IRISH GARDENING 



89 



position for the unusual colour of the flowers, 

 which have even been described as coppery 

 maroon. It hails from swampy places in the 

 S. E. States of America. 



Iris Hookeri, a comparatively dwarf species, 

 has rather showy bright blue flowers, with only 

 rudimentary standards. It will grow and flower in 

 a sunny border, but is at home in the bog garden. 



Iris versicolor and its varieties are first-rate 

 waterside Irises, quite delightful in the quaint 

 colour variations of the flowers ; claret red, rich 

 purple, reddish purple, lilac, and mauve are some 

 of the more prominent shades, while some varieties 

 are beautifully veined with white and yellow. 



Three new species from China, partaking some- 

 what of the habit of I. sibirica, are I. bulleyana, I. 

 Forrestii, and I. Wilsonii. All have yellow flowers, 

 and appear likely to do well in moist positions 

 where the colour and habit will be welcome. 



Although 1 ecommended for moist positions near 

 water, most of the Irises alluded to in these notes 

 will do very well in a deep, cool and rich border. 



Hints to Amateurs. 



By E. M. Pollock. 



Staking. — There is more art in the staking of 

 plants, and more especially in the staking of 

 outdoor plants, than might be thought. If this 

 important branch of garden work be left too late 

 the plants can never be made to look natural. 

 The size and strength of the stake and the tying 

 material should correspond with the strength of 

 the plants they have to support. It is far easier 

 to stake plants before they are fully grown, at 

 any rate before they have got heavy in the head 

 and been beaten and blown about by wind and 

 rain. General observation will show what class 

 of plants will require staking, and with any new 

 plant whose character is not known, its habit can 

 easily be ascertained by reference to the cata- 

 logues. Carnations are among some of the most 

 difficult subjects to stake, and still they must be 

 staked, as otherwise their flowers are quite 

 spoiled by lying on the ground. Delphiniums, 

 Aconitums (Monkshood), Oriental Poppies and 

 many more will require strong supports, and 

 should be staked at once. 



Annuals. — The late sown annuals will be 

 large enough now to thin out, and the earlier 

 sown ones will, if the weather be dry and harsh, 

 benefit from waterings of plain water followed 

 by weak manure water. All artificial watering 

 is inclined to cake and harden the surface soil, 

 and when so caked it should be stirred gently 

 with a small hand fork, without disturbing the 

 roots. The hoe is an essential implement in a 

 garden, and at this season should be in constant 

 use between the plants. Weeds grow at an 

 appalling pace in showery weather, and unless 

 removed before they seed the work will be doubled 

 later on. The hoe is also useful to stir up the soil 

 in beds and borders. 



Dahlias planted out during the end of May 

 will have to be watched carefully for slugs. A 

 ring of soot rcund the neck of the stem will keep 

 them away. The shoots should be thinned out, 

 removing the weaker ones and leaving four or 

 five of the strongest, which should be firmly 

 staked. 



Sweet Peas. — If the weather is dry these will 

 require plenty of water, and when watering see 

 that it is done thoroughly, so as to soak right 

 down to the roots. Continual dribbles on the 

 surface are of no use, and only help to cake the 

 surface soil. Manure water, soot water or weak 



doses of nitrate of soda may be given as soon as 

 the buds appear, but none of these should be given 

 except after rain or a good watering cf plain water. 

 Sweet Pea flowers should be picked as soon as 

 tluy open, for if allowed to form their seeds the 

 flowering season will be greatly curtailed. 



Any bedding out not finished should be started 

 as soon as possible. June is late for it, but where 

 bulbs are occupying the beds it is very difficult 

 to get it done earlier. In the case of Narcissus 

 or Tulip bulbs, they can be lifted, and put in 

 shallow trenches in a reserve corner of the garden 

 and left there until the foliage dies away, when 

 they can be lifted, dried off and put aside until 

 they are again wanted to fill the beds. See that 

 newly planted stuff does not lack for water. 



Hock plants that have gone out of flower should 

 be cut over, unless seeds are wanted, and tidied 

 up. Where this is done the rock garden or the 

 rock edging never has an untidy look. Some- 

 thing else will soon be out, and the flowers that 

 were cut away will not be missed. This refers 

 to such plants as Aubrietia, Iberis, Alyssum, the 

 mossy Saxifrages, and many more. 



All old flowers should be removed from Violas 

 and Pansies. This will increase the length of the 

 flowering period considerably, and will also keep 

 the plants tidy. The old flowers of Rhododen- 

 drons should also be removed so as to prevent 

 the plants forming seed. It is not, of course, 

 possible to do this to the large plants, but with 

 anything very special, or with young plants, it 

 is advisable. 



Strawberries will be ripening fast, if the weather 

 be at all favourable, and the benefit of the straw 

 will be easily seen. All runners which are not 

 required for increasing the stock should be 

 removed. If these are required, only keep the 

 strongest, and let them root into the ground 

 between the plants. Some people prefer to sink 

 pots between the plants and root the runners 

 into these and remove them later on. 



Where grapes are forward they will require 

 thinning. Great care is necessary in this opera- 

 tion, as the least prick of the scissors will leave 

 a dark mark on the fruit. When about the size 

 of small marbles they are fit to thin, and each 

 bunch should be left with plenty of room for all 

 its berries to swell. The cool of the evening will 

 be found the best time for this work, as it is 

 unpleasant working close to the glass on a hot 

 sunny day. 



Greenhouse. — Ferns that have lost their 

 colour and got yellow from being too long in a 

 dwelling-room can be restored to health by 

 occasional doses of soot water. Worms in pots 

 can be removed by watering with lime water, 

 providing the plants are not lime haters. A 

 watering once a fortnight with these two solutions 

 would be quite sufficient. Cinerarias, Primulas 

 and Calceolarias may be sown for the early 

 spring display. Water the soil before sowing in the 

 pans or pots and cover with a sheet of glass, which 

 can be removed as soon as the seeds have germinated 



See that all plants in the houses are free from 

 fly and see that the house is not too dry. 

 Occasional damping of the floor during a bright 

 day will keep the temperature sufficiently moist, 

 but plenty of air should be given at ail times 

 where ordinary greenhouse stuff is being grown. 



The Chrysanthemums may now have their 

 final potting, See that the drainage is good, as 

 they have to stand a long time in these pots. 



Azaleas, Genistas, Prunus and any other 

 spring flowering shrubs may be stood out of 

 doors in a sheltered spot to ripen their wood and 

 to leave room in the house for the summer plants. 



