H 2 



IRISH GARDENING 



Messrs. Pennick had an interesting stand of 

 shrubs and hardy cut flowers, which included the 

 graceful broom ( renista aetnensis. Spiraea Douglasi. 

 Desfontainia spinosa, Sollya heterophylla, Tra- 

 c helium cceruleum, &c. 



In class 83, for ll' bunches of hardy flowers, the 

 Countess of Mayo won the silver cup with well 

 grown stuff: Mrs. S. .J. Williams was placed 

 second. In this group was the lovely pale blue 

 Campanula lactiflora, which was the finest vase 

 of the herbaceous cut flowers in the show. 

 Gladiolus America was another outstanding vase. 

 Col. Crichton won the first prize in a similar class 

 for 6 bunches with a showy group. T. P. Brophy 

 winning in the amateurs' class for 6 bunches. 



The annuals were very good. Col. Crichton 

 winning in the class for 12. Some good vases were 

 Statice Suworowi, Celosla, yellow ami red : 

 Sutton's Perfection Stock, ami Clarkia Salmon 

 Queen. Mrs. S. .1. Williams was second. Core- 

 opsis and the Carmine Stock-flowered 1 arkspur 

 were pretty. 



Vegetables were good: in class 111', for a 

 collection of 9, Col. de Burgh won first with well 

 grown examples, Mrs. Synott coming a good 

 second. 



Co. Clare Horticultural Society. 



The popular summer show of the Co. Clare 

 Horticultural Society was held on Wednesday, 

 30th July, at tli" County Courthouse, in ideal 

 weather for such a function, with the result that 

 there was a Larger and more fashionable attend- 

 ance than we have seen at recent exhibit ions of 

 the society. It was generally pronounced to be 

 one of the very besl flower shows yet held by the 

 society. Perhaps the outstanding feature of the 

 show was the superb display of Sweet Peas, ami 

 in this section Mis. 11. V. Macnainara fairly swept 

 the boards with the charming selections she had 

 on view. Some of these were sister flowers to the 

 beautiful specimens with which she had gained 

 distinction at 1 he great London Sweet Pea show 

 the other day. while an exhibit of Double 

 Begonias, sent by Mr. Courtenay Croker, 

 Limerick, came in for much notice. Jt was a 

 stand of twelve blooms tastefully arranged and 

 staged so as to show off in contrast the vivid 

 colouring of some and the delicate shading of 

 others to the very best advantage. They re- 

 ceived the very highest encomiums of expert 



growers, ami were declared to be among the best 



of their kind seen in the West of Ireland. 



In the vegetable section there was an excellent 

 exhibition, and, as usual, the cottagers' classes 

 tilled well ; indeed, all the classes were well sup- 

 ported. Major Hickman had an excellently- 

 staged stand of many varieties, which was a 

 capita] illustration of how arrangements for show 

 purposes could be effectively carried out. Con- 

 sidering the season, the potatoes shown were of 

 remarkable excellence, of good size, clean, sound, 



and firm. One lot was a new variety shown b\ 

 Mi. Thomas Collins, arid it was deservedly 



awarded a lirst prize. 



The judging during the day was efficiently dis- 

 charged by the following gentlemen: In the 

 amateur and cottagers' classes- Mr- Sleigh, Kil- 

 boy, Neiiagb (gardener to Lord Dunally) ; and 

 Mr. W. Early, Glenstal, Limerick (gardener to 

 Sir Charles Barrington). In classes for amateurs 

 with professional assist ami — Mr. ('• Farmer, 

 Woodlawn. Co. Calway : and in the Bpecial 

 classes and Sweet Peas, &c. — Mr. J. Cany. 

 Blackwater, Limerick ; and Mr. C. Ilerlihy, 

 Mount Cooke, Kilmallock. 



The Month's Work. 



The Flower Garden. 



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

 Ballsbridge. 



General Remarks. — In September 

 the flower gardener is thinking of the 

 provision for refilling his beds and 

 borders during winter and spring, 

 and also stock for next summer's 

 display. Growth will now beon the 

 wane. Chilly nights leave their 

 effect on many of the tender bedding 

 things. All arrears of propagation 

 must be brought forward, and it is 

 well to pot up old plants of anything 

 that is somewhat scarce or difficult to 

 keep as cuttings during the winter. 

 This applies to some Pelargoniums, 

 Lobelia, Alyssum, Heliotropes. 

 Fuchsias and Calceolarias. The Lai t er 

 has not done well this dry summer, 

 but has proved the value of the 

 variety C amplexicaulis for such a 

 season. It has bloomed incessant ly 

 :f ««.2 where . other summer varieties have 

 succumbed to the drought. It is 

 somewhat tender to keep in frames 

 during winter, so a supply in boxes 

 that can be removed to the protec- 

 tion of a house will keep the grower 

 on the safe side. Where Annuals are 

 past and unsightly, clear them off, 

 also dead flower spikes should be 

 removed, and so make the best 

 appearance of the flowers remaining. 

 Asters will now be coming in, and if 

 they show signs of flagging give a good water- 

 ing. Pew borders up to the present are as moist 

 as one would wish. 



Lawns. — The dry summer has not been 

 favourable to young grass sown last April. 

 Many defer 1 he laying down of lawns till 1 he 

 month of September. Where this work has now 

 to be done the ground should be at once prepared 

 by digging and levelling all to a smooth, linn 

 surface. H time permitted the ground could be 

 left for the germination of weed seeds. When 

 these appeal' they can be easily destroyed and 

 so leave the ground absolutely clean for the grass 

 seed. Thick sowing is a necessity where the 

 desired result is a close and clean turf of finest 

 texture. One pound of seed will sow Hi super, 

 yards. For renovating old or worn turf pake it 

 over and remove any moss or weeds that may 

 come away Loosely ami sow a third of the above 

 quantity, but the state of the turf will guide 

 whether to sow more or less. The feeding of 

 lawns is often much neglected, and the effect is 

 lawns covered with daisies, plantains, dandelions. 

 &C. No lawn can retain the beautiful green 

 colour it ought to have unless it is fed. Most 

 nurserymen supply a good fertilise!', which should 



be used at t he rate of 3 CWl .tot he acre. 



Verbenas. 1 have seldom seen these done so 

 well as this year at Mount Merrion, Blackrock. 

 On a mixed border there are grand masses of 

 Verbena Miss Willmotl which are really charming. 

 Its deep rosy pink trusses rise well over the 

 foliage, and I can remember when this variety 

 was introduced years ago it was shown largely in 



