January 8, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
297 
last few weeks that the sparrows have made a dead 
set at my Carnations, and that they have plucked off 
many of the leaves, and bitten others in two. Do the 
birds obtain any food by doing this, or is it done out of 
sheer mischief ? For my own part I am inclined to 
the latter idea.— Vexed. 
Our correspondent doubtless is right in his surmise. 
Sheer mischief will cause sparrows to do much. 
» o »- 
HYDRANGEAS IN COUNTY DOWN. 
The accompanying photograph is a view of a 
Hydrangea garden at Old Court, Strangford, Co. 
Down, the residence of the Right Hon. Lord de Ros, 
It would surprise many to see the Fuchsias; for 
they grow twelve and fourteen feet high, and I have 
measured some of the trunks nine and ten inches 
in diameter. 
This pretty demesne is situated on the western 
shores of Strangford Lough, and the Hydrangeas 
shown grow within forty feet of the water's edge. 
The building shown in the background is his Lord¬ 
ship's private chapel. It was built in 1529, and 
presented to the Earl of Kildare (Lord de Ros, 
ancestor), by his agent, Valentine Payne. There is 
a churcnyard adjoining the chapel, but it was 
closed a few years since on sanitary grounds. His 
Lordship is always most willing to give anyone 
permission to visit his beautiful demesne, and a 
straightens and recovers, at least partially, its 
freshness ; then all that part of the stalk which has 
been immersed in the hot water is cut off and the 
flowers replaced in cold water. 
GLASGOW BOTANIC GARDENS. 
During a hurried ramble through the houses an 
the grounds of the Botanic Gardens, Kelvinside 
Glasgow, last autumn, we had sufficient time to note 
a vast improvement upon things as they were at the 
time of our previous visit several years ago. The 
people of Glasgow like to see showy and what are 
usually termed useful plants in contradistinction to 
Hydrangeas in County Down, from a Photcgpaph taken 23rd December, 1897. 
K.C.V.O. The photograph was taken by the Right 
Hon. Lady de Ros, who is a horticultural enthusiast. 
The variety grown is the ordinary H. hortensis, and 
the photograph gives one a good idea of the mildness 
of the weather (it being taken on December 23rd, 
1897), in the Emerald Isle. 
Coniferae of every description find a congenial 
home here, many of the varieties growing to such an 
extent as to puzzle experts who are used to seeing 
specimens grown in England and Scotland. 
Cupressus, Cryptomerias, and shrubs of all kinds 
have a robust look about them which surprises many 
on their first visit to the arboretum. Desfontainea 
spinosa grows luxuriantly and flowers in profusion. 
good many avail themselves of the privilege which 
is so kindly granted.— Diostna. 
——- 
To keep cut flowers fresh —Cut flowers can be kept 
longer, says the Gazzetta delle Campasne of last August, 
by previously placing a little powdered charcoal into 
the water of the vases, but the end of the stalk must 
be cut a little daily. A little camphor dissolved in 
the water also preserves freshness. A solution made 
with one litre (88 quarts) of water and three 
grammes of sal ammoniac (1 692 drams) answers the 
same purpose. When the flowers begin to fade they 
can be revived by dipping the ends of the stalks into 
boiling water. When the water cools the flower 
those that are merely of botanical interest, so that 
the greatest alterations or developments are along 
those lines. Of course this also is one of the 
features of the National gardens at Kew, but the 
grounds and houses at Glasgow are not so extensive 
and must be utilised to the best advantage. With 
this object in view, batches of useful plants are 
grown wherewith to keep up a display in the show 
houses to which the public are admitted. 
At the time of our visit the Chrysanthemums were 
still in the open air. About 3,010 were grown mostly 
in the bush form, with a few confined to single stems. 
They flowered well and were dealt with in our 
pages during the proper season. In the Ewing 
