IRISH GARDENING. 



151 



difference— in Lady Gay the pink is slitrhlly darker, 

 and in D. Dennison the pink is lighter. It is not, how- 

 ever, owing to their colours that they are so popular, 

 but to their freedom of growth, profusion of bloom and 

 lasting qualities. When properly planted and attended 

 to their growth is prodigious during a season, rods of 

 ten and fifteen feet being quite common. The original 

 variety was sent out with the recommendation to let it 

 creep over rough places, such as a rockery, but we 

 have seen that the Wichurianas delight in growing up 

 trellis work or larch poles, but I think they look best 

 when budded on to high standard stocks and allowed 

 to weep with their long, bright, green growths hanging 

 down. They require only very moderate care, and are 

 easily grown, and are not above growing on their own 

 roots when struck as cuttings. But let me here say 

 that I advise you to bud your 

 plants on briars, as by so doing 

 vou get a quicker start. They 

 require very little pruning — none. 

 I might say — save to remove all 

 the old and flowered wood and 

 also all those rods which were 

 too late to start into growth the 

 previous year. Pruning should be 

 done about mid-March, retaining 

 all young, ripened rods nearly 

 their fnll length, but cutting back 

 one or two of the weaker shoots 

 to encourage young growths for 

 the following year to push. A 

 plentiful suppl}" of water should be 

 given frequently and a good hos- 

 ing or syringing overhead to keep 

 the lovely green foliage free from 

 the loathsome greenfly. Here, 1 

 ir.a)' remark, that numerous com, 

 plaints round about this district 

 tell me that our plants have suffered 

 terribly from this pest; my own 

 plants look as if soot had been 

 dusted over them — a nasty mixture 

 of soot and honeydew. When cut- 

 ting sprays for home decoration be 



content to only cut young w ood carrying flowers, as the 

 old wood carrying trusses does not take up sufficient 

 water to prevent your flowers wilting, and when the 

 best of the flowers are over, about mid-.August, ^o over 

 your plants and remove tfi toto all the flowered wood, 

 and lay in carefully those green, sappy rods for next 

 year. By doing this you encourage the.se young lods 

 to push more into growth and you remove a great many 

 injurious pests at the same time. 



Garden Sage is a native of Southern Europe, and is 

 much used in cookery. It is supposed to aid the 

 digestion of rich animal foods. Sage-tea has .also a 

 great reputation in some places as a mild stimulant that 

 actually helps, instead of hindering, the work of the 

 stomach. It is said that the Chinese prefer an infusion 

 of sage-leaves to their own world-famed tea. Many 

 people use sage-tea with vinegar as a gargle for sore 

 throat. 



Bulbs for Window Boxes. 



For a brilliant spring display of graceful form, fresh 

 greenery and purity of colour, nothing can equal our com- 

 mon bulbous plants. We have a large number of varieties 

 to choose from, w'ith almost ever}' shade of colour to meet 

 individual taste in arranging an effective colour scheme. 

 We have the difterent forms of crocus, white, orange, 

 brown, lilac, blue, purple, and black, with intermediate 

 shades ; tulips, all colours, except blue, but including 

 green ; hyacinths, white and blue narcissi, in all shades of 

 yellow and yellow- and white ; Chionoduxa mi/sraris, and 

 scillas in most lovely blues, not to speak of Spanish 

 irises, gladiolas, and others for later flowering. Now 

 is the time to think out the details of a scheme. Pur- 

 chase the bulbs and plant them without delay in order 



C'AKI I.NA .ACANTHIFOLI.A — FlOWER H EAD OpKN. 



to give the plants a good chance. Sometimes plants, 

 other than bulbous, are planted in the same box in 

 order to increase the artistic eftect or to prolong the 

 displa}', such as forget-me-nots, double daisies, wall- 

 flowers, &c. The soil to be used may be a good 

 friable loam, intermixed with leaf-mould or well-de- 

 cayed manure, with a good sprinkling of sand or grit to 

 keep it open. A little bone meal may be added with 

 advantage. .A.fter planting the bulbs mulch the surface 

 with some loose material, and refrain from watering 

 until the shoots appear, and then only when the soil is 

 obviously getting dr\-. .-i little artificial fertiliser in a 

 weak solution may be given when the flower stems 

 begin to show. But we repeat, if you want a really 

 pleasing effect, you must follow some previously 

 thought-out scheme, and lose no time in getting your 

 bulbs into the soil. Few things are more grateful to 

 the eye in spring than flowering bulbs, and no one can 

 begrudge the little trouble required to secure for .self 

 and others such simple and inexpensive pleasure. 



