164 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  20,  190?. 
existing  in  his  task.  For  it  certainly  is  impossible  for  any 
gardener  of  my  acquaintance  to  employ  numbers  of  women 
daily,  mounting,  arranging  and  designing.  Still,  with  the 
time  and  material  he  has  at  hand,  the  common  or  garden 
decorator  may  produce,  with  a  little  care  and  forethought, 
some  charming  effects. 
I  notice  a  writer  in  a  contemporary  advocating  the  claims 
of  the  Schizanthus  as  a  table  flower.  In  a  cut  state  this  is 
undoubtedly  very  light  and  graceful,  and  in  daylight  is 
certainly  beautiful  ;  but  under  artificial  light  it  wears  a 
most  dejected  and  washed-out  appearance,  owing  to  the 
tints  not  being  sufficiently  clear  and  decided.  This,  however, 
can  scarcely  be  looked  upon  as  coming  under  our  heading  of 
“  summer  decorations,”  and  is  merely  noted  as  a  warning,  to 
show  that  what  is  most  elegant  and  suitable  at  the  luncheon 
hour  may  be  at  dinner-time  a  disreputable-looking  object. 
At  this  season  of  flowering  plenty  it  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  speak  of  the  use  of  plants  for  the  table,  as  few  people 
care  to  see  them  unless  they  are  used  as  a  change.  With 
Sweet  Peas,  Roses  and  Carnations,  besides  a  host  of  other 
flowers  now  given  us  in  profusion,  it  is  a  wise  plan  to  take 
this  season  for  the  rest  and  preparation  of  small  decorative 
material  which  will  be  of  service  later  on  in  the  year. 
Roses,  when  grown  in  large  numbers,  form  a  means  of 
supply  upon  which  we  may  draw  to  carry  out  an  almost 
endless  number  of  ideas.  The  common  Monthly  or  China 
is  far  more  effective  for  decorative  work  than  would  be 
readily  credited  by  those  who  have  not  seen  the  rich  pink 
blossoms  used  on  a  large  scale.  From  strong-growing  dwarf 
plants  long  stems  can  be  cut,  which  answer  well  for 
arranging  in  vases,  about  five  of  these  (one  large  for  the 
centre  and  four  smaller  ones)  being  a  sufficient  number  for 
quite  a  large  table,  if  a  simple  design  of  flowers  and  foliage 
is  placed  upon  the  cloth.  W.  A.  Richardson,  if  procurable 
in  cpiantity,  is  another  variety  that  commends  itself  to  notice 
if  a  table  is  desired  to  be  dressed  in  one  coloxir.  Unfor¬ 
tunately,  that  fine  golden  tint,  so  much  admired,  is  not 
always  to  the  fore,  and  the  blooms  themselves  are  fi’equently 
misshapen  and  ragged  ;  but  when  procurable  in  fine  form  a 
very  beautiful  table  can  be  set  out  with  this  Rose. 
Euphrosyne,  one  of  the  Rambler  class,  would,  upon  first 
appearance,  scarcely  commend  itself  to  every  decorator  ;  the 
larere  clusters  of  small  pink  flowers  giving  a  sense  of 
clumsiness.  But  with  care  in  arrangement,  delightful  results 
may  be  obtained  by  its  use.  It  has,  however,  a  brief  season 
of  blooming,  and  there  is  not  much  danger  of  a  too  frequent 
repetition  in  using  this  Rose. 
Many  different  sorts  of  various  colours  may  be  mingled, 
and  very  few  there  are  that  clash  one  with  the  other.  In 
any  case,  whether  mixed  or  in  separate  colours  and  varieties, 
the  flowers  ought  to  be  set  up  with  Rose  foliage  only.  No 
other  that  I  know  suits  them  so  admirably,  and  though  no 
stickler  for  “  flowers  with  their  own  foliage  ” — an  idea  so 
ardently  pursued  by  some — here  is  certainly  an  instance 
where  the  idea  holds  good  and  has  much  to  recommend  it. 
