12 



IRISH GARDENING 



A batch of Sli-a-.vberries in pots should be slavUxl 

 on a shelf close to the glass in the Vniery. Pot 

 Koses should also be i.iuned and started m 

 an earlv house. Chrysauthemum cuttings, if not 

 taken last month, should be put in in quantity 

 to meet requirements. 



Kitchen Garden, 



During the past dry and mild weather no doubt 

 every opportunity lias been taken to dig and 

 trench the ground. To grow vegetables to a high 

 state of excellence proper attention to the pre- 

 paration of the soil is absolutely nee.-3sary, end a. 

 plentiful supply of maiiuie incorporated with it, 

 xhe sooner the trenching is done in the Emtumn 

 the better, so that the weather can pulverise the 

 soil, and it can settle down before cropping time 

 arrives. Even though land be well tilled and 

 manured, it is most essential to arrange the proper 

 rotation of the various crops, a brief example of 

 rotational cropping is lor root ci'ops, such as 

 Carrots, Parsnips, Beet, etc., to follow Brassieas, 

 such as Cabbage, Cauliflower, Sprouts, Kale, etc., 

 and the year following by Peas in trenches, with 

 Potatoes between the rows. Peas, and all members 

 of the Brassica family, should always have a fresh 

 position each year, while Onions, Leeks and Shal- 

 lots can be grown on the same ground for a 

 number of years, as can also Potatoes, if the 

 ground is properly prepared and manured. In 

 the above circle of rotation cropping the ground 

 should be well limed for Brassieas, well manured 

 for Peas and Potatoes, and well trenched without 

 fresh manure for the root crop. 



Carrots.— A sowing of stump-rooted varieties 

 .'ihould be made in pits or frames over a mild hot- 

 bed in fine, light soil, sow twelve inches apart ; 

 a sowing of Radish (French Breakfast) can be 

 made between the rows, and pulled before the 

 Carrots are any size. 



Cauliflower .seed should be sown in boxes, and 

 placed in a warm house or on a hotbed, give 

 plenty of light and air to plants in frames sown 

 in the autumn. 



Onions and Lkkks. — For the production of large 

 specimens a sowing should be made in boxes of 

 rich soil in a warm house; as soon as large enough 

 prick off, and keep close to the glass. 



Potatoes are greatly prized for early supplies; 

 tubers of a good, short-topped early variety that 

 has been laid out in boxes to sprout should be 

 planted on beds of leaves or spent hotbeds, cover- 

 ing witli a light, rich soil with a frame for pro- 

 tection, they can also be grown in large jjots or 

 l)oxes in a cool Vinery. 



French Beans, if required early, should be started 

 in a warm house in i)ots of rich soil ; leave plenty 

 of room for topdressing when the plants are well 

 up. 



Peas and Bhoad Beans can now be sown on a 

 warm border in good, rich soil. If mice are 

 troublesome to the seed cover with some fresh 

 wood ashes as soon as they appear above ground ; 

 to protect them from the blast of cold cutting 

 winds they should be earthed up, and short Beech 

 twigs, with leaves on, for preference, put to the 

 Pea rows. A sowing of Peas should also be made 

 in pots, or narrow- boxes. For planting out later 

 on. 



Tomato anh Cucumher.— A small sowing should be 

 made for early supply ; grow in a warm, even 

 temperature free from draughts. 



Rhubarb, Seakale and Chicory. — A batch of each 



should be introduced into a dark shed or mush- 

 room house, to keex) up a succession. Seakale in 

 liermancnt bed outside should be covered with 

 pots or ashes; and Rhubarb not required for 

 forcing should be divided up for subsequent year's 

 supplies. 



Hardy Fruits. 



The spraying of Fruit Trees should be finished 

 this month; choose a fine, ciuiet day for the opera- 

 tion; if the trees are badly covered wdth lichen, a 

 good caustic solution is best, but for general pur- 

 IJoses lime sulphur wash will keep the trees clean 

 and free from pests. . American blight has been 

 very bad during the past season. Clear aw-ay all 

 loose bark and lichen from the trees, and well rub 

 the affected part with a partly worn brush, using 

 a paraffin preparation, methylated spirits, or 

 Gishurst's Compound, working it well in cracks 

 and crevices. A selection of suitable shoots or scions 

 from Apple and Pears should be saved if you in- 

 tend grafting later on. See that each shoot is well 

 ripened ancl carefully label and lay-in under a 

 north wall for use in March or April. Cut back 

 trees intended for grafting. 



Red and White Currants should be pruned uu 

 the spur system, and Black Currants should have 

 old wood thoroughly cleaned out. Peach trees on 

 walls should be i^runed and tied when the weather 

 is not favourable for work in open plantations. 



MoRELLO Cherries should also be pruned or 

 tied in the same manner as Peaches, but Sweet 

 Cherries should be pruned in the same manner as 

 Plums. The pruning of Plums and Gooseberries 

 in some gardens is very often best left to the last 

 where birds are troublesome. Cuttings of Currants 

 and Goaseberries, if yoa want to increase your 

 stock, should be taken off with a heel about one 

 foot in length, pick off all the eyes to a height of 

 six inches from the base. Strawberries should be 

 cleaned and forked lightly between, and mulched 

 with some long manure. Owing to the dry summer 

 and the small amount of rain that has fallen in 

 some districts it will be found that wall trees and 

 also large trees in the open ground will require 

 watering. Walls are sometimes very sheltered from 

 the winter's rain, which is also the cause of their 

 unfruitfulness. 



Flower Garden .\nd Pleasure Grounds. 



The very mild weather has made the grass grow-, 

 and Lawns should lie well rolled after w-et w-eather. 

 l^eaves should be raked and swept up and either 

 reserved for hotbeds or carted in some out-of-the- 

 way place to rot. as there is nothing lietter for 

 use in planting tiees and shrubs, also for top- 

 dressing and digging into flower borders. 



If Sweet Peas wci-e sown in the autumn they 

 should be kept as hardy as possible, a cold frame is 

 the most suitable place, with plenty of light and 

 free ventilation. If not already sown the end of 

 the month is a good time to do so in either pots 

 or boxes. Avoid having the soil too moist, sow a 

 quarter of an inch deep, and press lightly, keep 

 covered until seed has germinated, then give full 

 light and plenty of ventilation. 



Violets in frames .shoidd be carefully attended 

 to, decayed leaves picked off, and a watering with 

 soot-water will be found beneficial. 



Antirrhinums should be sown in boxes, and 

 placed in a warm house, or on a mild hotbed; if 

 large quantities are wanted for bedding they should 

 he sown at intervals, if not the picking out coming 

 all at one time may interfere with more important 

 work. 



