MAY 



IRISH GARDENING. 



75 



about— suffers from a flabby hoart, and, like Ur- pass- 

 over, must be ealen in a hurry. 



Another blow to the big bloom, and the "mum" 

 grower grieves over departed glories. The latest is 

 seeds ; no more cuttings before Christmas, or after, or 

 any other time. Sow the seeds in heat, in February, 

 and so on, and soforth ; grow 'em on for a decorative 

 display, equalling the present system, and that, pre- 

 sumably, isall one wants nowadays, and — well, "mum's " 

 the word. 



Be in time. The black spruce, Abies nigra, or Piti'a 

 nigra, as w'e are now told to call it — and confoinid this 

 confusion o( names — is said to be the best wood tor 

 aeroplanes, and good plantaticins put in now should be 

 nicely timed for our fleets of the future. True, we live 

 in an age of change, aiid gardening changes too in its 

 own quiet way. We wonder as we review the past 

 what will be the next of fashion's fancies. Who that 

 knows or has known the florists' auricula has not heard 

 of Ben Simonite, working cutler, of Sheffield, amateur 

 florist in its true sense, and amateur as big as it can be 

 printed. Imagine a strip on a bleak hillside open to all 

 the winds that blow, flavoured by the tasty atmosphere 

 of the black country ; this was Ben's garden. Imagine, 

 too, Ben bearing on his back bags of soil for two miles 

 to make it as pleasant as possible for his pets ; tiiis was 

 Ben's love for his plants. Good old Ben ! He had 

 sixty years of it, for, commencing at the age of fourteen, 

 he recently finished his loving labours at seventy-four ; 

 known far and wide, honoured and respected by all who 

 knew him. Of such is the amateur in the truest sense, 

 and of such is the gardening world the better for, and 

 his name goes down in the imnals of florists' flowers ior 

 all time. 



A Note from Glasnevin, 



Primula Marginata. 



PRIMULA MARGINATA is one of the early 

 floweiing species of this interesting group of 

 plants. It is a native of the Alps of Dauphiny 

 and Piedmont, and has been in cultivation for many 

 years. The flowers are rosy lilac, borne on strong, 

 short stems in April and May, but the chief attraction 

 of the plant lies in the edges of the leaves. These 

 leaves are dark green, rather of the auricula type, and 

 the edges, which are strongly serrate, are covered with 

 a golden meal, which gives the plant a remarkable 

 appearance even when out of flower. Like most of this 

 genus, it does well in shade. The plant is perfectly 

 hardy, but if grown as a pot plant in a cool house its 

 mealy tendency is more pronounced. Two new forms 

 have been sent out by Messrs. J. Backhouse & Sons, of 

 York — Primula marginata alba, a pure white form, but 

 which also resembles the true species by having the 

 mealy edges to the leaves ; Primula marginata Linda 

 Pope. This is a distinct improvement on P. marginata, 

 as the flowers are a good clear lilac and of good sub- 

 stance. These two forms will interest collectors of 

 primulas, and will be useful additions. 



K. M. FoLfAKK. 



Poppies. 



FOR the production of brilliant colour in the garden 

 lew plants can excel the different species o( Papaver, 

 as the genus of the poppy is named. Indeed, thev 

 are so very showy that they ought alw,'i\"s to be sown 

 in patches among other phmts 

 in the border, as their striking 

 colours require a sober back- 

 ground of greenery to bring out 

 hv contrast their dazzling beaut)". 

 The genus is made up of about a 

 dozen species, of which at least 

 four might well be grown in all 

 gardens. These are the Siberian 

 perennial poppy, the tulip poppy, 

 the Shirley poppy, and the opium 

 poppy. All poppies have a milky 

 juice, which in the opium poppy 

 contains the narcotic drug which 

 gives it its distinctive name, 

 ;ind from which laudanum and 

 morphia are derived. The juice 

 is obtained from gashes made in 

 the unripe seed vessel. 



•ind of this 



Pois. 



ihathr 



^idence and medi- 



The plants are raised from 

 seed sown either in autumn or in 

 spring. In c>ur own experience 

 the autumn-sown plants are 

 superior to the spring-sown, if sown early enough 

 to give time for the establishment of sturdy little 

 plants before the frosts set in. As they do not trans- 

 plant well they ought to be sown on the spot where you 

 want them to bloom. Care should be taken to thin the 

 seedlings, else drawn up, lanky specimens will be the 

 result. 



The Siberian perennial poppv {P. croceutn) grows 

 to between 9 and 18 inches high, and bears large, 

 orange-yellow flowers, the petals of which are somewhat 

 wavy along the margins. There ,is a double-flowered 

 variety of this species. 



The tulip poppy {P, glaucum) is an eastern species, 

 and grows to a height of between one and two feet. The 

 flowers of this species are very handsome, the two outer 

 petals being larger and of a deep scarlet-red colour, 

 shaded with orange, while the two inner are smaller, of 

 the same colour, but forming a cup within which lies a 

 great mass of violet-black anthers. 



The Shirley poppy is an exquisite variant of the com- 

 mon corn poppy of our fields. The colour varies, but is 

 ahvavs charming. To get the best effects the seeds 

 should be sown thinly, and the seedlings afterwards 

 thinned to about six or eight inches apart. It takes some 

 courage and a great faith to thin properly. 



The opium poppy, /*. fomniferuni, is a very handsome 

 aimual, three to four feet high. The flowers may be white, 

 rose or lilac, often striped, and each petal bears at its 

 base a dark blotch of colour. 



There are many hybrids and varieties of poppies now 

 in cultivation. 



