26 



IRISH GARDENING 



Sir John Ross of Bladensburg, K.CB., 

 K.C.V.O. 



Thk liearty c'0iijirii1iilati()ii> of all our leadtTS will 

 fio out to Sir .loliu and Lady Ross on the attainment 

 of their golden weddiui,'. which they recently eele- 

 i)iated. 



Sir .loliii is ail entiuisiastit' patron of hortieulture 

 and arl)orieultnre. and, as tlie i)uges of Irish 

 (iAHDKNiNc; repeatedly testify, the collection at 

 Hostrevor is reniarkahly rich. Amon^f private col- 

 lections it ranks with the hest in Euroj)e, and it 

 would l)e difficult to find in tlie British Isles 

 another to equal it in rii-luiess of species from all 

 the temperate regions of the world. 



The value to the country of such private collec- 

 tions can hardly he over-estimated. They provide 

 an ol)ject lesson in the possihilities of our climate 

 and in the suitai)ility of a vast numlier of phmts to 

 the various phases of ari)oriculture and liorticul- 

 ture as practised here. To the forester they are 

 invaluable in showing wliich trees are likely to he 

 most successful in the district, and, owing to the 

 numl:er of new species constantly added, valuable 

 information is ol)tained regarding additional species 

 promisiiiir to be of economic importance. Too often 

 such t'ollections are looked upon as of merely orna- 

 mental value, but this is far from being the case. 

 They are national assets, and it is a matter for con- 

 gratulation that in practically every case the 

 owners are always willing to allow an inspection of 

 the specimens grown, and gladly impart all avail- 

 able information regarding hardiness, rate of 

 growth, and other details of economic importance. 



That Sir John and Lady Ross may long be spared 

 to enjoy the delightful gardens and woodlands of 

 Rostrevor House will be the sincere wish of 

 gardeners and arlioriculturists throughout the 

 whole country. 



B. 



Trial of Garden Swedes at Wisley. 



Thk following awards have been made in Garden 

 Swedes l)y the Council of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society after trial at Wisley : — 



Aim III (if Mriif. — No. 8, Superlative Garden 

 Swede, from Messrs. Barr; No. 10, Yellow Garden 

 Swede, from Mr. A. Dawkins; No. 14, Naylen's 

 Riita Baga, from Messrs. Thorburn, New York; 

 No. 20, Acme, from Messrs. Gortons, Warrington ; 

 No. 22, Nonsuch, Purple Top, from Messrs. 

 Watkins & Simpson. 



HigJily Comincnded. — No. 18, Abundance, from 

 Messrs. Alex. Dickson, Belfast; No. 24, Eclipse 

 PHri)le Top, from Messrs. Dickson & Robinson. 



('(iinmcHfh'd . — No. 12, Premier, from Messrs. 

 Dickson & Rol)inson. 



Allotments. 



Thk Royal Horticultural Soc-iety will carry out the 

 following trials in their Gardens at Wilsey. Ripley, 

 Surrey, duriuir 1920 : — Antirrhinums, Coreopsis. 

 Spinacli, Late Turni])S. A packet of seed of each 

 variety for trial (of peas A pint), of Potatoes (40 

 Broccoli, Early Peas, Second-Early Potatoes, 

 tubers) should oe sent to the Director, from whom 

 the necessary entry forms may be obtained, not 

 later than February 20, 192U. Goods to Horsley 

 Station, L. & S. W. Ry. 



A (iUKSTioN often asked at this period of the year 

 l)y allotment holders and others relates to the quan- 

 tity of seed potatoes required to plant an allotment. 

 To 1)1 ant the whole of the plot — oOO square yards — 

 and allow, say, for the early varieties, 2 feet 

 lietween the rows and 1 foot l)etweeii the sets, l,o60 

 tubers would be required. Allowing 2 ounces for 

 the average weight of the individual tubers, the 

 quantity of seed would be 12 stone 2 lljs. If the 

 sets were being planted 2 feet 6 inches between the 

 rows and 1 foot o inches in the row, which is the 

 usual distance for mid-season and late varieties, 

 the number of sets required in this case would be 

 880, and again allowing 2 ounces for the average 

 weight of the individual tubers. 7 st. 12 lbs. of seed 

 would be required to plant the plot. As a standard 

 plot is one-sixteenth acre in area, an approximate 

 idea can be olitained to plant any garden from the 

 above, if the length and l)readth of the ground is 

 taken and it is carried in the memory that there 

 are 4,840 square yards in a statute acre. 



After i)otatoes, we will give some brief notes on 

 seeds in general. It is understood for this purpose 

 the times of sowing and the directions are approxi- 

 mate. Fuller details will be given each montli. 

 They are given here in ])rief for the purpose of 

 forming an estimate of the quantity of seeds re- 

 quired for the plot. The varieties of vegetal)les 

 recommended are standard kinds and relia])le. If 

 a variety is known to succeed in a district, that 

 variety should be grown. 



Broad Beans. — Sow seeds early in March 2 to ."I 

 inches deep. Set the seeds 8 inches apart in double 

 rows, and the rows .3 feet asiuider. One quart 

 should sow a single row 80 feet long. Variety : Im- 

 proved Windsor. 



French Beans. — Sow the seeds the first week in 

 Mav, 2 inches deep: Place the seeds 8 inches apart 

 in doul)le rows, and the rows 2 feet asunder. One 

 pint of seed should sow a single row 160 feet long. 

 Variety : Im])r'oved Canadian Wonder. 



Scarlet Runners. — Sow about the middle of May. 

 IMace the seeds 3 inches deep and abqut 9 inches 

 ai)art in double rows. One pint of seeds should 

 sow a single row of seeds 160 feet long. Variety : 

 Scarlet Emperor. 



Beet. — Sow about the middle of May in drills 1^ 

 inches deep. Rows 12 inches asunder. The larger 

 beet may be given 15 inches between the rows. 

 Thin out 5 to 8 inches apart, according to the 

 variety. One ounce of seed should sow a row 80 

 feet long. Variety : Improved Globe and Dobbie's 

 Perfection. 



Broccoli. — Sow seeds from March to May. 

 Plant out in rows 24 inches apart each way. 



Variety : Autumn.._Seli;Prgt_ectin5 find Snow's 



Winter White. 



Brussels Sprouts. — Sow seeds in Man-h.': 'Plant 

 out 24 inches between the plants and- '.'JO inches 

 between the rows. Variety : Wroxton and Scryin-^ 

 ger's. 



Cabbage.— For autumn use sow in March. Choose 

 a quick-growing variety such as E.xpress, unless 

 the larger and coarser cabl)ages are required. The 

 distance apart then varies w-ith the variety grown.' 



Carrots. — Sow- seeds from March to July in 

 drills |-inch deep and rows 12 inches apart. The 

 plants may be thinned out according to the season 

 and variety 4 to 8 inches apart. One ounce should 

 sow a row 120 feet long. Variety : Early Nantes, 

 James's Intermediate, and Altrincham. 



Cauliflower. — Seeds are sown in March, April,. 



