IRISH GARDENING. 



125 



The Month's Work. 

 The Flower Garden. 



By J. II. CiM.MlXG, Overseer, Royal Dublin Society, 

 Ball's Bridge. 



ALTUMN PROP.\G.\TIC»^.■.--.\usu^l brinss us to 

 the best time to begin the propagation of 

 tender bedding plants to keep over the winter 

 for ne.Nt year's display ; and where pelargoniums are 

 largely grown these must be taken in hand at once. 

 Where vigorous, firm growth has been made a cutting 

 or two off each plant will not be missed, and choose 

 these from the outside of the bed. .\void mutilation of 

 the plants by taking away too much, and by starting 

 early a good stock can be secured during the next 

 few weeks without disfiguring the beds. Select firm^ 

 short jointed cuttings about nine inches long. Amateurs 

 very often fail through making their cuttings too short. 

 .\ good mixtiu'e for these cuttings consists of a thiid 

 portion each of loam, leaf-mould, and sand. This should 

 be put through a half inch sieve to take the roughest 

 part out, which may go at the bottom of the pots or 

 boxes the cuttings are to strike in. Concerning this 

 latter point, where many cuttings must be struck in 

 autumn, and plenty of room is available, boxes 2j^ feet 

 bv 1I2 feet, and four inches deep, are excellent for 

 striking in. To the amateur whose accommodation is 

 p.issibly limited six-inch pots is preferable, as there is 

 more chance of success in striking the cuttings of most 

 things round the pots, and wintering these standing 

 closely together on a greenhouse shelf or even in a frame 

 or spare room, when the frost can be excluded. As soon 

 as the cuttings are put in the boxes or pots should be 

 placed at the bottom of a south wall or the side of a 

 walk not much frequented, or any position where they 

 can get the full blaze of the sun. Avoid a cool, shaded 

 place. Water to begin with, and afterwards keep the 

 cuttings in a medium state of moisture. When dang'er 

 from frost or heavy rains is feared they should then be 

 taken under cover. The great object for successful 

 wintering is lo get hardy growth and the plants rooted 

 before they require to be placed indoors. 



C.\RN.\TiONS.- In order to get well rooted plants before 

 winter begin at once to layer carnations and picotees. 

 They can be propagated by cuttings, but the surest way- 

 is to adopt the ordinary plan of layering them. To the 

 uninitiated in the process I would advise them lo get a 

 practical lesson from one w'ho knows. It would be so much 

 easier to learn than following written instructions. At 

 same lime, in case some have a hazy idea of the work, 

 and prefer to go ahead "on their own," I offer a few 

 brief hints on the operation of layering. First, pre- 

 pare some soil consisting of fine, light loam, old 

 potting soil, leaf-mould, and sand, and pass all through 

 <'i half inch sieve. Take the carnation shoots or grass " as 

 it is often termed, and strip the leaves from a portion of the 

 stem next the ground. With a sharp knife split up the 

 cleaned portion of the stem, beginning a little below 

 one of the joints. Keep the cut open, and fix it firmlv 

 in the prepared soil laid round the parent plant willi a 

 wire peg. Place more soil round the layers as each 

 plant is finished to keep all steady and firm, and give 



a good watering through a rose. Birds often prove 

 troublesome in scraping away the fresh soil, and if this 

 is so a net maj- be placed over the beds, or stones laid 

 about on the soil helps to keep it in its place. Frequent 

 v.-.iierings are necessary in dry weather. The laj-ers 

 will be well rooted by October, when they can be either 

 lilted or planted in beds for flowering next 3'ear, or left 

 alone till next March. Where the soil of the garden is 

 light and dry autumn planting is best, but if heavy and 

 wet spring planting is more satisfactory. 



Ivv-LEAF Pel.\rgonilims. - These elegant plants are 

 very suitable for the roofs of greenhouses and conser- 

 vatories. Being comparatively fi ee from the attacks of 

 insects few things are easier kept clean, and all during 

 the summer and autumn months they flower very freely. 

 I noticed lately a nice selection on the roof of a green- 

 house at Abbotstown, Caslleknock, where they cer- 

 tainly were the most notable feature in the house. A 

 particulaily bright cerise variety was His Majesty the 

 King, with large trusses produced in great profusion. 

 Then few things are better than the well-known 

 Souvenir de Chas. Turner, magenta scarlet, and very 

 floriferous. Col. Baden Powell is a lovely rose-pink, 

 and a charming improvement on it is Princess Victoria, 

 a somewhat pale lilac. Mrs. Hawley and The Queen 

 should also be grown, both being extra good in colour 

 and form. Cuttings should be struck any time this 

 month in the open air. When rooted pot up, and keep 

 in a cool house all winter. Re-pot in spring, and place 

 in a house near the glass in a temperature of 55 deg. 

 Syringe frequently till flowering commences, and g-ive 

 plenty of moisture at the roots. A 12-inch pot will keep 

 large plants growing for years, but careful attention 

 must be paid to watering and feeding with weak liquid 

 manure ; water once or twice weekh' during the active 

 period of growth in summer. 



The Herbaceous Border. —This border during 

 August shoiild be at its best. The labour and thought 

 of previous months will now be producing a return, let 

 us hope, encouraging to its owner. Many things will 

 require constant attention in the way of staking, as 

 high winds soon snap over young shoots and flower 

 heads. Notes might also be taken for future reference 

 of the suitability of certain subjects for more extensive 

 planting, and possibly a more effective colour scheme 

 prepared for next year. These things can best be 

 settled on the spot, and when the heights and habits of 

 each kind can be easier studied. 



Spring Bedding. —.\11 plants that will go to 

 furnish the beds next October should now be having 

 careful attention. Wall-flower seedlings must be trans- 

 planted before they become crowded and drawn. Prim- 

 roses, Alyssuiii saxafile^ aubrietia, and similar spring 

 flowering plants will not thrive if crowded and choked 

 up with weeds. Theyounggrowthsof violas root freely 

 now, put into light soil behind a south wall, and without 

 any covering of glass. Short, healthy cuttings from the 

 lowest parts of the old plants just pulled oft'are the best. 

 Make them firm in the ground and give a watering 

 immediately they are put in. A like propagation suits 

 Anibis albidii flora plena, that flowers so efl'ectively in 

 the spiiiig [nontlis. In fact, if struck too soon it does 

 not make such nice handy stufFfor October planting. 



RoMA.v HvAcixTHS. — The seedsmen's bulb lists are 



