IRISH GARDENING. 



189 



grow erect, while others are too weak to do so, 

 and either creep over the surface of the ground 

 or cHmb up other plants in various ways or 

 scramble over the top of them. Likewise, in 

 too sheltered situations, where there is feeble 

 circulation of the air, parasitic fungi are apt to 

 cause damage. Larch, for example, is more 

 liable to succumb to canker when grown in the 

 valley than when it is grown on a mountain 

 slope. Reference might also be made to the 

 injurious effects of grass growing round, the 

 trees in an apple orchard. 



It will be evident from the above how varied 

 and complex are the conditions which make up 

 the term environment, as they are all acting at 

 the same time on the plant, and how much a 

 gardener's work is simplified when he knows 

 exactly under what conditions a plant attains 

 its best development when growing in a state 

 of nature. 



^5* ^^^ tt^^ 



Black Scab on Potatoes. — This disease has been 

 found at two spots in the County Down, one being- at 

 Kilkeel, on the south coast, and the other at the southern 

 end of the Ard peninsula. Owing- to the prompt action 

 of the Department of Agriculture the diseased tubers 

 were immediately destroyed and precautions taken to 

 prevent the recurrence of the disease in the affected 

 area. We cannot too strongh' impress upon gardeners 

 and others the importance in the public interest of keep- 

 ing a vigilant look out for this disease, and if discovered 

 giving immediate notice to the proper authorities. We 

 again remind our readers of its virulent character and 

 what it would mean to Ireland if the disease spread and 

 became epidemic. Illustrations by which the diseased 

 tubers may be easily identitied were given in our last 

 issue. 



A SERIES of exceptionally clever and suggestive 

 articles on gardening- subjects that recently appeared 

 in the Times (English) newspaper has just been published 

 in book form under the title " Studies in Gardening." 

 Quite apart from the high technical value of these 

 articles they possess a literary charm that is quite delight- 

 ful. There is no better shilling's worth in the whole 

 range of gardening literature. 



A BOOK that ought to be of much interest to our 

 readers, entitled " Roses and Rose Growing," by Miss 

 Rc^se G. Kingsley, author of " Eversley Gardens," will 

 be published immediately by Messrs. Whittaker and Co. 

 The book will be illustrated with 28 coloured plates 

 from nature, and will be published, we are told, at a 

 price that will bring it within the reach of all amateur 

 gardeners. We hope to have the opportunity of review- 

 ing it later on in our pages. 



We congratulate the secretary and committee of the 

 Clare Horticultural Society on the solid progress they 

 have made in the county during the past season. Their 

 success demonstrates very clearly what a local society 

 may do by organisation, enthusiasm and hard work. 

 As was reported at the annual meeting last month the 

 total number of exhibits at their recent show was 466. 

 We are pleased to know that the results of the " School 

 Competition " give promise of future development — 

 about 600 packets of seeds having been distributed by 

 the society. But why are there only twelve schools in 

 the whole county of Clare that have taken advantage of 

 the society's offer ? Does the lack of interest lie with 

 the children or with the teachers ? 



We are pleased to hear that Mr. W. Baylor Hartland 

 is making an effort io collect all the old " native" apples 

 of Ireland. Many of the sorts that used to be the joy of 

 our boyhoods have all but disappeared from our gardens. 

 We well remember an old "Eve apple" tree with its 

 load of delicious little fruit that ripened with the corn in 

 the early weeks of August, but which we have not seen 

 for the last 20 years. Mr. Hartland has succeeded in 

 securing many of the favourite varieties well known to 

 him as a lad 70 years ago, as well as several kinds that 

 were popular in this country 150 or 200 years ago. He 

 has 22 such varieties already available for distribution. 

 They are listed and described in his new fruit catalogue. 



The Dublin Seed and Nursery Employees' Associa- 

 tion held an interesting function on the evening of 19th 

 November last at the Gresham Hotel under the pre- 

 sidency of D. Macleod, Esq. The main purpose of the 

 meeting was to afford its members and friends an 

 opportunity of viewing the exhibits collected, prepared, 

 and displayed by its more strenuous members, either in 

 connection with its educational competitions or specially 

 for this particular exhibition. The exhibits were deserv- 

 ing of the very highest praise, and being of a permanent 

 character (dried plants, &c. , of agricultural and horti- 

 cultural value) it seemed a pity that such an educational 

 collection could only be on display for three short hours. 

 We hope that the president, whose keen interest in the 

 educational work of the association is well known, will 

 make a serious attempt to secure a permanent home for 

 exhibits that would form such a valuable beginning 

 towards the building up of a most useful reference 

 collection available at all times to the more studious 

 members of the association. 



The Part Played by Mineral Matter in Plant 

 Nutrition. — According- to numerous experiments 

 carried out by N. T. Deleano with oat plants, it appears 

 that luider certain conditions during the life of the plant 

 a double movement of mineral matter takes place, one 

 from the soil into the plant and another from the plant 

 back again into the soil. The author explains that 

 while the nitrogenous organic matter (protein) and 

 carbohydrates (starch, &c.) are stored up in the plant 

 the mineral substances, not being really assimilated, 

 begin to diffuse out from the root once the cells lose 

 their vitality. This "negative" diffusion sets in when 

 the water content of the plant diminishes, which in the 

 experimental oat plants took place after the forty- 

 third day. 



Respiration of Apples During Storage. — It is well 

 known that the usual changes that take place in stored 

 apples are due to a process of oxidation, accompanied 

 b)' a liberation of carbon dioxide (" carbonic acid ") gas. 

 Mr. F. W. Morse, of the New Hampshire Agricultural 

 Station, has been carrying on an extensive series of ex- 

 periments with the object of ascertaining the rate of 

 change (using- the amount of carbon dioxide given off 

 as an index) in apples kept at freezing tempera- 

 ture, T,2° F. (cold storage), 40° to 50° F. ("cellar" tem- 

 perature), and 68° to 80° F. (warm summer temperature) 

 respectively. The conclusions deduced from his ex- 

 periments are, that the chemical changes taking place 

 within the fruits are at summer temperature four or five 

 times and at cellar temperature from two to three 

 times as fast as at cold storage temperature. If, there- 

 fore, for any reason it is required to keep apples through 

 a longer period than used, they ought to be cooled down 

 immediately after picking, and afterwards kept as cool 

 as possible. 



Mildew of Grapes. — A new fungicide for the treat- 

 ment of this fungal disease is reported. It is made by 

 mixing copper and sulphur and adding formaldehyde, 

 and is said to be easy of application and very efficient in 

 the control of powdery and downy mildew. 



