June  16,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
519 
Notes  from  Dublin. 
Impossible  !  Simply  as  impossible  to  keep  the  weather  out  of 
cue’s  notes  as  it  is  out  of  a  gardener’s  life,  and  this  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  the  printing  powers  that  be  don’t  care  for  too  much 
weather.  Neither  do  we,  as  a  rule.  However,  we  are  at  present  at 
lieace  with  it — peace  with  plenty  prevails,  for  the  promise  of  May  is 
on  the  verge  of  i)erformance  with  Strawberries  galore,  and  as  for  the 
rest,  we  shall  see  what  we  shall  see  later  on.  The  “  merry  month  ” 
Avas  merciful — no  frosts,  rude  winds,  or  anything  else  to  shatter  the 
magic  of  spring,  as  bounteous  Nature  in  her  great  march  past 
lavishly  flung  over  the  landscapes  such  wealth  of  blossom  as  is  rarely 
vouchsafed  to  us.  The  great  She  ignored  us  last  year — took  a  long 
rest — and  whether  that  does,  or  does  not,  account  for  all  this  “  much¬ 
ness  ”  is  her  secret.  That’s  all,  Mr.  Printer,  anent  your  hHe  noir,  and 
that’s  a  good  deal. 
The  ornamental  part  of  gardening,  and  it  goes  Avithout  saying, 
has  been  very  satisfying.  PloAvering  shrubs  have  been,  and  are, 
simply  marvellous.  In  an  old-world  garden  at  hand,  Edwardsia 
(Sophora)  microphylla  fascinated  all  who  saAv  its  pale  yellow,  com¬ 
paratively  large,  bell 
blossoms  nestling 
among  the  soft  Acacia¬ 
like  foliage.  Tavo  bush¬ 
like  trees  of  the  Noav 
Zealand  shrub,  some 
12ft  high,  on  sturdy, 
clean  stems,  ai’e  fitting 
monuments ,  to  some 
garden  loA^er  of  the 
long  ago.  They  tell 
no  other  story,  nor  do 
the  massive,  antique 
YeAV  hedges  yards 
through,  nor  the 
gnarled,  twisted,  and 
intervolA'ed  stems  of 
a  giant  Wistaria,  all 
the  loA’e  of  someone 
gone  and  forgotten. 
Collegnes,  the  quaint 
old  place  is  called, 
AA’hich  some  tAvist  into 
College  knees,  others 
Colleens,  and  still 
another  Col-leg-nys; 
hence,  to  refer  to  it  is 
one  of  the  little  worries 
of  life.  But  Avhat’s  in 
a  name  ?  Dear,  delight¬ 
ful  old  garden  Avith  a 
past !  Would  that  Ave 
could  tell  thy  story. 
Great  globes  of 
Avonderful  trans- 
parency  have  been  the 
blooms  of  Japanese 
Pseonies,  forms  of  the 
old  Moutan  Pasony. 
Alas  !  Their  time  AA-as 
short,  strong  suns  out- 
blinked  them ;  nothing  noAv  but  handsome  gi’een  or  bronzy  foliage, 
and  it’s  long  to  wait  for  another  lighting  up.  The  white  Portugal 
Broom,  a  cream  coloured  Broom,  and  the  bicoloured  Andreanus 
made  a  brave  display  as  Ave  saw  them  at  Sutton  House  on  the  rocky 
promontory  of  Howth.  There  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  name  of  the 
cream  coloured  kind,  possibly  it  is  Cytisus  scopariiis  pallidus  ;  anyAvay 
it  is  the  most  telling  of  the  trio. 
In  a  recent  run  around  the  College  Botanic  Gardens  with  Mr. 
Burbidge,  we  noticed  Onosma  taurica  in  fine  form  depending  from 
a  wall,  and  the  Bose  Acacia,  Eobinia  hispida,  Avith  its  pretty,  pink, 
pea-like  blooms  set  in  handsome  foliage  Avas  quite  irresistible.  V ellta 
pseudo-cy tisus  is  a  curious  cruciferous  kind  of  plant  Avith  tiny,  turnipy 
blossoms,  but  a  shimmering  of  blue  on  the  “  brim  ”  Avhere  Lilies  blow 
is  a  delicacy  duq  to  LiniAm  perenne,  a  floriferous  Flax  Avhich  shimmers 
aAvay  till  the  near  approach  of  Avinter.  Nymphsea  chromatella  is 
early  (June  8th),  having  some  noble  blooms  studding  the  dark 
marbled  foliage.  The  Lilies  here  now  have  a  douche  on  fine 
mornings  from  a  Avaterpot  and  rose  to  take  off  the  previous  day’s 
dust,  and  they  seem  to  like  it.  Blowing  in  the  borders  is  Lilium 
umbellatum,  something  in  the  Avay  of  Davuricum,  but  brighter; 
Libertia  formosa  gives  good  spikes  of  white  flowers,  is  commendable 
fcr  cutting,  yet  SAiggestive  of  loose  arrangement  to  do  it  justice. 