Turning  to  Sweet  Peas,  what  a  wealth  of  material  is  pro¬ 
vided  by  these  flowers  for  the  decorator’s  art.  Lady  Mary 
(L’urrie  and  Salopian  are  fine  for  effect  under  lamp  or  candle¬ 
light.  Those  who  love  brilliance  may  well  try  Gorgeous, 
but  this  I  think  too  glowing  in  hot  weather.  Mrs.  Dugdale 
and  Lovely  are  both  charming  for  a  pink  table,  but  some  of 
the  lighter  tints  with  the  blues  are  anything  but  showy  for 
the  evening  They  have  their  uses  for  daylight  purposes 
are  so  beautiful  that  we  cannot  afford  to  ignore  them. 
Rather  nari’ow  glasses  are  best  for  these  flowers  ;  a  sufficient 
number  can  be  efficiently  arranged  in  a  rather  small  vase, 
and  as  the  greenery  used  with  them  must  be  of  the  lightest, 
it  is  obvious  that  the  use  of  wide  receptacles  would  only 
result  in  loose,  unsatisfactory  arrangement. 
Gypsophila  and  unripe  Grasses  are  frequently  used  with 
ow'eet  Peas, and  both  can  be  made  to  look  eminently  suitable, 
but  nothing,  I  think,  ecpials  their  own  shoots  in  effectiveness 
for  this  purpose.  For  tracing  I  have  many  times  used  Smilax, 
and  though  this  by  most  people  is  found  satisfactory,  I 
infinitely  prefer  to  use  healthy  growths  of  the  Peas,  as  being 
more  in  keeping  with  the  dainty  blossoms. 
What  can  be  said  of  Carnations  which  has  not  already 
been  many  times  uttered?  Malmaisons  we  now  have  in 
many  shades  of  colour,  but  the  old  pink  and  blush  are  still 
as  grand  as  ever  for  table  work,  and  for  that  ancient  veteran, 
Raby  Castle,  nothing  but  praise  can  be  given.  Germania, 
when  it  thrives  properly,  is  difficult  to  beat  as  a  yellow.  For 
mingling  with  the  blooms,  fronds  of  Adiantum  are  quite  per¬ 
missible,  and  will  provide  a  light  and  elegant  setting  ;  so 
will  young  growths  taken  from  the  Asparagus  beds  ;  but  if 
a  bolder  and  more  decided  effect  is  desired,  then  use  healthy, 
but  not  too  robust  “  grass  ”  or  pipings. 
Much  could  Vje  written  of  the  claims  of  other  flowers.  Of 
Coreopses,  of  long  spurred  Aquilegias,  Rudbeckias,  Alla- 
mandas,  some  of  the  Cattleyas,  and  hosts  of  others  that  well 
deserve  a  share  of  notice.  All  and  each  may  be  relied  on 
to  render  service  where  provision  is  made  for  their  cultiva¬ 
tion.  Most  of  the  plants  mentioned  will  be  within  the  reach 
of  nearly  everyone  possessing  a  garden,  and  will  give  ample 
scope  for  the  display  of  ability  in  decorative  arrangement. 
Let  me  add,  in  conclusion,  three  points  which  must  be 
earnestly  striven  for^ — lightness,  grace — and  .though  these 
two  in  perfection  may  be  thought  by  some  to  insure  the  last, 
let  me  also  add,  proper  effect. — Provincial, 
Early  Potatoes  from  Ireland. 
