IRISH GARDENING 



87 



and make a noise. Small seeds may be pro- 

 tected with fine mesh \\ire netting or old tish 

 netting. If the seeds be slightly moistened 

 before sowing and a very little red lead be 

 dusted over them, preferably in some receptacle 

 in which they can be shaken so as to become 

 well covered, they will be safe until the young 

 shoots appear. 



For young seedlings of all kinds just coming 

 through, soot is an excellent dressing. It shoidd 

 be dusted on freely when the leaves are wet, 

 just after rain or at night Avhen dew is falling. 

 Not only is it objectionable to birds and insects, 

 but it is also an excellent stimulant to the 

 plants, as it gradually reaches the roots. Every 

 allotment holder and cottager should save all 

 the soot he can get hold of. To prevent the 

 ravages of Slugs, soot and slaked lime mixed 

 together in equal proportions is excellent when 

 dusted aroinid young Cabbages, Lettuces and 

 other tender seedlings. Caterpillars, which later 

 on become troublesome on Cabbages and 

 Cauliflowers, are best got rid of by hand-picking 

 as soon as they are detected. Soot and lime 

 used freely about the plants as thej^ grow has a 

 deterrent effect. 



Carrots are a favourite cro]3 in most gardens, 

 and often suffer from attack by the dreaded Fly. 

 Early sowings usually suffer most, and many 

 gardeners delay sowing the maincrop until well 

 into May, with the object of escaping the egg- 

 laying season. Soot again is useful dusted 

 along the rows when the seedlings are well up. 

 Thinning should be clone gradually to allow for 

 losses, and after each '" thinning "' the rows 

 should be watered to consolidate the soil round 

 the remaining plants, thus rendering it more 

 difficidt for the Fly to lay her eggs near the fast 

 developing root into which the maggot bores 

 when hatched from the egg. 



Onions are subject to attack by Insects and 

 Fungi. Young Onions are often attacked by a 

 Fly, particularly about the time they are 

 " thinned." The eggs are said to be laid on the 

 leaves and the maggot burrows down to the base 

 of the bulb, where it destroys the roots and gives 

 rise to decay, resulting in the yellowing of the 

 leaves. 



Affected plants should be pulled up and 

 burned. When thinning dust soot about the 

 rows and keep the young plants growing as 

 rapidly as possible by good cultivation ; hoe 

 repeatedly, and as long as possible, between the 

 rows ; water if drought is prolonged, and if 

 possible dust a little artificial manure between 

 the rows during showery weather if the Onions 

 seem at all slow in growth. 

 Mildew frequently attacks spring sown Onions, 



and is soon noticeable from the white powdered 

 appearance of the leaves. It is recommended 

 to dust the plants with lime and sulphur when 

 the leaves are damp ; two parts of lime should 

 be mixed with one part of sulphur. Peas are 

 often attacked by mildew in autumn, more parti- 

 cularly during a long spell of drought. By 

 destroying the leaves the mildew checks greatly 

 the formation of pods and brings the Pea season 

 to a premature close. Keeping the soil moist is 

 the best remedy. Thoroughly loosen the surface 

 soil between the rows either with a fork or hoe ; 

 give a thorough soaking of water, if available, 

 otherwise cover the surface with grass or any- 

 thing that will check evaporation. Failing either 

 of these remedies, continue to hoe the surface 

 assiduously, thereby forming a natural mulch 

 of fine soil. 



The Turnip Fly frequently does enormous 

 damage to the crop while the plants are quite 

 young. In fields it is difficult to cope with this 

 pest, but in the smaller area cultivated in gardens 

 and allotments much may be done to reduce its 

 ravages. The simplest and most readily applied 

 remedy is a mixture of soot and lime dusted on 

 the leaves when they are moist with dew or rain ; 

 this, if persisted in, is effective in preventing the 

 approach of the Fly, and has a stimulating 

 effect on the plants. Those who have short 

 mown grass available will find it beneficial to 

 scatter this freely over the plants and between 

 the rows ; it acts as a mulch, keeps the surface soil 

 moist, and encourages rapid growth, so that the 

 young Turnips soon get beyond the stage at 

 which the Fly can do them any harm. 



As the season goes on and crops mature and 

 are taken up, arrange to fill the space with an 

 entirely different croj), and above all cultivate 

 the ground thoroughly by deep digging and 

 constant hoeing. Never allow weeds to make 

 headway, as many of them are allied to our 

 garden crops and act as hosts for many pests in 

 the absence of the more succulent garden 

 product. 



The Ground Cherry. 



Prunus fruticosa. Syn. p. Cham^cerasus. 



This is an interesting and rather pretty Cherry 

 for the rock garden, forming long rather 

 tortuous branches which do not rise to any great 

 height from the ground. It is useful for planting 

 near the to^J of a sloping bank, when the branches 

 will extend to a considerable distance and, from 

 their position, display the flowers to the 

 observer. The flowers are pure white, borne in 

 clusters of 3 or 4, while the small glossy green 

 leaves are also attractive, 



