I So 



IRISH c;ari)KNIN( 



Dl-CKMHI-R 



kiiuls ;i tiLMK-li sluniKl bo opoiK-d ;iiul tilloil with 

 stones, to i->i«.'\ out (1)0 roots oiUoimu; aiul lob- 

 hinj4 tlio bordor. Inishes of snowy mospilus, 

 torsylhia, and small i^rowinj^ ohorrios will 

 show to j^reat advantaj^a^ when placed aj^'ainst 

 a backi,TOund o\' dark evert^reons ; a prottioi 

 baoUt^-round for the border cannot bo ilosiiod 

 than these. 



Sometimes in old i^-.irdons tlio horbaoooiis 

 border is found in the kilohon -ardon, with 

 espalier or bush ajiplos :is a baoki^iound. ll 

 the fruit trees are old and worthless, instead ot 

 clearinijf them out plant such climbers as 

 Horothy Perkins rose, clematis, jessamine, and 

 rolyi,^onum baldschuanicum, and let these cover 

 the stumps, for their beauty is never seen under 

 better conditions than when rambling- with 

 uncontrolled t;;-race over bushes. 11 triends are 

 doiTiiiatic and say they should not be in or noar 

 the herbaceous border proper, take no heed, 

 but invite them to see the border when estab- 

 lished. 



The kevnole to success in makini,'" a border 

 is thoroug-h preparation. Once a border is well 

 made it will last for many years ; if the soil is 

 heavy it will require draining. Many a gardener 

 will go to great trouble lo make a vine border, 

 vet will often starve his herbaceous plants. At 

 the back of a border plants have to be grown 

 fairlv thick and to throw up annual stems six 

 feet or more in height, so that they require a 

 rich and deep root run. The ground should be 

 thoroughly trenched two feet or more deep, 

 mixing manure with both the top and bottom 

 spit of soil. ir the soil is heavy use horse 

 manure, and if light use cow manure when obtain- 

 able. F"or the front of the border garden refuse 

 and leaves will be useful for mixing with the 

 top spit. The stronger and gross feeding plants 

 will be usually towards the back of the border, 

 so that the manure can be generously applied here. 



.Although the habitats of herbaceous plants 

 are so diverse, yet these plants possess great 

 power of adaptability, and a good strong loam 

 can be recommended for the majority. The 

 trenching of the border will raise it above the 

 surrounding level, and from the back it may 

 slope gradually towards the path, the back being 

 about a foot higher than the front 



Then comes the serious question of planting. 

 We have now a wealth of subjects undreamt of 

 in former years ; some may be chosen for their 

 graceful foliage, others for their delightful frag- 



rance, but the majoritv must bo showy and 

 bright to have an elVective border. .Some people 

 oxpioss \er\ strict ideas as to what plants to 

 use, .nul discard bidbs in the belief that there 

 will be a bare space during the summer months. 

 This need niM be so, for by planting narcissi 

 .iiid such Indbs six inches deep, crocuses, snow 

 drops, ;uk1 aconites tour inches deep, we can 

 h,i\e the bonolit o\ their spring flowers, and 

 when the leaves tlio olVthe ground can be lightly 

 toikei.1 over and a summer blaze of portulacas 

 or gili.is, or the sweetness of the mignonette, 

 may be obtained by sowing seeds in the soil 

 over the bulbs. This double cropping of the 

 ground mav take place with many plants, and 

 is the key to keeping the border furnished. 

 Olten in arranging a border the plants are just 

 graded in heights with the taller ones at the 

 b.ick. This pl.m m,iy l>e adopted for the genera! 

 idea, but it i.-- better to plant some bold growing 

 subjects in irregular masses towards the centre 

 or fi\int of the biirder, here and there along the 

 border, alternating with recesses of smaller 

 growing plants. This arrangement breaks the 

 form.al line ; the eye does not take in everything 

 at a glance, but the interest is kept up ail the 

 way down the border searching for new treasures 

 and colour combinations. 



The plants suil.able fov the l'>oi\lor must be 

 left until next month. 



Evolution of Draining. 



(l'"irst Taper.) 



I'y Pkoikssok James Wu-SON, Royal folloici' ot 

 Srieiire, IiH-laiul. 



IT took US man} hundred years to understand 

 diaining : that is, to understand why and 

 how it should be done. Had the Romans 

 never been forced out of Britain and Northern 

 Europe, draining might have been well under- 

 stood long, long ago, for they had advanced 

 a good way in the subject. But they and all 

 their works were driv en back whence they had 

 come, and the kind fell back into almost as 

 backward a state as it was in when they found 

 it, so we had to begin again at the beginning. 



But when did we begin? That question 

 would be very dillicult to answer ; but this we 

 can say, that draining of a kind similar in soiiiC 

 points to that we now know was known and 

 practised two hundred and fifty years ago. 

 England and the Saxon and Scandinavian parts 



