IRISH GARDENING. 



139 



Current Topics. 



Cy PETER BROCK, Horticultural Instructor, Co. Fermanagh. 



DURING September some of the most important 

 crops of fruit and vegfetables and summer bed- 

 ding- or groupingf of plants for effect are seen at 

 tlieir best. It is, moreover, the best month in the year 

 for gartieners or fruit growers who keep well ahead of 

 their work to take some iiolidays and visit the g-ardens 

 or fruit grounds of some of the most successful cultiva- 

 tors. Gardeners, as a rule, seldom indulg-e in the re- 

 creation of holidays further than to visit some annual 

 flower shows. This is a mistake No matter how 

 zealous and well posted with literature the g-ardener 

 may be, considerably more information may be derived 

 from seeing results and how they are achieved than 

 reading- about them. The results of various methods 

 of pruning and cultivation, also different varieties, 

 stocks, soils, and the harmonising- of colours, are all 

 matters of absorbing- interest and easily detected by the 

 practised eye on the alert for hints in the particular 

 hobby. A small place may sometimes be found to excel 

 in the production of plants, fruit, flowers or veg-etables. 

 It is, therefore, advisable to visit as many places as 

 possible, as the small ones may contain something- very 

 interesting- in a particular line. Gardeners are very 

 communicative to each other, always ready to explain 

 how they have succeeded with certain remedies for 

 fungoid and insect pests ; the results with different kinds 

 and proportions of artificial manures on crops under 

 varying- conditions of soil and seasons. The g-lorious 

 season we have had up to this justifies the expectation 

 that we may see apples and pears at the forthcoming- 

 October and November shows which have seldom, if 

 ever, been equalled. Chrysanthemmn g-rowers will now 

 be anxious to ascertain how their own plants compare 

 with those of rivals at coming; shows. The spells of g-reat 

 heat will doubtless have rushed in many buds too soon : 

 still the development of the buds can be partially con- 

 trolled by feeding- on removing- the plants to a warmer 

 or cooler position. The g-rower who succeeds with some 

 new and difficult variety to grow to peifection will invari- 



abl\- explain what suits it best, the time 

 to put in the cutting, how it should be 



potted, loose or firm, in rich or poor soil, 

 when to begin stimulative feeding, time 



to pinch to g-et the desired bud that will 



produce a perfect flower on a certain 



date. Such an interchange of opinions 



in connection with horticulture tentls 



to make the very best of men better. 



Employers generally benefit substan- 

 tially by sending- their g-ardeners on 



a holiday tour of inspection of other 



places. Apart from the new blood in 



the shape of cutting-s picked up, the 



outlay will be amply repaid in the 



knowledg-e acquired. 



This is the dormant season for the 



daffodils which adorn our g-ardens, 



lawns, and woodlawns in spring. 



It is, however, the best month in the 



year to procure and plant new varie- 

 ties. In doing- so, consult the bulb 



catalogue of your seedsmen, and 



through it you will generally make a 



better bargain than with the foreigner. 



Residents \n Fermanag-h had an ex- 

 perience of this last spring, through 



an auction of Dutch bulbs held at 



Enniskillen last September, where 



Madame de Graaff was put up and 



sold at 3s. per doz. , but which, on 



flowering, turned out to be Grandis. 



Madame Plemp sold at full commercial 



value, but the contents turned out to be Princeps. 

 Glory of Lieden produced Emperor. The whole lot sold 

 at hig"h prices, but turned out such a fraud that a 

 simil.'ir auction of Dutch bulbs could not be carried out 

 near this town for some time to come. 



Seaside Planting. 



A READER asks for information as to suitable 

 shrubs and trees for planting- by or near the sea- 

 side. There are quite a number that may be so 

 used. For example, the Sea Purslane {Atriplex halimiis) 

 is a shrub that will g-row even in muddy places quite 

 close to the sea, while Sea Buckthorn {Hippophce 

 rhaninoides) loves damp sand. The Bladder Senna 

 (Colutea arburescens), a beautiful shrub, will thrive in dry 

 sand, while the Spanish Broom (Spnriiut?i Juttceum) will 

 flourish almost anywhere. If a rambler is wanted 

 choose Forsyth ill sttspensa, or if a shade-loving- shrub is 

 required the .Spurg-e Laurel {Daphne hnireolii) will serve 

 admirably. Ona of the most useful seaside shrubs is 

 the Tamarix [Tainarix galliia and T. tetraiidra). It is 

 delightful planted in g-roups or in the form of a hedg-e, 

 the delicate foliag-e and g-raceful feathery plumes of pink 

 flowers producing- a charming- effect (owe wcmders why 

 such handsome shrubs are not more commonly planted 

 in inland g-ardens). Many of the spiraeas, too, may be 

 used ; a comparatively new species, S. Aitchisvni is said 

 to be particularly suitable for decorative purposes. 

 One of the easiest shrubs to propag-ate and establish is 

 the elder (Sainbiicus). S. canadensis, althoug-h seldom 

 seen, is specially useful, as its handsome flower clusters 

 are produced in great profusion all through September. 

 Mention may also be made of that ever useful evergreen 

 Anctiha j'apunica, the common and Portugal laurel, Loton- 

 easters elceaginis, privet, spindle tree, daisy bush, mock 

 orange, flowei-ing currant, wild roses, cut-leaf bramble, 

 Skinnnia faponica, furze, and species of weigelas. 



Useful trees are Austrian and Corsican pines, thorn, 

 mounlfiin ash, .Siberian crab, and Cupressus macrocarpa. 



Photo 4rJ 



Ne.mesia Stri-mos.\ Suttc^xi. 



Flowers pale yellow, orange and crimson. 



[O. O. Sherrard, 



