56 



IRISH GARDENING. 



iiniuuue variety is u pressing need of the moment : 

 and there is promise that successful etl'orts are 

 being made to meet this need. Tlie immunity 

 of Witch Hill will probably be settled by this 

 year's test, and Arran Hose (iNI'Kelvie), whicli 

 proved immune as seedling No. 30 in the 1917 

 trials, is an interesting addition to the list. The 

 future of Dargill Early was also the subject of 

 lively discussion. Arra)i Comrade (irivelvie). 

 second early, aroused considerable interest, and 

 seems likely to fill a useful place in its class. 



It is proposed that the National Institute of 

 Agricviltural Botany, now being founded under 

 the auspices of the Board of Agriculture, shall 

 in future manage the Ormskirk trials, extend their 

 scope and importance, and provide on the spot 

 suitable buildings where the necessary research 

 work may be carried out. The Board, the School 

 of Agricidture of Cambridge University, and 

 various Heed Trade Associations will be re- 

 presented on the Council of the Institute, which 

 is receiving enthusiastic and generous support 

 from the trades concerned. — Journal of the Board 

 of Agriculture, .Sejitember. 1918. 



Trial of Runner Beans at Wisley^ 1918. 



The following awards have been made by the 

 Council of the Royal Horticultural Society to 

 Runner Beans after trial at Wisley : — First Class 

 Certificate — No. 28. Prizewinner, sent by Messrs. 

 Dickson <fc Robinson. Award of Merit — No. 14. 

 Al : sent by Messrs. Sutton. No. 24. Scarlet ; 

 sent by Messrs. Sutton. * No. 35. Scarlet 

 Emperor; sent by Messrs. Carter. Highly 

 Commended — No. 33. Best of All ; sent by Messrs. 

 Dickson & Robinson. No. 8. Champion Runner ; 

 sent by Messrs. Dobbie. * No. 4. Cliampion 

 Scarlet ; sent by Messrs. Barr. No. 39. Giant 

 Exhibition ; sent by Messrs. Dickson & Robinson. 

 * Nos. 1 and 2. HoUington Dwarf : sent by Messrs. 

 Barr and Messrs. Cooper Taber. No. 42. Improved 

 I'ainted Lady ; sent by 3Iessrs. Sutton. No. 43. 

 Mikado : sent by Messrs. Barr. No. 17. Red 

 Giant ; sent by ]\Iessrs. Carter. * No. 37. Scarlet 

 Emperor : sent by Messrs. Sydenham. No. 49. 

 The Czar ; sent by Messrs. R. Veitch. Com- 

 mended — No. 30. Best of All : sent by ^Messrs. 

 Sutton. 



The Royal Horticultural Society 

 of Ireland. 



Autumn Exhibition of Fruits and Vegetables 



Owing to the unfortunate delay in publication, 

 we are in the position of being able to give a short 

 account of the Exhibition in this number although 

 the actual dates of the P]xhibition were October 

 16th and 17th. 



Considering the almost general failure of the 

 Apple crop the display was something of a 

 surprise. Even in good years before tlie war it 

 would have been hard to get together a finer 

 collection of Apples. In size and quality there 

 was little more to be desired, and it certainly gave 

 great encouragement to those who have con- 

 sistently advocated the growing of more Apples. 

 In the competitive Apple classes many superb 



* Specially fitted for market purposes. 



dishes were staged, l)oth in kitchen and dessert 

 varieties, wliile the small exhibit of Apples packed 

 for market was most instructive, the best box 

 being a model of neatness and general excellence. 

 One cannot omit mention of the superb non- 

 competitive exhibit of Apples and a few Pears 

 from the famous Strciffan gardens in Kildare. 

 Some seventy-five dishes of finely finished Apples 

 were beautifully put up, decorated with a screen 

 of Bamboos behind and furnished throughout 

 with coloured foliage and fruiting shrubs in 

 variety. It was a model exhibit, of which we 

 hope to see more in the better days that may soon 

 be in store for all. Practically the whole of the 

 exhibit was generously gifted to the Elect, and it 

 is worthy of note that the bulk of the produce 

 staged was given gratis to our sailors. It is 

 estimated that over a ton of Apples would be 

 available for distribution among our brave sea- 

 men. Vegetables were also a good show, thougli 

 somewhat overshadowed by the magnificent 

 fruit. The collections of vegetables displayed 

 some finely grown kitchen garden produce, that 

 shown by the allotment holders being quite 

 meritorious and a great improvement on last year, 

 liroving conclusively that with experience and 

 practice very fine produce will come from the 

 allotments. 



Among non-competitive exhibits none was 

 more outstanding than that from the far-famed 

 Daisy Hill Nurseries, Newry. This comprised an 

 extensive collection of trees and shrubs showing 

 brilliantly coloured foliage and beautiful fruits. 

 This exhibit was a centre of attraction, and among 

 other plants included the following : — Berberis 

 Gagnejjainii, B. aristata, B. subcaulialata, B. 

 virescens fructu sanguinea, B. brevipaniculata, 

 all beautiful in foliage and fruit : Pyrus ar))uti- 

 folia, var. Brilliant ; Pyrus Vilmorini, with 

 abundant white and pink fruits : Oxydendron 

 arboreum, a glowing mass ; Photinia variabilis, 

 equally good : Contoneaster frigida, var. montana. 

 with large handsome leaves and clusters of deep 

 crimson fruits. 



Xanthorhiza apiifolia, an interesting shrub of 

 the Buttercup family, the leaves of which assunie 

 a beautiful I ironzy- purple colour in autumn . 

 Stransvaesia undulata and S. Davidii are two fine 

 shrubs for autumn colouring, as also is Liquid- 

 ambar formosana. Disanthus cercidifolia makes 

 a brilliant show with its scarlet leaves, and the 

 pinnate leaves of Sorbus discolor are very effec- 

 tive. Others with beautiful foliage were Cratae- 

 gus prunifolia, Ostrya virginica, Vaccineum 

 stamineum and various Amelanchiers. Coton- 

 easter buUata was striking with its handsome 

 clusters of brilliant red fruits, and an interesting 

 shrub for sheltered seaside places is Buddleia 

 auriculata. witli panicles of deliciously scented 

 flowers ; it grows well at Warrenpoint. The 

 Pernettyas, with beautiful berries of white, pink, 

 red and crimson, were much adniired. In short, 

 this was one of the finest exhibits ever put up. 

 The 3Iarquis of Headfort showed an interesting 

 group of rare trees raised from seeds, including : — 

 Tsuga brunoniana, Pinus leiopliylla, P. 

 Benthamiana (P. ponderosa), Cunninghamia 

 sinensis, Cupressus Macnabiana, Libocedrus 

 decurrens, C. arizonica, C. glabra, Taxodium 

 mucronatum, Tsuga mertensiana, Cupressus torn- 

 losa, Juniperus Cedrus, Pinus monspeliensis (?). 

 Acacias longifolia and macrobotrys, A. dealbata 

 and Callistemon lanceolata. 



