IRISH GARDENING 



183 



leather, when the surface soil will readily 

 absorb the supplies ; and should the ground be 

 very hard, it should be loosened with the fork, 

 and the liquid kept away from the main stem 

 at a distance corresponding with the spread of 

 the Ijranches, where the feeding roots will be 

 found. 



Fruit tree plots are not the only quarters 

 where lic^uid manure may be used. Late 

 Celery in trenches, during the month of 

 October, «ill readily respond to a soaking before 

 earthing up, as will also Leeks, Ehubarb and 

 Asparagus beds ; and in these times of shortage 

 of manure, every care should be taken to retain 

 supplies of this valuable fertiliser, which also 

 has the additional advantage of not producing 

 a crop of weeds in its train, as does some of the 

 rubbish nowadays used for litter and converted 

 into manure. E. B., Fota. 



Paul's Scarlet Climber (Hybrid 

 Wichuraiana). 



The Howers of this superb Eose are vivid 

 scarlet shaded with bright crimson, and are 

 produced in the greatest profusion in large 

 clusters of medium-sized, semi-double blossoms. 

 The colour is well retained, without burning 

 or fading, till the petals fall, and the flowers 

 remain on the plants for an unusual length of 

 time, giving a brilliant display in the garden. 

 It is of strong climbing habit, with handsome 

 foliage, and quite hardy here, having been 

 ])lanted in 1916, a trying year. Eaised l)y 

 Wm. Paul & Sons, Waltham Cross. 



P. S., Tipperary. 



Silvery Saxifragas. 



This is the section called by botanists Euti'iznonia. 

 the members of wliieh are distinguished by having 

 rosettes of undivided leaves generally with a more 

 or less heavy deposit of lime on the margins of the 

 leaves, giving them a silvery appearance; flowers 

 usually in panicles, white, but often with red 

 spots; in some varieties the whole flower becomes 

 rosy and in a few cases pale yellow. 



Tlie members of this section include some of the 

 finest species in the genus, and they are extremely 

 popular among lovers of alpines. Cultivation pre- 

 sents no difficiflties, the prime essentials being 

 gritty soil containing lime, ample drainage, and 

 free exposure to the sun. For planting in the many 

 cracks and crevices incidental to most rock gardens 

 no plants are more suitable. They will floiudsh, 

 too, in ordinary poekets, providing soil and drain- 

 age are right, but prefer that the pocket should 

 have a sharp slope. 



When planting in narrow crevices small plants 

 are obviously best, and the roots should be well 

 shaken out in order that they may be inserted as 

 far into the crevice as possible. Fine gritty soil 

 nmst be carefully filled into the crevices, and 

 pushed down with a thin .stick; if possible, finish 

 off l)y applying water slowly, so that the soil is 

 not washed out. Tliereafter the plants may be left 



to take care of themselves, and will soon grow into 

 fine tufts. Usually there is little diffieiilty in pro- 

 pagating these delightful plants. Most of them 

 torm ottsets freely which, detached and dilibled 

 into gritty soil, soon root ; but in some cases the 

 plant dies after flowering without making offsets, 

 as in the case of Sax. himjifolia. while in others, 

 as for instance, Hux. caldensls, tlie rosettes are so 

 closely packed and spring from a common root- 

 stock, that it is difficult to separate the rosettes 

 with sufficient stalk to enable roots to be formed. 

 Plants that have been growing for some years, 

 however, and have formed fair-sized " mounds," 

 will generally divide into several pieces, each with 

 a few roots; potted up separately in gritty soil, and 

 kept close in a cold frame for a week or two, these 

 divisions will soon establish and make nice plants. 



The following are some of the best species and 

 varieties : — 



Saxifnuja Aizuon. in one or other of its many 

 terms, is to be found in most rock gardens. Pre- 

 cisely what the true type plant is would be 

 difficult to say, as collected specimens differ 

 immensely, and this is not to be wondered at since 

 the species is widely distributed over the moun- 

 tains of Europe, extending even to the Arctic 

 Regions. All form rosettes, some quite small and 

 compact, others larger, and in most cases the 

 leaves are ornamental. 



Sax. Aizouit balcunci is one of the most attractive, 

 with good rosettes and sprays of white flowers, so 

 densely spotted wuth pink as to almost obliterate 

 the white ground. 



Sax. Aizoon bald eii sis forms compact rosettes of 

 silvery leaves, and produces sprays of white 

 flowers. 



Sax. Aizoon iifropurpurea is a choice variety, 

 with handsome sprays of deep rose-coloured 

 flowers. 



Sax. Aizoon rosea is a good grower, bearing 

 niunerous sprays of rosy flowers lighter in shade 

 than the last-named, and Sax. Aizoon lufea lias 

 yellow- flowers which contrast well with those of 

 the other varieties. 



Sax. Aizoon Bex is one of the finest, forming 

 handsome rosettes and producing large solid white 

 flowers on red stems. Many other Aizoon varieties 

 are in cultivation, but few will care to grow all, 

 and many have little merit. 



Sax. cartilaijinea comes from the Caucasus, and 

 bears some resemblance to the Aizoons, but has 

 longer leaves, held more erect, and they have 

 sharp points; the flowers, produced in loose sprays, 

 are light pink in colour. This is not a common 

 plant, but one that is worth acquiring. 



Sax. corlilearis is known in several forms, and 

 they are mostly of great merit. What Mr. Correvon 

 calls the true collected form has tight rosettes of 

 grey leaves nuich thickened at the apex, and arch- 

 ing sprays of white flowers; it is a really fine plant. 

 Other forms have smaller, narrow-er leaves, with 

 beautifid feathery sprays of white flowers in 

 sunmier, and still smaller forms make hard mounds 

 of glistening grey foliage; but it is worthy of note 

 that the smaller forms are less free flowering, 

 though valuable for their foliage aloiie. 



>SV(./-. ('otyJeilon is a universal favourite, forming 

 large rosettes of broad leaves, and producing in 

 early summer tall pyranudal sprays of white 

 flowers often spotted with pink. ,S'. Cotyledon var. 

 P!/ramidalis is one of the spotted forms — a hand- 

 some plant forming a pyramid of blossom in early 

 June. 



Sax Cotyledon icelandica makes very large 

 leaves and huge sprays of flowers, while another 

 good variety is altissima. 



