i66 



IRISH GARDENING 



raised from seeds presented to the Gardens liy 

 Bees, Ltd., and gathered hy tlicir eoUoctor in 

 Bhutan at an altitude of 10,000 feet. This is 

 " roped " with berries, hirger and deeper in colour 

 than those of B. ]Vilson;v. 



Echinacea purpurea, Taplow variety, is a gem 

 among late flowering herbaceous plants. Growing 

 somewhat over three feet liigh, it produces freely 

 in late sinnmer and autumn, handsome heads of 

 flowers, the outer florets of a rich, reddish purple. 

 Clumps of this fine plant associate well with other 

 late-flowering herbaceous plants, such as Michael- 

 mas Daisies, Anemone japonica, Kniphofias, &c. 

 Propagation is readily effected by removing suit- 

 able " eyes " in spring when they should be 

 potted up and kept in a frame until well rooted. 

 They can then be planted out. This variety was 

 acquired for the Glasnevin collection from Messrs. 

 Barr, Taplow, Bucks. 



The orchid houses are now gay and interesting 

 with a fine collection of species and hybrids in 

 flower. In the middle of October the following 

 were in full beauty : — Dimorphorchis Lovii, with 

 pendent racemes, six to seven feet in lengtli, and 

 bearing twenty-four flowers, the first two at the 

 base being of a rich yellow with small, brown 

 scattered spots, the others pale greenish yellow, 

 with larger spots often confluent; Vancla tricolor 

 grandiflora, Ci/rnJiidium, Finlaysonianum, Co'lo- 

 gyne ocellafa maj'ima, Epiclendrum rifeJJiiium 

 majus, (''irrliopefalum nrnatissimum, Cirrhopeta- 

 lum MicJioVitzii, OdoittogJossum, TJroskinneri, 

 Pleione in.acuJata. Odoniioda. papilio gattonensis, 

 Catasetum Mrstedii, Cattleya Marovii, Odontioda 

 Lamheauiava, Htenoglottis firnbriafa, Vanda 

 coerulea, Odontuglossum eximium Xanthotes, 

 Lielio-caWeya, Priam (C. Harri soniana x L. c. 

 callistoglossa), Dendrohium, Curtisii aureum 

 Cattleya Eurydice (Aclandife x lahiattv), Cattleya 

 Iris (bicolor x Dowiana), Dendrohivm ('o'logyite, 

 Neobenthamia gracilis, Ccelogyne fuliginosum, 

 Paphiopedihim, Sir Pedrers Puller, P. Arthuria- 

 num pulchellum, P. Tr'oilus Lord Nelson, P. 

 Gaston Pulteel, P. Kirnb(dHanum, P. Thalia, Mrs. 

 F. Wellesley, P. Curtisii, P. ccnanthum superbum, 

 P. insigne, good varieties; P. Tnemnon magnifi- 

 cwrn, P. Thalia magnificum, P. Bosettii, P. Lord 

 Derby, P. regale, P. Felicity, P. Chestersianum, 

 P. Ashburtonise, P. Harrisiamim, Phragmopedi- 

 lum conchiferum, P. Sedeni. 



The greenhouse, familiarly known as the Camellia 

 House, displays fine groups of Salvia, splendens. 

 Cyclamens, Neriiies in great variety, Plectranthus 

 Mahoni, Chironia linoides. Primula obconica, a 

 fine collection of zonal Pelargoniums interspersed 

 with Calceolaria, Burbidgei, &c. Several Chrysan- 

 themums of the large-flowered class were well open, 

 but the main display of these will not be in full 

 beauty till mid-November. 



The Fruit Plonting Season. 



There is probably no better month than 

 November for planting fruit trees and bushes. 

 The reasons for this have frequently been urged 

 in Irish Gardening. The soil is moist, but not yet 

 too cold, hence the trees or bushes are able to begin 

 establishing themselves right away. Although 

 leafless, numerous young feeding roots are formed 

 in autumn, and these are of great importance to 

 the plants in spring, being ready to absorb food 

 material at once as the buds begin to swell and 

 new growths to push forth. It is advisable,, then. 



for all intending planters to push on with planting 

 whenever the surface is suital)le for working on. 



For small gardens bush fruits are extremely 

 useful, notably Gooseberries, Black Currants, Red 

 Currants, and Raspberries. For larger gardens. 

 Apples, in addition to bush fruits, are most profit- 

 able. 



In every case the ground to be planted should be 

 trenched at least two feet deep ; poor soil nuist be 

 enriched by whatever means are available, either 

 by incorporating decayed vegetable matter or well- 

 rotted manure. 



In the case of heavy soils attention must be paid 

 to drainage, but the necessity or otherwise for this 

 can only be determined on the spot. For small 

 gardens, and indeed for orchards, the best form of 

 Apple tree is the l)ush or pyramid. Standards in 

 orchards are capable of bearing enormous crops, 

 but the labour in harvesting the fruit is consider- 

 able, and unless in very sheltered positions the loss 

 from autumn gales is often grievous. Bush trees 

 are more easily pruned and sprayed, and the crop 

 is more easily gathered. We refer more particu- 

 larly to cottagers, with anything from a rood to an 

 acre, and small farmers who may be able to plant 

 an acre or more. When an acre or more has to be 

 prepared for planting, ploughing may be resorted 

 to, using the subsoiling plough to ensure the 

 ground being deeply worked. Whenever possible, 

 it is good practice to thoroughly manure and culti- 

 vate the ground the summer previous to planting, 

 and crop it with Potatoes or some other root crop 

 which will be harvested before November; then it 

 will only be necessary to clean and level the surface 

 before planting the trees or bushes. 



The following kinds have been recommended by 

 the Department for cultivation in Ireland : — 



Gooseberries. — Crown Bob, medium, red; Whin- 

 ham's Industry, large, red, and useful for gather- 

 ing green; Langley Green, good for early market- 

 ing, and of fine flavour when ripe. 



Black Currants. — Boskoop Giant, Baldwin, and 

 Victoria. 

 Red Currants. — Baby Castle and Scotch Bed. 

 Raspberries. — Superlative, very fine where it will 

 grow, but not successful everywhere. Failing 

 Superlative, Bath's Perfection is a very god Rasp- 

 berry. 



Apples (Dessert). — AlUngton Pippin, for use 

 November to January; Beauty of Bath, August; 

 (rascoyne's Scarlet, November and December; 

 James Grieve, October and November; Charles 

 Boss, November; Worcester Pearmain, September 

 and October. 



Apples (Cooking). — Bismarck, October and 

 November; BramJey's Seedling, December to 

 April; Early Victoria, August and September; 

 Grenadier, September and October; Lane's Prince 

 Albert, December to April; Newton Wonder, De- 

 cember to May. 



There are mtiny other varieties, and it becomes 

 a question of discovering which do best in any 

 particular district. Much depends also on the 

 purpose for which Apples are grown — whether for 

 private use or for marketing. In the former case a 

 greater number of varieties might be grown giving 

 a longer season and a more regular supply annu- 

 ally. When it is desired to grow a large number 

 of varieties in a limited space attention should be 

 given to single cordons which can be planted as 

 close as two feet apart, either trained on wire 

 fences or to single stakes. Bush trees require 

 usually fifteen feet from tree to tree. Currants and 

 Gooseberries should be planted six feet apart, and 

 Raspberries four feet between the stools. — Hortu^, 



