70 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Herbaceous Border, 



THIN out all annual seedlings as soon as they 

 have formed their rough leaves. It is a 

 g-reat mistake to allow the plants to g-row 

 close tog-ether. Thin them according- to height 

 and habit of g-rowth. A really well-grown 

 annual that has plenty of space to develop will 

 give far larger flowers than plants that are 

 grown very closely together. Stake sweet peas 

 as soon as the plants have appeared a few inches, 



Achillea Alpina. 



at the most, above the soil. If any annuals 

 are not yet sown the work should be done at 

 once. Transplant stocks, asters, and other 

 annuals grown under glass as advised last 

 month. Shade and keep close for a few days, 

 then give plenty of air and light to encourage 

 the young plants to grow sturdy. If cuttings 

 of phlox, Michaelmas daisies and many other 

 herbaceous plants are put into a frame and 

 kept close and shaded from bright sun for some 

 time they will strike root. This is not an 

 necessary way of propagating unless with rare 



varieties. The hoe should be kept going from 

 this time onwards to keep the surface soil fine- 

 grained and open and free from seedling weeds. 



Frank Hudson. 



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Advantages OF Hoeing. — Mr. Hudson in his above 

 note on the month's work in the Herbaceous Border 

 winds up with an instruction to keep the hoe g-oing-. 

 The advice should be kept well in mind, and acted upon 

 persistently throughout the summer. 



There are two factors that, more than any others, 

 materially influence the full development and activity of 

 the root systems of border plants, and these are a 

 proper supply of water and fresh air to soil. Consider 

 for a moment the effect of hoeing- upon these two 

 factors. Assuming- that the soil is well drained and 

 properly tilled, hoeing prevents the sealing up of the 

 surface, and by keeping the particles loose allows for 

 the free passage of air to and fro from the soil. Culti- 

 vators must never forget that the living roots breathe, 

 and that therefore they require to be continually 

 supplied with pure air througfhout the growing- season. 

 The soil must be kept in such a condition as will permit 

 of easy g-aseous diffusion — in other words, the vitiated 

 air must be allowed to escape from, and fresh air to 

 diffuse into, the soil- Hoeing, therefore, is an hygienic 

 operation or one influencing- the health of our cultivated 

 plants. 



By keeping the surface of the soil fine and powdery, 

 water is saved by preventing evaporation. All the 

 water that passes into the air escapes from the foliage, 

 and therefore must first flow through the bod}- of the 

 plant. This is a great gain, especially in a dry season. 

 The weed question is of quite secondary importance. 

 Indeed, if the surface of the soil is stirred as frequently 

 as is necessary to secure these two advantages to the 

 full there will be no weed problem at all. 



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 Achillea Alpina. — A very useful, hardy, herbaceous 

 plant, from 2 to 2^ feet high, bearing- in summer loose 

 heads of pretty white flowers. It will do well in any 

 ordinary garden soil, but must be kept watered during 

 dry weather. Achillea Alpina makes an excellent sub- 

 ject for table decoration, and lasts well in water. It 

 requires little foliage other than its own, as when well 

 grown the leaves are sufficient to furnish the stems when 

 in vvater. It strikes easily from cuttings, or can be 

 increased by divisions of the roots. R. M. P. 



^* ^^ ^^ 



Professor L. H. Bailey gives the following 

 excellent advice with respect to the formation 

 and management of a Herbaceous Border : — 



Success in Border Gardening. — In making a 

 border of flowers, the most satisfactory results are 

 obtained if a large clump of each kind or variety is 

 grown. Some of the most effective borders are those 

 which are filled with miscellaneous perennial herbs 

 taken at odd times from fields and woods. The 

 herbaceous border is one of the most flexible part of 

 g-rounds, since it has no regular or formal desig-n. 



Allow ample space for each perennial root — often as 

 much as three or four square feet — and then if the space 

 is not filled the first year or two, scatter over the area 

 seeds of poppies, sweet peas, asters, gilias, alyssum, or 

 other annuals. 



Prepare the ground well in the beginning-, taking 

 particular care to make it deep, and mulch liberally 

 every autumn. Even perennials usually bloom better 

 when not more than two or three years planted, and 

 the g-rower must expect, therefore, to renew or change 

 the clumps from time to time. 



