IRISH GARDENING. 



Ill 



Strawberry Runners. — These should be 

 secured as soon as possible ; from a bed planted 

 the previous year you will get the best and 

 strongest runners. There are various methods 

 of propagating the runners — either layering 

 them in 3-inch pots or cutting them off and 

 planting in a close frame, shading them for a 

 few days from the sun. The method I have 

 adopted is this : cut pieces of good loam about 

 3 inches square and peg your runner to the 

 top of it ; once they root into it there is not 

 so much danger of them suffering for the want 

 of water as in the small pots : after about 

 three weeks they can be severed from the parent 

 plant and packed into a cool place, ready either 

 for potting or planting. 



Peaches, Apricots and Nectarines have 

 finished stoning. The fruit should be thinned 

 finally ; at the commencement of thinning- 

 remove all badly placed fruits and these in 

 contact with the wall or wires. It is a tempta- 

 tion to allow the trees to carry too many fruits, 

 but over-cropping never pays in either of the 

 three subjects. 9 to 12 inches apart each way 

 for Peaches and Nectarines, and 4 to 6 inches 

 for Apricots. Keep the syringe going, also be 

 careful not to allow them to become dry at the 

 root. 



Weak liquid manure may with advantage be 

 applied to all bush fruit, including Currants, 

 Raspberries and Loganberries, the latter two 

 should be kept neatly tied to wires or stakes. 



Flower Garden. 



Roses of all sorts are now at their best, and 

 require, and well repay, a little extra attention 

 in the way of manurial assistance. Remove all 

 dead blooms at least once a week, and gather 

 petals for Pot Pourri. The rambler type, as soon 

 as the flowers are past, should be cut back to a 

 good bud, so as to give the young growth a 

 chance to extend ; tie in long growth loosely. 

 If mildew makes its appearance take early pre- 

 cautions to combat the attack with a good 

 mildew specific. 



Carnations should be layered as soon as 

 possible if you want good plants for next year, 

 a light compost of sand, loam and leaf soil should 

 be placed round each stock plant for the layer to 

 root in. 



Sweet Peas. — On no account allow the plants 

 to form seed pods, or your bloom will soon be 

 over for the year. They should be removed at 

 least once a week. Give them a good watering 

 with liquid manure or some good fertilizer. 



The flower-bed occupants are filling their 

 allotted spaces, and they require attention in 

 the way of removing dead fiowers and weeds 

 and keeping them as neat and trim as possible. 



Prick off Wallflower seedlings, also Myosotis, 

 Polyanthus and Double Daisies. 



Hoe between the Violets and remove any 

 runners. 



Hedges. — The present month is a good one 

 to trim evergreen hedges, as the growth for the 

 year is nearly over, and they look well for a 

 whole year, and one clipping does. 



Stake Hollyhocks and Dahlias if not already 

 done, also weed and stake all tall plants in 

 herbaceous border. Keep a tidy appearance by 

 having the walks clean. 



Southern and Western Counties 



By EiiNEST Beckftt, Gardener to Lord 

 Barrymore, Fota. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Sunshine and frequent showers of rain have 

 caused a wonderful growth of all kinds, including 

 weeds, which have been rampant, and owing to 

 the rain hoeing was often out of the question, and 

 hand weeding has of necessity to be done, 

 especially where inter-cropping was practised and 

 wliere the exact locality of seeds was not known. 

 The system of marking crops of vegetables by 

 sowing a little Radish seed also in the drills is an 

 excellent one, as germinating more rapidly they 

 serve as a guide, and the ground can be cleared 

 between the rows without any fear of injury. 

 I am sure many will be grateful to the writer 

 who mentioned it in The Garden a few weeks ago, 

 and I merely repeat it for those who did not 

 happen to read it. 



Cabbage. — Never has this crop been so scarce 

 as this season, due to the unusual severity of last 

 winter. Towards the end of the month a start 

 will be made once naore for the supply of plants 

 for next spring cutting. Choose a piece of ground 

 that is known to be fairly clean from weed growth 

 and that has been well worked and manured for 

 the previous crop — a piece of early potato ground 

 suiting admirably — but avoid succeeding any of 

 the Brassica tribe, if possible, to which the 

 Turnip also belongs. Foi'k well over, and before 

 doing so give a good sprinkling of wood ashes and 

 soot ; afterwards break down to as fine a seed- 

 bed as possible, and either sow thinly, broadcast 

 or in drills suflficiently wide apart to allow the 

 hoe between them, during showery weather for 

 preferences. Lightly cover the seed with fine 

 soil, and net against birds, and if the weather be 

 dry damp over with a rose can late in the evening. 

 Sow only reliable varieties which are specially 

 recommended for sowing in the month of July or 

 early August, otherwise a number may bolt 

 instead of hearting. 



Cauliflowers. — Look over the earliest crops 

 frequently and protect the curds by tying up the 

 leaves or breaking them down over them to 

 prevent discoloration by exposure to the sun 

 and air, and any not immediately required may 

 be pulled clean out of the ground by the roots and 

 hung head downwards in a cool, dark shed or 

 cellar. Keep the hoe going between the main- 

 crop sorts, and if time and stimulants can be 

 afforded finer produce will be secured. 



French Beans. — After the middle of the month 

 it is hardly to be expected, unless unusual 

 autumn conditions allow, that sowings will 

 perfect their crops, but, if the convenience of a 

 skeleton frame or protection can be given when 

 the first autunni frosts puts an end to the climbing 

 varieties, later sown Dwarf Beans provide a 

 welcome succession. 



Broccoli. — Late varieties, which mature 

 during April and May, may still be planted on 

 firm ground, such as old Strawberry beds, and the 

 purple sprouting variety between rows of Potatoes 

 and vacant spaces filled up with late Savoys, 

 Cottager and other Kales. 



Parsley. — Transplant the seedlings from the 

 earliest sowing on to good ground, and make 

 a sowing for winter use on ground not too fertile, 

 as the plants will then prove hardier. 



