86 



IRISH GARDENING. 



JUNE 



colour through its calvx more on one side than the 

 other or on the top. You will find in some varieties, 

 such as C. Lefebvre, that now and then it looks as if the 

 top of the cone had been cut across — eschew that bud, 

 frost or grub has harmed it. If you are not quite 

 satisfied with the crown bud two courses are open to 

 you — (i) either remove it altogether and leave the two 

 most promising side buds (for some varieties carry 

 many side ones) or (2) leave the crown and one of the 

 side buds for future study. Now that you have placed 

 vourself in the dangerous position of pinning your faith 

 to a particular bud your watchfulness must be re- 

 doubled, for on that bud jour success or failure 

 depends. Mildew', caterpillar, a careless knock, a 

 wind chafing another shoot against it, will all destroy it 

 hopelessl)' in a short while. Now, supposing that fate 

 has so far favoured you, 30U still may have two flowers 

 on the one shoot, and one is to go. Be guided by the 

 date of the coming show and the weather. Should you 

 think that your crown bud will be too soon take it off 

 and leave your side bud, and z'l'cc versa. Nothing but 

 an accurate knowledge will help you. If from past 

 seasons' experience you have noticed that some 

 blooms, after thinning, have come coarse or irregular, 

 do not leave so few, rather leave both buds to reduce 

 the coarseness. Nothing can be more against your 

 box to a judge's eye than coarseness or an unevenness 

 in a bloom. Do not forget to keep your beds hoed 

 very frequentlv, and begin to thin out any super- 

 numerary shoots and flower-buds, so that those that 

 are left may ripen better, and carry good flowers dur- 

 ing the latter end of July and August. Give an occa- 

 sional application of some of the artificial manures to 

 help the trees in their flowering period. Keep a watch- 

 ful eye on all maidens to see that they are tied and safe 

 from being blown out of the budded slocks. Watering 

 during a drought may be needed ; if so, give a good 

 drenching, and hoe when the soil is fit. There is no 

 need for much w*atering if you will only use vour hoe 

 oftener. Keep 3our eyes open for the first appearance 

 of mildew, and get at it as early as you can. Nothing 

 will ruin your chances of success so quickly as the pests 

 and enemies of the rose. 



IV. — Exhibiting Sweet Peas. 



By Henry J. R. Digges. 



THE blooms should be cut young, and placed in 

 water as they are cut. If they have far to 

 travel they should be cut the morning before 

 the show day, so that they may stand in water some 

 hours before being packed to absorb in the stems as 

 much water as possible ; they will then travel quite safely 

 if packed in tissue paper, but the blooms must be quite 

 dry when being packed ; if any dew or rain remains on 

 them they will spot. Some exhibitors bring their blooms 

 to the show standing in water. This is a very good 

 plan if one can travel with the boxes to guard against 

 unwary railway porters upsetting them. Short, squat 

 hyacinth glasses are best for this purpose, and they can 

 be kept in position by two narrow boards fixed at the 

 proper height from the bottom of the box, with grooves 

 cut in them to fit the neck of the glass, one board fixed 

 and the second to be screwed in when the glasses are 



in position. Be early at the show tent. Sweet peas 

 take a long time to set up. at least five minutes per 

 bunch, t'lrst comers have choice of position in the 

 space allotted ; secure good light without direct sun- 

 light ; avoid draughtj' positions if possible ; excellent 

 exhibits are often ruined by being upset if the day is 

 windy. A three tier staging should be provided for 

 sweet peas by the exhibition committee, if it is not, the 

 effect of three tiers should be produced by raising the 

 second and third rows, either by using inverted flower 

 pots of different heights for the second and third rows, 

 or by different sized vases if there is a choice to be had, 

 and the early exhibitors have the best chance of secur- 

 ing these. It is absolutely essential that the second row 

 should be from six to nine inches higher than the front 

 one and the third row similarly higher than the second. 

 If one is fortunate in having first quality blooms, 

 three or four flowerets on each, thirty to forty blooms 

 will be enough to bring for each bunch ; an ideal bunch 

 contains from twenty to twenty-five blooms, and they 

 should be placed in the vases so that e;ich individual 

 bloom may be seen — the best being raised in the centre 

 to catch the judge's eye. The stems should be 

 immersed in the water a couple of inches only, so that 

 the full length of stem may be visible — length of stem is 

 an important feature in an exhibition bloom. The judge 

 will look for the following qualities : — First, form ; then 

 size, substance, purity of colouring and freshness, 

 length of stem. .\11 blooms having weather stains 

 should be carefully eliminated, a small bunch of 

 perfectly fresh blooms, well displajed, each one exhibit- 

 ing its perfections, should commend itself to a discriminat 

 ing judge rather than a fuller bunch in which are many 

 faulty blooms. Finally, when the vases are filled, the 

 utmost care in colour arrangement must be observed. 

 Colours that kill each other must be separated, not only 

 from the other bunches in one's own exhibit, but also 

 from one's neighbours. It is necessary to avoid a 

 preponderance of any one colour ; pinks are so numerous 

 that they will be sure to predominate if care is not 

 exercised, and a well-balanced exhibit must have some 

 of the darker shades— maroons and purples, as well as 

 whites and yellows. Successful staging of sweet peas 

 requires no little thought and arrangement ; therefore be 

 in good time ; hurry spells failure, success demands time. 



Through all the summer morning till burning hours 



were done. 

 The heavy-headed roses were drooping in the 



sun ; 

 Through all the dusty morning the roadside hedge was 



grey, 

 .And slowly through the meadows went the weary 



feet of day. 



Now distant shouts and laughter die down into a hush ; 

 The lark is silent overhead, and silent falls the 



thrush ; 

 Long since the sun has vanished, the west no more is 



bright, 

 .Vnd silent and benignant draws on the summer 



night. 



— Robin Fowler, 



