IRISH GARDENING 



47 



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The Month's Work 



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i5y Mr. \V. H. Lee, Gardener to Viscount Powers- 

 coiiit, K.P., Eniiiskeny, Co. Wirklow. 



Work under Glass. 



INERIES.— As soon as the 

 berries are seen to be swell- 

 ing again after the stoning 

 period, a sliglitly higher tem- 

 perature should be main- 

 tained. Examine the bor- 

 ders and it they require 

 watering give a good soaking 

 of tepid water, and innnedi- 

 ately after another watering 

 of weak liquid manure. On 

 warm days the paths and 

 bordi;'rs should be kept fre- 

 quently damped down with 

 uiamue water. Eneourage 

 late kinds of grapes to make- vigorous growth by 

 syringing the r.xls twice every day, and keeping 

 plenty of moisture in the house. Avoid over- 

 crowding the foliage, particularly in the case of 

 Muscats. Attend to the thinning as the grapes 

 go out of bloom, and connnence with the free 

 setters, such as Hamburg's first, and the shy 

 setters should lie left until it is seen which berries 

 are fertilised by their taking the lead. The opera- 

 tion of thinning is always best done early and late 

 in the day or on dull day.5 when the temperature 

 is cool. 



Peaches. — In the earliest houses the fruit will 

 now be swelling rapidly, and there being a 

 favourable crop it will be found best to remove 

 the smaller fruit. The slioots should be well tied 

 in to give the fruit all the sun and air possible. 

 See there is no trace of fly or red spider, and if 

 there is apply an ini?ecticide and syringe forcibly 

 on the under side of the leaves. As soon as the 

 first signs of maturity are noticed ventilate freely 

 on all fine days and cease syringing the trees. 

 Di.sbudding will require constant attention in late 

 liouseo. This operation should be performed at 

 intervals not all at one time. 



Strawberhies. — The first batch of Strawberries 

 will now be colouring. Give the plants plenty of 

 air, and they should have a position where they 

 would have full advantage of the sun. 



Melons. — Plants planted in houses and frames 

 should have their growths trained out at regular 

 intervals, and if fruit is required at au early date, 

 the points pinched out so as to throw some of the 

 energies of the plant into the side shoots, and thus 

 obtain an early set. 



Increase the quantity of moisture to the roots 

 as the days lengthen. 



Cucumbers should be encouraged to grow by 

 applying a light top-dressing of soil and maniu'e. 

 Damp the planto early morning and at noon, and 

 shade from the hot sun. 



Tomatoes sliould be planted in their fruiting pot 

 or boxes. Avoid too rank a soil for planting, imt 

 leave plenty of room for top-dressing. 



KiTCHEN Garden. 



General Work. — The young seedlings of Cab- 

 bage, Cauliflower, Borecole, etc., sown last month 

 should be pricked off for ijlantiug in their per- 

 manent quarters later on. Full sowings of Broccoli 

 to form a succession should be made. Don't forget 

 that useful variety the Purple-sprouting. It is a 

 conunon complaint that this vegetable comes in too 

 late in the sjiring, when the ground is wanted for 

 spring planting. But if the Early Christmas 

 Sprouting variety is .sown it will .l)e found at least 

 six weeks earlier. 



Asparagus and Si-routing Kales are also most 

 useful greens to grow. Sow plenty of Drumhead 

 and small varieties uf Savoy, and make successional 

 sowings of Ijcttuce, Beans, Turnips and Peas. 

 Harden off Caiiliflnwer and Brussels Si^routs in 

 Irames, and plant out in showery weather in their 

 permanent beds. Earth up Potatoes as required. 



Carrot. — The main crop should be sown as soon 

 as a suitable time offers. Ground that was well 

 manured for the previous crop and left rough over 

 the winter is most suitable, the soil should be 

 deep, fine, and friable. Sow the intermediate 

 varieties in rows one foot apart and thin out to 

 about nine inches apart. Salsify and Chicory 

 should also be sown in similar soil. 



"Vegetable Marrows. — Sow in heat early this 

 month for planting out early next month. Sow 

 seed in small i)ots in a compost of leaf soil and 

 loam, and as soon as they have germinated keep 

 them near the glass to ensure sturdy growth, and 

 harden off before planting out. About the end of 

 the month 5eed can be sown outside on heaps of 

 nianru-e on which beds of soil have been prepared. 

 Hand lights form a good protection until fear of 

 frost has disappeared, failing these a few branches 

 of evergreens should be laid by for protection at 

 night. 



Onions. — Wluii Onions have been sown under 

 glass in heat and pricked off into boxes, they will 

 now be ready for planting out in properly pre- 

 paied ground. The situation should be quite open 

 and the groinid thoroughly enriched with good, 

 well-rotted farmyard manure. A dressing of soot, 

 wood ashes, lime or bone meal should be forked 

 in previous to ])lanting, or, failing these, a light 

 dressing of superphosijhate or kainit will answer. 

 Tread the ground very firm and plant out at least 

 one foot apart if large bulbs are required. When 

 Onion seedlings in cold frames are a couple of 

 inches high they should also be planted out. Keep 

 the roots well spread out and well firmed. 



Celery. — The trenches should be prepared in ad- 

 vance of i)lanting out time. They should be two 

 feet wide and a foot deep, with four feet spaces 

 between them. A good layer of well-decomposed 

 farmyard manure should be dug into the bottom 

 of the trenches and left rough until planting time. 

 The spaces between the trenches should be utilised 

 for sowing Lettuce and Radish. Plant.? in frames 

 should be kept growing without a check and at 

 no jjeriod of growth .should suffer from dryness. 



Hardy Fruits. 

 The grafting of fruit trees should now be done. 

 The Pears and Plums should have first attention, 

 as growth is earlier with them than with Apples. 

 A good, sharp knife, strong binding material and 

 grafting wax, or clay mixtiu'e, should be ready to 

 hand, also the cuttings or primings which have 

 been laid in luider a north wall, and are now in- 

 tended for scion.3. It is better to graft late than 

 too early, but early this month generally gives 

 good results. Whip or tongue grafting or crown, or 



