64 



IRISH GARDENING 



trolling sc-ab on Braiiiley, (ireiiadier and. Hleu- 

 lieiiu Orange. One orthard was sprayed three 

 times last year at above strength, and a fourth 

 spraying at 1 to 00 with lime-sulphur alone was 

 api)litMl lightly the lirst week in August. These 

 trees an- now ])raetieally free from eggs of a])])le 

 sucker, although very i)lentiful last spring. I am 

 of the o|)inion till I see fui'ther tests, that lime- 

 sid])hur renders the trees untenable to adult 

 suckers. Varieties like Cox's Orange, Duchess of 

 Oldenburg. Allington. Uladstone and Lane's 

 I'rince Albert — the latter showed some scorching 

 with lime-sulphur alone. I would recommend 

 spraying these and similar delicate leaved sorts 

 with one gallon lime-suliJhur to 00 or 70 gallons 

 of water. Herrod's scab and caterpillar paste, 

 and a similar paste made by Voss, of London, 

 have also shown good results. The success of 

 fungicides largely depends on their timely 

 application in advance of the fungus disease they 

 are intended to subdue. If scab gets a footing 

 fungicides may check its virulence, but. it is 

 invariably at the exi)ense of the scab affected 

 leaves dro]i])ing more quickly than if they had 

 been left unsprayed, then the spray is forthwith 

 condemned and j)ublicly denounced as being 

 worse than the .scab disease itself. 



Strawberries. — These .should now be hoed 

 and thoroughly freed from weeds without delay ; 

 afterwards a good dressing of soot sown broad- 

 cast, just enough to blacken them well, and then 

 hoed in will act beneficially in reducing slugs for 

 the remainder of the season. (\)llect suitable 

 litter to spread between the plants to prevent the 

 fruit from getting splashed. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By Arthur IIorton, Gardener to Colonel Claude 

 Cane, St. Wolstan's, Celbridge. 



AypARACiU.s. — Early in the present month is a 

 suitable time for making new beds of asparagus. 

 The i)reparation of the bed is a very important 

 ])oint, and in all cases should be well drained. If 

 thoroughly made and the plants get well estab- 

 lished, with ordinary care they will remain 

 productive for a great number of years. A deep 

 friable loam is the most suitable for this vegetable. 

 but it will thrive on most soils if proper care is 

 given to the ])reparation and planting of the bed. 

 Beds 4 feet in width and allowing an alley of 

 2 feet between each bed will be found most 

 suitable. Trench at least 3 feet deep, and give a 

 good dressing of fresh farmyard manure as the 

 work proceeds. On heavy retentive soils give a 

 good coating of road scrajungs, lime rubbish and 

 wood ashes, and raise the bed 9 inches above the 

 ground level. Tlu-ee lines will be found sufficient : 

 one in the centre and the two outside ones 

 inches from the outside of the bed. In planting, 

 make a wide drill about 4 inches deep, and sjn-ead 

 out the roots evenly and carefully, shake line soil 

 through the roots, and if dry give a good watering. 

 Many cultivators prefer raising their own ])lants 

 by sowing the seed either on the permanent bed 

 or in lines in some other part of the garden, then 

 thinning out to one foot apart and transi)lanting 

 the following Ai)ril. Undoubtedly this is to be 

 recommended, as the plants being on hand the 

 work can be carried out more carefully and any- 

 time when the weather conditions are favourable. 

 This is most imjjortant, as the roots if exposed 

 for any length of time and alhiwed to get dry will 

 be very weak, and many of the plants will fail to 



grow, 'i'herefore the work should be carried tjut 

 on a dull day as carefidly ami expeditiously as 

 l)ossible. Tlie rough manure applied in Novem- 

 ber to I'slablislied t)cds should now b(i raked oi"f. 

 A good sju'inkling of sali will be found very bene- 

 iicial, especially on light soils. Later on, when 

 growth has commenced, a few liglit dressings of 

 artificial manure should be given. 



G1.0BE Artichokes. — The ])resent month is a 

 suitable time for making a fresh plantation of this 

 viseful vegetable. Pro])agation by suckers is 

 ])referable to sowing the seed, as j)lants from tlie 

 latter cannot be depended u])on. I'rocure suckers 

 fi'om a good variety, and great care shoidd be 

 taken when removing them from the old plants 

 to leave as mvich soil and roots on as possible, 

 otherwise they may fail to start. Plant singly, 

 3 feet apart, in deep rich soil. If the ground is 

 in any way dry give a good watering, and earth 

 up each plant with finely sifted coal ashes, which 

 is a great preventive against slugs, and mulch 

 the ground between the plants with long stable 

 manure to prevent undue evai)oration. When 

 suckers are not obtainable sow the seed in a 

 gentle bottom heat, and when the seedlings are 

 large enough ])rick off singly into small pots, 

 harden oft" gradually and plant out by the end of 

 May or early in .June. When seedlings are used 

 it is advisable to i)lant in threes, by so doing 

 unprofitable ]»lants can be removed without 

 making blanks in the line. 



Cauliflowers wintered in cold frames may be 

 planted in their permanent quarters, as early as 

 weather will permit, in a sheltered ])osition. Some 

 protection should be given if cold winds are 

 prevalent. 



Sea-kale. — Plant sea-kale in lines IS inches 

 apart and 1 foot between the sets, and i)lace some 

 coal ashes over each crown. When cuttings 

 taken from roots lifted during winter for forcing 

 are used several shoois will break from the one 

 root ; these must be reduced to one, leaving, of 

 course, the strongest. 



Plant out in well prepared ground i)eas and 

 broad beans sown in boxes last month. It is 

 advisable to afford some protection against cold 

 winds and late frosts until the ])lants get estab- 

 lished ; small branches or ])ea stakes will be 

 suitable for the purpose. 



Onions sowii in .January should be gradually 

 hardened oft" and planted in deeply trenched, well- 

 manured ground by the end of the month. The 

 main crop of potatoes may now be put in with 

 little risk of damage by late frost. 



Seed Sowinci. — French and runner beans sown 

 in boxes about the middle of the month, if not 

 unduly ft>rced and planted out towards the end 

 of May will be ready for use consideral)ly in 

 advance of the first sowings outside, which may 

 be made about the end of April. Two sowings a; 

 least should be made of most of the Brassicas, and 

 some means taken to protect the seeds from the 

 ravages of rats, nuce, birds, &c. Sprinkling the 

 seeds with jjaraffln and red lead previous to 

 sowing is a simi)U' and eft"ective ])reventive 

 Make an outside sowing of leeks for late su])i)lies, 

 also a good sowing of parsley to follow plants 

 raised inside Sow frequent ly small (pianlities of 

 lettuce, spinach, tiu-nips, radishetf and mustard 

 and cress : also good sowings of peas, broad beans 

 and carrots. Seeds of gourds, pum])kins and 

 vegetable marrows, also frame cucumbers, if sown 

 now and ])otted on will make good plants, and 

 will be ready for planting out in their respective 

 positions by ihc end of ^Uay. 



