46 



IRISH GARDENING 



Hints to Amateurs. 



SO\\"I\(; HARDY ANNUALS.— These ma.v be sown 

 the first day the ground is in a dry. crumbly con- 

 dition, either in March or April, choosing a day 

 which is not too windy. The seeds may be sown broad- 

 cast or in lines. If filling up a border a handy way is 

 to get a six-inch pot, press the rim slightly into the soil, 

 give the pot a twist, remove it, and then sow the seeds 

 in the circular impression left by the rim of the pot. 



Small seeds are often covered too deeply, and it is 

 well to pass some soil and sand mixed through a fine 

 sieve, and use this as covering. Dust-like seeds only 

 require the slightest covering. For seeds like Mignon- 

 ette, Convolvulus, give a covering of twice or thrice 

 their own diameter, and seed such as Tropa?olums an 

 inch or so deep. 



Sowing for Transplanti.ng. — It often happens that 

 one cannot sow annuals in the spring where they are 

 intended to flower on account of bulbs or spring bedding 

 plants, so one has to sow with a view to transplant. 

 Choose an open piece of ground, and mark out a bed 

 the size required. Take out the soil about six inches 

 deep, and give a heavy dressing of soot, then spread a 

 layer of well-decayed manure and leaves three inches 

 thick, make this firm, then over this put two inches of 

 fine soil and level it. Give the bed a thorough soaking 

 with really hot water, for this will destroy any slugs or 

 worms. When the surface is dry enough the seed can 

 be sown thinly in drills, and until the seedlings are up 

 the bed should be shaded. The seedlings will grow 

 quickly, and form a mass of roots in the manure, and 

 when the time of transplanting comes they will move 

 safely with a good ball of soil. 



Sowing Seeds in Pots. — Place a large piece of pot 

 over the drainage hole, and over this smaller crocks, 

 then cover with moss or fibre from the loam to prevent 

 drainage getting choked, and fill up with sifted soil to 

 within half an inch of the lini. For all the smaller seeds 

 the best plan is to immerse the pot in water until the 

 soil is thoroughly soaked. After a time, when it has 

 drained, the seed can be sown. Small seeds require the 

 merest scattering of soil and sand ; a pane of glass 

 should be placed over the pots to preserve moisture, and 

 until the seed germinates should be covered with a sheet 

 of brown paper. 



Weakly seedlings are the result of sowing too thickly. 

 If difficulty is found in distributing small seeds evenly 

 over the surface of the soil, mix the seeds well with very 

 finely sifted soil, and distribute soil and seeds together. 



Liquid Manure. — The time to apply liquid manure to 

 a plant is when it has filled its pots full of vigorous, 

 healthy roots and is forming its flower buds. Under 

 these conditions, liquid manure, supplied weak and often, 

 will effect a wonderful improvement in the size and colour 

 of the foliage and flowers. Never give liquid manure 

 to a sick plant, for it only makes the individual worse, 

 and never apply when the soil is at all dry. An easv 

 way to make liquid manure is to fill a. small bag with 

 sheep or horse droppings (the former preferred), and 

 put it into a barrel of water. Af'.er steeping for a few- 

 days it will be read}' for use. As to a guide to strength, 

 it can be diluted until the colour of pale beer, but always 



remember when using for greenhouse watering to add 

 enough warm water to make it luke-warm, for, naturally^ 

 very cold water gives a plant in a warm house a serious 

 check. One of the very best liquid manures for green- 

 house work can be made by dissolving one ounce of 

 saltpetre (nitrate of potash) and one ounce of phosphate 

 of potash in two gallons of water. It is expensive to 

 use in quantity, but if one desires to grow a few plants 

 particularly well or for exhibition purposes, then no 

 better stimulant can be obtained. The mixture forms 

 a complete manure for the plant and supplies the 

 materials the plant requires in a soluble form. It can 

 be strongly recommended for tomatoes, roses, carna- 

 tions and almost all pot plants. 



Sweet Peas. 



{Con/inued.) 



WHEN the young plants are well up give air on 

 all occasions the weather permits, as I firmh* 

 believe more Sweet Peas are spoilt by coddling 

 in warm frames and houses than most people imagine, 

 this and planting in loose soil being vfery often the cause 

 of the plants failing during the summer. Prepare j-our 

 trenches early in the autumn, mixing your manure and 

 soil thoroughly, and the deeper and wider the better; 

 trenches should be two feet wide at least ; before 

 planting, if ground is dry, tread the soil well to make 

 firm. Plants can be put out in a single line one foot 

 apart or be planted in a double line, zig-zag, giving 

 the plants in each line fifteen inches ; the latter method 

 is useful where ground is limited, but in staking be sure 

 and leave the tops of stakes wide apart, not so close as 

 when staking plants in single lines. Experience has 

 proved that eight or ten plants are scarcely enough to 

 give a good selection to pick from when show time 

 comes, twelve to fifteen plants being more satisfactory. 



With regard to varieties, not many may care to grow 

 the twenty-four sorts given in last month's Irish G.\r- 

 DENING, and would like to know the best twelve varieties. 

 Where the plants are not raised under glass now is the 

 best time to sow, early in the month, in light, dry soil ; 

 the end of this month, in cold, stift' clays; in the latter 

 it would be well to cover the seeds with fine, light mould 

 passed through a halt"-inch mesh riddle. 



The best twelve, in my opinion, are Maud Holmes, 

 Etta Dyke, Clara Curtis, Hercules, Elfrida Pearson, 

 Thomas Stevenson, Nettie Jenkins, Tennant Spencer, 

 Elsie Herbert, Nubian, Constance Oliver or Mrs. Hugh 

 Dickson, and Mrs. C. W. Breadmore or Earl Spencer. 



W. T. 



The Editor's T.^ble. 

 A BOX of interesting flowers, picked from the open, 

 arrived from Daisy Hill Nursery, Newry. The contents 

 were Prunus Davidiana and its beautiful white variety, 

 Pruiuis .Miqueliana, Hamamelis, .\zara integrifolia. Iris 

 reticulata Krelagei, the dainty White Hoop- Petticoat 

 Dan'odil,&c. Mr. G. Smith writes — "Arbutus canariensis 

 has stood outside for the past 9 years, but was more or 

 less protected until 2 years ago; since then it has not 

 been covered; now it forms a nice bush 6 feet high and 

 6 feet through, covered with many bright-red shoots like 

 the one I send you. " 



