IRISH GARDENING 



"3 



a wet mass resting on an impervious pan, Hi tough 

 which neither moisture can penetrate nor can 

 plant draw any good therefrom, and the advan- 

 tages of summer are just as great in winter. 



The novice at trenching may be annoyed to 

 find after trenching, 3 feet dee]) say. that in two 

 years' time the soil has become a 2-feet one only, 

 or even less in depth. This is due to a natural 

 shrinkage, and lie must just keep working 

 deeper. 



The best time for trenching is the dead season 

 of the year, say from October to March. The 

 work is cariied out with more effect then. But 

 I work dee]) in the middle of summer if time and 

 weather permits, and I hope to lind time always 

 for such work, believing that when shallow 



Cytisus supranubius. 



This uncommon Broom is a native of Teneriffe. 

 and coming from there one would scarcely expect 

 it to be thoroughly hardy. Five or six years ago 

 it was planted in the open ground in the Glasnevin 

 Botanical Gardens, and has never received any 

 protection ; during this time it has passed safely 

 through severe winters when we have had 22 

 degrees or more of frost. The shrub is a quick 

 grower, and has formed a bush S feet high by 

 about the same through, growing in ordinary 

 garden soil. 



Mr. Smith, of Xewry, says it is about 7 feet 

 high with him. and is growing in an elevated pari 



PhotiFfiy] 



CVTrSUS SUPRANUBKTJ 



[C. F. H. 



cultivation takes the place of deep T cease to 

 grow high-class produce : yes, even profitable 

 stuff. 



I have not mentioned manure, which, of course, 

 must be incorporated with the soil when trench- 

 ing. The best for the purpose is undoubtedly 

 the general farmyard manure, and in my opinion 

 is best placed in layers under the first and 

 second spits, the tendency of nutritive particles 

 is to sink, so the position here indicated is the 

 best. Both light sandy soils and heavy clay 

 soils are benefited by ordinary farmyard manure. 

 The cleaning of the gardens, such as weeds and 

 leaves, dying vegetation of all sorts in fact. 

 should be placed in reserve heaps in the rubbish 

 yard and used over again when rotten, while 

 hard wood and primings should lie reduced to 

 ashes in a smother heap and used for fruits. &c, 

 in spring : in fact all that the garden grows can 

 be used over again in trenches. 



of the nursery in shallow, poor soil on the top 

 of rotten granite. 



Cytisus supranubius resembles Spartium ]un- 

 ceuro in its leafless winter state, but the branches 

 are stronger, and a lighter green in colour. In 

 a seedling stage, and when making free growth 

 in summer, the shoots bear tiny trifoliate leaves. 

 whereas the Spartium bears simple leaves, but 

 in neither case are they borne very freely. 



This Cytisus has also been known to botanists 

 under the name of Spartium nubigenuni. and 

 Cytisus fragrans, it is one of the most fragrant 

 of all the Cytisus family, the creamy-white flowers 

 having an almond fragrance. 



Last year it flowered with unusual freedom, 

 and was a most attractive shrub, and in the 

 autumn a fair crop of seed was produced. The 

 pods are small, about three-quarters of an- inch 

 long, and Usually contain only one seed. I p to 

 thepresenl cuttings have been a failure, but seeds 



