56 



IRISH GARDENING 



aroiiiui us sooins to In- iloiiiir. l^"' tlu'ii, .is if.inlom'is. 

 we ilo not ijet cokis. We laniiot throw up work to 1,^0 

 in for a rest oure m-oi-ssitati-ii by business ami otlier 

 worries, liut fortunately for us. ilioui^h we are not 

 exempt from oiw full share of tiiese ohstaeles in the way 

 of good temper, we remain absurdly optimistic and 

 happy. .\ useful philosophy born of the healthy 

 breezes among which he lives carries the gardener 

 through. He will do the utmost that he can and not waste 

 his nerve force by vexing himself about what he can- 

 not do. When others are shivering over a fire he is 

 out and about glowing with health and warmth. He 

 has got to face the weather, and in time the weather 

 ceases to make him its shuttlecock, and though he lives 

 in closer contact with the elements than anyone else 

 except a sailor, it is seldom from this quarter that com- 

 plaints about the weather come. True, he may lament 

 lack of sunshine or want of water, but his solicitude is 

 for his plants, not for himself, and perhaps this is one 

 of the great secrets of his health — his thoughts are 

 turned outwards not inwards. There is no opening for 

 brooding in his existence. If he would succeed he 

 must be up and doing, and it is in the doing that he 

 finds his salvation." 



Lady Gardeners. 



WITH the spirit of independence which so strongly 

 characterises the women of the twentieth 

 century has arisen the demand for ways and 

 means to satisfy the desires of the most self-reliant 

 amongst them. So rapidly is this spirit spreading that 

 now we find women competing for, obtaining and hold- 

 ing positions which fifty years ago were almost entirely 

 limited to men ; amongst such positions may be men- 

 tioned those held by gardeners. 



Nowadays many capable and energetic girls are 

 turning their attention towards this sphere of work, and 

 are adopting it as a means of livelihood. It is a calling 

 that would not perhaps have suited our grandmothers, 

 who generally belonged to what might be called a 

 "hot-house" species of humanity, but the great number 

 of athletic girls that we meet in this age could find 

 nothing more admirably suited to their temperaments 

 than this exhilarating out-door life. Some girls are 

 afraid to undertake gardening work, because they think 

 their physical strength is not equal to the demand it 

 would make upon them. A girl, however, does not need 

 to be of Herculean strength to carry on this work 

 successfully. Instead of weakening the constitution it 

 is a calling that tends largely to strengthen it. This in 

 itself is one of the highest recommendations, and one of 

 which few other professions can boast. 



It is a great mistake to think that gardening coarsens a 

 girl, either physically or mentally. How could the idea 

 be entertained by any one that coming into close con- 

 tact with the most natural productions of the universe 

 could in any way impair any person ? Besides certain 

 qualifications which are necessarily obtained through 

 study and a knowledge of practical work, there are 

 some other innate qualities essential in a girl beginning 

 this work. She must have unlimited patience and the 

 power of endurance, for in gardening there are many 

 hardships as well as pleasures. She must also be taste- 



ful .ind .imi.ihle ; espt-cially are these ciu.ilifications 

 necessary in places where men are employed, for as yet 

 tlu'V are the acknowledgeii masters of the art, and are 

 prone to regard their laii}' co operators as mere 

 amateurs in the work. Time, however, is regarded as 

 the surest ai-.d ki'enest ti-st of all things, and judging 

 friim the strenuous cH'oits which many girls are making 

 to re.-uh a st.ite of perfection in this field of labour, it 

 will undoubtedly re\i-al to us many successes gained by 

 those of them who an' direiliug their attention ti>wards 

 this sphere of work. E. H. M. 



6^* e^^ t^' 



The C.\pe Lily (Cr/nu/n) is one of the "noblest 

 races of garden plants." There is quite a number of 

 species and varieties. They are usually treated as 

 greenhouse plants, but, so long as they are deeply- 

 placed, are quite hard}- planted outside a greenhouse 

 or against a south wall. The flowers are of immense 

 size (white, pink, or crimson coloured), and are carried 

 several together on tall stout spikes. There is a very 

 fine Japanese species (C. asiaticinn), known as the 

 '■Spider Lady." It is furnished with very handsome 

 foliage, grows about five feet high and produces a many- 

 flowered umbel of white flowers. Bulbs can be 

 purchased for about two shillings each. Bulbs of longi- 

 folium (flower flushed with pink) may be had at about 

 sixpence each. 



Ferns. — No garden is complete without ferns. Many 

 bare and ugl}' spots may be covered with their delightful 

 greenery. Even walls may be used as habitats for the 

 dwarf Alpine forms, such as Wall Rue {As/>/enti/in fula- 

 murarin) and black and green Spleenw-orts. The com- 

 mon male fern is a vigorous grower and really hand- 

 some, and if rarer would be much sought after for de- 

 corative purposes in artistic gardening. 



SlNFLOWERS. — The '"seeds" of these plants are 

 greatly relished by poultry, and are much used by 

 fanciers as a special food for show birds. The seeds 

 are rich in oil, and form a valuable addition to the food 

 list of the poultry jard. Sunflowers are therefore well 

 worth growing, apart from their striking appearance 

 when in flower. The Russian variety is the best to 

 plant. A deeply trenched soil, well manured, and a 

 sunny aspect are the favouring conditions for success. 



Narcissi-s Madame 1'lemp. — This is a noble flower 

 of great substance, with large yellow-fringed trumpet 

 and white perianth ; it makes a magnificent pot plant. 

 The bulbs should be potted up as early as they can 

 be obtained in the autumn. To grow them well there 

 should only be three bulbs put in an eight inch 

 pot. Pot them in a compost composed of three parts 

 loam, one part of two-year old dung, well blended. 

 After potting, if the compost is dry, give them a water- 

 ing, then stand the pots on a bottom of coal ashes, and 

 cover the pots to a depth of six inches with coal ashes 

 or sand. When they have made about one inch of 

 growth remove them to a house where there is a little 

 fire heat. Give them plenty of water. When they begin 

 to grow freely, after flowering is over, plant them out 

 in some border, as the same bulbs will not flower a 

 second year in pots. Anyone following these condensed 

 remarks can easily grow them. J. Devine. 



