IRISH GARDENING. 



21 



Mr. II. J. EluiL'S, i-'.l;.S., ill \\w ••'I'lVfs ..f 

 (iifiit J^rituin and Ireland," rclatrs how lie 

 xisilcd the Drina valley to see Pieea Oniorika 

 ill iiatui-f. He su^^gests that it is not likrly tn 

 ha\t' any value as a forest tree in this countrv, 

 since the wood has not been found to ha\c any 

 sjjeeial \alue. This is to be dejjlored as so tine 

 a tree might otherwise very well take the place 

 of the Douglas Fir in the limestone districts 



On the wliolc, this is a most desiral)le spruce 

 licli should be i)lanted freely, and one would 



The Servian Spkuce, Pice.v O.mokika, 

 Tn tlic Tiotaiiie Garilcns, Glasnoviii. 



w 



hke 111 



(|iialit \ 



il'e 



detail 



its tini 



d information 

 her. 



regardiim the 



J. W. B. 



Soil Fertility. 



Until quite recenily it was generally believed 

 that through constant cropping the sojI m the 

 older billed areas was slowly losing its fe;tihty. 

 and to this belief may be credited the origin of 

 the alarmist speeches that are so jn'evalent at 

 l^resent. Apart from our recent knowledge of 

 the wonderful relationshiji of the microscopic 

 soil organisms to fertility, the soil contams an 

 abundance of the necessary elements for plant 

 growth (although in a form not at present 

 available). That these locked up stores can and 

 will be liberated is only a matter of time. To 

 believe otherwise is to place a limit on m.'in's 

 capabilities, which the scientific ])rogress of the 

 last century does not warrant. Our present 

 knowledge of soils and manuring of same is yet 

 in its infancy. 



To insure the jneld per acre of all food jilants 

 should be the aim of all cultivators in the coming 

 season. That deeper and more thororgh culti- 

 vation can increase the yield the horticulturist 

 has long held as one oi the principles of his craft, 

 and this, in his shortage of manures and fer- 

 tilisers, the agriculturist should not forget. 

 That it is only by their root hairs that plants can 

 absorb the minerab dissoved in the film w :tei' 

 attached to the particles of soil we are prone to 

 overlook, and the finer we break the soil th'> 

 more numerous the film bearing particles will be, 

 and consequently the larger will be the area for 

 the root hairs to absorb through. 



A. McL. May. 



of Irt'land. In any case it is w(>ll worth plant- 

 ing for ornament, and being apparently per- 

 fectly hardy might possibly make an effective 

 iind liandsome shelter belt. The habit is 

 pyi-amidal, the branches being short in com- 

 parison to the height, and turning uj) at the 

 ends, displaying in the most attractive way the 

 siKery under surface of the leaves. The leaves 

 are flat and linear, ^ an inch or sometimes 

 nearlx an incli long, arranged mostly in two 

 horizontal rows on the branchlets, but a few of 

 the uppermost leaves pointing forward in line 

 with the branch. The younger branches are 

 furnished with a short dark brown down. 



I have not seen cones, but tliey are described 

 as egg-shaped, 1^ to 2 in. long. 



Adonis amurensis. 



Tfiis attractive little plant from' Siberia, com- 

 monly known as the Ox Eye, is now to bo seen 

 flowering in (ilasnovin, its proper flowering tinic 

 is February. How welcome it is just now, when 

 everything looks so bleak. Though snuill, 

 standing only about 1 foot hij h, its yellow, 

 saucer-shaped flowers and elegant fern-like 

 foliage are very charming. Its double form, 

 A. a. fl.-pl., with golden outer petals and olive- 

 green centre, is a great favourite. A. vernalis 

 glories in AFarch and April sunshine. Avhen it gives 

 its glistening yellow, three-inch wide flowers. 

 AH prefer deep, rich, light sandv loam and sun- 

 warmed places. Avoid root mutilalion and 

 winter division. Spring is best. A zinc collar 

 placed round the plant is a wise precaution. 

 ' M. F.. O'F. 



