IRISH GARDEJMNG 



IX 



less inseparable from success. The principal de- 

 tails connected with tree planting may be divided 

 into five classes relating to — (1st), Fencing the 

 ground against farm animals, hares and rabbits; 

 (2nd), Preparation of the ground; (3rd), Choice of 

 plants and their removal from nursery to planta- 

 tion; (4th), Methods of planting; and (5th), Subse- 

 quent tending of the trees until fully established. 



Fencing against Cattle and Gkound Game. 



The fencing of a piece of ground against ordi- 

 nary farm live stock is so well understood in rural 

 districts that it is unnecessary to take up space 

 in describing it. Fencing against ground game 

 effectively enough for successful planting, how- 

 ever, is not such a common detail of farm work ; 

 and as large sums of money are frequently wasted 

 through the neglect of j^roper precautions being 

 taken against hares and rabbits, the more impor- 

 tant details of the work may be described. 



It is, of course, quite obvious that the cheapest 

 and best method of dealing with rabbits is that 

 of exterminating them altogether round about the 

 ground to be planted. But when this cannot be 

 done, either owing to the difficulty of reaching 

 them, or to the fact that they exist on adjoining 

 land which is not under the intending planter's 

 control, the use of wire netting is imperative. 

 Where rabbits or hares are numerous, netting of 

 not less than 4 feet in width, and not more than U 

 inches in mesh, should be used. This should be 

 let into the ground to a depth of six inches, while 

 the upper edge should be tightly stretched to a 

 wire of the ordinary fence enclosing the ground, 

 or to one specially erected for the purpose. When 

 rabbits are likely simply to travel to the planta- 

 tion at night from a distance and do not lie in 

 adjoining fields or banks, the use of cheaper 

 netting, 3 feet in width, may be sufficient to keep 

 them out; but unless the planter can exercise suffi- 

 cient control over their numbers from year to year 

 the use of najrow netting may prove dear in the 

 long run. Where sheep have to be fenced against, 

 wide netting may often be made to serve in place 

 of several of the lower fence wires, and the total 

 cost reduced to some extent. 



Preparation of the Ground 

 This work chiefly consists in clearing off any 

 rubbish or surface growth which might smother 

 the young trees if allowed to remain, and in carry- 

 ing away excessive moisture when such exists. 

 Woody growth, such as scrub, gorse, or broom, 

 should be cut and burned the sunmier before 

 planting, as by so doing, the shoots of the plant 

 are weakened to some extent, and their subsequent 

 growth retarded. In the case of gorse or broom, 

 it is often possible to grub out the old shoots 

 altogether, and this will facilitate the cleaning of 

 the groiuid afterwards. Bracken should l)e cut or 

 l)roken over twdce or thrice the previous sununer, 

 and before the fronds have fully expanded, which 

 will weaken their growth for several years. Rank 

 heather should be burnt, if possible, at least two 

 years before planting, so that the new growth may 

 shelter the young trees to some extent. Other 

 growths, such as brambles, briars, &c., can l)e 

 dealt with immediately before planting, so that the 

 young trees may start with as clear a surface as 

 possible. 



Draining must be carried out by cutting open 

 ditches from the nearest existing drain or water- 

 course along the low-lying parts of the ground. 

 Open side drains can then be cut from these into 

 the wet parts as required. On very wet ground, 

 with little or no fall, shallow drains at intervals of 

 every rod or perch may be required, while a fairly 

 steep slope may be most effectively drained by 

 deeper ditches at wider intervals. As a general 

 rule, plantation drains should have almost perpen- 



Michaelmas Daisies 



One each of these superb set, most of which 

 have received an Award of Merit at the R.H.S. 

 Antwerp, Blue Gem, Brightest and Best 

 Brussels, Mons, King of the Belgians, Mrs. J 

 Baker, Namur, Robinson V.C., Sam Banham 

 Wells' White, Amellus King George, Beauty 



of Ronsdorf. 

 Strong plants, 1 of each £15 0. 2 sets, £2 5 0. 



3 sets, £3 0. 

 Gentiana Farreri. An exquisite novelty from 

 WESTERN CHINA. A.M., R.H.S.. 1919. 



F.C.C, 1920. Strong plants, 7/6 each. 

 Erigeron Merstham Glory. A.M., R.H-S., 

 1919. The best of all Erigerons, does not 



need staking. 2/6 each, 24/- dozen. 



Send for my descriptive catalogue, post free 



Awarded 5 Gold Medals, 6 Silver Gilts, 12 SiWers. 



6 Awards of Merit, 1920. 



W. Wells, Jun., Hardy Plant Nurseries 



MERSTHAM, SURREY 



THE 



BULBS AND ROSES 



NO RUBBISH 

 OUR MOTTO— YOUR SATISFACTION 



A Jew extracts fro7n our catalogue : 

 Hyacinths . . 1/9, 2/-, 3/3, 5/- per doz. 



Tulips from 1/1 



Daffodils ,, 1/- 



Snowdrops 6d. 



Scillas 9d. ,, 



Ranunculi 6d. 



Winter Aconite .... 6d. 



Spanish Iris .... from 6d. 



Chionodoxas 8d. 



Anemones from 1/3 



Lilium Candidum ... ,, 6d. each. 



Freesias 1/3 per doz. 



ROSES in following sorts. 



A. Hill Gray, Antoine Rivoire, A. R. Goodwin, .Avoca, Kettj-, 

 •Caroline Testout, Cheerful, Dean Hole, Duchess of Wellington. 

 Edu Meyer, E. Mawley, F. Forrester, F. Pemberton, Geo. C. 

 Waud, Geo. Dickson, Gorgeous, Grace Darling, Hadley, Harry 

 Kirk, Juliet, King George V., Lady Ashtown, Hillingdon, Pirrie, 

 Lyon, Mme A. Chatenay, C. Martinet, E. Herriot (Daily Mail), 

 Jules Grolez, Rarary, M. Dickson Haniill, Melody, Miss A. de 

 Rothschild, M. .S. Crawford, Mrs. A. Ward, Mrs. Geo. Norwood, 

 Mrs. Geo. .Shawyer, Ophelia, Pharisaer, Prince de Bulgarie 

 Radiance, Sunburst, Souv. de Pierre Notting Alfred Colomb, 

 Baron de Rothschild, Ben Cant, Capt. Hayward, Fisher Holmes, 

 Druschki, Gloire Lyonnaise, Hugh and Margaret Dickson, Mrs. 

 John Laing, Mrs. R. G. S. Crawford, Victor Hugo. 



BUSHES, our selection . . 23/- per doz. 



STANDARDS 57/-^.,, 



CLIMBERS, in following varieties. 



American Pillar, Crimson RamV>ler, Dorothy Perkins, Hiawatha, 

 2/- each ; Alberic Barbier, W. A. Richardson, 2/6 each. 



CURRANT BUSHES . . 12/- per doz. 

 RASPBERRY CANES 3 - and 5- 



AH carricifje paid on orders of Id I- and over ;or C.W.O. 

 Full Descriptive Catalogue of Hiijhest GradelBulbs, Roses, 

 plate's, etc. Post free on application, to 



WEST VIEW NURSERIES, Henslow Road, IPSWICH 



please mention Irish Gardening Z 



