i 5 8 



IRISH GARDENING 



A Useful Plant for Forcing. 



Bulbs, such as Eyacinths, Tulips. &c, are largely 

 employed for forcing, hut for any on.- \vh<> desires 

 something out of the ordinary they could aol do 

 better than force a small batch of Dielytra 

 spectahilis. The flowers are produced in drooping 

 racemes, and are white and rosy-crimson, while 

 the plant grows about two left high. Most her- 

 baceous borders contain a few examples at least 

 of this graceful plant, and if it is decided to lift 

 some specimens for forcing, now is a good time to 

 do it while the crowns are dormant. Lame pots 

 are not required, for a good deal of the soil can 

 be removed from the roots, and then a r iceptacle 

 shoidd be chosen which will just comfortably take 

 the root. The intervening space may be filled 

 rather firmly with ordinary potting compost, and 

 then the pots should he plunged in ashes or 

 similar material. When winter approaches, 

 remove them to a cold frame, especially if the 

 weather is frosty, and cover with A.i hangel mats. 

 Here they can remain till wanted. 



Sard forcing is not advisable, as the best 

 results are obtained when they are broughl along 

 gradually. Keep well up to the light to prevent 

 the in getting drawn and spindly, then the grower 

 will be rewarded with well-flowered specimens 

 which will prove a welcome change and a pretty 

 addil ion to t he bulbs. 



As they pass the flowering stage 1 he plaids 

 may be hardened off and planted out in the 

 border or reserve garden, where they will soon 

 recuperate, and in two years or so will be quite 

 reailv for a similar experience.- Southerner. 



Bulbs in Bowls. 



Tfow is it that so lew practising this mode of 

 growing bulbs record their experiences in the 

 gardening press? This method has extended 

 enormously within the last few years, yd very 

 little in the way ol published records has appeared. 

 I am under the impression thai several of the 

 subjects frequently recommended as easy to grow- 

 in this way are named purely on hearsay. 



Personally, I have had very liflle good with 

 Freesias. Snowdrops. Grape Hyacinths, or Allium 

 iieapolitanum. It would he interesting to learn 

 how these are made amenable to this treatment. 

 1 have found tt simplicity itself lo (lower perfectly 

 any of t he various Narcissi, and I ha ve t ried a good 

 many. The same applies lo Jonquils, Hyacinths 

 and Crocuses. Amongst sundry bulbs complete 

 success has resulted with Iris reticulata, I. 

 pcrsica. and I. alafa when planted early: the 

 same of Scilla siherica ami Tritelia unillora. 

 In the case of Tulips, though excellent results 



are often <^ot , unaccountable failures have also 

 occurred. I strongly favour plunging the howls 

 in moist cocoanut fibre or in the old compos! of 

 previous years. Any deep box or barrel will 



answer, anil if sufficiently deep more than one 

 tier of howls may be put in. With sis or eight 



inches of this damp material over 1 he topmost 

 bowl (here should he no necessity to apply water 

 until the bulbs are thoroughly looted an 

 average of ten to twelve weeks being usually 

 required — about a fortnight less for Roman 

 Hyacinths. Once top growth has commenced 

 there is less likelihood of overdoing the watering, 

 still it is well to employ howls of a shape that 

 permit ready drainage when tilted on one side 

 for a few minutes alter watering. Narci — i rs. 



The Month's Work. 



The Flower Garden. 



Bv .1. 



II. CUMMING, Royal 

 Ballsbridge. 



Dublin Society, 



General Remarks. — It is generally 



conceded that the success of a well- 

 ordered garden is in no small measure 

 attributable to the foresight of those 

 responsible for maintaining continued 

 interest throughout the year. At pre- 

 sent beds and borders are still gay 

 with a wealth of colour, mainly the 

 result of seeds sown months ago. hut 

 f he glory of f hese will shortly fade, and 

 meanwhile the prudent gardener will 

 he advancing preparations for the 

 future. The display for spring will 

 he all the stronger and brighter if 

 the beds, without further scruples, are 

 now cleared and refilled with what 

 has been prepared for them. Any 

 stock plants needed for next year 

 should lie potti'd up and removed out 

 of danger of early frosts. The beds 

 should he well dug over, hut, unless 

 very poor should not be manured, as 

 it induces soft growth, which is so 

 easily injured by frost. Some fresh 

 soil may he added instead. Before 

 planting tread the ground fairly firm, 

 and place the plants nearly touching 

 each other, as very little growth takes 

 place until the flowering period in 

 spring. When bulbs are not-available 

 a grand effect may he made with 

 Wallflowei — the most beloved of all 

 spring bedders. Then summer-struck Violas re- 

 planted now persist in flowering early. Even old 

 Viola plants which have done dut y all summer may 

 he lifted, the old growth cut away and the loots 

 lorn asunder. Small pieces soon grow into nice 

 plants, and good displays are often produced in 

 this way. Where seed of Forget - me - Not 

 (Myosotis) has been forgotten, old plants break 



up readily, and if planted now will soon 

 establish themselves before growth is checked by 

 t he approach of winter 



BULBS. — The recent rains have now made grass 

 land softer, ami so is in good condition for plant- 

 ing bulbs intended for naturalising in grass. The 

 sooner this is done the better, and shady. 



neglected places call he hrightelied by planting 



the commoner varieties of Daffodils. Bulhsare 

 cheap, and a few hundred purchased each year 

 soon lurnishe a place. Some gardens have lines 

 of Daffodils that have been in the same position 



for years yielding nothing hut leaves and a stray 



flower. kilt the lot and replant very thinly in 

 good fresh soil and the result will he an agreeable 

 surprise. When flowers are wanted at Christinas 

 I he Paper-White Narcissus is generally relied on 

 lo furnish the supply. A much better thing is 

 Narcissus odorus rugulosus. It is a bright golden 



yellow, very h flowering, each hull, throwing 



iip several spikes and splendid for cutting. 

 Costing ahoiit :'»s. 6d. per 100, it should take the 

 place of the Paper-white for early cut flower and 

 pot -plant decora! ion. 



Seeds. -This has been a good autumn for 

 3eed ripening, and it is not too late yet for securing 



