IRISH GARDENING 



43 



and the other half composed of equal parts wcll-ilocawil 

 cow inaniiio and ordinary bonier soil. Lei this lay 

 together for two months, then when planting lime 

 comes ilig out a hole where llie patch is rei|iiired 

 about two feet square and one fool ilccp. The pl.inling 

 may take place any time from ihe middle of I'ehi u.iiy 

 to the end of March. The earliest planted bulbs will 

 flower .about Ihe second week in July, while Ihe l.aU'r- 

 planlcd bulbs will ivui well into October. When 

 planting no matter is so important as the tool used in 

 the operation. Use a spade or trowel and not a dibber, 

 because in using a dibber the bulb cannot go to Ilie 

 bottom of Ihe hole, and 

 impure air causes fer- 

 mentation and decay of 

 the bulb. But by using 

 a spade or trowel to 

 make the holes one i-. 

 able to press the bulb 

 firmly into the soil ; 

 cover with soil to for- 

 mer level and tread 

 firmly with the feet, or 

 in very stifT clay beat- 

 ing with the spade will 

 firm it enough. It is 

 not for me in this article 

 to enter into which are 

 the best strains of 

 Gladioli ; in fact a fair 

 price gets a fair article 

 in any of the types. 



In exhibition work 

 bulbs that are almost 

 round should be chosen, 

 as they give greater 

 length of flower spike, 

 and besides flat bulbs 

 nearly always split into 

 two growths, and so 

 weaken the main one. 

 I think the foregoing 

 notes will meet the par- 

 ticular needs of Irish 

 soil and conditions. But 

 good and deep tilling is 

 the secret of all success 

 inthe cultureof Gladioli. 



COLEUS THVRSOIDEUS. 



This native of British Central Africa is of compara- 

 tively recent introduction. In habit it resembles an 

 ordinary Coleus with deep green leaves, surmounled 

 by a terminal thyrsoid spike of bright blue flowers, 

 the spike often reaching lo inches in length. Its 

 continuity of blooming is well shown by the numerous 

 occasions on which it has been exhibited by Messrs. 

 Veitch and Sons, at the Drill Hall, from' January 

 onwards, and even now plants are in bloom. Cuttings 

 strike readily, and require stopping when young till ^ 

 or 6 shoots are obtained. The final potting should be 

 into 8 inch pots, in which plants are made 3 feet high 

 and nearly as much through. 



It requires an intermediate temperature, giving plenty 

 of light, especially in winter. 



Iris stylosa. 



TIII.S is one of the most beauliful and useful of 

 the early Irises in cultivation, and if it were 

 only now lo be presented to the gardenini; 

 public it would doubtless receive, and righlly so, 

 rnuuerous first-class certificates and awards of merit. 

 It is perfectly hardy, .ind blooms during the darkest 

 months of the year ; it has also the great advan- 

 tage of lasting well in water. If the flowers are 

 pulled up gently from ihe base when still in bud and 

 pnl in a warm room, in the course of a few hours thev 



will open their delicate 

 lilac flowers, which are 

 strongly scented like 

 Primroses, and will last 

 several days. Iris sty- 

 losa is not fastidious as 

 lo soil, but it flowers 

 better in poor stuflT, 

 such as lime-rubble 

 mixed with soil, and to 

 be put at once in its 

 permanent quarters at 

 Ihe base of a warm 

 wall. It strongly re- 

 sents disturbance. This 

 season the plants every- 

 where seem to be 

 flowering remarkably 

 well, presumably owing 

 10 the hot, dry summer. 

 1. stylosa (type) has 

 tail, lilac-blue floweis 

 with slight yellow mark- 

 ings, and the variety 

 speciosa is larger and 

 taller. There is al.so a 

 white variety, which 

 always flowers earlier 

 than the lilac one. but 

 there is a sliflness about 

 this one which we do 

 not find in the ordinary 

 form. I. stylosa Imper- 

 atrlce Elisabell.a has a 

 slightly smaller flower 

 of a much deeper 

 colour, and with white and yellow on the falls which is 

 absent in the type. I. stylosa marginata is anolherdark 

 form without the white markings on the falls. These 

 varieties are interesting to add to a collection, but none 

 of them can compare with I. stylosa speciosa, and if 

 only one can be grown it will be found to meet with 

 general approval, even from the most critical. — R. M. I'. 



t^^ t^^ f^^ 



Little brown seed, oh ! little brown brother. 



What kind of flower will you be ? 

 I'll be a poppy — all white, like my mother; 



Do be a poppy like me. 

 What ! you're a sunflower'? How I shall miss you 



When you're grown golden and high ! 

 But I shall send all the bees up to kiss you ; 



Little brown brother, good-bye. — Pall Mall. 



IkN STVI.OSA SPKCmsA AS A t.'lT FlOWKR. 



