IRISH CARDF.NING 



6i 



I lints to Amateurs. 



I\ ^' All i\ics, wlifther on walU oi- in llic open, may 

 now lie prmieil. This ran ho done with a sharp 

 pair of shears, lullinj; llio plants over lIosoI}. 11 

 on a wall, i;iowllis may bo loll to (ill np spaocs or li> 

 incro.isc Iho lioii;lil , Inn II ihoplanls liavo loaohoil Iho 

 lop of the wall, clip lluni i loso ami lo\ol with Iho lop. 

 Unless this is regularly il>>nc, as tlio sliools loso Iho 

 support ol" iho w.ill, thoy form Ihiok jfiowlhs, whioli 

 Howcr and then bear the liaiulsoMie but heavy blaok 

 berries, ,'uid the top is then easily loosonod froiM Ihi- 

 wall in hivfh winds, bring- 

 ing the whole thing away. 

 By pruning now, none ol 

 the advantages are lost, 

 as we have had all the 

 bright, glossy, green 

 covering for our walls 

 during the ilark winter 

 monlhs. ("irowth is now 

 .active, ami the clipped. 

 bare appearance will \'er\ 

 soon be covered with 

 fresh young leaves. 



Box Edgings. — Those 

 may also be trimmed to 

 give them a tidy, spring- 

 like appearance. C 1 i p 

 both sides first with .1 

 sharp pair of shears ami 

 then go over the top- 

 Sometimes a scythe is 

 used, .ind the shears 

 only used to finish the 

 lop. When box edgings 

 have been kept regularly 

 cut and not allowed 10 

 grow broad and u n- 

 sightly, very little pruning 

 will be reipiired now, ami 

 it will also be found thai 

 when kept neat and tidy 

 they really harbour very 

 low garden enemies. .\s 

 to snails, they are not 

 very particular where 

 they make their abode, 



and box-edging is no worse than an\ oilier edging. 

 It is a mistake to cut box too e.irly in the season, as 

 it is easily damaged by frost, .\pril will bo fouiKl iiuiio 

 time enough. 



HerbaikC)V s I'ERKNNIAi.s. Hardy porouni.ds, wliicli 

 have grown too largo for their quarters, and hence are 

 crowding out more delicate stuff in the boiders, may bo 

 divided ; but this should be done at once, as the plants 

 are beginning to make rapid growth. I.ift and divide 

 the clumps carefully, and whore necessary give scmo 

 good manure. When replacing, remember thai it is the 

 outside porlion of the clump that is the strongest and 

 most vigorous, and this part should be kept. The centre 

 porlion is old and exh.iusted and of very litlle use. 



Lawns. — These should be swept and rolled before tlu 

 mowing niiichino is put oi\ Ihom for the first culling, .-o 



TlIK IKIMI Ci I 



.is to ronioie all miighness and stones which would 

 damage the blades and to level clown worn cams. 

 When- the grass has grown thick and slrong the first 

 culling should bo ilono with a scythe. Willi a little 

 care moss can be removed from lawns, ;ind this may be 

 done now by raking with an ordinary shorl-loothed 

 garden rake. The work is tedious and hard, but it is 

 worth trying. C'livo a good rolling when il is done ; if 

 the moss has been thick, anil lliorofore whrn removed 

 loavi's the gr.iss too thin, little fresh seed may hi- sown 

 and proloclod from birds. 



I'll kim; PmioI'Iis. II il.illodils are to be sent any 

 distance or dispatched 

 by post it is a good plan 

 lo gather them while still 

 in bud, not of course in 

 a light bud. When put 

 in water these will open 

 .1 M d last fresh m u c li 

 longer ; it also prevents 

 the flowers being dam- 

 .iged in packing, and the 

 locipiont receives them 

 in belter condition al- 

 li>gether. After picking, 

 place them in water for 

 an hour or so, then let 

 iliem drain, and so pre- 

 vent the parcel becoming 

 saturated with the thick 

 li<iuid which oozes from 

 the cut ends. When 

 packing in boxes remem- 

 ber to pack closely and 

 firmly, so that the flowers 

 c.iimot move about and 

 got shaken in transit. 

 CKKKNHcHSK CiEKA- 



.vHMs (Zonal 1'kiar- 

 liONliMs).— Cut the old 

 plants back now and put 

 in a batch of cutlings 

 oi the moderately slrong 

 growth, which,- if grown 

 on in a bright, airy 

 house, will give flowers 

 during the coming winter. 

 Uub out any flower buds 

 llial may be showing, and with a clean, sharp knife 

 make a straight cut just below a joint ; insert these 

 cutlings eilher singly in three-inch pots or several round 

 a larger pot ; make them firm in a mi.xture of loam, leaf- 

 mould and sand, and give a good watering. The old 

 plants may eilher be kept and let break again or may 

 be thrown awav. 



To keep up a succession of l>loom in ,'i groonhouso, 

 however small, entails a litlle thought and atlenlion. 

 There is verj- little credit to any oi\c to purchase flower- 

 ing stufVto fill their greenhouse, and now is the lime lo 

 arrange for the autumn and winter display. 



Pri.miias, such kinds as 1'. sinensis, the (.'liinesc 

 Primul;i, in white. Iieliolrope, red and pink colours, and 

 P. stellata in white and rod, and P. obconica, may all 

 bo sow n now in a little heat. Moisten ihc soil in the 