Quite  Erica-like  is  the  beautiful  Chilian  shriib,  Fabiana  imbricata, 
it  begets  coA'^etousness  to  have  it.  Tamarix  gallica  is  quite  the  plant 
in  the  “  specimen  ”  quarter,  Avhere  a  couple  of  students  Avere  busy 
Avith  botanical  boxes.  From  amongst  the  broad,  blue-grey  foliage  of 
groAv 
hardy 
Tritoma  aloeoides  the  pokers  are  springing ;  this  is  a  A^ery  character¬ 
istic  member  of  the  fiery  family.  Happily  named  is  Mimulus 
cupreus  “  Brilliant,”  tivice  the  size  of  the  type ;  it  is  a  taking  plant 
in  its  way,  and — Ave  took  some  (not  surreptitiously).  Last,  not 
least,  in  the  College  Garden  collection  must  be  mentioned  the  purple 
form  of  Phormium  tenax,  Avhich,  if  the  babies  Ave  saAv  do  not 
out  of  their  goodness,  is  a  decided  gain  to  our  noble  foliao'ed 
plants.  ® 
_  An  additional  note  on  floAA'ers  must  be  made  to  tell  of  a  glorious 
spike  of  Ereniurus  Elwesianua  seen  at  Drummond’s,  in  DaAvson 
Street,  amongst  a  group  of  good  things  backed  up  by  Palms,  with 
Avhich  the  firm  garnish  their  AvindoAvs  for  the  benefit  of  the  man  in 
the  street. 
We  have  not  heard  any  grumbling  from  our  friend  the  farmer 
beyond  there  s  fly  in  the  turnip/^  ■which,  by  the  way,  has  not  yet 
reached  the  garden.  Late  meadoAvs  are,  paradoxically,  early  and 
promising,  early  ones  someAA^hat  late  and  thin,  but  the  noble  tuber  is 
all  that  it  should  be  to  date.  Potatoes  for  present  use  are  invariably 
a  source  of  friction  Avith  the  cook.  That,  at  least,  has  been  our 
experience  till  now,  when,  luckily,  Avith  a  consignment  of  “Scottish 
Triumphs  things  are  easy.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  ve  have  never 
seen  it  equalled  at  this  particular  season  by  any  vaunted  variety,  for  it 
still  cooks  to  perfection. 
We  wish  AA^e  could  say 
the  sample  mentioned 
Avas  Green  Isle  growino’, 
o  O’ 
but  it  IS  not,  being 
Scottish  Triumph  in 
tAvo  senses  ;  so  to  give 
credit  Avhere  credit  is 
due,  it  goes  to  the 
“Land  o’  Cakes.  '  To 
complete  our  note  of 
admiration  of  this 
bonnie  tuber  Ave  must 
say  that  it  not  only 
cooks  AA'ell,  but  looks 
well,  being  long, 
smooth,  and  shapely, 
and  nothing  better  is 
Avanted  in  the  humble 
opinion  of — K. 
Tilgate, 
near  Crawley. 
Carter’s  Invincible  Prize  Gloxinia. 
The  members  of  the 
CraAATey  (Sussex)  and 
District  Gardeners’ 
Mutual  ImproA'ement 
Association  and  friends 
to  the  number  of  about 
sixty,  visited  the  beau¬ 
tiful  grounds  and  gar¬ 
dens  at  Tilgate,  by  the 
kind  permission  of 
Mrs.  Nix,  on  Tuesday, 
evening,  June  7,  and  spent  a  most  enjoyable  and  instructive 
time  in  the  company  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Nix,  the  president  of  the 
association,  Avho  very  courteously  conducted  the  visitors  OA^er 
the  estate,  and  pointed  out  and  explained  the  many  botanical 
and  other  beauties  that  here  abound.  The  members  were  driven 
to  Tilgate  in  brakes,  and  their  arrival  u  as  a  lesson  of 
punctuality,  six  o’clock — the  appointed  time— -chiming  as  the 
mansion  Avas  reached.  Mr.  Nix  personally  received  the  visitors 
at  the  entrance  to  the  conservatory,  inside  of  Ayhich  tea  had 
been  generously  and  thoughtfully  provided.  This  unexpected 
treat  over,  the  party,  under  the  capable  supervision  of  Mr.  Nix 
and  Mr.  E.  Neal  (the  head  gardener),  commenced  an  inspection 
of  the  grounds,  the  first  attraction  being  a  splendid  specimen 
of  the  Tulip-tree  near  the  house.  From  this  point  the  general 
appearance  of  the  laAvns  Avas  particularly  noticeable,  and  it  did 
not  require  an  expert  to  decide  that  they  AA'ere  in  a  niost  beau¬ 
tiful  condition.  Situated  in  the  centre  of  these  is  an  excellent 
example  of  the  Wellingtonia  gigantea,  AA'ell  furnished  from  top 
to  bottom  ;  and  at  another  spot  near  the  mansion  a  Purple 
Beech,  said  to  be  one  of  the  finest  in  the  country,  claimed  a 
close  inspection. 
Of  double  crimson  floAvering  Thorns  several  are  dotted  here 
and  there,  as  Avell  as  stately  Cedars  and  Picea  Nol'dinanniana, 
and  groAving  close  to  the  lovely  lakes  a  choice  specimen  of 
Gunnera  manicata  AA’as  seen  and  admired.  A  visit  to  Tilgate 
is  necessary  to  realise  and  appreciate  the  many  beautiful  pic¬ 
tures  that  meet  one’s  gaze  at  practically  all  points.  The  lakes. 
