IRISH GARDENING 



35 



{)laiiti5 are l^otter e-ut d(j\vii laeh season in order 

 to obtain the brilliant colouring of the bark. 

 Where it is desired to increase the stock, cuttings 

 about 2 feet long may lie inserted, and tliey 

 readily root and grow away 



Southern and Western Counties. 



By Mil. J. Matthews, Gardener to tfir Richard 

 Musgrave, Bart., 'I'ourin, Cappoquin, County 

 Waterford. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Asi'AR.iGUS. — Where beds are mulched with 

 rough manure early in the winter this should now 

 be cleared off and the beds given a dressing of 

 short, well-decayed manure, lightly forking it in 

 and covering it over with a little fresh soil taken 

 from the alleys. A light dressing of salt may be 

 given in showery weather. If it is intended to 

 make new plantations this year, seeds should be 

 sown in small pots this month and placed in a 

 cool frame to germinate, planting out later. 



Beet. — Make a small sowing about the end of 

 the month on the early border to supply small 

 roots for salads. 



Brussels Sprouts. — Seeds should be sown early 

 in the month under glass for the earliest supply 

 of sprouts. Prick them off as soon as large 

 enough into the cold frame, and grow on as steady 

 as possible, giving plenty aii; otherwise they get 

 drawn and spindly. Make tlic main sowing out- 

 side towards the end of the month. 



Broccoli. — To provide for early winter cutting, 

 sow seeds towards the end of the month, choos- 

 ing a suitable variety for that time. 



Cabbage. — The principal sowing should be made 

 during the month for summer supplies. First of 

 All, Early Offenham anc^ Winningstadt can be 

 recommended to keep up an unbroken supply. 



Cauliflower. — Sow Early London, Walcheren. 

 and Autumn Giant to give a succesion through 

 the summer and autumn. Plants wintered in 

 trames should be hardened off by removing the 

 lights entirely during the day, ready to put out 

 at the end of the month: these may be planted 

 between the lines of early peas, the stakes of 

 whicli will give some protection from outtine: 

 winds; light spruce l)ranclies stuck in on each 

 side of the drills will ward off a few degrees of 

 frost. 



AM the above seeds require to be protected from 

 the visits of small birds either by covering the 

 ])eds with a net or some other method. I find 

 Sanitas Powdei' a good remedy if dusted over the 

 drills when the seeds are just germinating; it 

 also checks the ravages of slugs. 



Celery. — Sow the main crop in pans or in a 

 frame over a mild hot-bed, and treat as advised 

 last month. 



Cucumbers. — Sow in small pots for frame 

 culture. Hot-beds mav lie preiiared for these 

 towards the end of the montli, made up of leaves 

 and stable manure thrown up in a hea]) and 

 turned several times before jnitting into the 

 frame. Tread firm to i>rolony tlie heat. Place a 

 mound of good loamy soil near the top, and when 

 warmed through the plants may be put in. 

 Syringe daily, and attend to the thinning and 

 pinching of the shoots. 



French Beans. — These are always in great de- 

 mand early in the season. Make another sowing 

 in 8-iiich pots to keep up the supply. Topdress 



earlier batches with light rich soil, and feed with 

 weak liquid manure. 



Herbs.— This is a good time to overhaul the 

 beds. The clumps of some of the strong garden- 

 ing varieties may be reduced to keep within 

 bounds. Clean and fork over between the plants, 

 giving them a mulch of old decayed manure. 



P137.— Sow second early varieties at intervals of a 

 fortnight, following on with main and late crops 

 till the end of June. 



Plants raised indoor should be planted out be- 

 fore they get entangled, and place stakes to them 

 at once as a protection against wind. 



Pot.\toes.— Make further plantings of sprouted 

 tubers of early kinds at the beginning of the 

 month; follow on with second earlies. As the 

 boxes are emptied of these they may be filled 

 with late varieties and placed in the light to 

 sprout, ready to plant next month. 



Rhubarb.— Lift more stools into the forcing 

 house to keep up a supply; pieces that have been 

 forced need not be thrown away, but if required 

 to extend the plantation should be hardened off 

 and planted out on good rich land. These will 

 come in for use the second year after planting, 

 but should not be forced for some time again. 

 Seed may be sown this month. 



Seakale.— Cover up crowns on the per- 

 manent beds with pots, placing a good bank of 

 stable litter over them. A further batch of 

 crowns should be placed in the forcing house to 

 avoid a break in the supply. 



Turnips. — Make another sowing on the early 

 border early in the month; Early Snowball or 

 Early Milan are quick-growing varieties. 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



Strawberries. — Where autumn planting was 

 not carried out and a stock of young plants 

 has been wintered in pots, they should now be 

 put out, providing the garden is in a fit con- 

 dition for working. Remove flower tru.sses the 

 first season. Go over the permanent beds and 

 cut off all withered leaves; then give a light 

 dressing of superphosphate, and hoe it in. 

 Care^ail attention will he required with pot straw- 

 berries; examine two or three times daily with a 

 view to watering. When the fruits are set. thin 

 them out to or 7 and feed with liquid manure. 

 Syringe daily until lliey show colour, as Red 

 Spider is sure to attack them. 



Pe.\ch Trees in flower under glass should be 

 gone over with rabbit tail, or tap the wires 

 to distribute pollen. Keep the atmosphere of 

 the house fairly dry, especially in the early part 

 of the day. 



Raspberries .\nd Loganberries. — Give these a 

 good mulching of manure if not already attended 

 to; cut the canes to the height of the wires or 

 supi)orts. Newly-planted canes should be cut to 

 within 9 inches of the ground to encourage the 

 growth of strong-fruiting canes for next year. 



THE I'LLASIKE GKOCNDS. 



Heiibaceous BoRDEits. — The re-arrangement of 

 borders may be done as soon as the plants 

 have made sufficient growth to indicate 

 their wliereabouts. Divide old stools of Phloxes. 

 Michaelmas Daisies, and such plants that have 

 outgrown their allotted space. Pull them to 

 pieces by means of two forks stuck in back to 

 back, and use the outside portions of tlie clumps 



