IRISH GARDENING 



II I 



stunt pinching and pegging down. Alternanthenis 

 will want their tops taken out to bring out their 

 l)eautiful colourings. Vases, window boxes, and 

 tubs will require plenty of feeding and looking over 

 for water twice a day. Get them to thicken out as 

 quickly as possible, and do not be deceived by 

 showers or even wet days. Get the bedding scheme 

 for next season arranged this month in readiness 

 for propagating. 



Eemoval of Seed Pods, &c. — The flowering 

 jjeriods of many subjects may be greatly prolonged 

 by the timely removal of the seed vessels and old 

 flower spikes. Lupins, Delphiniums, Canterbury 

 Bells, Anchusas, &c., Pansies and Violas will re- 

 quire to be constantly picked over. They will then 

 flower right through the season. 



Lavendefi. — Cut the fiower spikes of fiavender 

 before they start to shed their flowers. Lay them 

 out thinly on sheets of brown paper in a dry room. 

 Turn the stalks till the flowers have all dropped, 

 when they may be placed in small nuislin bags for 

 placing l)etween the linen. 



Pot Pourri. — Collect plenty of Rose petals, 

 Scented Pelargonium leaves, and Lippia flower and 

 leaves for replenishing the bowls in the various 

 rooms in the house. These are greatly appre- 

 ciated during the winter months, esi^ecially when 

 the, flowers in use at that time have no scent. 

 Begonias, Zonals, Phnnbagos, and Euphorbias, &c. 



Hardy Heaths. — Where these beautiful plants 

 are used in the pleasure grounds it is a good sys- 

 tem to layer a certain number of growths each 

 season, thus keeping a young and healthy stock of 

 dwarf plants. Open a small trench around the ex- 

 isting clumps to a depth of ;> or 4 inches, and fill 

 with a sandy compost, using one-third peat. Layer 

 the side growths and not the points. Make 

 thoroughly firm and keep moist. They take a con- 

 siderable time to root. The Irish Heaths are very 

 beautiful arranged in large groups, irregular in 

 shape, in the front of shrubberies, &c., the white 

 form appearing like Giant Lily of the Valley 

 spikes. When they have finished flowering cut all 

 the dead flower spikes away. This will keep them 

 dwarf and compact specimens. 



Root Pruning of Choice Shrubs. — Where 

 Shrubs are making too nuich growth, it is a very 

 good plan to go round them with a spade. Thrust 

 the spade down straight. Severing the largest roots 

 will serve its purpose and kec]) them within boimdft. 



Dahlias. — In hot, dry weather Dahlias will 

 greatly beneflt from good soakings of water. Apply 

 a good nuilch of well-decayed manure aroimd the 

 stems. Keep the shoots well thinned and securely 

 fastened to their stakes. Where earwigs are 

 troublesome, place small pots filled with hay on the 

 top of the stakes and exaniine them every morning. 

 Broad Beans stalks placed among the growth is 

 also a good remedy. 



Sweet Peas. — Sweet Peas will require consider- 

 able attention now. Keep every flower picked as 

 it becomes fit for use (except, of course, where 

 groups are planted in the borders for effect; then 

 they may be allowed to flower themselves out. 

 Where good colour is required the dark and salmon 

 shades will require a slight shade from bright sun. 

 IF the ground was thoroughly well prepared they 

 will not require nuich water at the root. Good 

 nmlching and syringing is uuich to be preferred. 

 Give good liberal dressings of soot in showery 

 weather. 



JviLY OF the Valley.— Keep all Lily of the Valley 

 beds perfectly clean, and during hot spells give 

 good soakings of water. This will greatly assist 

 tlie flowering crowns for next season. 



Gladioli. — Stake and mulch the Gladioli beds 



and borders before they get damaged. A few of the 

 best scarlet varieties, or any that are inclined to 

 burn with the sun, will require slight shading. I 

 have used tissue paper with good residts when 

 extra deep colouring has been required. A slight 

 dressing of superphosphate of lime will assist the 

 corms. 



Hydrangea Paniculata and Hortensis Vari- 

 eties. — Insert a sufficient number of cuttings of the 

 above now for next season's flowering; use a fine 

 sandy compost and a shaded close frame. Put the 

 cuttings in fairly close, and do not allow them to 

 flag. They take some time to root Well, but are 

 very sure, and by this means one has always a 

 young stock. Thousands of these are used in 5-in. 

 pots every season for decorative work, and even 

 make grand displays bedded out. 



Darwin and May Flowering Tulips. — Lift the 

 whole of the above Tulips now; place them thinly 

 in boxes, carefully labelled, and phiced in a cool 

 shed away from rats and mice. 



Bulbs in Grass. — Generally speaking, it will now 

 be quite safe to cut the grass where Biflbs are 

 naturalised, starting with the earliest flowering 

 groups. 



Lawns. — Continue to keep the machines at work 

 every week. Lawns will now be a great asset to 

 the gardens. I do not think anything can equal 

 a good stretch of well-kept lawn on a warm summer 

 evening. It throws all the coloured foliage and 

 flowers into bold relief and forms a niagnificent 

 setting. 



Walks, &c. — All walks must be kept edged and 

 swept and of a smart appearance to compensate for 

 the time and labour spent on the upkeep of an 

 establishment. Keep all " crazy " paths free from 

 weeds, but allow any moss, &c., to remain to giv« 

 character and age. 



Southern and Western Counties, 



By J. Matthews, The Gardens, Tourin, Cappoqiiin, 

 Co. Waterford. 

 The Kitchen Garden. 

 All vegetable crops will require attention during 

 the dry weather of July in the way of supplying 

 moisture, and where necessary apply a iiuflch of 

 short manure; failing this, cut grass from the 

 lawns will answer as a good substitute. This is 

 generally about the hottest month of the year, and 

 although we may get heavy dews at night, n 

 merely acts as a refresher, but is not sufficient 

 moisture to reach the roots. 



Asparagus. — Cutting will be finished now for the 

 season, and from now onwards is the time to build 

 up the crowns for next year. Apply a nuflch of 

 short stable manure and thorough soakings of 

 water. 



Broccoli. — As the ground becomes vacant get 

 the winter varieties planted. 



Cauliflower for late cutting should l)e put out 

 now, watering well; they require rich soil. 



Cabbage. — Make a small sowing about the 20th 

 of the month for early spring supplies, and another 

 ten days later; protect the seeds from l)irds. 

 Flower of Spring, Early Harbinger, and Sutton's 

 April are good varieties for this sowing, and can 

 generally be depended on not to run to seed. I heard 

 reports from different quarters in this locality of 

 quite 50 ner cent, bolting this year, and I think 

 this is diie more to the selection of varieties than 

 early sowing. I generally grow about twelve hun- 

 dreci, and rarely have any bolting. This year I 

 had "none from the three varieties mentioned. 

 Make further pUintings of Kale and Savoys to 

 stand the winter. 