Under  the  inspiring  influence  of  an  energetic  and  well-staffed 
Department  of  Agriculture,  which  has  large  .sums  of  money  at  its 
disposal,  the  Green  Isle  is  “  forging  ahead  ”  in  every  way  ex¬ 
cept  in  the  matter  of  population,  in  which,  however,  it  is  falling 
astern.  As  a  country  which  is  pro-eminently  adapted  for  the 
breeding  of  store  cattle,  Ireland  has  for  some  years  enjoyed  a 
measure  of  protection  through  the  operation  of  the  Diseases  of 
Animals  Act,  which  absolutely  prohibits  cattle,  sheep,  or  pigs 
from  outwith  the  United  Kingdom  being  landed  at  our  ports 
except  for  immediate  slaughter.  Just  as  Canada  aspires  to  bo 
the  granary  of  the  Dlother  Country,  so  Ireland  aspires  to  be  the 
great  source  of  supply  for  Scotch  and  English  “  feeders.”  The 
latest  Irish  statistics,  however,  show  that  a  great  deal  of  land  in 
Ireland  which  was  formerly  under  arable  cultivation  is  now 
being  laid  down  to  permanent  pasture,  to  be  used  .solely  for 
stock-breeding  purposes,  and  the  Irish  Department  have  for 
some  time  been  harbouring  a  doubt  as  to  whether  this  change, 
which  undoubtedly  makes  for  rural  depopulation,  is  altogether 
for  the  good  of  “  the  most  distressful  country.”  The  Irish  De¬ 
partment,  therefore,  looked  about  for  some  means  to  counteract 
this  policy  of  laying  down  land  to  permanent  pasture,  and  they 
decided  to  try  and  make  Ireland  a  second  Jersey  in  the  grow¬ 
ing  of  early  Potatoes  and  market  garden  produce. 
Two  years  ago  the  Irish  Department  of  Agriculture  engaged 
Mr.  Wallace,  Terreglestown,  Dumfries,  who  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  mo.st  enterprising  and  successful  growers  of  early  Potatoes 
in  Scotland — and  one.  of  the  best  all-round  farmers  in  Scotland 
— to  go  to  Ireland  and  instruct  the  Irish  farmers  in  the  best 
methods  of  growing  early  Potatoes.  Mr.  Wallace  executed  that 
commission  in  a  thoroughly  efficient  way,  and  his  admirable 
lectures  and  illustrations  on  the  subject — some  of  which  were 
reproduced  in  our  columns  at  the  time — were  such  as  to  show 
anyone  how  to  cater  successfully  for  the  early  Potato  market  if 
he  only  had  suitable  soil  and  climate  for  carrying  on  that  trade. 
Mr.  Wallace  also  surveyed  the  land,  and  pointed  out  that  some 
parts  of  Ireland,  notably  the  fertile  soil  of  Inchdorry  Island 
and  other  parts  round  C’lonakilty  in  County  Cork,  were  most 
admirably  suited  for  the  growing  of  early  Potatoes  from  boxed 
seed. 
Last  spring  a  number  of  landowners  in  that  district,  acting 
under  the  superintendence  of  an  agricultural  expert  from  the 
Agricultural  Department,  put  Mr.  Wallace’s  instructions  into 
liractico,  and  the  results  have  been  very  gratifying  to  those 
who  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  in  the  business.  One  of  the 
growers,  Mr.  J.  Crowley,  had  his  Puritans  harvested  in  the 
third  week  of  June,  and  they  yielded  at  the  rate  of  five  to  six 
tons  per  acre.  Mr.  Crowley’s  entire  crop  had  been  bought 
beforehand  by  Liverpool  buyers  at  £50  per  acre,  and  as  these 
Potatoes  were  in  the  market  before  the  early  Potatoes  in  the 
Girvan  district  were  ready,  the  buyers  must  have  done  as  well 
by  them  as  the  grower  had  done.  Another  grower,  Mr.  O’Leary, 
had  his  Potatoes  sold  at  £12  per  ton,  so  that  if  he  raised  a 
crop  of  six  tons  per  acre  he  would  do  well  with  them  too.  The 
outstanding  succeiss  which  has  attended  the  first  attempt  to  put 
in  practice  Mr.  Wallace’s  instructions  as  to  the  growing  of  early 
Potatoes  in  Ireland  will  undoubtedly  have  the  effect  of  causing  a 
greatly  increased  acreage  in  Ireland  to  be  devoted  to  this  crop 
next  year,  and  as  these  early  Potatoes  from  the  Green  Isle  have 
the  enormous  advantage  of  being  ready  for  the  market  before 
the  stocks  on  the  Ayrshire  coast  are  ready,  the  Irish  growers 
will  have  the  best  of  the  trade,  and  it  may  well  be  suspected 
that  the  early  Potato  crop  in  Ayrshire  will  not  prove  so  profit¬ 
able  to  the  growers  in  the  future  as  it  has  been  in  the  past.' — 
(“North  British  Agriculturist.”) 
