IRISH GARDENING 



119 



be covered with about an inch of soil and the sash put 

 on. The temperature will rise rapidly, and in a day or 

 two will reach 100 degrees or more. When this high 

 temperature has subsided to about 90 degrees the soil 

 covering the manure must be increased to 4 or 6 inches. 

 The soil should be 

 of even texture and 

 very fertile. The 

 hotbed is now ready 

 for the seed, which 

 are planted in rows 

 from 2 to 4 inches 

 apart, and running 

 across the hotbed, 

 or north and south. 

 The temperature in 

 the bed must be 

 watched closely and 

 not allowed to run 

 too high or above 

 95 degrees. About 

 80 or 85 degrees 

 is a good tempera- 

 ture to maintain, 

 and is regulated by 

 raising the upper 

 ends of the sash. 

 The reason for 

 aiming at so high a 

 temperature is that 

 a higher heat is 

 required to start 

 the seeds than is 

 required afterwards 

 by the seedlings. 

 When the germina- 

 tion period is past 

 the temperature ot 

 the bed will be 

 much lower. Ex- 

 cept in extreme 

 cold weather fresh 

 air should be daily 

 admitted into the 

 bed, and at no time 

 should the plants 

 suffer from either 

 too much or too 

 little water. In cold 

 weather the water 

 should be heated to 

 about the tempera- 

 ture of the hotbed, 

 or it will injure the 

 plants. A thermo- 

 meter should be 

 kept in the bed that 

 the temperature may be accurately regulated, as either 

 extreme is harmful. On warm, cloudless days it will 

 frequently be necessary to remove every other sash. 



If the soil upon which the hotbed is to be built is not 

 well drained or is liable to become saturated in wet 

 weather, ijo excavation should be made, but the manure 

 spread on the surface of the earth in a flat top heap a 



A Specimen Cole is. 



Coleus Cordelia, raised by Mr. T. Stevenson, and introduced by 

 Messrs. \V. Cutbush & Son, Higligate. 



[Specimen illustration from Curtis's " Book of the Flower Show," reviewed 



in last month's issue, page 108, and here reproduced through the courtesy 



of the publisher, Mr. John Lane.] 



foot wider and longer than the frame. The frame is 

 simply set on top of this heap, the soil put in and earth 

 heaped against the sides and ends and well packed 

 down to prevent the escape of heat. 



-A.n abundance of leaves or straw should be kept 

 convenient that the 

 hotbeds may be 

 covered in very 

 cold weather. 



By making a 

 hotbed in the 

 way described, 

 and taking- care 

 to control its 

 action in an in- 

 telligent manner, 

 a great number 

 of nice thrifty 

 plants can be 

 raised with the 

 greatest ease. 

 It is interesting 

 work, and the 

 results repay 

 handsomely for 

 all the trouble. 

 No garden, how- 

 ever modest in 

 pretentions, 

 should be with- 

 out this means 

 of raising an 

 early stock of 

 useful, decora- 

 tive, or culinary 

 plants. 



Weeping Roses. 



Weeping roses 

 are alwaj's an 

 attractive feature in 

 the garden. They 

 are perhaps best 

 used as distinctive 

 features in a design 

 to mark particular 

 points, as, for 

 example, the 

 corners and centre 

 of a formally 

 planned out pleasure 

 garden, but they are equally effective planted at regular 

 intervals along a broad walk or avenue. They are 

 obtained by budding on tall standards, using such varie- 

 ties as Winchuria, .Ayrshire or Polyanthus that are 

 naturally of a rambling habit. The only drawback is that 

 the period of flowering is so short. At the last Temple 

 show some very handsome specimens were exhibited. 



