IRISH GARDENING 



39 



others have €01116 forward, and the area of our 

 distribution has extended. The ability with 

 which our journal is conducted by our present 

 Edftor is greatly appreciated, as evidenced by 

 the following extracts from letters recently re- 

 i-eived, the originals of which can be seen: — 



" I read your paper with much interest, and trust 

 that it will have many ye;us of prosperity in front 

 of it."— January 21, 1920. 



" The paper deserves to be kept going. "^ — Jan- 

 uary 28, 1920. 



" I got several of my friends to suV)scribe to Irish 

 Gardkning, and hope that advertisemeiits may 

 come in again to put matters right." — January 26, 

 1920. 



" It would indeed V)e a great ])ity and a great 

 loss to all its readers if tlic jourunl liad to l)e 

 stopped." — Jamuiry 26, 1920. 



" Miss presents her (■omi)liiiit'uts, and en- 

 closes cheque, with every good wish for the con- 

 tinuance of such an interesting joiunal of horti- 

 culture." — January 26, 1920. 



" We can assure you tliat your paper gives us 

 tremendous pleasure, and we shall be only too 

 pleased to either recommend it or to liand on copies 

 to other people with a view to .their taking it. We 

 believe it is the best work of its kind now going." — 

 Xiirseri/, January 23, 1920. 



" I have always found your paper most useful 

 and instructive to me in my work, and would be 

 very sorry indeed should it be found necessary to 

 suspend yjublication. There appears to be a great 

 boom in all gardening work, growing lugger every 

 day, and T hope before long that things may im- 

 prove." — Lundsciipe (idideticr, January 25, 1920. 



" I sincerely hope that yoii may receive enough 

 assistance to keep the journal going, as it is the 

 only one in which I read really good advice with 

 reference to my favourite amusement — ' Eock 

 Gardening.' Mr. Besant's articles on that subject 

 are a))ove all enlightening, aud Mr. Hornibrook's." 

 —January 21, 1920. 



" I hope you will be able to continue publica- 

 tion. It is most interesting and useful." — January 

 22, 1920. 



Many similar letters have been received, and 

 we have been greatly encouraged b}' the keen 

 appreciation of our readers. 



May we express the hope that our friends 

 will continue to assist us by recommending 

 Irish Gardening to all their friends. A speci- 

 men copy will be gladly sent on application to 

 the Manager, Irish G.^rdening, 53 Upper 

 Sackville Street, Dublin. 



The Directors, 

 Irith Gardening, Limited. 



Pruning Evergreens. 



Evergreen trees and sbi'ubs are of inestimable 

 value in nearly every garden. 



They are of the utmost service in providing 

 shelter, and in winter tiny give a warm, well- 

 furnished effect, wliicb would ))e entirely lackiiii;' 

 were they absent, yome ol them are long sufferiu^; 

 in the matter of priming, and one need only in- 



stance the oval-leaved Privet, which endures an 

 almost monthly trimming in many a suburl)an 

 garden, and is indeed improved thereby when 

 gr»wn as a hedge plant. Holly and Yew in the 

 hedge form are usually clipped in August, a prac- 

 tice which succeeds admirably when done annually 

 just as growth is finished, and when the hedges 

 can thu.s be kept at the desired dimensions. 



Occasions arise, however, when single specimens 

 of Holly or Yew have outgrown the space allotted 

 to them, as, for instance, when they begin to en- 

 croach on a walk or perhaps on some neighbour- 

 ing tree or shrub less vigorous in growth. In such 

 cases a more drastic use of the knife is necessary. 

 Hard cutting back of the stronger l)ranches is the 

 only remedy, even although the inunediate effect 

 may be unsightly for a time. When such drastic 

 treatment becomes inevitable, spring is the l)est 

 season for the operation, and the end of March or 

 early April, just as growth is beginning, is a good 

 time. Young growths will soon break away from 

 the older ))ranches, and by the time they are grow- 

 ing freely the weather will usually be more genial, 

 and danger of injin-y by frost will be past. Fre- 

 quently, through too constant pruning annually to 

 about the same point, an unnatTU-al. stiff, or formal 

 api^earance is brouglit about ; the only remedy is 

 to adoj)t severe measures, and cut well back on the 

 older branches and allow the young shoots to 

 develop naturally. Some critics condemn prun- 

 ing, and would have all shrubs and trees to grow 

 as they list. l)ut pjuning is only wrong when it is 

 wrongly carried out. A good pruner should be 

 able to prune and direct the growth of a tree or 

 shrub without impairing its natural habit; and 

 this is particularly true of evergreens. A tall, well- 

 developed Holly, with the branches free and open, 

 yet kept under control, is a much more beautiful 

 ol)ject than another specimen perhaps as large, 

 l)ut kept clipped close like a hedge, and the same 

 applies to the Yew. 



Cherry Laurels (l^rimns hiuro-renisiis) and the 

 Portugal Ijaurel {Pntnvs liisifdiiicd), l)Oth over- 

 planted in years past, are frequently disfigured 

 and brought into disrepute through being continu- 

 ally trimmed. In spite of being common, both are 

 really handsome evergreens when properly grown 

 and allowed to develop naturally. Both are some- 

 what spring tender — that is, an extra severe frost 

 in late spring may disfigure them greatly, and 

 pruning should be deferred as late as possiVjle 

 when drastic measures are to be taken. Specimens 

 wliicb liave outgrown their space may be well cut 

 back in mid-.April, and will break away and fur- 

 nish well during the sunuuer. The large-leaved 

 form of the Cherry Laurel {P. I. mafinoliipfoVin) 

 makes a beautifid hedge when properly treated, 

 and so used I have seen it in the southern counties 

 of England. Pruning should only lie done with a 

 knife or secateurs; if shears are used, many of the 

 handsome leaves are cut through, and the effect 

 is not pleasing. The finest variety of the Portugal 

 Laurel is F. lus. azoricn, with larger leaves than 

 the type, and when reasonably treated forming a 

 handsome sijecimen. 



Other evergreens best pruned in spring are the 

 Olearias, such as (tricevnupfoJui , Hansfii, mncro- 

 ilonfa, and uleifolio, all free growers often requir- 

 ing restriction. 



Early-flowering subjects such as Beiheris Dar- 

 viiiii and B. xteiiopliylla, together with any of the 

 other larger-leaved species, such as ]i. WaUichi- 

 <iii(i. Hoiikeri, Sa luentiana leris, &c., may l)e well 

 cut l)ack after flowering in late spring, and this 

 treatment may be extended to the evergreen 



