IRISH GARDENING 



45 



is lier inleiilioii, she ought i-illier lo go lo oiio of the 

 horticiihiirni colleges, as most of them now have fully 

 equipped market gardens, or to get into a private 

 market garden where the business was carried on with 

 success, and where she could learn the business from 

 every side, not alone the growing, but also the packing, 

 grading, and getting to market of the produce, what- 

 ever it may be. The business side must not be neglected, 

 as it is equally important, if her venture is to be a finan- 

 cial success. Much the same may be said of nursery 

 work. Several of the large nurseries now take pupils, 

 and offer every means whereby a thorough knowledge 

 of the Ir.ide may be acquired. The methods of growing 

 produce, for either market or nursery purposes, diHers 

 in many ways from those employed in private gardens, 

 where flowering plants are simply grown for decorative 

 purposes, and fruit and vegetables more for qu;:lity 

 than quantity. 



There are many girls who have made out lines for 

 themselves. If, when her training is over, any girl sees 

 her way lo map a career for herself out of the beaten 

 track, by all means let her grasp at her chance. 



In conclusion, let me again urge the importance of a 

 thorough practical training; and given this, I think 

 most gardeners will agree in highly recommending the 

 life to any one about to enter the ranks. 



A Few Useful Annuals. 



By J. H. Clmmi.ng. 



MrClI of the summers display of flowers depends 

 upon what is sown in spring, and so this 

 month is a suitable time to begin work with 

 what 1 consider a few choice annuals that of late years 

 have done much to embellish our beds and borders. 



The few I would draw attention to, flower for a long 

 season and are also useful for cutting. Take, to begin 

 with, the Single Aster. It is more largely grown each 

 season, and it is rare to get any class of autumn 

 flowers so valuable for cutting as these. The dwarf 

 stift' forms have given place to the Sinensis type, which 

 are free-growing and give a long period of bloom. 

 The colours include beautiful shades of blue, while and 

 pink. Good, big beds of these will give a pleasing 

 surprise to those who have not previously grown them. 

 For general bedding purposes .Antirrhinums have 

 come rapidly into favour, and it is no wonder, as they 

 can be grown with ease, and are not particular as to 

 soil. By careful selection, the varieties are uniform in 

 habit and the character of the flower vastly improved. 

 Sown now in gentle heat, and pricked off into cold 

 frames when an inch high, they are ready for planting 

 into their summer quarters about the beginning of May. 

 There are three distinct sizes. The dwarf do well as 

 an edging for small beds. Intermediate grow from 

 fifteen to eighteen inches high, and are the most suitable 

 for effect. The tall variety grows to a height of three 

 feet and are most effective in mixed borders, especially 

 if they have a dark-green background. 



Those who like white Spiral Candytuft should sow 

 now in the position the plants are intended to bloom. 

 Cosmea bipinnata is a half-hardy annual that flowers 

 for nearly five months in summer and autumn. Its 

 feathery olive-green foliage and star-like flowers are 



excellent for vase decoration, and il is as a cut flower 

 th.'it its value is most seen. Plants from an early 

 March sowing may be relied on to commence flowering 

 in June, and will continue till cut down by frost. 

 Coreopsis or Calliopsis are useful town garden plants, 

 and thrive well in moderately rich soil, and give a long 

 season of flowers for cutting, fjodetia in its various 

 colours always realise a fine effect when tastefully 

 arranged. There are several beautiful colours, but I 

 am partial to G. Schamini, with its double, rose-coloured 

 blossoms. For clumps in the border and for cutting, 

 its tall, loose habit makes il a universal favourite. 

 -Sow in March, and when fit to handle prick out into 

 cold frames. Planted out a foot apart in good, rich 

 soil, a brilliant display will follow. .\ garden can be 

 made very gay with Gaillardias. .Seed sown in -March 

 and treated similarly to Godetia will bloom profusely 

 the first season and for a long period. The colours 

 include golden yellow selfs, brilliant crimson-edged, 

 and others banded with gold. The blooms when cut 

 will last fresh for nearly a w^eek. They are not parti- 

 cular as to soil, and do well even in a poor place. 



Salpiglossis is another half-hardy annual that is 

 highly ornamental and much prized for cutting. A 

 good, rich soil is necessary to get the best results, and 

 a position where the full sun does not strike all day will 

 prolong the flowering period, which lasts generally for 

 July and August. Do not be afraid to thin out the 

 seedlings of all annuals, as the flowers never attain 

 perfection when the plants are crowded. Another 

 animal that should not be omitted is Kochia tricho- 

 phylla, not for growing in masses or for flower, but to 

 be used as "dot" plants in beds, and as pot plants 

 they serve a variety of purpose-s. Its graceful habit 

 and finely cut, tender green foliage, changing to 

 crimson in autumn, makes it an elegant pot plant for 

 the conservatory. 



Novelties. 



POTENTILL.X FRl TICOS.\ VlIMORI.NI.\.\ A is One of the 



best shrubs of recent introduction. The common 

 Shrubby Cinquefoil is well known as one of our beau- 

 tiful natives, found in Clare and Galway, producing 

 deep, golden flowers in the summer. The new form is 

 similar in habit, forming a bush from three to four feet 

 high, but the leaves are a beautiful silvery colour, and 

 Iheflowers are a sulphur yellow with adeeperbase. It 

 was introduced from China by Mr. Maurice de Vilmorin, 

 and is proving hardy, free-growing, and free flowering 

 in a sunny position. 



Acer pennsvlvanici-M comes from the Eastern 

 United States, where it is known as the Moose Wood. 

 In the British Isles it makes a small spreading tree ; 

 when the leaves are shed the beauty of the stems is 

 revealed. The dark-coloured bark is lined with beau- 

 tiful silvery streaks, and from this characWrit is also 

 known as .A.cer striatum. Messrs. Spiith. of Berlin, have 

 now introduced a variety of this tree, called A. 

 pitiiisylvaiiuum erythrocladuin, in which one not only 

 sees the silvery lines on the older stems, but the young 

 wood is of a good, bright red, in tact brighter th.an the 

 Dogwoods. If the tree proves a free grower it should 

 have a future for winter decoration. 



