IRISH GARDENING. 



69 



primulas, ramondia, aiig-uinaria, sedums in variety, saxa- 

 frag^es and sfrnpervivums in variety, Spergular.'a pilifera 



-SiiTABLi; Plants for Pockets and Colonizing.— 

 Androsace, anemone in variety, Asler alpinus, arenarias, 

 Atithemis Maceiionica, campanulas in variety, cheiran- 

 tlius, Cypripediiiiii calreoliis, celmisias, daphne, dodc- 

 catheon, dianthus, Oenotheras, ericas, epimediums, 

 edelweiss, funkias, geraniums, Gypsophila remsf.'oides, 

 Galax aphylla, gentians, Hutchinsia, Hieraceitm villosunt 

 lithospermums, linums, menziesia, meconopsis, mesem- 

 bryanthemum, Phyh-ntna bcfonici/olia, saxafrag-es in 

 variety, Suldanclln alpiiin, and veronicas of sorts. 



Roses. 



V,y O'DoNEL Browne, M.D. 



OFTEN have I heard the remark made "that a 

 rose tree has been bought from some source, 

 carefully planted, and no record kept of the very 

 name." .More than once have I advised my readers to 

 carefully enter the names of every tree as soon as 

 planted in a notebook ; for get what labels you like or 

 will .sooner or later they get destroyed or lost, afid 

 the name of that tree remains lost to memory until some 

 rose-lover puts your mind at rest. How many people 

 have asked themselves the question — "How does a 

 shepherd or a huntsman know all his sheep or hounds ?" 

 They look all very much alike, yet they are all different. 

 True, now and then a black sheep or a larger hound 

 st.'mds out as a distinguishing mai'k to catch the e\'e, 

 but they are not all black. Yet to tell the animals is 

 not a hard task to anyone acquainted with these 

 .animals ; and it is just the same with roses — the flowers, 

 foliage, and growth are all different. Take a keen 

 rosarian into a garden when the flowers are out, and 

 he will name many a tree for you straight off. Take 

 him into a garden in the depth of winter and you will 

 be realh' astonished how easily he will name you some 

 of 3our plants. How is this done ? Roses, like human 

 beings, differ remarkably in their several parts, and it 

 is to try and help you to study and learn what to under- 

 stand when you do see a tree in front of yon that these 

 short lines are written. Firstly, try and judge by the 

 habit of growth, whether weakly or strong, branching 

 or robust, to what class the tree belongs ; also note the 

 colour of the wood at that time of year. Tea roses and 

 many of their children are very prone to have red wood 

 and reddish thorns, but some have wood like a Hybrid 

 Perpetual, such as Mme. Cusin. On the other hand, 

 Hybrid Perpetuals are generally green in their wood, 

 and as a general rule much stronger in growth. When 

 you have separated the rose under notice into its sup- 

 posed class, try and think have you one belonging to 

 that class in your own collection at home. You may 

 not, but if you grow a good many varieties you are nearly 

 sure to. Take Killarney H. T. for instance-look at 

 its lovely dark-red growths and foliage when fully 

 developed ; there are not many H. T.s so characteristic 

 as the above. Some varieties of roses — notably those 

 sent out by Messrs. Alex. Dickson some time ago— have 

 most peculiar wood which is best noticed at pruning 

 lime. The wood appears to have been stained in a 



grotesque fashion ; yet, when cut into, it can be seen 

 that it is not due to frost. Some readers may have 

 noticed this mottling, especially well marked in pruning 

 Bessie Brown this year. If you have not done so, go- 

 now to your trees and do so. Other varieties sent out 

 by this firm which show this same characteristic are 

 Alice Lindsell and Mrs. Grant. Some varieties can be 

 told at a glance by their thorns. Some, such as Lady 

 Moyra Beauclerc, being a mass of large thorns ; others, 

 like Ulrich Brunner, belonging to the V'ictor Verdier 

 race, being thornless. Then, again, Her Majesty can be 

 instantly told, especially on an old plant. The growth is 

 tremendously strong, with powerful thorns, and has the 

 habit of growing away steadily from one rod. Foliage 

 helps us to diagnose a plant. Where do we get such 

 foliage as on Merveille de Lyon or Her Majesty? 

 Victor Hugo has most peculiar leaves both, in shape 

 and colour. Study a plant in full leaf. But, perhaps, 

 the most curious points about foliage are to be found in 

 both the Cochets in autumn — the leaves look as if thej- 

 had been dusted with silver. I have never heard this 

 phenomenon described. Look again at Mildred Grant's 

 foliage. Is it that the giant bloom makes each leaf 

 look so small and scattered from its neighbour along 

 the leaf-stalk ? But there is one rose which has a 

 character unknown in any other variety, I mean Gustav 

 Piganeau — the stipules of the leaf-stalk are lyre-shaped. 

 In a Hybrid Tea one may often note both parents' 

 qualities -provided you know the parents and their 

 qualities— the best example I can give you is Robert 

 Scott. It is no use my burdening you too much with 

 these peculiar qualities, but to any rose-grower who 

 really will use his eyes to try and solve some such 

 variations as I have pointed out above, some of nature's 

 secrets may be revealed. To him who will try and 

 solve such mysteries will find in his rose-garden some- 

 thing more wonderful than the flowers. If you do find 

 anything noticeable do not be mean and keep it to your- 

 self, let the whole world have it as another problem of 

 nature solved. te "t •* 



Do Roots Excrete Poisonoi-S Si bstances ?— From 

 a series of investigations carried out by the Department 

 of Agriculture in India it is shown that the roots of 

 certain crops excrete substances that are poisonous 

 not only to themselves but to other crops. It is supposed 

 that the toxic substance is of the nature of an alkaloid, 

 and that really all plants e.xcrete such poisonous sub- 

 stances from their roots. If this idea is true (and 

 certain experiments carried on in the Bureau of Soils, 

 Washington, point to the same conclusion) it helps to 

 explain many facts in gardening, as, for example, the 

 advantage of following shallow-rooted plants by deep- 

 rooting ones. 



Hardy A.nnials for Town Gardens. — The follow- 

 ing kinds will be found useful : — Cornflowers, calliopsis, 

 annual chrysanthemums, convolvulus (minor foi" beds, 

 major for climbing), eschscholtzias, godetias, lavatera, 

 linums, lupinus, nasturtiums (Tropajolum), night-scented 

 and Virginian stocks, poppies, sunflowers, .and sweet 

 sultan. Sow in clumps of from i to 3 feet wide in order 

 to get striking colour effects. Sow somewhat thickly, 

 and thin out before the seedlings get too big to seriously 

 compete with one another. 



