1 70 



IRISH GARDENING 



Hints to Novices. 



By R. M. Pollock. 



A i.i. planting may now be done with safety — 

 that is to say. the planting of fruit tret-, orna- 

 mental trees, flowering shrubs roses, hedges, &c. 

 Once the plants have losl their leaves they can 

 be moved without If the fruit trees have 



been ordered, holes for them ran be opened and 

 everything prepared for planting. If on arrival 

 of the trees ground should be very wet, or 



hard with frost, it is better to unpack the plants, 

 lay them in some spare corner, and wait until all 

 trust has gone and the ground dried a bit before 

 planting them in their permanent quarters. 

 Some growers advise planting fruit trees with a 

 slate underneath, on which the tree rests, so as 

 to prevent any strong main roots going straight 

 down into the soil : but if the roots are laid out 

 Hat at planting time, and if the grower takes an 

 interest in Li- trees and notes the type of growth 

 they are making, he will quickly know whether 

 bis roots are in good condition or not, and when 

 he sees strong, coarse growth being made, few 

 spurs, and light crops, he will resort to root 

 pruning, and so find out exactly what class of 

 roots his plants have, and check any that need it. 

 Root pruning, however, should nol be undertaken 

 without full knowledge of what i- wanted, a-, like 

 a great many excellent operations it can he over- 

 done. When a fruit tree, either against a wall 

 or otherwise, shows signs of Long, coarse, useless 

 -hoots, which when pruned only break away as 

 strong as ever, and where few -purs are formed. 

 and consequently there i- a very small return of 

 fruit, these are signs that the roots of the tree 

 have heroine too strong, and require checking. 

 To do this, open a trench round the tree about as 

 far out from the stem as the main branches come ; 

 open this carefully, getting in under the hall of 

 soil, and when strong, thick roots are met with, or 

 roots which are going directly downwards, they 

 should be cut, and so induce them to break out 

 into tufts of fibrous root-. If the ground is firm 

 and heavy, a few barrow-loads of lime rubbish 

 mixed with the -oil will benefit the tree. In the 

 case of old trees, which are bearing poorly and 

 have not had their roots attended to for years — 

 probably never — it would, of course, be a very 

 risky thing to root-prune the entire tree at one 

 time, as the check to the tree would he consider- 

 able. Half might be safely done one year, and 

 the other half am >t her time. 



Any ground not immediately required may be 

 dug over and left in the rough state for use in 

 spring. In a -mall garden this i- seldom possible 

 a- all available space i- usually more than fully 

 occupied. 



All the bedding for spring should he finished 

 a- soon as possible, and all biennials, such as 

 Forget -me-Nots, Canterbury Bells, Sweel Williams, 

 Wallflowers, &c, should he planted now. and not 

 left over until early spring. When planting the-.- 

 biennials or any other plant- in a mixed holder, 

 avoid as far a- possible putting them in straight 

 lines. Clump- are tar more effective; they are 

 more satisfactory, because if one plant fail- to 

 flower, the others in the same clump will make 

 up for it: also, if the plants are not \ -er\ well 

 grown, their deficiencies are not nearly so notice- 

 able. Straight line- and ribbon borders are very 

 effective in their right place, hut they have 1,, be 



very well done, and when badly done they are 

 only an eyesore. 



Dahlias cannot he left any longer, and may 

 now lie cut. labelled, and stored away for the winter 



Tender plants, whose hardiness is doubtful, or 

 new- plants about which little is known, had 

 better be covered if hard frosl i- likely. This can 

 l>e done with either matting, sacking, or several 

 doubles of old garden netting, 01 even with 

 branches of some evergreens; hut if the covering 

 is heavy, it should be removed on line days, - 

 as to let all the light ami sunshine possible _ I 

 at tlie plants: it can lie replaced again before 

 evening. 



Strawberry plantation- will do well to be dug 

 over and left clean and tidy for the winter. 



Violets in frames will have to be carefully 

 watched, and all damp, decaying leaves removed. 

 Give plenty of air on line days, and as long as the 

 weather is brigh.1 the frames may be safely 

 opened daily. In hard weather, extra covering 

 put on the glass may be necessary, but it should 

 )<;■ removed a- soon as the temperature rises in 

 the mornings. 



GREENHOUSE. — The Zonal Pelargoniums put 

 in in April will be fit for larger pots during the 

 month. The older plants may he cut hack and 

 a batch of cuttings put in. Primulas will be 

 showing buds, and if these flowers are not 

 immediately wanted, the first blooms can p,. 

 nipped out. so that the plants will be stronger 

 and larger when the second flowers come. It 

 would not be wise to do this to all the plants. 

 and some might be allowed to bloom al once. 

 Cinerarias will lie showing flower too. ami will 

 require careful watering. 



A- the first of the Chrysanthemums go out of 

 flower they should he cut down, placed in a 

 bright, airy position so as to induce young, sturdy 

 growths to come away. These growths, direct 

 from the base, make the best cuttings, hut if the 

 plants are carelessly put away in a dark place, or 

 underneath staging, where the light is poor, the 

 growths, if they come at all. will he tall and thin, 

 and be quite useless for cuttings. Give them 

 water when they need it. and encourage them to 

 grow as strong a- possible. 



Bulbs in howls should he looked at. The 

 Roman Hyacinths will probably he ready to 

 come to the light, and a- soon a- the bulbs -tart 

 to grow they may he brought out. If the fibre 

 i- dry give them a good watering, sufficient to 

 moisten all in the howl, but once it is well 

 moistened further watering can he dispensed 

 with for some time. This fibre is so prepared 

 a- to remain damp for a long period. 



^* 8^* ^^ 



Clematis Flammula rubro-marginata. 



Tin: sweet-scented Virgin's Bower is well known 

 in many an old garden : climbing through a 

 hedge or over an old tie.- it make- .me of the 

 prettiest, and at the same time one of the sweetest . 

 of our September pictures. This variety, instead 

 of making a snowy mass of tinj blossoms like the 

 typical C. flammula, gives us a tomb of red, 

 which makes a pleasing contrast, while tie- -cut 

 i- (piit e a- pi iw eil'ul and SWeel . 



This Clematis is seen to advantage on a trellis 

 or rustic fence, and will cover a space of 1 - feet. 

 01 perhaps more, in time. Another -si i 1 1 stronger 

 grower LsC. paniculata, a shower of white flowers 

 and long sprays during October. 



