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IRISH GARDENING. 



Women on the Land. 



That women can play an important part in the 

 production of food will be readily conceded by 

 anyone who troubles to look round the Allotment 

 Areas about Dublin or, very likely, any of our 

 large cities. Every evening they can be seen 

 busily helping the men to maintain and cultivate 

 the plots, and they are mostly women who have 

 been busy with household duties all day. 



Gardening as a career for women has been 

 advocated for some years now, and not a few 

 ladies have proved themselves capable of acquiring 

 the necessary knowledge and experience to suc- 

 cessfully manage an all-round garden, showing 

 usually a distinct preference for jflower growing 

 both for market and home use. 



The submarine campaign, however, has turned 

 everyone's thoughts to the question of food 

 production, and with the absence of so many 

 millions of able-bodied men there is now a distinct 

 and urgent need for women to apply themselves 

 to vegetable growing for food, and the need will 

 not be less when the war is over. It is clearly a 

 question for healthy young ladies who can afford 

 to devote a year or two in acquiring experience 

 and training. 



The provision of training centres is impoi'tant, 

 and to this end people who have large private 

 grounds and gardens can do nuich. 



Several Schools of Gardening exist in Ireland, 

 and good work is done in instructing ladies in 

 practical fruit and vegetable culture. There is 

 room for many more however. 



In England much progress has been made in 

 the provision of Schools and Colleges for training 

 women in gardening. 



Within the last year or two, at " Craigen- 

 dowie," near Preston, Mr. and Mrs. Eitchings 

 have established a large garden worked on 

 commercial lines. The Vvork is apparently done 

 entirely by the women students, who thus receive 

 a thoroughly practical training, which is the first 

 essential in the making of a first-class gardener. 

 Mrs. Eitchings herself has had a sound practical 

 training, and no doubt knows that no young 

 woman, however well e<lucated, can acquire in a 

 few months the knowledge it takes intelligent 

 men years to acquire. 



An illustrated brochure lies before us showing 

 admirably the practical nature of the training 

 at " Craigendowie." Therein we see women 

 digging, planting, ploughing, harrowing, and 

 taking the produce to market. 



We would be glad to hear of many sucli 

 practical schools in Ireland. 



Answers to Correspondents. 

 Treatment of Lily of the Valley. 



As the Lily of the Valley flowered badly this year 

 it is likely that the " crowns " have become too 

 crowded, and consequently too weak to flower. 

 Growth is well advanced now, therefore nothing 

 in the way of lifting can be done at present, and 

 topdressing is likewise impossible. Liquid 

 manure applied once a fortnight from now until 

 the leaves show signs of ripening off would assist 

 greatly in strengthening the crowns. Liquid from 



the cow-shed diluted with three times its volume 

 of water would be suitable ; the liquid from sheep 

 manure soaked in water woiild also be beneficial. 



In autumn a part of the bed or beds might be 

 lifted and replanted. Prepare a new bed by 

 digging at least one foot deep, thoroughly 

 pulverising the soil, and at the same time incor- 

 porating a good dressing of well-decayed manure 

 and leaf soil. 



Lily of the Valley grows naturally in shady 

 situations in loose leafy soil, and this fact pro- 

 vides a guide to cultivation. Eeplant the 

 strongest crowns only, discarding the weak ones 

 unless wanted to increase stock, when they, too, 

 can be planted in the same way. In winter, when 

 the leaves have all died off, clean all the beds 

 and mulch with a coujDle of inches of rotten 

 manure or leaf soil. 



Rambler Roses in Pots. 



Varieties of the Dorothy Perkins type which you 

 name are readily struck from cuttings. As sug- 

 gested, they should be put in early in October, 

 allowing a foot between the cuttings to give 

 ample room for development the following 

 summer While growing they should be carefully 

 staked up, and only three or four of the best 

 shoots allowed to each cutting. The following 

 October they should be good plants with wel"- 

 developed roots and shoots six or seven feet long, 

 perhaps more. The plants may then be carefully 

 lifted, preserving as many roots as possible, and 

 potted into pots large enough to accommodate 

 the roots comfortably, but avoid using too large 

 pots. Use a compost of good loam with, say, 

 one-third of sand if the loam be heavy, less 

 if it is light : add also to each bai^rowful of loam 

 a couple of spadefuls of dried cow manure and a 

 five-inch potful of crvished bones. Pot firmly and 

 give each plant a good watering when finished ; 

 for a fortnight or so after potting syringe the 

 Eoses on bright days to keep them plump until 

 the roots begin to grow. They may then be 

 plunged in any convenient place till the end of 

 the year. 



It is not wise to commence forcing too early 

 the first season : Eamblers, of course, unlike the 

 bush Eoses, flower on wood of the previous 

 year's growth, and consequently so soon after 

 lifting it is not in such good condition for bearing 

 flowers, though with reasonable care a good 

 display may be had. Early in .January will be 

 time enough to bring them into the house, 

 beginning with a temperature not exceeding 45° 

 to 48°, increasing to 50° to 55°, a month later 

 admitting air by the top ventilators, on the sunny 

 side of the house, if the temperature inclines to 

 rise too high ; avoid cold draughts, which are a 

 fruitful cause of mildew. Flowers of sulphur 

 rubbed on to any leaves showing mildew will 

 keep this pest in check. 



If greenfly appears syringe with quassia, half 

 a pint to five gallons of water. Syringe between 

 the pots on bright days, but do not spray too 

 much water about the plants when the weather 

 is cold early in the year. 



After flowering, the shoots which have flowered 

 may be cut back and any repotting or top- 

 dressing done. During summer plunge the pots 

 outside and attend to watering, feeding, and 

 keeping clean, and the following autumn the 

 plants should be well established, 



