^6 



IRISH GAKUKNING 



uliicli will prove inot^t vigorous^. Kt-pliiiit 

 as qui*.-k us possibk'. 



Tlie forking ovt>r ol ImhiIit^, whirh is soiiuiiiins 

 left till tlu> end of tlx" month, should imw l.e 

 completed. 



RosKS.— Any i>l:iiitiiit: >'ill to i)e dnni' .-IkhiM 

 he eompleti'd without dtlay. Pnuiiui.' may !•<• 

 taken in hand now, .lu-yinninK with the climhcrs. 

 Tea, Hyl)ritl Tea, ami I'erpetuals should have 

 the old and dead wool cut out; shorten weak 

 shoots to three or four huds, and t-ut off the un- 

 riponed points of the strong shoots. Follow on 

 with the dwarfs of Myi.rid Peipetual and Hyl.rid 

 Teas, eutting weak and unripened shoots down 

 to a hud or two. reducing the strong ones to .i 

 foot or so ai'cordiiiL' to tln'ir strength. Teas arc 

 bettor left till April. 



Allotments. 



Diking llii.- month wc have what miglii ahiio.>^t lie 

 termed the allotmenl liohlers' pilgrimage. For it 

 is in the ?]aster holidays that a general exodus 

 takes place to the allotuu'iits, which is g(>neral 

 throughout these islands. Even those who have no 

 plots hecome attracted on to the land i)y the evi- 

 dence of general animation thereahouts. Many 

 men have the different days allotted for the sowing 

 of various seeds. It should, however, he the ruling 

 maxim that the i^reparation and condition of the 

 soil is the leading factor in sowing seeds. There 

 are. of course, periods of time in which certain 

 seeds must lie sown. Imt the condition of the soil 

 at the tinu' will largely determine the results. It 

 will save nuich disappointment, therefore, not to 

 sow seeds when the soil cannot he raked to a good 

 tilth. This a])plies especially to those crops which 

 are not afterwards trans])lanted. It is seldom the 

 soil can he made satisfactory after the seeds are 

 sown; moreover, the smaller seeds nuiy he totally 

 lost. 



One of the advantages of an allotment which is 

 not so generally known or lecognised is tliat it en- 

 larges the nuniher of vegetables which find their 

 way into the jioorer class households. In many of 

 these households the only vegetal)les which 

 normally appeared to r)e consumed were Potatoes. 

 Cahhages, and Turnips, and such other ])icknigs 

 as \vere required to fill uj) their soup or stew. P^ven 

 now the possibilitit's of iiceks when l)lanched arc- 

 not realised, while French Beans were sujiposed 

 to he for the " gentry "; and the most absurd ideas 

 existed as to the maimer of cooking. It should, of 

 course, be stated that many excellent vegetal)ies 

 were too expensive for many unfortiniate inhabi- 

 tants, but with the raising of the standard of living 

 and the allotments under cultivation durnig the 

 war, the increase in the variety of vegetables con- 

 sumed became marked. This must inevitably cause 

 a demand for vegetables, and raises a further ponit 

 that, while some market growers raised a grievance 

 against allotments, this was a short-sighted policy 

 which knowledge of trade conditions showed to be 

 erroneous. , . • , 



GRorNu (")i'KH.\TioNs.— At the date of writing these 

 notes the month of February has brought a welcome 

 relief from the continuous rains experienced during 

 the whiter. Allotment holders, who had^the opi)or- 

 tunitv, took immediate advantage of the 'better con- 

 ditions to get their plots in order. It is necessary. 

 however, to offer a word of advice in cultivating 

 soils which are heavy. Such land should, as far 

 as possible, only be worked when it is in a dry con- 

 dition. Clay soils, tramped upon and then dug 



when wet. turn up in lumps whicli dry like l)ricks 

 after a spell of dry weather. Otherwise, whenever 

 the soil is dry. every effort shovdd i)e made to fork 

 it deeply and pulverise the soil as iiuich as po.ssible. 

 When land of this <Jescri|)t ion is well hdioured it 

 IS usually found, alter little rain, that the surface 

 buu|)s will break down easily with a rake. Light 

 soils, or those iiK-iined to be sandy, presi-nl of 

 course no diflicuities, and hajipy is the allotment 

 holdei- who can proceed straight away with his 

 Work at this period of the year without the weary 

 ;nid lai)orious task of trying to get heavy land into 

 something like a saflsfactory condition for sowing 



Sowing Skkds. — Suggestions were given last 

 month for sowing Parsnips, and this is one of the 

 earliest croi)S reciuiring attention. It is usual also 

 to sow Onions this month. On many plots the 

 onion fly plays such destruction among the seed- 

 lings that it is often a question whether it is wortii 

 while sowing seeds in the si)ring. A well-grown 

 cro|) is a .source of satisfaction and i)ride to a 

 glower, l)ut the excellent Onions which are now 

 im])orted again, and sold cheaply, act against 

 sowing seeds where the cultivation is difficult. 

 Potatoes, wliic-h are a staple food, often take their 

 ])lace, or even green vegetables, which are so ajj- 

 I)reciated when in a fresh condition. The iiuiin 

 c'l-op of Carrots should be sown. Draw shallow 

 drills one foot apart, and sow^ the seeds thinly. 

 When the seeds are sown thinly the young ('arrots 

 can be drawn and used, leaving the remaining ones 

 to mature. Seeds of a quick-growing Cabbage, 

 such as Exjiress, .Should be sown early. Traiis- 

 l)lanted as soon af? •Jarge enough on well-manured 

 land, cutting will commence in July or August, 

 thus i)roviding early results. The main crop of 

 Leeks should be sown. The seeds may either lie 

 sown in beds or drills with the object of trans- 

 idanting. The most economical w^ay is to trans- 

 plant into holes aliout ni,nc inches deep and one foot 

 apart. The holes become filled as the jilant grows, 

 and makes an excellent vegetable. Every allot- 

 ment should grow Leeks— a nutritious vegetable, 

 easy to grow; no trouble from disease; very hardy, 

 liroviding vegetables throughout the winter. If 

 Broad Beans have not been sown, these may now 

 be planted in a double row, with the seeds about 

 nine inches apart. It is too early to sow Runner 

 Beans or Kidnev Beans in the open, also early yd 

 for Beet and Swede Turnips; but a small quantity 

 of the quick-growing Model White Turnip is useful, 

 also Glol)e Beet in suitalile ground. 



A row^ of Peas should be sown as soon as the soil 

 is in a suitable condition. This crop does well on 

 old Celery trenches or where the land has been 

 deeply cultivated. A useful way otherwise is to dig 

 a treiich the width and depth of the spade, placing 

 a good layer of manure at the bottom, then almost 

 filling the trench with soil, and sowing the seeds 

 the width of the trench. Peas differ greatly m 

 height and season. Any catalogue will give par- 

 ticulars. The variety Little Marvel gives a good 

 crop and may be grown without stakes. Brussels 

 Sprouts and most other greens should also be sown. 

 Marrows may be raised in small pots in the liou.se 

 if a frame is not available. Celery for planting m j 

 trenches must be sown in boxes and raised i» heat j! 

 The chief crop is Potatoes, and the end of March 

 or the beginning of April is the usual period ot 

 planting. Commence with the early kinds. It the 

 "round is not suitable, delay planting, and stand 

 t"he tubers with the buds up where there is plenty 

 of light, so that they may sprout. G. H. O. 



i 



