134 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Ly.siraachia Henryi, a trailer, with effective 

 yellow flowers ; easy to grow and propagate, it 

 is, however, doubtfully hardy, and it is wise to 

 keep a few plants in pats in a cold frame during 

 Avinter. A showv subject for a hot sunny spot 

 is Oxalis valdiviana, which shows no sign of 

 ceasing to flower, but opens every day many of 

 its golden -yellow flowers, forming quite a 

 bouquet of blossom. Campanula carpal ica and 

 its -varieties are still full of flowers, and Cam- 

 panula haylodgensis, both the doiible and 

 single forms, have been in great bes.uty for some 

 time, and still are at the ^ime of writing — vi^., 

 August 21st. Platyccdons, too, have been 

 beautiful during August, especially P. grandi- 

 florum, blue, also the white variety, and one 

 with large flowers very pale blue ; P. Mariesii is 

 dwarfer, with blue flrwers. Campanula Norman 

 Grove is a dwarf hybrid producing quantities of 

 pale lilac flowers over a long period, while a very 

 different plant, also flowering in August, is 

 Campanula primulaefolia, with 2 foot high spikes, 

 densely set with blue flowers, each with a dark 

 eye ; it is however only a biennial, but a gocd 

 plant. Also of the Campanula order is Adeno- 

 phora omata, with lovely pendent bells of light 

 blue ; Adenophora Watsoni is also gocd, of 

 recent introduction and bearing racemes of 

 flowers of a blue shade ; but I must give up 

 attempting to describe the different shades, it 

 is hopeless. 



For several weeks past Androsace lanuginosa 

 haa been flowering freelv. It is one of the be^-t 

 with it.s silky leaves on trailing stems and umbels 

 of pink flowers. Eriogonum Jamesii is a distinct 

 plant and enjoys sunshine ; it bears heads of 

 yellow flowers well above the leaves, which are 

 green above and furnished with grey felt below. 

 Q^iothera missouriensis is a vigorous trailer, 

 with reddish stems, and producing many large 

 yellow flowers. Somewhat similar, but not too 

 spreading in habit, is (Enothera Howardii, with 

 long narrow leaves, slightly hairy, and large 

 yellow flowers. 



Cnicus acanthifolia forms wide rosettes of 

 Thistle-like leaves with the large flower head 

 nestling in the centre of the cosette ; when full 

 out it is quite attractive, the outer bracts, when 

 folded back during sunshine, having a white 

 papery appearance. Acaena micro])hylla makes 

 a pretty patch of colour Avith its spiny bright 

 red fruits. 



Primula Mooreana is a lovely autumn flowerer, 

 a giant of the Primula capitata type, with 

 handsome leaves of a deep green, showing a 

 slight mealiness along the mid -rib on the under- 

 side. The deep purple-bhie flowers held aloft 

 on densely mealy stems are of great beauty. 



It is very similar to the newer P. crispifolia, 

 but has been long in cultivation. 



In the bog garden Triosteum himalayanum is 

 attractive by reason of its clusters of deep red 

 fruits, and Monarda Cambridge Scarlet has 

 provided a fine bit of colour. This is quite a 

 good herbaceous jjlant for border work where 

 the soil is retentive, but refuses to flourish m our 

 dry soil, hence its place in the bog garden. 

 Senecio Veitchianus is always effective, with its 

 ample leaves and tall spikes of jellow flowers. 

 Ly^imachia clethrcides, with glaucous leaves 

 and spikes of small white tJowers, flourishes in the 

 bog, and here, too, Thalictrum dipterocarpum 

 lives, but scarcely reaches the dimensions it 

 should, and does in some places. Astilbe grandis, 

 white A. Davidii, crimson-violet, and A. 

 rivularis, creamy-white, have formed a fine 

 succession to the brilliant hybrids which flowered 

 earlier. J. W. B., Glasnevin. 



Home Grown Seeds. 



By A. F. Pearson. 



The saving of home-grown seeds is an art well- 

 known to the older school of gardeners, and 

 although we hav^e been admirably supplied by 

 the skilled seed grower for generations past 

 with a seed, the purity and germinating power 

 of which might be called perfect, the effect of 

 four years of war and its incidental increased 

 cultivation has taxed the seed trade to almost 

 breaking point. The shrinkage of supi>lies, due 

 to shipping land other shortages, permits a 

 licence to eVery grower of food stuffs or flowers 

 to sav'e seed without encroaching on the seed 

 growers' preserves. 



Although our climate is not an ideal seed 

 saving one, there are many Vegetables and 

 flowers so easily saved that the merest novice 

 might undertake the work. 



Peas and Beans come first to one's mind ; 

 given a dry auttimn both may be saved in the 

 pod where they grow. If the weather be 

 showery, choose a dry day to pull the haulm, 

 then hang it up in a cool airy shed or barn, 

 where the pods can be shelled at convenience 

 and the dry seeds bagged or boxed for spring 

 sowing, after naming. 



Brussels Sproixts, Cauliflowers, Broccoli and 

 Cabbages are comparatively easily saved, but 

 the choice of a special stock is imperative, and 

 it is desirable that the different sorts should be 

 well removed from each other, otherwise hybrids 

 would be a likely consequence due to crossing. 



