IRISH GAiiDEiNlNG 



79 



off the pretty, pendulous tlowers. but they must 

 only be used for the more sheltered vases. Mar- 

 guerites are suitable for a windy l)osition, also 

 strong-growing Geraniums, sueh as Paul Crampel. 

 A nice si)ecimen Cordyline, with an edging of 

 some trailing plant to hang over the sides, looks 

 well where bright colour is not essential. The 

 Ivy-leaved (iei'aniums are ideal for large vases : 

 if a number are planted thickly together, they 

 can either be all left to fall down and ramble from 

 the vase to the ground, or tne inner ]ilants can 

 be tied to stakes, and a higher effect is secured. 

 Large tubs filled with plants are very suitable 

 for placing at intervals on terraces or broad 

 gravel walks. Cordyline indivisa, Phormuin- 

 tenax, and the variegated foi'm. Agave?, Myrtles, 

 Ilydraneea hortensis, and x\gapantnus, white 

 and blue, may be used in this way, and will last 

 for a number oi years if ])roperly treated. The 

 objection to this phase ot flower gardening is the 

 amount ot greenhouse si)ace the plants occupy 

 during tne winter months. Another way is to 

 x'efill annually with such things as Sweet Peas. 

 Marguerites, Calceolaria amplexicaulis. and 

 Geraniums. The tubs can then be emptied when 

 frost occurs in autunin and stored in a shed. 



Annuals sown in beds or borders need timely 

 attention to thinning. The chief drawback to 

 this class of jilants being used more extensi\ ely 

 than they are is the short season of flowering. 

 Judicious thinning will lengthen the time, also 

 keei)ing all seed vessels picked oft" and wateiing 

 witli liquid nianure. In thinning, it is well to go 

 over tne plants three times, removing a few each 

 time. Thin finally when tne ])lants have three 

 ])airs of rough leaves, and let the jdants stand 

 () incfies apart, a little more or less, according to 

 the variety. 



Pkopagatixg Plants for Spring Bkdding. — 

 Furnisliing the beds for summer effect and pro- 

 ])agating for next spring goes on about the same 

 time. Wallflower, Alyssum, Myosotis, and Poly- 

 antlu's should be sown on a birder. Aubrietia 

 and Ai'abis may be propagated by cuttings 

 placed in a frame, and shaded from bright sun- 

 shine. 



Herbaceous Borders. — Scuffle among these to 

 kee]) down weeds. Thin out the growths of such 

 ])lants as Phlox, Asters, and Solidago. A few 

 strong growths will give a better dis])lay than a 

 crowd of weakly ones. 



Forced Bulbs. — These nuiy l)e planted out 

 in tiie grass, on the margin o* shrubberies, or 

 under trees. In a few years they will flower as 

 freely as new bulbs. By |ilantiiig now it is 

 ])()ssible to ascertain the ])osition of ])atches from 

 previous plantings. Avoid fornuil lines or groU])s, 

 let the aim be so to arrange that when comulete the 

 whole shall have a natural or wild a])pearance. 

 If there is a large quantity, and a fresh si)ace is 

 to be planted, it is best to allow the bulbs to 

 rii)en in the boxes : shake out when dry, and 

 ]ilant in September. 



Roses. — (h-eenfly is sure to nuike its a])])ear- 

 ance this month. One i)ouiid of soft soa]) dis- 

 solved in boiling water, and tlien mor(» water 

 added to make G gallons, niay be used forsi>raying. 

 Quassia extract, used according to the makers 

 instructions, is very safe and effectual, or tlie 

 Quassia chips may be boiled for fifteen minutes. 

 1 lb. being sufficient to make i gallons of s])raying 

 fluid. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By Peteu Brock, Horticultural Instructor 

 for Co. Fermanagh. 



Owing to the exceedingly wet time we have ex- 

 perienced from the first of February to niid- 

 A])ril, the cultivation and cleaning of truit trees 

 and bi'shes is, in many places, a long way behind, 

 especially on heavy soils, which have become 

 crusted on the surface from the long-continued 

 heavy rains. Xo opportunity should be missed 

 to loosen the crust, eradicate weeds, and get the 

 surface into a friablecondition, forming a mulch of 

 fine earth that will lessen escape of nujistiire if a 

 period of very di'y weather should set in. Lately 

 planted trees, especially those on porous .soils, 

 may require watering ; if so, give sufficient to 

 moisten the soil to the lowest roots, and after- 

 wards kee]> tlie surface soil stirred occa.sionallj 

 with the hoe. 



Frost — This month is generally a critical 

 period for the fruit crops : a few degrees of frost 

 may blight the brightest prospects. vSmudge 

 fires ijfaced on the frosty windward side and .set 

 agoing when the temperature falls near the 

 freezing point will lessen considerably the effect 

 of several degrees of frost. Smudge pots for use 

 with oil and other burning materials are now 

 largely used in s<nue of the princijtal truit - 

 growing districts in America to ])rotect fruit 

 blossom from frost. Fires formed with trim- 

 mings of liedges and other slow burning nuiterial 

 will also give good results in warding off sevei-al 

 degrees of frost. 



(ioosEBERRlES. — Where this crop is intended 

 for marketing, give a dressing of nitrate of soda, 

 I lb. to twenty square yards, will hasten the 

 swelling of the fruit to a marketable size. Any 

 grass suckers tending to overcrowd the centre of 

 the bush snould be rubbed oft". If sawHy or 

 magx)ie nmth caterpillars are known to exist in 

 the plantation, spray the bushes with 1 lb. 

 arsenate of lead to 25 gallons water. Api)ly 

 fx'om a single, small nozzle, under a liigh ]iressure, 

 directing the spray downwards, so that the u])pi-r 

 side of tne leaves may be evenly dewed. This 

 spraying should be done when the fruit is about 

 the size of green peas. 



Raspberries. — Remove any excess of weak 

 suckers from base of stools, leaving one or two 

 more than will be required for next year. Catch 

 the suckers near the ground, aiul with a sharp 

 jerk pull them oft" from the heel. All useless 

 suckers between the clumps or lines should be 

 lioed out. 



Strawbekkies. — Attend to hoeing and thor- 

 oughly freeing the ])lants from weeds. Cut the 

 toi) oft" runners unless where required for layering. 

 Ai)i)ly straw or other litter to prevent the truit 

 fromgetting s])lashed. . If the weather should be 

 dry and warm, a g*)od soaking with manure 

 water or even clean water will inatei'ially assist 

 the develo])nu'nt of large and well-finished fruit. 



Aphides. — If the weather be dry and accom- 

 panied by cutting winds, kee]) a shari) look out 

 for aphides — bi'tter ktiown as greenfly^which 

 infest peaches, plum-, cherries, ciirrants, and 

 a])ples. If allowed to renuiin unchecked till they 

 curl the leaves, they are then very difficult to get 

 at except by immersing the shoot or branch in 

 insecticide. Tliere are many insecticides on the 

 market now^adays for economically destroying 



