ir, 



IRISH GARDENING. 



|.\M ARY 



s,-K-it. (iisi. aiul scioml, ami p.ukiiii,' Hk' tVnil in lu-w 

 noii-ri'tiirnablf harivls or boxos of staiulanl si/.i- ; tlu- 

 barrols to contain li-n stones not and tho hi^xi-s thifi- 

 stones not. A jfioon label hearin)^ the ted hand ot 

 L'Ister is the distinctive trade-mark of the association. 

 So far as j^r.idinj; as to size is concerned in larije 

 uieties. such a> Hraniley's Seedlinjj, those labelled 

 select" must not drop through a rinif. the internal 

 .iiaineter of which is 3'4 inches; while for first and 

 seconds the K'i"K^' '^ - '4 't"'! ^'^ inches respectively 



TlIK value of fruit as ;i food is ijener.illy overlooked 

 or disreijarded, ;iiul yel its importance as .ti article of 

 diet isinsisteil upon by all modern writers on health. 

 Fruits contain all the essential nutritive sulist.iiices 

 re».|nircd by the body. They exist too in ;in e.isily 

 tlivfeslible form, ami bi-caiise of their peculi.ir nature 

 are said to materi.illy aid in the dig-estion of other 

 foods. The use of fruit exercises a he.ilthy influence 

 upon the excretary functions of the body, and thereby 

 help to keep the blood pure and so contribute to 

 soundness both of mind and body. 



All fruits contain water, sugars, albumens and salts, 

 and some contain oils and fats as well. Xo drink can 

 possibly be better than the juice of fruits. The su^^ai s 

 contribute to the heat of the body. The}- are oxidized 

 or burned durintif respiration, and are thus a source of 

 enerifv. In dried fruits, like dates and raisins, about 

 half their whole weight is sugar. Some fruiis, luits 

 especially, contain a good proportion of albumen or 

 flesh forming food. .A meal of nuts and raisins is a 

 perfect meal. Wholemeal bread and dates and raisins 

 is another well balanced ration. X'egetable oils and 

 fats are particularly wholesome, and there are many 

 preparations of such in the market. 



As to the salts found in fruits they can scarcely be 

 over-estimated. They are in their nature just the kind 

 of minerals required by the body ; they exist in the 

 right proporfion and in a form that can be easih' 

 assimilated. Let us, therefore, remember the old 

 adage ''that an apple a daj- keeps the doctor away." 



Evi.RV man who has the opportunity that a piece of 

 land ofl'ers ought to grow fruit. He ought to grow 

 fruit not as a luxurj- but in order to provide himself and 

 family with food. Youth craves for fruit, and lliis 

 craving is really a call of nature — a desire born of 

 physiological need. Fruit is not a luxury, it is a 

 necessity. In every parish in the land thousands upon 

 thousands of fruit trees might be planted even in 

 hedgerows and by waysides without interfering in the 

 least with existing crops. 



In the present issue we give the first instalment of an 

 authoritative article on pruning, specially written for 

 Irish Garde.mng by Mr. Fred. W. Hammond, who is 

 an Elnglish market grower in a large way of business, 

 and his methods of pruning will be read with interest, 

 and we are sure with profit also, by fruit growers in 

 this country. 



We have received from T/ie Gardeners' Magazine 

 a copy of "The Gardeners' Year Book and Garden 

 Oracle for 191 1." That it is compiled by Mr. George 

 Gordon, and also that the present issue represents its 



fifty- thiril yeai- of publication, an- guar.intees as to its 

 usefulness ami pi>pul;it ity. There is, first, a convenient 

 caliMidar anil iliary, followed by full notes on the \ i-ar's 

 work in the garden ; .1 descriptive list of the new plants 

 of igio; special articles on nimierous garden subjects, 

 and miscellaneous information covering a very wide 

 range of interests. It is well illustrated, sonu- of the 

 plates being in colours. 



Tm: destruction of rats is a matter that is always en- 

 g.iging the attention of dwellers in the country. Rats 

 start breeiling at .a comparatively early age. They are 

 .ilsovery prolific, pioilucing from six to fourteen young 

 in each litter. As tlu'v havi- several litters a jear a 

 single pair can soon stock ;i u hole neighbourhood. In 

 a bulletin recently publislicil by the United States 

 Deiiartment of Agriculture, among other poisons re- 

 commended fov their extermination, barium carbonate 

 is mentioned as the cheapest and most effective. It is 

 without taste or smell, has a corrosive elTect on the 

 mucous membiane of the stomach, and causing thirst 

 induces rats to seek water in the open, where they 

 die. It may be employed in the proportion of one part 

 of the carbonate to four parts of meal mixed to a dough 

 with water (or even one of mineral to eight of meal will 

 be effective). The carbonate ma\- be spread on fish or 

 moist toasted lireatl. .\s rats are very suspicious 

 animals the form of bail should l)e frequently altered, as 

 when llie\- tliscover their companions dying from any 

 particular kind of food they forthwith avoid it. 



Wh have received a copy of the ^'Irish Furming 

 World Directory and Annual" for 191 1. Although 

 primarily intended for farmers it contains a good deal 

 of information of special interest to gardeners. There 

 is. for example, a fairly complete garden calendar, a list 

 of all the important gardens in Ireland (with names of 

 the head gardeners), a list of the county horticultural 

 instructors, lists of provincial shows, rules for forecast- 

 ing weather, and other information useful to all engaged 

 in. or who take an interest in, country pursuits. 



MissRS. .Adam and Charles Black have issued the 

 new editions of the following well-known Annuals : — 

 Who's Willi fov iqii (price los.). which is more bulky 

 than e\ er. 1 1 now extends to 2. 246 closely printed pages. 

 The En glishii'o man's Year-Book for 19II is wonderful 

 value for 2S. 6d. It should be in the hands of every 

 educated woman who takes an interest in the social life 

 of her country. The title " Englishwoman " includes 

 in this case the women of the three kingdoms. The 

 science section is edited by Miss R. M. Barrett, of Kings- 

 town. The Writers' and Artists' Year-Book is an indis- 

 pensable guide to authors seeking an outlet for their 

 work. It is published at is. 



The secret of the ideal garden is its perennial charm, 

 it exists not for a few months or weeks of fleeting loveli- 

 ness, but for so long as we care to enjoy it. It is a sad 

 waste of opportunity to limit the real life of a garden to 

 spring and summer days, contenting ourselves with 

 bare earth and empty earth for the rest of the year. 

 Flowers should be with us always, and in seeking the 

 best way in which to grow them, we must give preference 

 to methods which impose no limits upon their life and 

 usefulness. — Charles Thonger. 



