8o 



IRISH GARDENING. 



all kinds of aphides without iiijuiiiig tin- leaves 

 on which they prey. The i)reparations of 

 nicotine are most effective, if a little extra ex- 

 l>ense is not considered. For small operations 

 Quassia and soft soap forms a good wash for 

 destroying sucking insects. Steep 2 lbs. Quassia 

 chips in cold water for 12 hours : strain off the 

 cold extract into a t\ib or barrel ; then tPe chii)S 

 may be boiled, and what is extracted by boiling 

 added to the cold extract. Dissolve 1 lb. of soft 

 soap in boiling water and add to the quassia, 

 making 10 gallons of wash. Quassia gives best 

 results when its insecticidal })ro])erties are ex- 

 tracted in cold water. It is very questionable 

 if what is obtained by boiling will cover the cost 

 of fuel. In aijplying a wash for sucking insects 

 it should be ai^plied with force to the underside 

 ot the leaves in such a way that every part of the 

 tree or bush will be reached. If the i>reparation 

 of suitable insecticides is inconvenient, the adver- 

 tisement columns of Irish Gardening show where 

 the pre])ared article can be procured cheaply. 



Spraying for Scab and Caterpillars. — 

 Those who have been unable to get the winter 

 si)raying done satisfactorily have all the more 

 reason to make an effort to attend to summer 

 spraying as directed in last month's Irish 

 Gardening. Scab and caterpillars are respon- 

 sible for heavy annual losses, and unless spraying 

 is attended to so as to keep the trees in a protected 

 condition, the losses are likely to continue and 

 even increase. I may repeat that in spraying 

 for scab and caterpillar, the spray should be 

 ajjplied in a very fine mist from a small nozzle 

 and under a high pressure, mere'y dewing the 

 trees without causing drip. If the spray is 

 applied like a wash till it runs off the tree, neither 

 the fungicide nor poison are then evenly distri- 

 buted, as the fluid collects in blobs at the edges 

 or points of the leaves, and is more liable to 

 cause scorching. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By Arthur Horton, Gardener to Colonel Claude 

 Cane, St. Wolstan's, Celbridge. 



To the gardener, amateur or i)rofessional, and 

 the vegetable grower in particular. May is prob- 

 ably the bisiest month of the whole year. As 

 most kinds of vegetables will require attention 

 in some way or other, seeds of most varieties 

 must be sown at regular intervals to ensure an 

 unbroken supply, also transplanting of others 

 brought forward in boxes or frames. The timely 

 thinning of seedlings and constant hoeings be- 

 tween all growing crops is most important, 

 especially so in a dry season. Garden pests ol 

 all descriptions are very much in evidence during 

 this month. Good dustings of fresh lime and 

 soot should be given to all young seedlings 

 where snails and slugs abound, and must be 

 repeated after heavy rains. Rats and mice un- 

 less kept in check will ruin whole sowings of peas 

 and beans in a few nights. 



During May and .June both the carrot and 

 onion fly are on the wing, and most i)eop]e know 

 that once either carrots or onions are attacked 

 there is no cure. Therefore measures should bs 

 taken in the earlier stages of growth to prevent 

 as far as possible the fly from depositing the eggs 

 on the plants. The best preventive I know is 

 wood ashes, sawdust, or sand saturated with 

 paraffin, and sown between the lines imme- 



diately the seedlings appear above thi; ground, 

 and re])eated two or three times at intervals tif 

 about three weeks. 



Seed Sowing — Spinach. — To keo]) up a con- 

 tinuous su])i>ly ot this vegetable, small sowings 

 should be made a1>nut every fortnight. A good 

 ]iosition for this croj) is between t Ik; lines ot ]ieas 

 and beans, as a certain amount of shade is given, 

 which is beneficial, es])ecially during .July and 

 August. Early in the month New Zealand 

 spinach may be .sown in a fairly light soil in an 

 open situation. A distance of 3 feet between the 

 lines and 2 feet (5 inches from plant to ])lant in the 

 lines should be given. This variety is quite dis- 

 tinct both in growth and flavour from the round 

 and ]irickly s])inach, and certainly much superior 

 to spinach beet. 



Beans. — Both French and runner beans may 

 be sown outside now with little risk of dajnage 

 by late frost. The latter particularly require a 

 deep, rich soil, and unless the site chosen has 

 been deeply trenched and well manured, it is 

 advisable to take out a trench to a dei)th of at 

 least 2 feet, and give a good dressing of well- 

 decayed farmyard manure a day or two previous 

 to sowing the seed, which should be about o 

 inches deep and 3 or 4 inches apart, finally 

 thinning to 1 foot. When the young seedlings 

 appear above the ground, dust frequently witn 

 lime or soot, as slugs have a particular liking foi 

 the young tender growths. 



Beet. — About the middle of the month is 

 early enough for the main sowing of beet. If 

 put in much earlier large coarse roots will be the 

 result. It is not necessary or advisable to 

 manure heavily for this crop. The aim should 

 be to get roots of medium size and good quality. 

 This is best attained by sowing about the time 

 mentioned in well cultivated soil that was well 

 manured the previous year. If exhibition sjteci- 

 mens are required, it is advisable to bore a *ew 

 holes to a depth of at least 3 feet, and fill up with 

 a suitable compost that has been put through a 

 }-inch riddle. A large percentage of roots so 

 treated can be depended on for exhibition. 



Continue sowing carrots, turni]>s, and peas, 

 also one more of cauliflowers for late supply. 

 Salading of all kinds should be put in at intervals 

 of about a fortnight. Where accommodation can 

 be found, it is advisable to put in a tew more 

 seeds ot cucumbers and tomatoes for autumn 

 use. 



Celery. — Early in the month trenches for 

 celery should be made, so that when the time for 

 ])lanting comes the work can be carried on with 

 as little delay as pos.sible. Nothing is to be 

 gained by making deep trenches, in fact the 

 reverse is the case. Too often all the best soil is 

 taken out, and nothing but the cold subsoil left 

 in which to grow the plants. One good spading 

 is quite enough to take out of the trench, which 

 should be about 15 inches in width and 3 feet 

 from trench to trench for single rows. Where 

 two or three lines are ]>lanted in one trench, a 

 greater distance will be neces.sary. (iive a good 

 dressing of manure and break uj) the bottom to 

 the dei)th of 1 foot. Early celery may be i)lanted 

 out towards the latter end of the month. The 

 same applies to leeks for exhibition. 



French and Runner Beans brought forward 

 under gla.ss, if jiroperly hardened off, may be 

 planted out any time after the middle of the 

 month. 



