20 



IRISH CAHDKNING 



The Month's Work. 



Midland and Northern Counties. 



By Mk. f 



Esq. 



Stj<kktkk. (i;i 



D.L.. Straffai 



Co. Ki 



K'lUM- t.. n. H. Hiiri. 



House. SUaffan, 

 tlare. 



ThK KlTCHK.N CiAKDKN. 



Onions. — Onions that won' sown in boxes last 

 month for the production of larpe IniUis liavo fi'T- 

 niinated well and are ready for pricking out into 

 frames or l)().\es. Personally, I prepare siifii- 

 fient frames to hold tlie n^cpiisite riumher. 

 making' up a sliLiht liot-l'cd of .'i part leaves and 



!■!. S( 



itlv 



dry I'nough to work without stickiufj; to the boots 

 or tools. (Jive a ;_'ood drcssinj.' of dry wood ashes 

 Mfid snnt, and a ilioroufih ral<iu>: ti"> remove all 

 -imirs. It.'. Tlirn draw shallow drills 1*2 inches 

 the sii'ds thinly and c-ovcr about a 

 of an inch deep, rake over the whole l)ed 

 and finish well. Carefully label each 

 variety with date of sowing and where the seed 

 was ol)tained (thus " Suttons." " Hogg and 

 Robertson." " Drunnnonds." " Dickson's " or 

 whichever firm the seeds were obtained.) James' 

 Long Keeping is still one of the best varieties for 

 tins sowing. A few rows of Silver Queen should 

 he .sown for j)ickling and early use. 



Ai'TU.MN Sown Onions. — Select a piece of gromul 

 heavily manured for the Autumn Sown Onions. 

 <_'e1 it "into L'ood <(iiirIilion as soon as the weather 



placing some 6 inches of the following compost over 

 the whole surface : — 2 parts of good loam, 1 part 

 flaked leaf soil, 1 part dry wood ash and 1 part 

 river sand with a good dash of soot; prick out the 

 young seedlings 2 inches apart each way, give a 

 ■thorough watering with tepid water and keej) the 

 lights close till the plants become establislied. 

 Then gradually admit air on all suitable 

 occasions. Give the beds a good forking over 

 to get the ground into first-class condition as 

 soon as the weather permits. For the main sow- 

 ings, seed can at any time now be sown in boxes 

 ready for planting out later, a far greater weight 

 of produce will be reaped if this method 

 is adopted. These seedlings need not be pricked 

 out. simply planting them out of doors when the 

 ■conditions are favourable. Where there are no 

 conveniences for raising the crop under glass, the 

 l:)eds must be prepared for seed sowing as early 

 as possible. Choose a plot that has been well 

 •worked and manured, fork over the surface when 



permits. This is a very hardy crop and requires 

 to be placed in its permanent quarters as soon as 

 possible; add a good dressing of soot and wood 

 ashes and rake over the surface to obtain a fine 

 tdth. Allow 12 inches between the plants and 15 

 inches the rows. Lift very carefully from the 

 seed beds and use the medium and small plants, 

 large plants often run to seed in place of bulbing. 

 As soon as the plants become established, run the 

 Dutch hoe between the rows, and give occasional 

 dustuigs of soot. White Leviathan is an excellent 

 variety for earliest supplies. Giant Red, Italian 

 and Tjcmon Rocca formins a good succession. 



Shallots— If not alreadv planted Shallots and 

 1 otato Onions should be attended to at once. 

 Prepare a well tilled niece of ground in a warm 

 l)osition— remembering this crop is harvested 

 early and permits the ground being used for 

 another crop during the summer— draw shallow 

 drills 12 inches apart and press the bulbs into 

 the ground about 10 to 12 inches anart, run the 



