IRISH GARDENING 



93 



I lints to Amateurs. 



liy K. M. Poi.iAHK. 



SWl'JKT I'KAS. — Ifilry weather prevails give plenti- 

 ful supplies of water, and see that this is tlioronjjhly 

 done and reaches the roots. It is nuich better to 

 give a couple of gfood waterings during the week than 

 merely damping the surface every two days. As soon 

 as the buds form, weak liquid manure may be given. II 

 this is not easy to procure weak doses of nitrate of soda 

 or soot water, properly prepared, may be used. \\'hen 

 supplying plants with these fertilizers, remember that it 

 must be doTie either after rain or after watering. 

 Plants should never gel any liquid fertilizer when the 

 soil is dry. When the flowers open pick them. If the 

 plants are allowed to form seed pods their flowering 

 season will be greatly' shortened. If sweet peas are to 

 be sent by post they should be allowed to sldnd in 

 water for an hour or more before packing, .and ihen 

 packed closely and firmly. 



D.\Hii.\s planted out towards end of May should be 

 protected from slugs by a ring of soot round the base 

 of the stems. Thin the shoots out to four or five and 

 stake these firmly. Dahlias are gross feeders and 

 should be planted in good rich soil, and the manure 

 should not be spared. 



Staking. — All tall-growing plants in the herbaceous 

 border will require staking, as growth is now rapid, 

 and the shoots are soft and tender, and easily 

 broken by high winds. Such plants as Oriental Poppies, 

 Carnations, Delphiniums, Monkshood, Columbines, 

 and the handsome, tall Eremurus and many others. 

 The same applies to many of the annuals^Shirley 

 Poppies, Cornflowers, Mallows, &c. ; they will all 

 require a certain amouEit of support. When carefully 

 done, and above all done early, it can be made to show- 

 very little, but nothing looks worse in a border than 

 badly and late staked plants. 



Si;eI5LINGs. — Great care should be taken in pricking 

 out seedlings. At this period o( their existence they 

 are very tender. If pricking into boxes have the soil 

 fairly moist before starting to work. Make the hole 

 suflii-iently large to hold all the roots, and lirm the soil 

 well round the neck of the feedling. This is half the 

 life of a seedling. Attend carefully to watering. Over 

 watering is responsible for as many, if not more, deaths 

 than the lack of it. Thin all seedlings where sown too 

 thick. It pays well to do this, as each plant can then 

 attain its full size. 



Rock Plants. — Where these have gone out oi' flower 

 they should be cut over, which will cause them to 

 break away and make fresh growth, and it also gives 

 them a tidy appearance. This applies to such plants 

 as Aubrietias, .Arabis, Alyssum, Perennial Candytuft. 

 (Iberis). Saxifrage (mossy), &c. Keep old flowers cut 

 off \"iolas and Pansies, which will lengthen their 

 flowering period. Primroses and .\uriculas should be 

 lifted after flowering, divided where necessary and 

 replanted. If left in the ground they will gel loose 

 round the shank and by degrees die away. The 

 re.ison for this can be easily understood. If. when 

 lifted, a plant is examined small, white, yoinig roots 

 will be found coming away from the base of the leaves, 

 above the old soft and decaying roots. L'nless the 

 plants are lifted and replanted firmly they loosen in the 

 ground before the young roots are able to support 

 thein. Under natural conditions Primroses are not 



lounil growing o\t bare ground, where all leaves arc- 

 carefully raked away from round them. They arc 

 found in sh.idy places, where leaves, &c., are con- 

 tinually falling and remaining undisturbed, thus 

 covering the roots with fresh mould. 



Roses. — Keep a sharp look out for fly and grubs of 



all sorts, and spray .is directed in last month's hints. 

 Where possible a nuiKliing of manure will benefit the 

 plants, and if this is considereil unsightly shake a little 

 soil over it. Occasion.il drenchings ot liquid manure 

 will also be beneficial. 



Wki'.ds. —These will be getting troublesome as the 

 se.ison advances, and the hoe should not be spared. 

 There are two kinds that have to be considered— the 

 annual weeds, such as Shepherd's Purse, (iroundsel. 

 Speedwell, Pimpernel, Purpleneltle and Chickweed. *;c.. 

 can easily be removed by the hoe, and if done early 

 they can be prevented from forming and scattering 

 their seeds. But such weeds as Dandelions, Daisies, 

 Hindwced, Plantains, Coltsfoot, and unforlunatey many 

 others must be rooted up entirely. Their roots are 

 perennial, and merely cuttingoffthe leaves and flowers 

 will not prevent their reappearance. 



Greenhouse. — Shrubs that have flowered in cool 

 houses may be stood out of doors to ripen their wood 

 and to clear the house for their summer plants. This 

 applies to Azaleas, (icnislas, N'eronicas, Prunus, &c. 

 .Arum Lilies wliicli have flowered may be taken out 

 of their pots and planted in a shady corner. Cuttings 

 of the Zonal Pelargoniums put in in .April will now be 

 the better of a shift. Pot them off into five inch pots, 

 rub out the flower buds, and water as soon as potted. 



^W f^ (^W 



The Cinnamo.n Vine. 



This plant, which is also known as the Chinese Yam. 

 and botanically as Dioscorea divaricata or I). Batatas, 

 is a native of the Philippines, but is cultivated in 

 most tropical countries for the sake of its edible tubers. 



In our Irish climate, under Ivery favourable con- 

 ditions, it may possibly grow to a height of fifteen feel. 

 and it dies down to the tubers every winter. 



It bears heart-shaped leaves and clusters of small 

 white flowers, which are cinnamon-scented. .-Mlogelher, 

 it may be said that for our climate the Cini>amon Vine 

 is a very second-rate climber, and does not deserve 

 much commendation. 



Review. 



" The Practical Scikiol Carimcn Note and Recori> 

 Book," published by Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co., 

 price 6d. It is prepared by John Weathers, Horti- 

 cultural Lecturer to the County Council of Middlesex, 

 and author of numerous garden books. The note-book 

 is intended for scholars engaged in schoo! gardening, 

 to teach the students to keep systematic notes and 

 records. Kor instance, a list of the commoner garden 

 flowers and vegetables is given, and the student fills 

 in the blank columns-lhe date of sowing, date of 

 flowering, height, cploi-.r, &c. A set of questions are 

 given to test the progress of the student, and answers 

 to them may be found in Mr. Weathers' little book on 

 "School, Cottage and .Allotment Gardening-. " 



