JANUARY 



IRISH GARDENING 



13 



The Month's Work. 



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By W. UsHF.R, Tlie Gardens, Brenanstown. Cabinteely, 

 Co. Dublin. 



THE work to be done during- January depends 

 very much on the weather. I think this Januar\- 

 will find most of us with a considerable amount 

 of work lying- over from December owing to the almost 

 continuous rains which we experienced during- that 

 month. Herbaceous borders will claim most of our 

 attention, and those which have not been thoroughly 

 overhauled ought to be seen to without delay. Her- 

 baceous plants ought to be lifted, the borders deeply 

 trenched and -well manured, the plants divided where 

 necessary, at least once in two 3 ears. If we have a 

 larg-e quantity to deal with, it is best to lift half this year 

 and the remaining- half next year ; before lifting- see that 

 all plants are labelled. When planting- aim to spread 

 the bloom all over the border during- the summer months. 

 Do not plant four or five tog-ether, which will be bloom- 

 ing- at the same time, for when done blooming- there 

 will be an ugly gap. Judiciously arrange the heights, 

 but do not give the border the even slope like unto 

 the roof of a house. See that all plants are neatly 

 labelled. It adds greatly to a visitor's pleasure when 

 they know the varieties. Grass lawns should have any 

 inequalities removed ; hollows remedied by lifting the 

 sods, filling up to the required level with soil which is 

 not too rich (if too rich it will make the grass grow 

 •'tuftty"), careful!)- relay the sod and roll well, sweep 

 off worm species and keep as tidy as possible. Decidu- 

 ous shrubs may be pruned and all dead wood removed. 

 If new shrubberies are to be made group to give colour- 

 effect during winter months, this may be obtained to 

 a great extent by planting near each other such shrubs 

 as Abelia, Philadelphus, &c., for grey colouring ; 

 fuchsia, spiraa, &c., for brown ; dogwoods and decidi- 

 ous berberis for red, and so on. \'ery many corners 

 may be made to look pleasant although they have not a 

 leaf on, especially if there be a good background of 

 evergreen trees or shrubs. 



Carnations. &c., should be looked over afler frost, 

 and the soil nicely firmed around them. Keep a look 

 out for rats, they often play havoc with tulip bulbs. 

 Prune, and tie deciduous plants on walls, and carefully 

 attend to sheltering of half-haid}- plants during frosl\- 

 weather. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By G. DooLAN. 



THE past season has been, to a ceitain extent, a 

 remarkable one. The outlook for fruit-growers 

 during the summer months did not appear bright 

 or promising, growers and many anticipated poor crops. 

 True, there was a profusion of bloom, on young trees 

 especially, but much of this failed to set. The weather 

 during the greater part of the growing period was wet 

 and cold. The autumn, however, was good, and fruit- 

 growers had, on the whole, a good year. The crops 

 were lighter and high-class fruit was somewhat smaller 



G. Dooi,AX 



It cannot be too 



than in the preceding year, but against this the prices 

 realised were considerably better. Growers who pro- 

 duced quality fruit, as a result of attention to the cul- 

 tural requirements of their trees, realised very satis- 

 factory returns. 



There is every indication that intelligence arid skill 

 are being brought to bear on the methods of cultivating 

 fruit trees. The 

 fruit shows held 

 th rough out the 

 country testify to 

 this fact. It is a 

 decidedly hopeful 

 sign, and a good 

 augury for the suc- 

 cess of the fruit- 

 growing industry. 



k e m a r k s on 

 Planting, Prun- 

 ing, &c. — Readers 

 of Irish Garden- 

 ing will have ob- 

 served in recent 

 issues of that 

 journal the ample 

 and very practical 

 instruction on the 

 planting and fur- 

 ther treatment of fruit trees, 

 strongly impressed on all who purpose going in 

 for fruit raising that attention to details is neces- 

 sary if the best results are desired. If a cabbage 

 which occupies the ground but a short time requires 

 certain conditions, such as manuring, preparation of 

 the soil, &c., how much more a fruit tree which is to 

 occupy the ground thirty, fifty, or perhaps eight}- years. 

 Ves, it is the details that count ; careful and firm 

 platUing ; staking to prevent disturbance of the roots 

 by wind or other causes ; mulching, or the placing of 

 manure on the surface, to keep the soil moist and 

 attract the roots upwards ; pruning, to shape the tree 

 and promote the production of good fruit spurs ; spray- 

 ing, to keep the tree in health and free from pests. All 

 these are certain factors in the production of high-class 

 fruit, which, after all, is what fruit-growers desire. It 

 is the best that pays, therefore it should be the aim of 

 all growers to keep their fruit trees in the very best 

 health possible. In many places, where the soil is heav}' 

 and of a retentive nature, the recent heavy rains have 

 made planting impossible. Where such conditions 

 prevail, it is always better to delay planting until the 

 ground is in a fit and workable state. Where fruit trees 

 have arrived from the nursery and their roots placed in 

 the ground temporarily, they are quite safe provided 

 sufficient soil is placed around their roots to prevent 

 injury in case of frost. Planting should be carried out 

 immediately the ground soaks and is in a workable 

 condition. Such remarks do not apply to light soils, as 

 these can be worked almost at any time. It should be 

 remembered, when planting on light ground, to place 

 the trees deeper than in heavy ground, and a heavier 

 mulch on the surface is also necessary, the reasons are 

 obvious; heavier soils retain moisture, whereas light 

 soils are liable to become dry and warm more quickly. 



