadcast round the Cantei-hurv 

 Hells if (h'sired. Violas are anion- tiie m.)st 

 poj.ular as W(dl as the most a.comniodat in^- 

 plants grown. They can be used as carj.ets, 

 edj^in^s. ])atche;. or in ribbon borders. 



.\s soon as the leaves fall tlie fruit trees may he 

 l>rune(l. It is well to -et this operation stai'tc-d 

 as soon as possible, as in Ireland hard frost 

 sel.lom comes before Christmas, and if pruniuu 

 he c.inimenced early, it can be completed bef.u-.' 

 the lold weather sets in. No jii-uninu sliould 

 he done iluring heavy frost. NVIicn the work 

 is done gather u|) all iirvmings an.l hnrn th.^m. 

 'Phis is very essential, csiiecialh Iti.' i.'mai'k 

 •■ burn." Throwing prunings on a inihhish heap 

 (.1 he hurnt when time allows is not what should 

 he done. The burning should take i.Jace at once. 

 Hy doing this, nnich of the disease and insect 

 jiests. now causing immense trouble and anxiety 

 to growers, woidd be greatly lesst^ned. Take for 

 example the haled American (ioos(d)eri-v Mildew, 

 it is on the tips of the shoots that this appears 

 as well as the berries. In other fruit. su(di as 

 .■ipples, ])ears, plums, ^:c., it is in the crevices of 

 branches and round the base of si^urs and leaf 

 nodes that the winter stage of many insects is 

 spent. Immediate burning will assist the grower. 

 When all is done the first spraying may be given, 

 and directions for this will be found in the 

 December issvie of this ])aper. 



Some of the well-ripened shoots of gooseberries 

 and red and white currants may he kejit and put 

 in as cuttings. The strong, lirm shoots should lie 

 selected, taken off with a small heel where 

 jiossible, or ciit across just below a joint, about 

 12 to 14 inches long. All the lower eyes should 

 be removed, leaving only 5 or 6 at the top, the 



weak point ha\ ing alr.a.l v h.'.'ii r.ino\.Ml. Op.^n 

 a V-shap.-d treinh with ii sjiad.- .ih.ud S inches 

 deeji and insert (he cuttings imtil within an inch 

 or so <.f the (irst hud. Cover in ;ind mak.- lirm. 

 'I'hese cuttings shoul.l !.,• C in. h.vs apart, .in.l hv 

 n.-xt autumn will h.' lit t.. lil'l .ui.l put in I li.'ir 

 p. rm.-inent ipi.irt.'rs. (''.xa.tU lli.' sani.' ni.'tho.l 

 .an he .-i.lopt.il r..r hia.k .uVr.i n I s. excejit (hal 

 (h.' I..wcr hu.ls -ii.ml.l n.d !..■ i-,.mov..,l. 



As ivg.ir.ls . .Igings. \\'h\ uill -ar.l.-n.-r. insi>l 

 on planting their he. Is with hiilhs f..r (In- spring, 

 an.l not put s<un<' sort ..f an e.lging to the hed? 

 .lust c.nip.ar.' two .ii-.iiiar ]).'.ls. .m.- with an 



.•.luinu and tl tli.i' with.Mit. :in.l whi.h is most 



pl.'asing to th.' .•>.• ; An .■.Ig.'l.vss h.'.l .always 

 suggests a good picture liung on a wall withoid 

 a frame. There are endless jilants suitahle h.r 

 this purpose, either for sjiring (lowering oid\-. to 

 .■om.' out wh.^n tli.' hnlhs an- moved, or that can 

 I,:- I, It as an ..l-in- t.. the summer j.lanting as 

 w.il. an.l s,, .1.1 .lnl\ for two slufts. What 

 l.'tt.'r' .•d^inu .-ou!,! a \u;\ ,,[ I'.m.Cs .Narcissus 

 hav.' than hln,' .Mv..sotis. Tli.. whit.- <h.uhl.- 

 Ai'ahis. vellow Alvssiim. and th.- lemon .m.. 

 Alvssnm saxatil.' var. citrinum would all hum 

 u.mmI .-onipa.t sprin- IN.w.-ring e<lgings. Th.. 

 r,<l lea v.. I Oxalis ((>. .■orni.ulat a v.ir. at ropur.'.i ) 

 whi.h springs up un.'xp..! .•.! in -ard.'iis. and is 

 nsiiallv thrown .ml. woul.l make a .harming 

 edging to a h..! <.!• a carpet t-. a Crocus h.-d. 

 It ajipai-ent l> com.'S easily from seed. ;uid coid.l 

 be grown on for the purpose. 



The Aubrietias in aU their <•.. lours make 

 .■x.'cllent edgings, an.l tli.' sm..<dh carpets or 

 purple h)rmed liy the various varieties of 

 Aubrietias canmjt be had hetter from anything 

 else. Two very suitable for this work are Dr. 

 .Mules, a deep pui'i.le. and llendersoni, much 

 lighter, but a good doer. 



.Xocca^a alpina. also known as llubliinsia 

 alpina, is a very low growing plant, making 

 compact close deei> green cushions, which are 

 studded over in .Mav. .lune and .lulv with small 

 white flowers, tiie wh.il.' thinu^ not" more than 

 there inches high. It will do in sun or shade, and 

 would be suitahl.' ;is a spi-ing or summer edge. 



Among th.' Aca'ua.s, "New Zealand linn's," 

 w.' Iia\<' four useful species, all ({uite distinct in 

 liicir own wa> . and all easy to projiagat" : — ■ 



A. argeiilci. hron/,> green : A. microphylla, 

 lirown foliage, with red spiii\ fruits during the 

 summer aiul autumn : .\. iJuchanani, a pale pea 

 ';reen ; A. inernds. with golden brown f(diage. 

 All these three form dense carpets, and will do 

 in sun or shade. 



The Cerastiun.s. also called " Snow in Sumniei'."" 

 give us two suitahle for edging with. They are 

 strong growers, and would have to he watched, 

 hut the grey^ of C. tomentosum would be a change 

 from the usual green. It is also well to remove 

 the (lowers, as thev w.ndd h.- to., tall h.r the edge 

 of a hed. 



Cerastium arvense ((.mpactum is a compact 

 green variety, and close growing. As well as 

 these, there are others which from their habits 

 should be capable of being used too. Such well 

 known plants as the common Sedum album, the 

 white Stonecrop, and S. sexangidare, the Mountain 

 Stone crf.p. both native plants, but no less useful 

 on that account. 



Lysimacia nummularia. '• Creej.ing .Jenny," 

 froni its very name, should he a good suhject. 



Thymus ser|iyllum var. coccineum is another 

 l)lant which lends itself to this form of planting. 



