126 



IRISH GARDENING 



Streptocarpus. 



What a wonderful advance has been made in 

 these Bowers during recent years! Now, it' one 

 buys seeds of the best strains the reward will be 

 flowers of perfect shape, almost 3 inches across, 

 varying in colour from white-blue to red. Thej 

 will flower all tin- summer, but from August 

 onwards they are particularly valuable. Formerly 

 t hey were treated on similar lines to the Gloxinias, 

 but they will thrive far better with less heat, 1 lie 

 plants will be stronger, and the flowering season 

 more prolonged. The seed may be sown almost 

 any time. To have plants to flower in August 

 sow the seeds about February, and when the 

 plants gel sturdy grow on in a cool house, where 

 frost is excluded., similar to tuberous Begonias. 

 Any ordinary potting compost will suil I hem. and 

 good decorative plants may be grown in 5 or ti 

 inch pots. Every two or three years it is best to 

 raise a fresh batch of seedlings, as young plants 

 an- more vigorous than the old ones. If a 

 specially good form erops up among the seedlings 

 it may be perpetuated by cut tint;' off some leaves 

 and placing them in cocoa-nut fibre in a propa- 

 gating frame, where they soon form fresh plants. 



Begonia mite is their worst enemy, but this 

 may be exterminated by frequenl applications of 

 soft soap, tobacco water and sulphur. 



Where many other flowering plants will fail for 

 want of light, the Strep! ocarpus will luxuriate, and 

 as edgings to beds or planted on a rockery under 

 glass these plants will give a long season of bloom. 



Several species have- played a part in producing 

 the present race of Streptocarpus. Prom S. 

 Dunni, a native of the Transvaal, the red colour 

 conies : the white is obtained from S. parviflorus, 

 and the blue colour conies from S. Rexii. 



Lachenalias- 



AUGUST is a good time to re-pot or to make a 

 start with these South African bulbous plants. 

 These greenhouse subjects are most Welcome in 



early spring for decoration, do not require much 

 fire heat, and are very easy to grow. From 

 6 to m bulbs may be planted in a 5-inch pot. 

 using a compost of two parts loam, one pari leaf- 

 mould, and old dry cow manure, with a sprinkling 

 of bonemeal and plenl y of sand. Small bulbs may 

 be planted fairly thick in pans to grow' on for: stock. 

 A very beautiful effect may be obtained bj 

 planting Lachenalias in wire hanging-baskets. 

 Baskets about a fool across should be lined with 

 sphagnum and fibrous loam and the bulbs planted 

 when filling in the basket. When given good soil 

 they will last for two years. Alter potting or 

 planting, they may be placed in a cold frame 

 close to the glass and given plenty of air. but 

 very little water, just enough to keep the suil 

 moist until the leaves are made. About the end 

 of October, before frOSl occurs, the plants .should 

 be moved to a cool sunny greenhouse where the 

 1 emperat ure does not fall below I.") . Lachenalias 

 like abundance of sunshine, but too much fire- 

 heal is del rinieiil al. 



Weak liquid manure may be given to vigorous 

 plants in full growth until the leaves show signs 

 of fading. About May the plants may be placed 

 in a frame again and be kepi quite dry after the 



foliage has withered, so as to give them a lest 

 until August comes again. 



Some useful sorts are I.. aurea, Xelsoni. pendula, 

 and t ricolor. 



The Month's Work. 



The Flower Garden. 



By .1. II. Cumming, Royal Dublin Society. 

 Ballsbridge. 



General Remarks. — August will re- 

 veal to the flower gardener t he results 

 of his previous forethought, planning 

 and planting. His success or failure 

 will be apparent to all who see his 

 beds and borders, and he is wise 

 who thus profits by this month's 

 critical inspection of his own and 

 other people's summer display. 

 Visiting and comparing notes with 

 other gardeners is time well spent. 

 and iao class are so ready to help 

 each other with hints that lead to 

 success in growing some particular 

 subject. Might I give a hint to 

 employers who may read these notes 

 that reasonable facilities given to 

 their gardeners to see whal others 

 are doing reflects back again, in 

 increased efficiency and in keeping 

 lip-to-date in the ever-changing 

 fashion that takes place, even in 

 gardening. 



Propagation. — We are again at 



the period of the year when the 

 propagation of tender bedding plants 

 to keep over the winter musT begin. 

 The summer may now be classe< as a, 

 dry one. Bedding has not made, in 

 most places, sul'licient growth to 

 [ cover the ground, consequently 



cuttings of Pelargoniums will be 

 scarce. These should first be taken 

 in hand and cuttings removed carefully to avoid 

 mutilating the plaids. A few taken al intervals 

 as growth proceeds are seldom missed, and by 

 beginning thus early a. longer season to take 

 cut! bags is insured. Pelargoniums are oft en si ruck 

 in I he open border and potted or boxed up earl} 

 in October. This is an excellent plan if all is 

 attended to at the right time : hut I have seen 

 this system prove disastrous to I he grower 

 through an early frost destroying the lot. An 

 alt ernai Lve is to st rike in boxes '1 .1 feel by 1 \ feet . 

 Use soil made up of equal parts of loam, leaf- 

 mould and sand, and put all through a, Aim li 

 sieve. The rougher parts may be put a.t the 

 bottom of the boxes. After the cuttings are put 



in give a. g I watering, then place alongside a 



walk, or some such pla.ee. where they can get all 

 t he SHU possible. 



Such things as Calceolarias, I'm sfeinous, 

 Antirrhinums, or any soft -wooded subject will 

 do In pul in cool frames towards the end of I he 

 month. The great thing is to gel this class of 



bedding struck earlj and hardened to i he air 

 before the trials of winter come on. The ease by 

 which Ant irrliinmiis may be raised by cut lings 

 or seed makes them more popular each year. 

 The improvement from I he old fashioned Snap- 

 dragon encouraged growers to bed them more 

 extensively. They stand drought so well and 

 flower for such a. length of ti This year 1 1n- 

 long border in the People's Gardens, Phoenix 



