IRISH GARDENING. 



69 



beds." It is much better to reserve sufficient not be made too rich with farmyard manure, 

 space to accommodate, say, three dozen plants otherwise too much growth takes place and 

 at 2|. f eet apart, and having dug it deeply the fruits set poorly. The soil should be 

 plant as soon as possible in May. Previous to thoroughly broken up and pulverised some 

 planting, the ground should be w^ell trod over Weeks previous to planting, and subsequently 

 and the plants made very firm when planted, made firm when putting out the plants. The 

 It is easy to say give a good soaking of water latter must be thoroughly hardened off before 

 if the weather be dry at planting time, but most putting out at the end of May, and are better 

 Allotment fields are not supplied with water, if showing the first flower truss. Cultivation 

 so the next best thing is to ply the hoe assidu- is practically the same as for house-grown 

 ously between the 

 plants and keep 

 the surface loose 

 and friable. Given 

 attention in this 

 respect there 

 should result a 

 supply of "greens" 

 from November 

 till March. 



HORTUS. 



Tomatoes out 

 of Doors 



Tomatoes out of 

 doors are as a rule 

 a somewhat un- 

 certain crop, and 

 certainly this sea- 

 son so far as the 

 middle of April, 

 has not been con- 

 ducive to thoughts 

 of experimenting 

 with anything pre- 

 carious. However, 

 in an averagely 

 good summer and 

 autumn, fair re- 

 sults are possible, 

 and with the like- 

 lihood of restricted 

 imports and the 

 pressing need for 



^SSStM^J^^fit^ 





*-"-:;i5"^ ir-JVw JKv T>ray,i 



rh,to by] 



Saxifraga apicflata alba 



In the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 



[U. M. PoUocli 



23lants, maintain- 

 ing a single stem 

 by rubbing out 

 all side -growths as 

 they appear. As 

 the plants grow 

 and produce more 

 flowers, and when 

 the lower flowers 

 are set and the 

 fruits swelling, li- 

 quid manure may 

 be applied with 

 advantage, always 

 in dry weather, 

 soaking the soil 

 with clear Water 

 first. If ordinary 

 liquid be not 

 available. Nitrate 

 of Soda or any 

 quick-acting arti- 

 ficial manure may 

 be used at the 

 rate of about a 

 t a b 1 e s po onf u 1 

 si^rinkled r o u n d 

 each plant and 

 watered in about 

 once a fortnight. 

 The gro^^■er must 

 be guided by the 

 condition of his 

 plants as to the 

 amount of feeding 

 wanted on light 

 Towards the end 



increased production it required ; more will be 



may be worth while making the attempt, soils than on heavy. 



In all private gardens Tomatoes indoors of the growing season; wb n the nights are 



are a staple crop, and as seedlings are becoming colder feeding may cease, as it is 



easily raised there is usually no difficulty in unlikely to do much good. Fruits which do 



growing on a sufficient number to allow for not seem likely to fully mature out of doors 



out-door planting. may be cut (although green) and hung up 



The end of May or early June will be soon indoors, where many of them will gradually 



enough for planting, and if possible the plants turn red and become quite fit for use. 



should be placed against a sunny wall. There Some growers, especially in Scotland, grow on 



is often sufficient space between fruit trees on the plants in pots all the season, standing them 



walls to allow of a number of Tomato plants out in sunny places during the summer, and 



being grown at 2 feet apart. The soil should in this Avay get very good crops. It is n^ces- 



