IRISH GARDENING. 



105 



Kniphofia praecox, also S. African, is attrac- 

 tive, flowering in June, and more nearly resemble 

 the autumn-flowering species. The bright-red 

 flowers are produced in rather short spikes at the. 

 ends of the main stems, and are about 2 ft. long. 

 The leaves in this case are green. Kniphofia 

 Tuckii, from Cape Colony, has pale yellow 

 flowers flushed with red ; the leaves are 

 glaucous, as in K. caulescens, and a mass of 

 flowering in early June is an addition to the 

 Flower Grarden. X. 



Aphides Abietinae. 



This pest, in appearance much like a small 

 "greenfly," has lately been extremely pre- 

 valent on many species of Picea, a genus of 

 coniferae differing from Abies in the narrower, 

 more pointed leaves, which are generally four- 

 sided, but flatter in the omorika section, and in 

 the pendulous cones, the scales of which persist 

 until the cone falls, as opposed to those of Abies 

 in which the cones are erect, the scales falling 

 away when ripe. 



It is somewhat remarkable that the attack 

 should have been almost confined to Picea, 

 affecting such different species as pungens, 

 omorika, sitchensis, orientalis, obovata, Maxi, 

 mowiczii, morinda, &c. The first indication of 

 anything wrong is the appearance of yellow dots 

 on the leaves, which soon become wholly yellow, 

 then brown, subsequently falling off, a bad 

 attack resulting in complete defoliation. If 

 immediate means of ridding the trees of the 

 aphides is not taken the trees will die. Quassia 

 extract, applied according to directions, is 

 effective, but the most effective remedy is 

 tobaccO' water diluted with three timies its bulk 

 of clear water. To make the mixture more 

 effective, a quarter poimd of soft soap dissolved 

 in hot water," added to about 15 gallons of the 

 mixture, renders the fluid more adhesive. Two 

 sprayings, at intervals of a month or so, will 

 effect a cure. It is almost impossible to reach 

 to the top of tall trees, but those of 2.5 feet or 

 so can be treated with an ordinary garden 

 engine, with a 'hose and spray nozzle attached. 

 Two men are required — one to work the pump 

 and the other to direct the spray. Smaller 

 specimens may be treated with a syringe or 

 ordinary knapsack sprayer. 



Heucheras. 



There are no more useful plants than the 

 various varieties of Heuchera for providing 

 flowers for cutting from June onwards. 

 Nurserymen's catalogues contain names of 



many different kinds, most of which are of great 

 beauty. It is quite unnecessary, however, to 

 stick to named kinds, for seedlings present any 

 amount of variety, and often are more vigorous 

 than the parents. To get the best results from 

 Heucheras they must be well grown, and like 

 a rich soil, but one which is not too cold and 

 wet in winter. Established plants when they 

 begin to get leggy, forming tufts of small leaves 

 at the ends of rather hard shoots, should be 

 lifted, broken up, and replanted, burying the^ 

 stems up to the leaves ; this is best done in 

 spring, just as growth is commencing. 



Far more vigorous plants are obtained from 

 seeds, which should be collected from the best 

 varieties in the garden. Seeds can usually be 

 obtained from July onwards, and shoidd ba 

 sown at once. Germination is fairly rapid in a 

 few weeks ; if the seedlings are brouglit on in a 

 cold frame they will be large enou,f;h to prick 

 out into a bed in the open. The bed may be 

 situated in the reserve garden, where the 

 ])lants can remain to provide cut flowers, 

 or, if the seedlings are thought too small 

 to put out in autumn, they may be \\e\)t 



Meconopsis nepalensis var. elata 

 In the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 



