114 



IRISH GARDENING. 



AUGUST 



of apple trees often vary as to the lime o( year 

 the feediiiij roots decline in seasonal vig-our and 

 lessen the supply of water forced upwards into 

 the foliage. They know too that soils difler in 

 their water-holding- power and that a dry season 

 will materially influence root activity in the later 

 summer. Briefly then it is only safe to summer 

 prune when there is no possible chance of the 

 premature bursting of buds as a result of the 

 action, and, further, that it is impossible to lay 

 down any fixed rules as to time for the opera- 

 tion. As to 7v/ia/ and /ww to summer prune, 

 with the exception of Cordons, no trees planted 

 last autumn or spring should be touched, but with 

 Cordons it is difl'erent. The laterals should be 

 pruned during August, and as a rule not before 

 the middle of the month. All side shoots may 

 be cut off to four or five leaves from the base, 

 and great care should be taken not to cut closer 

 than four inches, meaning by that, that the 

 branch should be pruned back so as to leave 

 four or five leaves on the branch operated upon. 

 With regard to other forms of trees, seeing- 

 that summer pruning in no way helps towards 

 the formation of the tree, it is generally con- 

 sidered unnecessary — at least in larg-e orchards 

 — to spend time in summer pruning young 

 trees until after they have been planted about 

 four years. 



In priv'ate gardens it is different. Here, 

 where the trees are comparatively few in num- 

 ber, and where the gardener is not particularly 

 restricted with considerations of monetary 

 profit, summer pruning may be tried upon such 

 individual trees as would seem to warrant the 

 operation. The whole question of summer 

 pruning is one that requires a g-ood deal of 

 further careful and systematic investigation, 

 involving not only a study of individual varieties 

 but also of stocks on grafted trees, the influence 

 of soil, and certainly climate. 



The climatic factors to study should include 

 aspect, the temperature of soil and air, the 

 humidity of air and rainfall, hours of sunshine, 

 occurrence of early autumn frosts, and shelter. 



Current Topics. 



By C. F. Ball. Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 



THE rainfall for last June constitutes a record for this 

 month for half a century at Glasnevin. The 

 total fall was 5.21 inches, and in other counties 

 it was still heavier. When the warm weather came in July 

 growth was very rapid, especially where the land was 



well and deeply cultiv.iled. Many amateurs do not place 

 sutlkionl importance upon hoeing- ground, yet it is one 

 of the most important factors in the cultivation of out- 

 door plants and vegetables, .\fter a heavy downpour 

 of rain followed by a hot sun the soil soon gels caked, 

 then it cracks and loses the reserve moisture below the 

 surface. Hoeing prevents this loss ; the loose soil 

 moved by liie hoe acts in the same way as a mulch 

 liy conserving the water. When hoeing, every particle 

 of the surface should be moved ; in this way all 

 weeds germinating, even though not visible, will be 

 destroyed. 



The cold, wet June was accountable for a shortage of 

 sweet peas and roses at tlie Royal Horticultural Society 

 Show held in Merrion Square on July 6th, yet in the 

 tent for herbaceous plants were remarkably good 

 exhibits, just showing how well the hardy perennials 

 do in spite of inclement weather. A good stand of 

 herbaceous plants was staged by Messrs. Alex. 

 Dickson, including such plants as Eryngium alpinum, 

 Veronica spicata alba, Lilium martagon album, 

 Centaureas, .A.strantia carniolica, with pretty heads 

 of pink flowers, and some good varieties of Del- 

 phiniums. 



Messrs. Lilley & Co. from Guernsey set up a gor- 

 geous group of Gladioli, which are marked improve- 

 ments on G. Colvillei, from which they have been derived. 

 In the centre was a mass of G. Ardens, the most 

 glowing colour of all. General Scott and William HI. 

 were also very good. G. insignis and Ne Plus Ultra 

 were two good plants stronger growing than the 

 others. From Captain Riall's garden w'as a choice 

 selection of hardy flowers and shrubs, including 

 Dendromecon rigidum, Carpenteria californica, Abelia 

 floribunda, Olearia macrodonta, Ozothamnus rosmari- 

 nifolius, &c. 



In the class for hardy cut flowers Mrs. Keith, of 

 Cabinteely, won tiie first prize ; the exhibit included 

 Carpenteria, Inula glandulosa, Achillea serrata, 

 Hedj sarum coronarium, Philadelphus microphyllus 

 and Philadelphus maculatus, Delphinium ; P.-eonia and 

 Francoa. 



The second prize was won by Lord Plunkett. In the 

 exhibit were to be seen Achillea millefolium rosea, 

 Iris ochroaurea, Tropaeolum polyphyllum, Morina 

 longifolia, a spike of Cordyline and the graceful Gilleiiia 

 trifoliata. 



The third prize was won by Mr. E. Lee, while Mr. C. 

 .M. Doyne was commended. In this group were Lilium 

 Hansoni, Lychnis chalcedonica, Campanula Moerheimi, 

 Dictamnus, Silene fimbriata, Sidalcea, Heuchera and 

 Thalictrum aquilegifolium. 



The photograph shows how Thalictrum aquilegifolium 

 grows wild on a mountain side in Switzerland. It is 

 a plant well worth more extended cultivation. Lilium 

 Martagon is also to be seen in the photo just coming 

 into flower. 1 



In Judge Bird's exhibit were several good things, 1 

 as the new Lupinus polyphyllus roseus, Primula 

 capitata. Lychnis fulgens and Meconopsis cambrica j 

 fl. pi. ! 



The strawberry crop this year has been a very heavy j 

 one, although with the wet weather many of the early 

 fruits rotted. The early Irish strawberries from Cork 



