92 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Hardy Azaleas. 



CllNSIDKlilNl. \\\r lllirliliallr.l \KU[ tllr (ill. 'Ill i >1- 



AiiiiTicau Aziili'iis laii play in .nii.liin- llu- 

 landscape of llic KanU-n aiui woodland, il is 

 strange how seldom they ari- I'ound in su« li 

 assoeiations. Indeed, there are pleasure grounds 

 of reeognised good gardens where they find im 

 l)lai-e in beds or shruhheries, yet in those s.lt- 

 sanu' gardens the mollis section will I'f niadc 

 inudi use of in the greenhous<'. '\\> sa\ the 

 least, this exclusion of such a valual)le hedding 

 plant is iHinarkahle. as theie are no otlu'i- hardy 

 -.ulijects so well fitted for iini)arting gorg»u)Us 

 heauty and t«'lling etTect to the outside garden 

 in mid-spring as the (ihent Azaleas, besides 

 which they have considerable beauty in autumn 

 owing to the high colouring of the foliage. 



Wiiether planted in bods or irregular groups, 

 or interspersed on the outskirts of shrubbtM-ies. 

 the rich colours are alike outstanding and im- 

 ])i'essive. Lavish, too, is the prochiction of 

 blossom, except, perhaps, when the buds get 

 danuiged by late frosts, which happening, 

 luckily, is rare. Their fragrance is a further 

 charming quality. 



Planting can be done in a mixed arrangement 

 or in separate colours. Either is equally beauti- 

 ful, especially when the flowei'S are viewed in 

 conjmution with the teiuler greenery of wood- 

 land trees or lawns. But if a .suggestion for 

 planting may be hazarded, perhaps the distinct 

 colour method could be better followed in the 

 garden of ample space, while for the small 

 garden a few colours could be chosen for blending 

 en masse. In neither case, however, .should 

 planting be overdone, proportion and general 

 effect being kept in mind. The future develop- 

 ment of the shrubs mvist be allowed for also, 

 and not only immediate results remembered : 

 otherwise there will be an unnecessarily early 

 overlapping of plant upon plant, a condition 

 that can only be cured by much pruning or the 

 complete removal of some of the plants to 

 fresh ground. 



A word as regards soil and position may not 

 be amiss. At one time peat was thought an 

 absolute necessity for the well-doing of these 

 plants, and while they w-ould unquestionably 

 thrive most perfectly in such a compost, it is 

 now known that satisfactory results can be 

 obtained without a particle of peat. Given 

 ordinary garden soil, trenched with a mixture 

 of leaf-soil and common sand incorporated, 

 first class results can be depended upon. Should 

 the substratum soil be on the moist side, so mucli 

 the better, providing the drainage is thorough, 

 for most of these Anu-iicau ])lants like a cool 

 root basis. Where a clayey subsoil has to be 

 dealt with . . . the preparatory work is 

 more arduous. 



A certain depth of the clay must be removed, 

 the bottom layer made loose, some rough 

 drainage material placed on it. and the bed 

 made up as already mentioned. No manure 

 need be added, this "being more beneficial when 

 applied as a mulch, particularly so if the soil 

 be of a poor nature or where the plants are 

 placed on sloping ground. 



Of the two positions — full sun and semi- 

 shade — the latter is better, because the floweriiig 

 time is prolonged thereby, and the buds, in 

 seasons of late spring frosts, get some protection 



from surroundiim trees, which ti'ces also atford 

 just the background lor the maiiv brilliant tones 

 of (he Azalea. 



'riu.ugh iH.tani.ally known as Rhododendrons, 

 gaideners will always cling to the name Azaleas : 

 l>ul this j)oint and tin- enumerating of varieties 

 il does not seem neces>.aiy to enlei- into heie. 

 Thex aie so numei'ous. and any good nin'ser>- 

 mcn woidd gladly su))ply a list, while minanu'd 

 sci'dlings fi'om a i-eliable som-ce invariably give 

 sal isfactoi> results an<l harmonious colours. A 

 mole im|)oitant thing is to emphasise their easy 

 cvdtui'e. usefulness and grandeur, ami so bring 

 about their greater usage wherever outdoor 

 gardening is seiiouslv jiractised.— ('. Tri;Ni:i;. 

 Ken \ieu (iarden. Ilighgate. W., in T/ir (uinlrn. 



Cultivation of the Lotus. 



TllK lloui- obtained fi'om the root of the L(.lus 

 is in great favour with Oi-ientals. The plant is 

 a perennial aciuatic with a large white fleshy 

 cylindrical rhizome having a polished shining 

 surface. 



The plant is easy of cultivation and grows 

 rapidly without requiring special conditions of 

 climate or surroundings. It grows also fairly 

 well in some parts of Italy. The writer considers 

 the cultivation of this plant to be worthy of 

 trials in marshy regions in Italy. 



The floiu' is made by the Chinese, who vahu; 

 it both as a food and as a medicjne. 



It is pinkish white in colour, greasy to the toucli, 

 and crackles when pressed between the lingers. 

 It is similar to arrowi'oot in appearance, and 

 under the microscope resembles potato flour. It 

 cannot be confused with the latter since the 

 granules are somewhat smaller, more regidar in 

 shape, and the hihim is longer and note xcentiic. 



To extract the flour, the rhizomes are first 

 dried, then macerated in cold water for three 

 days and nights. It is then reduced to a jjaste 

 by pounding in a mortar and again treated in 

 cold water. After decantation the paste is 

 exposed to the sun and dried, after Avhich it 

 becomes first -quality Lotus flour. — Bull, of Ag. 

 InteUigence and Plant Diseases, January, 1910. 



The above interesting note on the Lotus is an 

 instance of the fact that plants at present grown 

 only for ornament or botanical interest may yet 

 be found to have very great economic value. 

 Nelumbium speciosum has been grown in botanic 

 gardens and some few^ private gardens for many 

 years, and during summer forms an object of 

 much beauty and interest. The large round 

 leaves are borne on very long, comparatively 

 slender stalks, the latter being attached to the 

 centre of the leaf, which is slightly hollow on 

 the upper surface. The flowers, somewhat re- 

 sembling a Water Lily, are produced on similar 

 stalks and rise well above the foliage : they are 

 white or rose-coloured, and may measure nine 

 inches across. 



Cultivation is fairly easy in a warm house in 

 a tank where the water is heated. The rhizomes 

 should be planted in rich loam mixed with about 

 a third of old rotten cow manure and placed 

 about .six inches under the surface of the 

 water. 



I have no record of its attempted cultivation 

 outside in Ireland, but there seems no reason 

 why it should not be successful in Cork and the 



south-west. EXPERIMRXT. 



