IRISH GARDENING. 



35 



proceeds steadily and without interruption till 

 the flowers appear. 



Cultivation. — Any soil that is in good con- 

 dition and has been growing other plants satis- 

 factorily will do equally well for Gladioli, but 

 they do not flourish in poor dry soil. Any 

 ground intended for Gladioli which has not been 

 recently cultivated should be deeply dug at 

 least a month before ])lanting time and left 

 exposed to the ameliorating influence of sun, 

 air and rain. Fresh manure is not advisable in 

 contact with the corms, and if the soil is poor and 

 dry an endeavour must be made to improve it 



Planting among other flowers or shrubs may be 

 done on the group system, adding manure only 

 if the soil is poor and dry, but if in good con- 

 dition, as judged by the other plants growing 

 in it, then it will be sufficient to open the holes 

 five or six inches deep, placing a layer of sand 

 in the bottom on which to place the corms, and 

 then fill up the hole. 



Staking. — Modem varieties develop very long 

 spikes with large flowers borne close together, 

 so that they are liable to become top heavy when 

 the spike is at its fullest development. 8ome 

 form of su])port, therefore, is necessary to pre- 



Fhotu hfi 



Gladiolus " America 



[S. Ro,r. 



P.EONY Bed in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 



by the addition of decayed leaves or other 

 vegetation. Just before planting, the ground 

 should be lightly pointed over, tramped firmly, 

 and raked level. If the ground is poor it is a 

 good plan to plant the corms in grouj)s, say, of 

 three, five, eight or more as the case may be, 

 and open a hole sufficiently wide to allow six 

 inches between the corms. If the hole is made 

 nine inches deep a layer of rotten manure may 

 be placed in the bottom and covered with three 

 inches of soil, and if possible a little sand. On 

 this place the corms and cover with four or five 

 inches of soil, pressing it down fairly firmly. 

 The manure if well decayed will not hurt the 

 roots by the time they have penetrated the soil, 

 and it tends to keep the soil above it moist — - 

 an essential condition for satisfactorv growth. 



vent them being beaten down by wind and rain. 

 Any light stick long enough to penetrate the 

 ground six inches or so and to reach to about the 

 lowest flowers is suitable, and the ties should 

 be just sufficiently tight to maintain the spike 

 in position without cutting the stem. 



Treatment after Flowering. — As soon as 

 the last flower is withered the spike should be 

 cut off where it emerges from the leaves, but 

 on no account remove any leaves till they are 

 turning brown, when the corms should be dug 

 up and laid in a cool dry shed or outhouse until 

 the stems can be removed easily without injuring 

 the corm. When the stems and leaves have 

 been removed, the corms may be stored awa}^ — 

 cool, dry and safe from frost— till planting 

 time the following spring. 



