io8 



IRISH GAKDEiNING 



Hints for Amateurs. 



\iy \{. M. I'oi.i.... K. 



Caterpillars and iiiccntly will he t ic.iil.irs.nii.' 

 Iroiu now on in all <^^inicns. Iiii,^ or iillif. 'IMuisc 

 who have small f^ardons will lind that a -iood 

 garden syrinK^' is n-ally of more valnc than a 

 spiaver. The syringe is the cheaper aitiele 

 and'ean be hiid for 12s. Od., with three 

 dilTerent nozzles, and all spraying can he done 

 with this. It is money well spent. A syringe 

 seldom lioes out of oriler when i)ut. away and not 

 in use. Inless spiayeis ai'e in constant use 

 they no out of order, and are useless when wanted, 

 in a gai'den wliere there is indooi- work all the 

 winter, they are i)erj>et ually Ix-inji; used, hut for 

 1 host' who only have a small outdoor gai'deii the 

 sprayei- is not used all the wintei-. it is therefore 

 l)ut away and not taken out until the liist signs 

 of lly in the spring, and it usually has then to pay 

 a visit to tlu' makers. 



(Quassia extract is the hest all round wash for 

 greeiilly or any other ily on garden plants or on 

 fruit trees. A pint tin only costs Is., and it is 

 a far more simple business to buy this, and use it 

 as directed than to buy the chips and make the 

 wasb at home. 



(Quassia should always be kept well corked 

 wlu'u not in use. 



Pinks. Aubrietia. Arabis, Alyssum and other 

 spring flowering plants may be increased by 

 cuttings, and this may be started at once. The 

 sooner they are in the better. A shady corner 

 where the ground has been well worked, and some 

 sand mixed with old potting material dug in will 

 nuike a good nursery, and with the help of a 

 small cajj-glass a good stock can be raised. Where 

 space is a consideration, these cuttings will root 

 easily under the shade of a wall, but watering 

 must be carefully attended to, and they should 

 be moved out as soon as rooted, otherwise they 

 would get drawn up and be weak delicate plants. 

 In the case of Aubrietias, a little of the old wood 

 taken with the cutting seems to help in rooting. 

 It is very diftlcult to put in Aubrietia cuttings of 

 nothing but the new growth without pinching or 

 injuring them, however lightly they may be 

 liandled. 



When the foliage of Daffodil and Tulip bulbs 

 comes away easily in the hand, it is a sign that 

 they are fit to lift. In small gardens where these 

 l)ulbs are grown in clumps through the borders, 

 it is quite unnecessary to lift yearly. A note of 

 how they flower and how thick they have 

 become in the clumps, and any other alterations, 

 should be made at time of flowering, and a mark 

 put to the varieties, then if necessary these can 

 be lifted, divided, and the large bulbs replanted. 

 If the bulbs are healthy, they need only be 

 divided, and can be re-planted at once. Some 

 varieties of Narcissus require lifting and dividing 

 more frequently than others, especially the 

 common variety Princeps, which increases very 

 rapidly and requires moving every two or three 

 years to keep up a good show of flower. 



Keep the hoe going through the borders. If 

 the weather gets dry and hot, rain-water will be 

 scarce, and for herbaceous plants, loosening the 

 soil round them is almost better than watering. 

 Watering always cakes the svirface of the soil, 

 thus excluding air. The hoe will break up this 



I'ake and allow aii> moisture thfi'e is to pass 

 thidui^h. II .ilso prevents weed seeds germinat- 

 ing. 



A haiirl or huckel with mamiic water in it 

 slH.ul.l Im- ptrpaiv,! and k.'pt in rra.liness. All 

 plants >u.li as ( 'hrvsant hcmums. Michaelmas 

 Daisies. and ot her herbaceous plantsand Hoses. will 

 greatly benefit by occasional waterings with this, 

 given after rain oi' after a good drenching of clear 

 water, 'i'liis maiuire water can be made by plac- 

 ing some fresh cow mainu'c in a bai-rel or bucket, 

 filling it up with water and Iraving it for a dav 

 or so. The li(|uid can Ih.n l.r .liaincd off or left 

 covered in the bairel. Th,' .dlour sliould be a 

 dark brown, and when used can be diluted with 

 clear water to the coloui' of oriiinary tea. This 

 should nev«'r l)e apj)lied through the rose of a can, 

 as it will only stop uj) the hoh>s. Take the rose 

 olT the can and water the plants a short distance 

 from theii- base, remembering that in most her- 

 baceous plants the rootsai'e some way out from the 

 l)lant. as well as down in the gi'ound. 



Sweet Peas in borders will have to he watclie<l. 

 and care taken that they do iK)t giow away 

 fi'om their sui)|)orts. Karly sowing will be in 

 flower, and these should be j)icked thoroughly, 

 so as to jii'olong the flowei'ing season. 



Genista Tinctoria Mantica. 



This is a distinct and attiactive variety of tlie 

 " Dyer's Greenweed." flowering very freely in 

 June, considerably in advance of the typical 

 plant. Of comparatively low growth, it is suit- 

 able for the rockery or for the front of a shrubbery 

 or other position requiring a plant of medium 

 lieight, say, about two feet. The branches 

 spread laterally, and in time a nice mound is 

 formed, which looks extremely bright when 

 covered with flowers. The flowers are, if any- 

 thing, rather larger than those of the common 

 plant, while the leaves and stems are furnished 

 with soft liairs. 



Campanula Pulloides Kewensis. 



This is certainly one of the best and most satis- 

 factory of the dwarf er Bellflow^ers, and seems 

 much easier to manage than many others of 

 which one hears a great deal more. Growing 

 about nine inches high and bearing large deep 

 purple pendant bells, it is a most beautifid 

 plant w^hen in flower. The leaves and stems are 

 thickly covered with hairs, and the plant spreads 

 freely by underground " runners." 



Armcria gigantea. 



The Thrifts, as the Armerias are commonly 

 called, are all useful plants in the garden. The 

 common Tlirift Armeria maritima is useful as 

 an edging to paths and borders, though for 

 beauty of flower it is surpassed by its variety 

 laucheana, which has flne deep rose-coloured 

 flowers ; the yellow-leaved form is pretty, too, 

 as a variation. Other species are quite tiny in 

 stature and make pretty objects on the rockery, 



