io6 



IRISH GARDENING 



reiiiovi'd, ilir;iy.il loavts. refiisc iiiul Wfi'ds .<liimld 

 be hurit'il, ami tlioif is usually Milluii'iit sun t" kill 

 weeds anioiij: •zrowing crops if they are lioeil out. 

 Peas and lieans wiiieli linisli eioppiny: slituikl lie 

 cleared away, the weeds removed and tiie •.Mound 

 levelled ilown. St)il should he plaei-il to Celery, and 

 J^eeks in trenehes. as found neeessary. This work 

 is hest done when the soil is dry. i'arsley whieh 

 was .sown during the spring has not grown at all 

 well on sandy soils. If some of the jilants are now 

 cut down they will have time to make steady 

 growth hefore the winti-r. and i)rolong the su])ply. 

 On plant.> not required for innnediate use a dress- 

 ing of soot is very helpful. As .soon as the 

 autunui sown C'ahhages are large enough trans- 

 plant them out in rows. A dwarf variety, like 

 Klower of Spring, only needs 18 inches ai/art he- 

 tsveen the rows. Kor olitaining C'alihages early in 

 the si)ring they nnist have time to hecome well 

 rooted and estai)lished hefore the winter. Surplus 

 I)lants not required for the i)re.^ent should he 

 l)lanted about six inches apart in niirsciy bods. 

 They may be rcipiirrd f«)r filling up tln' inws in 

 the spring. 



Storing Pot.\toes. — We have referred before to 

 the proper manner in which Potatoes should be 

 stored. No excuse, liowever. is offered in re])eat- 

 ing it. as it is evident that allotment holders do not 

 know how Pot-itoes should be stored, or else they 

 are not inclined to go to the necessary trouil)le, 

 with the result that considerable losses occur. 

 This is the most imi)ortqnt crop on the allotment, 

 and there are many men who cultivate nothing 

 else on the plot with the exception of a few 

 Cabbages. Tiie chief difficulty appears in provid- 

 ing ventilation in tlie clamp, and yet there is 

 usually heaps of suitable material about. We kept 

 Potatoes sound till May this year by placing 

 Jerusalem Artichoke stems over the tubers l)efore 

 covering the heap with soil. This provides the 

 nece.ssary ventilation. It may be said that lack of 

 ventilation is one of the chief causes of decav in 

 stored Potatoes. If the Potatoes are just placed in 

 a heap and immediately covered with soil deciv 

 is almost certain, because, as everyl)ody knows, the 

 Potatoes will heat, and there is no means where- 

 by this surplus moisture can escape. Again, if 

 there is no such covering as straw or the Artichoke 

 tops, the after examination of the heap is difficult. 

 as directly the Potatoes are moved by removing 

 some for use, the soil runs down through tlie vv- 

 maining Potatoes. The clamp should always have 

 a tliorough overhauling at least once during the 

 winter. All decayed Potatoes can be then thrown 

 out before they infest others, and slightly diseased 

 tubers can be sorted out for immediate use. The 

 crop IS best lifted on a dry day, so tliat tin 

 Potatoes may be clamped free from soil Tli,. 

 Potatoes may then be laid on the level ground in 

 a dry part of the allotment, and huge heaps should 

 be avoided— rather long instead of high. The 

 covering may then be placed on. but if the weather 

 is favourable the soil need not go on for a week or 

 so. After the heating has, taken place the soil may 

 be put on just as a slight covering, and sufficieiit 

 to throw rain off. Before hard frost tlie extra 

 layer of soil can be given, at the same time makin<' 

 a cliannel around the lieap to drain water away 



The Flower G.arden.— Bedding Geraniums 111,1 v 

 be propagated in sever d ways. W^here a num])ci 

 of cuttings is required, boxing is the quickest 

 way, and for those amateurs without many pots 

 boxes are useful. When making the cuttin<-s cut 



just below a joint in the sliiu, and remove the 

 llowi-rs and lower leaves. Ise sandy .soil, ami with 

 a blunt dibber make tin- cuttings (piite firm, then 

 give a good watering with a rosi-d can. Mar- 

 guerites. Calceolarias. tVc. uuiy also be rooted in 

 boxes or shallow frames. If the cuttings are in- 

 serted about four inches ajiart in sandy soil thev 

 will .soon root. The lights should be "shaded, at 

 first, from direct sunshine. Another method of 

 kecjiing the stock is to jjlant the old jjlanls wlun 

 lifted into Dots or boxes. In a sheltered c(Mner 

 insert cuttings of Violas and I'ansies. Sturdy 

 shoots should be selected from the base of the 

 plants. IJidbs are so nmch aj)i)reciated in the 

 sjiring that the expenditure of a few shillings 

 seems as nothing. Daffodils and Crocus grow well 

 almost anywhere on the allotment, small garden, 

 or even a window box. Plant at the end of the 

 month or in ()<'tnl)er. 



C. II. (). 



The Month's Work. 



Midland and Northern Counties. 



By Mi;. F. Stkkktkr, Canlener to H. 15. Harton. 



Esq., D.L.. Straffan House, Straffan, 



Co. Kildare. 



Kitchen G.vhden. 

 Spuing Cabbage. — Have the ground in readine.ss 

 for tiiis important crop. Transplant the young 

 l)lants as soon as they become large enough to 

 handle, and give a good dusting of lime if slugs 

 are troublesome. Put out Harbinger or Ellam's 

 Early on a south border to come in a few weeks 

 before the main beds. 



Cauliflower. — Make a final sowing of Cauli- 

 flower and priciv out earlier sowings into cold 

 frames in rather poor soil. Should the compost 



(kanothus T.eon Simon 

 lioval Botanic Gaidens. Glasnevin. 



