1 86 



IRISH UARDKNING 



as tlierc- is fousidi-ialilc si>a<f lu-lwiiii ladi i-air 

 ui posts. Soiiu-tinu-s, also, tlu- iii'iii;lils ar.- o|' 

 iron, but iu spite of tlu- .strongly lootvil idea in 

 l)eoiik''s niiuds that climbing jdaiits dislike iron, 

 the Itoses at Kew, when- the posts are of iron, 

 grow and flourish. *• The i>roof of the puddnig is 

 in the eating." 



The ]>erg.da at ("arlon, Maynootli, is l)uilt. of 

 red briek, which ^is crude in the eiirly stages, 

 but fortunately soon tones down with age, 

 That at St. Anne's, ("lontarf, is also red brick, 

 with a paved jiath and low growing semi-shade 

 loving plaids growing along (he side and between 

 the tUes. When Herbert i'ark, Hallsbridge, was 

 l»eing laid out as a public park, a very pleasing 

 pi-rgola was built on the site of one of the many 

 pavilions of Hie International Kxhibitionof liMlT. 

 This pergola runs at right angles to a pond, it is 

 slightly raised above the surrounding ground, and 

 it is biiilt of soliil, square grey stone jiillars, with 

 a wooden roof composed of wJiat look like narrow 

 railway sleepers. Several jilants — -in some cases 

 all ililtereiit — -are planted to each pillar. Here 

 and there there are steps which descend to the 

 level of the water and pleasure grounds. NVere 

 tins structure in a private garden, where tiie 

 iieiessary can; and attention coidd be bestowed 

 on it, an almost ideal pergola would result. 



,\o pi'i'gola should be constructed at random in 

 a garden, it sht>uld have a delinite i)urpose, it 

 should lead to something, aiul that something 

 shoukl only be attained by going tlirough the 

 peigohii. \Vhere |)ossible it should dominate 

 something, and it should be situated in a place 

 where seiui-shade is desirable. Whether it is 

 curved or straight depends entirely on the 

 position. As regards planting, this is also a 

 question for the owner who can make it solely 

 for l^tses, or Vines, or Clematis, kc, or it can be 

 planted with a variety of the.se and many more 

 suitable subjects, which will give charming effects 

 at all seasons of the year with flowers, ct)knired 

 stems, coloured leaves, and coloured berries. 



If the notes oi. work for A'ovember have been 

 attended to, .some of the fruit tree ])runing will 

 have been done, but in any case by the middle 

 of i)eceniber some of the trees will be ready for 

 sitraying. Fortunately, winter spraying of fruit 

 trees is m)W recognised as one of the essential 

 routines in fruit growing, and it is sjiecially 

 fortunate that it should be acknowledged as 

 essential in Ireland, where the dami) atmosphere 

 is so favoiu-abie to the growth of such ])arasites 

 as moss and lichen. 



Sl'UAY Xo. 1. — For apples or peais where 

 fungoid pe-sts are present, and for scab and S])ot, 

 use in December a solution of 2 lbs. bluestxjne to 

 2.") gallons water. When the fruit is set and the 

 leaves are oi>en, spray Avith the same material, 

 using 1 lb. bluestone only to 25 gallons water. 



Spkav JS'o. 2.- — The cleansing spray for keeping 

 the trees healthy, free from moss and lichen, and 

 the bark clean. This should be used early in 

 February, after the pruning, on apples, pears, 

 plums, damsons, cherries, apricots and ])eaclies 

 in the open, gooseberries and i-ed and black 

 currants, in the following ]»roi)ortions :— 2 lbs. 

 caustic soda (1)8 per cent.), ^ 1'*- soft soap to 10 

 gallons water. This spray should be used warm. 

 Spray No. 3.— For insects. To be used on 

 all fruit trees where fly of any sort is ])resent : — 

 2 lbs. quassia chips, 1 lb. soft soap to 10 gallons 

 water. This spray, like A'o. 2, should be used 

 warm. 



The Month's Work. 



The Plower Garden. 



W . Ki.\(i. (iiiid.i 

 IJ.illvwait. r r 



•r U< L.u-.l huniealh, 

 rk. Co. Down. 



i'l.AN riNti Siiiii lis. 'I'lir present season is the 

 best in the year b.i- Ibr pl.-inting of trees and 

 shrubs. If the ground has not bet-n made read\ . 

 however, time must be taken lo prei)are it. 

 Shrubbt-ries are too often neglected. Tile com- 

 monest species are allowed to crowd on the 

 choicer specimens. Autumn is the .season to put 

 these matters I'ight, eitliei- by transplanting or 

 grubbing out the commoiiei" sorts. There are so 

 many beautiful sorts that wi- can ill alTord the 

 room for numerous plants of such shru))s as box, 

 laurel, privet, A:c., excei)ting when tliey are used 

 for shelter or as covert plants. Shrubs of one 

 kind or another may be had in (lower nearly the 

 whole year, either on walls or in the ojien border. 

 Straggling plants of any common shrubs should 

 be cut down and tlie root grubbed u|», taking the 

 op|)oitunity thus provided to imjirove the soil by 

 treiiciung it : and if it is of a heavy nature, 

 working in plenty of decayed leaves and vegetable 

 refuse. In soils of a cold reteiitative nature it is 

 desirable to form beds above the levcd of the 

 surroundings, and carry out i)lanting only when 

 the ground is in a suitable condition. It is 

 (essential to observe this when planting small 

 specimens. In the case of large shrubs, ludes 

 should be made sufTicieutly large to accommodate 

 all the roots. Directly planting is done see that 

 ])roj)er stakes are xn'ovi«fed, such as wall keep each 

 plant in a lirm condition. 



Pampas (Jiiass. — Few^ plants are more attrac- 

 tive when properly placed than the pampas grass. 

 At this season of the year th(> ])lants are i)ar- 

 ticularly elegant, W'ith their tall and decorative 

 plumes. As isloated specimens on the lawn, or 

 when planted on either side of a walk or drive, 

 or beside walcr, the pami)as grass is effective. 

 A position sludtcred from strong winds should be 

 afforded it, otherwise the slender stems carrying 

 the feathery plumes will b(^ damaged and their 

 beauty marred. 



Gbxehal Kemahks. — Any flower-beds that are 

 not i)lanted with bidbs, or spring bedding, or bare 

 parts of the shrubberies should be dug or trenched. 

 If the soil needs emiching give it a good di'essing 

 of manure, leaf-soil, or vegetable refuse. Let the 

 surface of the ground lie as roughly as possible 

 so as to exi)ose it to the influences of frost and air. 

 It is suitable time to make or mend garden i>aths. 

 If new ones are being prepared, excavate the soil 

 to a sufficient depth, and iilace at the bottom a 

 quantity of hard core or large stones, then some 

 smaller pieces, iinishing with a good layer of linely 

 sifted coal ashes or gravel, rolling the whole 

 thoroughly. Where there is a considerable 

 amount of traffic the material forming the patli 

 should be at least one foot deep. Any w(jrn 

 ])atches in th(> grass edging, by the side of i)aths 

 or carriage drives, may now be renovated. 

 Keniove the turf and place sufficient soil to raise 

 the verge to its ])r()per level. If the grass is 

 badly worn, it is better to use fresh sods, but in 

 some cases all that will be necessary will be to 

 reverse it, ])lacing the worn i)art inside, and 

 levelling it by adding some line soil. Violet 



