9^ 



IRISH GARDENING 



S. Borisii. — This seems to me to be the g'em of the 

 section. It has every good point, a good doer, very 

 floriferous — simply covering itself with its large yellow 

 blossoms of perfect shape, substance and tone. 

 The flowers are borne erect on stiff stems, and are 

 altogether desirable. 



S. Paulinre is, I believe, still the first choice of Mr. R. 

 Farrer, but here it is soniewhut uncertain. It is perliaps 

 daintier, with its silvery spines and yellow blossoms on 

 fairy-like stems ; but I find all the Burseriana hybrids — 

 Boydii, Faldonside, &c. — Paulinaj's close relations — 

 uncertain of temper and liable to go off and leave one 

 lamenting without apparent reason. So my poor vote 

 goes for S. Borisii, which does not disappoint me. 



S. Kyrillii. a new yellow of merit, but overshadowed 

 by Borisii. Its flowers lack that perfect roundness so 

 absent in flowers of S. marginata type and so present 

 in S. Burseriana. 



S. Obristii, a fine hardy plant, of somewhat straggly 

 growth, and so far not too generous with its large, 

 pure-white flowers. The flower stems are rather loose 

 and inclined to flop. 



S. macedonica is at present very rare. It has close- 

 tufted, spiny foliage like a lighter coloured S. juniperina. 

 It never flowered for two years, and hinguished until I 

 realised that it does not appreciate lime. It now looks 

 quite healthy in loaui and sandstone chips, and is going 

 ahead. It is quite distinct. 



S. dalmatica is choice and wee, with white flowers on 

 siiort stalks. 



S. Boryi is one of the most distinct .Saxifragas of the 

 section, forming perfect miniature rosettes like minulc 

 Gardeni.as and having white flowers. 



All the above belong to the Kabschia section, and, 

 with the exceptions mentioned, are perfectly easy in 

 any open position, not too torrid, in good loam and 

 abundance of limestone chips. Most of them, however, 

 are still scarce and expensive, and if I had to choose a 

 few for a small garden I should select S. Borisii, .S. 

 Petraschii, S. Boryi, S. Paulinje, and S. L. G. Godsefl" 

 as the most distinct. In my grumble at the S. Boydei 

 cousinhood I overlooked S. Cherry Trees, which so far 

 seems happy and contented with this world, and in no 

 hurry to depart. He has not cheered me with many 

 flowers ; however, he has grown at such a rate some- 

 lliing must happen next season. 



^"' f^^ 9^^ 



Two New Pvku.s. 



According to Messrs. Spaeth's (Berlin) catalogue 

 Pyrus magdeburgensis originated in the Municipal 

 Pleasure Grounds at Magdeburg, and is thought to be 

 a cross between P. spectabilis and dasyphylla. This 

 new hybrid promises to be one of our best flowering 

 trees; when fully expanded the flowers are i\ inches 

 across, borne in good trusses, the young ones are a 

 a deep rich rose red, becomingpaleras they get older. 



Pyrus Zumii is a new species from the middle of 

 Jap.'in, flowering in April, about a week or so in ad- 

 vance of the first-mentioned. The flowers are smaller 

 than those of P. magdeburgensis, but are borne more 

 freel)' in large clusters ; in bud they are a deep, rich red, 

 but become almost white as thelflowers gel older. 



The "Gem'' Pentstemons. 



' I ""HE value of Pentstemons in flower gardening 

 \_ was never greater than at the present time. 

 Few subjects are more effective for an autumn 

 display, whether used in large beds of one variety or in 

 groups of various kinds in the hardy flower border. 

 The handsome large-flowered kinds of which Joseph 

 Chamberlain, John Forbes, &c., are good examples, 

 are justly popular and freely admired. To grow these 

 well it is essential to take cuttings every autumn, about 

 the beginning of September, when they root readih' in 

 boxes of sandy soil placed in a cold frame and kept 

 close and shaded for a few weeks. For the next 

 season's display they may be put out in April. The 

 members of that set known in gardens as the ** Gem " 

 class dift'er from the above in several particulars. In 

 general habit they seem more akin to Pentstemon 

 Ilartwegii ; indeed, P. Newberry Gem is probably 

 nothing more than that species under another name. 

 Compared with the large-flowered kinds the leaves of 

 the "Gem" class are much narrower and more glossy 

 and the flowers smaller, more inclined to be tubular 

 than bell-shaped. T!ie most important difference, 

 however, lies in their much greater hardiness. Planted 

 in ordinary well-prepaied beds or borders they will 

 live for years, only deteriorating from exhaustion of the 

 soil around them in the same way as any other 

 perennial. A greater enemy than frost is cold wind in 

 spring after the young growths have commenced to 

 grow. For this reason it is a good plan not to cut 

 down the previous year's growths till about the first or 

 second week of April. These protect the young shoots 

 which spring from the base and usually carry the finest 

 flowers. In suitable positions quite large specimens 

 may be obtained by leaving the last year's shoots 

 intact. These are of course sub-shrubb)-, and in 

 sheltered positions '" break " freely, rendering the plants 

 highly decorative and imposing throughout the svmimer 

 and autumn. 



The best of this class are Newberry Gem, with long 

 narrowly-tubular deep scarlet flowers borne in long 

 graceful spikes; Southgate Gem, a beautiful variety 

 larger in all its parts than the last nameil, the flowers 

 crimson scarlet, showing whitish lines in the throat ; 

 and Myddelton Gem. a charming acquisition producing 

 elegant spikes of soft pink blossoms. There is also 

 in commerce a form known as white Newberry Gem, 

 which is to all appearance identical with P. canipanu- 

 latus albus. It also is worth attention, as two or three 

 vear old plants when left alone in suitable positions 

 form attractive specimens. 



The propagation of the " Gem " set differs in no way 

 from that of the larger-flowered kinds alluded lo above. 



J. W. H. 



' Pl.int blessings, and blessings will bloom. 



Plant hate, and hate will grow ; 

 Vou can sow to-day, to-morrow shall bring 

 The bloom that shows what sort of a thing 

 Is the seed — the seed that you sow." 



