H 



IRISH GARDENING 



sowing in a fraiiio and mUo on tlu' taily Ixmiti. 

 Earlv Pans Mark.-t and Coniniodoiv Nut arr 

 quii-k growing kinds, those will smrt-i-d tlins.' 

 sown in tvlu' autunni. , ,, 



Onions.— Thosi" sown in boxvs last niontli will 

 la' through tin- soil and shoidd ho placod in a light 

 position and kopt growing gontly; avoid ovor- 

 watoring at this stago. htit a light spraynig with 

 tiho svringo will ho a holp. As soon as the 

 "round is in tho right ,-oiKlition for working tlio 

 main oron slu.idtl ho sown; thoroj^dily folk ovor 

 tlu- j)lot hroaking up all lumps and louv.- 't for a 

 day or m) to dry; givo a droasing of soot and hunit 

 refuse or woodashos and troad the hod well, rako 

 level, removing as manv stonos as jKissihlo, sow 

 thinlv in drills 1 inoh <looi) and 15 inches apart, 

 cover with the hark of tho rake, then raking length- 

 wav up the drills so as not to .soatter tho soods. 

 Sowing the main erop in hoxes and transplantintr 

 in April is a ht-ttor method, and hecoining more 

 generally i)raetisod. 



TniPOLiKS should ho i)laiitod out on well-prepared 

 gromid in drills 10 inohos apart. 



Parsnips.— Take the first opportunity to grt 

 these sown as a long sea.sons' growth is rt'ciuiied 

 to produce good roots; choose a piece of ncli 

 ground where no fresh manure has heon dug in. 

 ai)ply a dre.ssing of wood ashes and a dusting of 

 hasic slag when" raking the ground. Sow in drills 

 18 inches anart and 2 inches deep, planting a few 

 seeds at fl-inch intervals along the drills when all 

 hut the strongest will ho thinned out later. 



P.\RSLEY.— Make a sowing in a pot or pan m 

 gentle heat, pricking off in hoxes wlien huge 

 enough to liandle. finallv planting out in April this 

 will give a constant supply all summer and 

 autumn of fine large leaves. 



Pe.\s.— If tlie ground for the main and late eroijs 

 was not trenched, prepare trenches two feet wide 

 and the same depth, turn out two spits one plaewl 

 on each side; dig in a good dressing of well-rotted 

 manure in the hottom. then fill in the top spit, 

 putting a layer of manure on top then fill in the 

 remaining soil leaving the surface rough till re- 

 quired for .sowing, allow a distance of 8 to 10 feet 

 hetween the trenches. Make another sowing in 

 hoxes. and if conditions are favourahlo sow an 

 early variety outside. 



P6t.\toes. — Prepare mild hothods in frnmos for 

 planting sprouted tuhers. allow the heat to suh- 

 side a hit l)efore placing the soil which should 

 he ahout 8 inches deep; as soon as the tops are 

 well started give air freely to avoid spindly 

 •rrowth A few sets may he yjlanted on an early 

 horder or along the foot of a warm wall ; some 

 protection will lie required for these against frost 

 and cold winds. 



Radishks. — Sow in small (juantities at intervals 

 on the early horder protecting the seeds from 

 hirds. 



Shallots. — Plant the l)ulhs on good rich soil. 

 pressing them into the ground; a good plan is to 

 draw small ridges 12 inches apart and plant the 

 hulhs on these. 



ToM.\TOES. — Make a further sowing this month 

 to provide plants to succeed those sow^n in 

 January, and also for planting outside; keep 

 them growing near the glass to encourage steady 

 L'rowth exercising care in watering until the first 

 fruits are set. when they will require a lihoral 

 supply. Plants intended for outside, should lie 

 grown into a six-inch sized pot and have the first 

 truss of fruit set l>efoie phmting out. 

 TtTRNiPS. — A small sowing may ho made on tho 



.jirly horth-r ahout the end of the month. One of 

 tho "hest is Early Snowhall for I'arly use. 



Owing to tho wet weather digging will he in 

 arri-ars, thoreforo, push on tho work and try to 

 make ui) time, l-ift parsnii)s hefore growth starts, 

 othi-rwi.'^o they will got, tough and useless. Ileinovo 

 all decavcd loaves from growing vegetables and 

 stir tho "soil occasionally among tlii' crops. 



'I'lii; KmiT (Iakdkn. 



Work is sure to ho in arrears in this doi)artment 

 too. owing to had weather, and every fine day 

 must ho taken full advantage of to push on 

 operations, finish off the iiruning of all trees and 

 hushes as soon as possible. I'p to the present. 

 si)raying has heon out of the (|u<-stion and on calm 

 dry days get it completed, as the huds will soon he 

 getting a move on. 



Any ijlanting on hand may he ciiri led on oven 

 if the soil is on the wet side hy using some fresh 

 dry soil from under cover, to place nnder and 

 over the roots, filling up the remaining space 

 with that taken from the holes, this can he 

 ])ressed firm when it dries a hit. Peach and 

 Nectarine trees on outside walls may now b.e tied 

 up. as the huds are swelling and are easy ruhhed 

 off; leave a space of four to six inches hetween 

 the slioots. and try and cover hare stems by tying 

 young shoots over them, thus furnishing the tree 

 all over with fruiting wood. I am of the opinion 

 that peach growing outside is a wast* of time, and 

 not worth the trouble required for their protec- 

 tion . 



Birds have been very troublesome among the 

 fruit buds this year, and as "we are prohibited the 

 use of firearms they are difficult to deal with. 

 Dust some lime over the trees and gooseberries 

 that have been attacked which may help to 

 check them. 



Head down any trees intended for grafting, and 

 when pruning select healthy scions of the de- 

 sired varieties, burying them three parts their 

 lentith l)ehind a north wall which will retard the 

 l)uds till required for use. All prunings and 

 rubbish should he cleaned up as the work amongst 

 fruit trees proceeds and consigned to the fire. 



Examine the fruit in the storeroom at frequent 

 intervals, and remove any that show signs of de- 

 cay, these if not too far gone may be used for 

 cooking. 



Thk Plkasurk Ground. 



Work in this (lo])artmont is not so pre.ssing now 

 apart from l\eoj)ing the place clean and tidy. There 

 are a few little matters which will claim attention 

 during the month in he way of preparing for he 

 summer display. When it is found the stock ot 

 bedding ])Iants is short of the required number, 

 stock plants should be placed in heat with a view 

 to secure cuttings; Geraniums. Lobelia. Mar- 

 guerites etc. and Heliotrope can be increased 

 readily during tho month. Pot off singly autumn- 

 rooted plants and place in a warm house to start, 

 afterwards grow them slowly and gradually 

 harden off to a cold frame. 



Dahlia tiiliers may be started into growth jind 

 when the .shoots are about four inches long sever 

 them with a hoel inserting in sandy soil placed 

 on a mild hottinii where thov will soon take root. 



