ll 



IRISH GARDENING. 



February 



induce regular half-hardies to do much good, 

 and annuals grow small and spikey, and are 

 very soon out of bloom. Carnations, funkias, 

 lilies, gladiolus, Michaelmas daisies and schizo- 

 tylis succeed one another in beautiful abundance ; 

 but one sighs for the soppy, rich, luxuriant 

 beauties that grow out of all bounds in the 

 ordinary damp, rich, limestone soil of Ireland. 

 I have to depend largely on pinks in their varie- 

 ties ; seedlings from seed of my own gathering 

 and rearing for one thing. They give one great 



Lime. 



By M. J. jAMlso.v, .Associate of the Royal College 

 of Science for Ireland. 

 [CorttzJiued yrom page 5.] 



WITH regard to the beneficial use of 

 ground limestone in soils, the rock 

 selected for grinding should be of 

 high quality, and when ground at least 40 

 per cent, should pass through a sieve with 

 10,000 holes to the square inch. Burnt lime 



Arpanoir, IqoS. 



variety, a large proportion of doubles and un- 

 limited flowers. Of course they are not in 

 dividually as fine as the named carnations one 

 buys (and as many of those as I can beguile out 

 of my neighbours' cuttings or layers I lay hands 

 on), but the seedlings begin in April and are 

 still flowering in November, and are always jolly 

 and healthy. It is not necessary in gathering 

 the seed that it should be b/aci ripe; if well 

 developed and well dried the yellow seeds ger- 

 minate all right. I have not found that I got 

 better seed by buying than I grew at home. 

 I sow in early summer our of doors, and have a 

 fresh lot every succeeding year. They are a 

 great stand-by, for very few die. 



[To be con/inued.\ 



very soon takes in CO.^ from the air, thus 

 becoming similar to ground limestone. In 

 applying slaked lime to the soil it should be 

 spread evenly on the surface during dry weather 

 so as to enable it to get into the carbonate form. 

 It can then be harrowed in. In all food 

 solutions for nitrifying bacteria the carbonate is 

 used. Lime and slaked lime check nitrification. 

 The tips of plant roots can etch the carbonate. 

 Fancy the delicate tip coming into contact with 

 a substance used for killing moss, &c., on trees 

 and walls, and which makes us writhe in 

 agonj" should a spark of it get into our eyes 

 when white-washing. Solubility of plant food 

 in water is greatly advocated, but is it so 



