IRISH GARDENING 



93 



quaint villages and up the steep mountain sides, 

 learning as we go up something of the mountain 

 flora and its habits, while for those for whom a 

 trip is possible, the book should prove an in- 

 valuable guide. Though full of useful hints to 

 the initiated, it is exceptionally free from techni- 

 calities, and should prove interesting reading to 

 anyone to whom descriptions of mountain 

 scenery appeals. 



The wonderful Botanic Alpine Gardens at 

 Jaysinia and Pont de Nant were visited, and 

 are fully described, and there is also a chapter 

 devoted to the art of photographing flowers in 

 nature and the necessary equipment. 



The book is full of illustrations, both of places 

 and plants ; the photogravures and monochromes 

 are excellent. I do not think I have ever seen 

 better or more instructive reproductions of 

 growing plants ; but there are also reproductions 

 in colour which one could well do without ; they 

 are similar to, but I do not think as good as, 

 those coloured picture postcards one gets abroad 

 (some of which were used as illustrations of a 

 recent work on Alpines), and the other illustra- 

 tions are so exceptionally good that the somewhat 

 indistinct coloured reproductions suffer by com- 

 parison. 



I imagine that the book will be widely read. 

 as it is a most interesting addition to the rock 

 gardeners' library. M. H. 



The Hardy Flower Book.* 



The volume before us adds yet another to the 

 long list of works dealing with hardy and other 

 flowers. It is essentially a book for the young 

 gardener and the amateur. The professional 

 gardener who knows his business may not find 

 much that is new in the matter of cultivation, 

 but he may find many helpful suggestions in how 

 to make the best use of the wealth of material 

 now available. 



The book is divided into three parts, each con- 

 taining numerous chapters or sections devoted 

 to the various operations connected with hardy 

 flower culture. The author is thoroughly prac- 

 tical, and begins at the foundation — that is, with 

 the preparation of the soil. Different classes of 

 soils are skilfully dealt with, and we are glad to 

 note that in writing of trenching Mr. Jenkins 

 advocates placing the top spit in the bottom and 

 bringing the second spit to the top — this is the 

 only right way to trench, and does at one opera- 

 tion what otherwise would take years, viz. — gives 

 several feet of rich soil at once. We do not quite 

 agree, however, that it is good to ridge heavy, 

 retentive soils in winter, as by so doing furrows 

 are formed in which rain and snow will remain 

 long enough before soaking away. A heavy 

 soil, with a level unbroken surface, will be full 

 of worm holes, each kept open by a twig, leaf- 

 stalk, &c, and rain passes through such like 

 water through a sieve. Often we have seen a 

 bed of heavy soil dug in spring and ready for 

 working long before the beds dug in autumn. 



The author, we think, favours autumn planting 

 for most things, and we are in agreement with 

 him, though he rightly says many herbaceous 

 plants may be planted in spring with good re- 

 Suits if given reasonable after-treatment. Some 

 few kinds, such as Christmas Roses, Mr. Jenkins 

 lays down definite rules for transplanting, but 



•Country Life, ltd.. '20 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, W'.C. 

 George Newms, Ltd., S-ll Southampton Street, Strand. W.C. New 

 York; Chas. Sni)>n<T* Sor.s, Price2s.6d.net, 



we'must refer the reader to his book as the only 

 fair way of learning the secret of success. 



Chapter III. deals with flowers for the mixed 

 border, and is full of interesting and useful 

 matter well illustrated. The next chapter, deal- 

 ing with hardy flowers for the shrubbery border, 

 we do not care about. Shrubs are as well worth 

 special cultivation as herbaceous plants, and with 

 the immense number to choose and select from, 

 need no herbaceous plants mixed up with them. 

 A few groups well placed tnay be all right, but it 

 is easy to overdo this sort of thing. 



The chapter on wild gardening is really well 

 written, and contains many suggestions for 

 happy associations and effects. Chapter VIII., 

 on hardy florists' flowers, is very good, and the 

 next, dealing with effective border grouping, is 

 full of interest, with numerous illustrations. A 

 diagram of the large border at Westwick is 

 given where the narrow grass verge and 6 feet 

 wide path look all too narrow for the apparent 

 width of border. Figure 20 is a much better 

 balanced picture. With reference to the number 

 of years a clump will remain in good condition, 

 we would point out that thinning out of all weak 

 shoots when a few inches high is very essential, 

 and prolongs the vigour of the clumps over a 

 good many years. This is particularly so with 

 many of the taller-growing kinds. 



The chapter on propagation and the first sec- 

 tion of part two dealing with the most important 

 and beautiful hardy flowers should be carefully 

 studied ; not often in works of this kind is the 

 propagation of plants so well written. 



Part III. embraces selections of hardy flowers 

 for various situations, for flowering at different 

 periods, for show purposes, and includes a select 

 list of bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants. 



The illustrations throughout are very good 

 indeed, numbering fifty in all. The print is 

 large and clear, but the glassy paper makes it 

 somewhat difficult to read by lamplight. 



This is a good book written by a well-known 

 expert, and can be fully recommended to hardy 

 flower lovers. It is edited by F. W. Harvey, 

 editor of The Garden. J. W. B. 



Primula pubescens alba. 



This attractive Rock Primrose is one of the most 

 desirable of the family. When quite happy early 

 April finds it covered with snowy white blossoms 

 borne in dense clusters or umbels on sturdy little 

 stems just rising above the foliage. The indivi- 

 dual flowers are almost funnel-shaped, and the 

 leaves are obovate and toothed. Given a cosy 

 little pocket in the rockery it will prosper in sun 

 or partial shade. Loam, with a little leaf mould, 

 or loam and peat, will be found a suitable compost, 

 while to prevent April showers from soiling the 

 flowers the soil may be covered with stone chips. 

 After flowering the plants may be divided every 

 few years to increase the stock. 



Often in gardens and catalogues this plant is 

 to be found under the name of P. nivalis, a name 

 which really belongs to another Primula. 



Primula pubescens, according to botanists, 

 covers the crosses of P. Auricula x P. hirsuta and 

 others, so that P. helvetica abla, another beautiful 

 white Primula, comes under this sweeping head- 

 ing. However P. helvetica alba is quite distinct 

 for garden purposes, it flowers later than P. 

 pubescens alba, has larger flowers, which are 

 wider open at the mouth. 



Both of these albino forms are good growers and 

 desirable plants. 



