OCTOBER 



IRISH GARDENING 



147 



the Icirge gfladiolus prefers a stiffer, deeper loam, 

 and revels in g'ood, rich, well-manured soil, only 

 " objecting- " when there is lack of drainage or 

 stag-nancy in any form at the root. 



In "earlies," who does not know that favourite 

 Colvilli alba (The Bride), and C. rosea, or 

 Blushing Bride, but there are, in the;newer sorts, 

 some really magnificent colourings, amongst 

 which we mig-ht name Ardens or Fire King, 

 a blazing^ scarlet, 

 with large indi- 

 vidual pips ; Non 

 Plus Ultra, bril- 

 liant red ; General 

 Scott, white 

 with red blotch ; 

 Crimson Queen, 

 and many others. 



In large -flower- 

 ing g-ladioli it 

 is well nigh impos- 

 sible to particula- 

 rise ; but we were 

 much struck with 

 W. Falconer, a 

 delicious ricli pink; 

 Cardinal, \ery 

 rich crimson; At- 

 traction, crimson 

 and white ; Prin- 



from a mixture at is. a dozen, while it certainly 

 can be had at prices ranging from 2s. 6d. 

 upwards. "James." 



Hsmanthus Katherine. 



lovel 



ceps, the 



rgest 



Photu ('y] 

 A HANDSO.ME GROrr 



Blacki 



gladiolus known 



and Baron Hulot, 



miscalled a blue, 



being really a very 



dark purple ; but 



the palm must be 



given to that deli- 



ciously soft, fresh 



pink America, as, 



'" addition to its 



beauty of colour 



and form, it is of a perfect habit, very stiff in 



«tem, and never falls about in the border. 



Just one word of advice ere we close. One is 

 miich tempted in these days of budgets and 

 other disturbing innovations to be influenced 

 by the price of things offered for sale. It is the 

 age of cheapness, but in gladioli one can err 

 on the side of cheapness, and err badly. 

 "Mixtures" as offered by seedmen and others 

 can be had at very low rates, but it is not to be 

 expected that " exhibition " quality can be had 



lNTHUS katherine is a distinct and 

 i'ely bulbous greenhouse plant which grows 

 about three to four feet high and throws its 

 heads of larg-e scarlet flowers well above the 

 foliage. The stems of both flowers and foliage are 

 covered with dark 

 spots, a character 

 which adds consider- 

 ably to the attract- 

 iveness of the plant. 

 The genus hsem- 

 anlhus thus belongs to 

 the Amaryllis family. 

 It includes sixty 

 species, all of which 

 are South African. 



One very important 

 item in the success- 

 ful growing of the 

 ha;manthus is the dry- 

 ing off process, whicii 

 must be carefully 

 attended to. After 

 they have finished 

 flowering all the old 

 flower stems must be 

 cut away and the 

 plants stood in a light 

 and airy position. 

 Plenty of water must 

 be given, and once 

 or twice a week a 

 good'soaking of liquid 

 manure. As soon as 

 the plants show signs 

 of going to rest, feed 

 iTig must be stopped, 

 and then the plants 

 gradually "dried 

 off". ' In my own 

 practice I never en- 

 tirely withhold water. 

 I usually give them 

 one good soaking 

 of clear water once 

 a fortnight all through their resting period. Before 

 new growth commences they must be repotted in a 

 mixture of good loam, leaf-mould and sand, adding 

 some well-decayed cow manure. On shifting the 

 plants as much of the old soil as possible should be 

 shaken away, taking great care not to injure any of 

 the large fleshy roots. Pot fairly firm, place the pots 

 in a warm temperature until they have made some 

 growth ; they can then be moved into a cool green- 

 house. The illustration shows a group of Ha?manthus 

 Katherine grown at Blackheath. Most of the bulbs 

 are three years old. Wm. Campbell. 



The Gardens, Blackheath, Clontarf. 



[Wm. Camf^i'iil 

 Of H.EMAN'THLS KaTHERIXK GROWN AT 



CATii Gardens, Cldntark. 



