3'-> 



IIM>I1 (.AL'DIAIXO. 



N'ahikties. — As st.iic.l at ilif lifLiimiiiiu: "I 

 tlu>s(i notes, there is now an inmuMisi' selection 

 of naiiieil varieties. Itiit for those who want line 

 th)wers in inixeil colours at cheap rates iiothinju' 

 better can he reconiinen»hMl than liic lulluwiiiL' 

 races, as thev are j-alled : 



Chuliohis ('hildsii. In tiicse the hahit is hold 

 anil vijforous. and the colours ranue throiijih 

 hinish, pnrpK'. siarl(»l and. white, with various 

 internietli.ite sluules. Is. (id. to :2s. per (ht/.cii. 



(J. j,Mnda\iMisi.<. This is a. very old race, and 

 still one of the hest. coinprisinjf sonu- of ilic 

 nui:>t heautifid shades of yt-llow and also white. 

 and as cluap as the hist nametl. 



(Jiadiohis Lentoinei. — This is a very charniinij; 

 race, ill whuii is imludcd sonic of the lincst 

 blue forms and also heautifiilly blotched 

 varieties. 



0. nancciaiiiis. .Vik.iIui- tine ra'-c of duarfcr 

 habit with with- open llowcis. and incliidiii<4 

 soiue of the most lovely varieties with white 

 tiiroats. Good conns of this and G. gandaveiisis 

 can be ])rocured for Is. (id. or 2s. per dozen. 



Gladiolus GrofTs Hylirids. — This race includes 

 many of the very finest varieties in exi.stence, 

 and comprises ])ractically all sliades of colour. 

 They can be imrchased. separately or in mixed 

 colours. 



A few good na:ned varieties fi'Din \arious 

 races are Europa, Lily Lehman, and Peace 

 (wliite), America (see ilhistration), HoUandia 

 and Pink Beauty (phik). Faust (crimson), Baron 

 Hulot (blue). Golden West and Prinee})s 

 (scarlet), Annie W'igman. Niagara and Swabia 

 (yellow). These are but a few that have come 

 under the writer's observation, but any of the 

 nur.-ervnien or bulb merchants advertising in 

 Irish Gardening can su])ply many otliers. 



Li conclusion, I would like to em])hasise tlie 

 case with which Gladioli can be grown, and 

 their consequent value to the amatcin-. J). 



Notes on Sweet Peas. 



During the prcsciit great war crisis many 

 enthusiasts will no doubt find it a tryijig time 

 growing Sweet Peas on the exhibition system, 

 and certainly the shortage of labour is not con- 

 ducive to it, but I do not see any reason Avhy 

 the Queen of Amiuals should be dispensed with 

 for the decoration of ths garden or for cutting. 



Xo annual in my estimation gives more 

 flowers over a longer period and so well repays 

 the care and attention given if the seed pocls 

 are ke])t cut ofT. 



Seed sowing should take place in the autumn, 

 but very good results are obtained from spring 

 sowhig. 



Sov\ at (iiice ill siiialj pot'- or the eardlioard 

 ,sc.-d raiser-., which «'\cr is preferred : (»iie .-.eed 

 to a small pit or live to a o inch jiot, using a 

 eomp«tsl of turfy loam and leaf soil, not too 

 light or dry. I tind it very sat isfaetor\- to sow- 

 in Imixcs 4 or ."» inelies deep, and sow tin seed 

 an inch or so apait. jiressing the soil fairly linn 

 in the boxes. Soak the dark .seeds, which aic 

 nsnally very hard, for twchc hoiii-s in water 

 before sowing : I find a lot of si-ed. if foreign 

 grown. RMpiires this ireatineiit. The boxes 

 iiia\ tlii'ii be placed in a temju'rate jiositioii. 

 keeping them covered over for aliout ten or 

 fourteen days, wh-ii gei iniiiat ion will eoinmeiiee 

 at this time of year. 



As soon as they show the rough leaf keep 

 them as cool and as near the light as possible to 

 induce sturdy growth. Set'ds sown in boxes do 

 not usually reipiire w.iiering until the growths 

 appear. 



Planting outside will lie the order <if the day 

 the end of this month and next. The ground 

 should have l)cen ])rei)ared in the autumn, as 

 by so doing Sweet Peas can be grown on the 

 same groinid tiiree or four years in succession. 

 Let frost pulverise the soil. They will grow well 

 in any good garden soil that has been deeiily 

 tienched and ^\•ell manured, but remember the 

 loots sjiread out and do not only kee]) to iire- 

 ])ared trenches : what is called J^ose soil, with 

 the addition ;if plenty of lime, will suit them 

 s})]en(li(lly. 



When planting out of boxes, where. ])erlia|)s. 

 the plants Jiave been grown rather thickly and 

 cannot be raised with a ball, shake all the loose 

 soil from tiiem. and. s])reading the r:)ots well 

 out, press the soil firmly around tlicin. 1 liml ii 

 a very good i)lan, especially on light soils, to 

 ])repare a mixture of clay and cow manure 

 together to the consistency of ])ai,it anil ilip the 

 roots in before plant inu' ; it will be found that the 

 lilants Avill start awav without liardlv anv 

 check. 



Staking shdiild be done as soon as possible 

 after planting out. and if grown in clum])s or 

 lows it will be found that they must be staked 

 iirinly to resist the strong winds. If rows are 

 favoured they should run north to south. A 

 large meshed wire netting — what I think is 

 termed sheep netting — is very useful, placing 

 stakes about 10 feet apart and tying the netting 

 flrmly to them ; the liaulm will cling well to 

 this without any other aid. 



For columns or clumps I strongly advise the 

 use of Simplicitas rot-j)roof cord netting : if 

 neatness is reiiuired this is hard to beat. Tops 

 of small larch liave a very decorative effect 

 with the aid of twiggy sticks to help the Peas 

 to ramble over them. 



