78 



IRISH GARDENING. 



planting. Have all ready so that there >\ ill be 

 no delay when planting ont. The " hardening 

 off " of plants for tlie flower garden, whether half- 

 hardy Annuals f>r Zonals, Heliotropes, tfcc. should 

 be very earefully done. A place should l)e 

 selected where, if necessary, temporary slieltei' 

 can be provided in case of frost at night or cold 

 harsh wind. See that they do not suffer for 

 want of water, and a little stiuiubuit will lielp 

 theiu at that time, especially those in suiall pots. 

 As regards the design for the beds, this year the 

 principal thing will lie: What can we grow to eat? 

 but it is not necessary to make ourselves 

 altogether miserable, and — 



" Like old Liza Jane 



What lives down the hack lane. 



Sez she, I may seem to be M'rong, 



But just a few blossoms to liven us up, 



Be like Nature's bit of brave song. 



I mean to grow taties and turnips and sich, 



But lest I should pine for the smell 



I'll kape near my window a patch of gay flowers : 



Old hearts need feeding as well." 



Anyway we will stick to the Stocks — Calceolarias, 

 Begonias, l*aul Crampell, Geraniums, Helio- 

 trope and Violas — and they always look well 

 whether judicioiisly mixed or in bold groups by 

 themselves. 



Herbaceous Borders should be carefully gone 

 over, and any plants that require staking should 

 have the stakes driven into position now and Jiot 

 left until the plants begin to fall about: they can 

 never be staked pi'operly after. Any blank 

 spaces can be sown with Annuals or planted 

 with outdoor Chrysanthemums. Stake Sweet 

 Peas that are well forward, and sow another 

 batch for succession : sow iii prepared drills 

 where they are to flower. Keep the grass mown, 

 and have all walks clean, scuffled and raked. It 

 is now time to sow for next spring, such as Wall- 

 flowers, Pansies, Daisys, Polyanthus, Myosotis, 

 (Jic. When clearing the lieds of spring-flowering, 

 plants, such as Polyanthus, Arabis, Aubrietias, 

 &c., should be carefully planted in the reserve 

 ground, to get a good supply of cuttings or 

 divisions for next winter's requirements. 



A'.VSES AND Tubs. — These add greatly to tlie 

 beauty of a place, especially if they are well filled. 

 Plants grown specially in good-sized pots to suit 

 the different vases make a show at once — such as 

 good-sized drooping Fuchsias, or Yuccas, Cordy- 

 iines, Paul Crampell, or nicely staked Ivy-leaved 

 Geraniums ; round the edge Phlox IJrummondii 

 looks specially well over the usual Lobelias, 

 Verbenas, or Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, etc. 



Keep the hoe going on the different borders, 

 it will be labour well spent this month, and will 

 save a lot of hard work later. 



Southern and Western Counties. 



By Ernest Beckftt, Gardener to Lord 

 Barrymore^ Fota. 



Kitchen Garden. 

 The weather for the past montli, althougli 

 generally dry and certainly favourable for the 

 working of the land, has been of a harsh, cold 

 nature, and growth of all kinds is in a very 

 backward state — fully a month behind, and early 



Potatoes that are above ground at the time of 

 writing — viz., xVpril 18th — are the exception 

 rather than the rule. On the first of the above 

 tuonth snow commenced to fall, and the morning 

 of t he 2nd resembled mid-winter, tiie ground and 

 ci'ops l)eing under snow, which fell again on the 

 Kith, and witl) it 1(>° of frost. Altliough of 

 unusual severity it serves to em])basise the 

 necessity of liaving. all plants raised under glass, 

 such as Peas aiid Broad Beans, thoroughly 

 hardened off before planting, and also giving 

 them some protection, such as that aft'orded by 

 spruce or other boughs on the north and easterly 

 side. 



Potatoes. ^The earliest crop out of doors 

 should, under ordinary conditions, require earth- 

 ing during tl)e present uniutli. Any artificial 

 stimulant intended for them should be applied 

 as early as possil)le before this is done. .Maincrop 

 A'arietles should have the soil loosened between 

 them as often as necessary to keep down weed 

 growth and 'ilso to conserve the moisture in the 

 ground should the weather be warm and dry, as 

 frequently happens this month. 



Winter CJreens. — The beds or drills con' 

 taining these plants should be carefully watched 

 for weed growth and attended to before tlie latter 

 geti too large, otherwise the plants will soon get 

 smothered and weakly in consequence. 



B TNNER Beans. — After planting staking should 

 be carried out, and the firmer this can be done the 

 ):)etter able will be the rows to withstand wind 

 and weather, lender good conditions of growth 

 the plants shoidd easily top fourteen foot stakes, 

 and if stout poles can be inserted, at each end of 

 the rows and every ten yards in addition, and 

 stout cord or wire stretched froni end to end in 

 two or three rows, this will make them secure. A 

 further sowing out of doors this month will, if 

 necessary, provide a succession. 



Dwarf Beans.— These may be sown at 

 intervals on well enriched arid worked ground. 

 Xegro Loiigpod is an excellent variety requiring 

 a yard between each double row and a foot 

 between the plants. Keep the soil loosened with 

 the Dutch hoe, and when the rough leaves foriu 

 draw a litth' soil to the plants, which will hel]) 

 to support them. It is said that the dUst arising 

 from the working of the soil, and especially when 

 moist with dew, is a preventive of red s]iidei'. 



Peas. — Continue to sow maincrop varieties- 

 allowing a little more space for large branching 

 varieties. Work the hoe well beside earlier rows 

 that are growing, aiul if very hot weather prevails 

 a mulch of strawy litter or even short grass 

 mowings will be beneficial. Mildew during this 

 month hardly makes an appearance, but should 

 it do so syringe with an insecticide. 



TrRNiPS. — Select a shady site for sowing these, 

 as a (luick growth is necessary for supplying 

 succulent roots, ^luch depends on the weather, 

 l)Ut if it is dry well soak the drills with water 

 before .sowing the seed, and a dusting of wood- 

 ashes, or Turnip manure, or Supei-phosphate will 

 help them. Covering the drills aftei-wards with 

 short grass mowings will keep the ground moist 

 and also prevent attacks of the Turnip flea or 

 beetle. Bed (^lobe is an excellent variety for hot 

 soils and weathers. 



Tomatoes. — Towards the end of the month 

 plants may be put out of doors, when well 



