1 86 



IRISH GARDENING 



The Month's Work. 



The Flower Garden. 



By Wm. G. Wadge, Gardener to Lady O'Neill, 

 Shane's Castle, Antrim. 



To the average man or woman a garden in 

 December is as uninterestin;^ as a desert, but the 

 garden-lover can be interested in his garden and 

 its occupants any month of the twelve. The 

 former will not only desert his garden, but will 

 almost banish it from his thoughts, while the latter 

 will be full of ]»lans for its im|irovement, and 

 enjoying, in anticipation, next season's display. 

 In winter-work lies the foundation of success 

 the following sumnier. and nothing can be done 

 in May or .Tune to atone for neglect in trenching 

 and other work that should be attended to now. 

 Regulate the work according t) the weather. 

 Take advantage of the ground being hard after 

 frost to carry out any operations calling for 

 carting or wheeling- Any arrears of ]ilanting 

 should be finished immediately, if weather and 

 soil are suitable. The heavy rains in November 

 have shown u\) the wet places in the garden. 

 Any necessary draining shoiild be carried out 

 now. All drains in drives and walks should be 

 examined, and any accvimvilations of leaves and 

 rubbish cleared away from gratings, that all 

 surface water may get away quickly. Flower beds 

 that have lost their original sha])e ii^ay be taken 

 in hand, and by cutting a ])iece off in one place 

 and drawing the edge out in another the defects 

 can be remedied. Any hollows in the lawns 

 should be levelled and ])atches rendered bare by 

 hard wear or the drip of trees should be returfed. 

 In filling uj) hollows, avoid using too rich soil, or 

 the grass here will grow much stronger than that 

 surrounding, and cause a patchy appearance. A 

 good proportion of finely-sifted coal ashes may be 

 used with advantage. Any flower beds or border 

 not planted for spring effect should be dug or 

 better trenched. Leave the surface quite rough, 

 the birds and the weather will then do their share 

 towards making the soil fertile and free of insect 

 pests. 



Shrubberies. — In most large gardens there is 

 a big demand for branches of evergreens at 

 Christmas for decorating various institutions, as 

 well as the mansion. The i)runing pro])er, of 

 shrubs, is best left till s])ring ; but thinning or 

 shortening of large branches may be done now, 

 and the ]>runings set aside for decorative purijoses. 

 The decidvious trees have all cast their leaves. 

 For present appearance and our future peace of 

 mind, those that have fallen or been carried by 

 winds into shrubberies should be raked out and 

 burnt, or ])laced in a hea]> to decay. The result- 

 ing conipost will benefit the shrubs if returned 

 to the soil next season. If any manure can be 

 spared for shrubs, dig it in lightly, using a fork. 



Violets. — These have been blooming freely 

 outside, but now the frame plants niust supply 

 the demand. They cannot be forced by keeping 

 the lights closed. Ventilation nmst be afforded 

 freely at all times, except during frosts, when the 

 frames must be covered with mats or other 

 material. Pick off any decaying leaves. If the 

 soil greens over stir it with a hand fork. The 



lights should be tlioroughly waslied, so that the 

 maximum of light and sunslinc may reacli the 

 ])lants. 



Protecting Plants. — Many ])lants are now 

 grown in the open or on walls that are not 

 strictly hardy in this ciimatc, and some means 

 must be taken to pi'olect them duiing inclement 

 weather. Dry bracken is one of the best materials 

 for Tea Roses and other dwarf -growing i)lants that 

 require ])rotection for a few inches above the 

 ground. Branches of Yew or Fir are very 

 suitable for ])lacing over shrubs on walls. If 

 long branches are used and secured t-o the wall 

 by a few ties, it is an easy matter to remove them 

 during s]>ells of nxild weather. In no case put on 

 protecting matei'ial vmtil hard weather comes, 

 and take it off as far as practicable when frost 

 is absent. Some plants suffer more froni excessive 

 wet than from frost. Coal ashes placed in a 

 iiiound high in the centre, around the crowns of 

 Delphiniunis, Cam])anulus. Pyrethrums, Liliums, 

 and the like, will kee]) the soil son^ewhat drier, 

 besides acting as a deterrent to slugs. Squares 

 of glass may be fixed over such Alpine plants as 

 dislike nwisture lodging in the leaves. 



General Work. — There is usua,lly time this 

 month to get many odd jobs done that are passed 

 over during the busier months. Tools and tool- 

 houses may be overhauled. A]>art from the aspect 

 of tidiness, it gives a good o])])ortunity to take 

 note of the number and condition of the .stock. 

 Neces.sary re])airs should he carried out, new 

 tools bought! n to make u]) the required numbers, 

 and the shades whitewashed. I^awn mowers, of 

 course, must not be forgotten ; the cutting parts 

 of these should at all times be kept oiled, or rust 

 will play havoc with the steel. All the stakes 

 will have been brought in from the Dahlia 

 quarters and the herVjaceous borders. Tie into 

 bundles those worth retainng and burn the 

 remainder. If the loam stack is in the open, get 

 a good sup]>ly under cover, also leaf -mould and 

 sand. Labels and pegs may be cut and stored 

 away in an orderly manner. If sharp frosts are 

 continued, do not uncover cold franxes every day. 

 Alternate freezing and thawing will do niore harm 

 than ab.sence of light, provided the temi)erature 

 keeps near freezing point. Another reminder 

 sonietimes necessary in severe weather is to 

 protect the ends and sides of frames as well as 

 the lights. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By Peter Brock, Horticultural Instructor 

 for Co. Fermanagh. 



This is generally a dull month, and the order of 

 work will largely depend on the state of the 

 weather and condition of the land for completing 

 l)lanting operations that might have been done 

 last month. Fruit growing, like many other 

 rural industries, is feeling tlie effect of so many 

 of the nation's manhood having answered l^ord 

 Kitchener's call to hang uji their si)ade and take 

 u)) the rifle in defence of the ICm])ire. It is the 

 duty of those who are left behind to make every 

 effort to koej) in good order the work .so well 

 begun by those who have gone to the front. 

 Digging, trenching, or ploughing, prejiaratory to 

 ])lanting in sjiring, should be attended t-o on all 



