9+ 



IRISH GARDENING, 



JLNE 



removed. A j^lance at tlu' In-i- from all points is a 

 good K^uide, and it will then be seen how thirkly set is 

 the crop, which ean be n-diu-ed aceol•diI)^'l\ . Healthy, 

 viiforoiis trees may be allowed to carry a iihr-Ii greater 

 amount than weak-growing varieties ; indeed, it is the 

 weak-growing varieties tliat often need the severest 

 thinniiik;, as they are vi-ry prone to crop heavily. Trees 

 oil the Paradise will need more attention than those on 

 the Crab stook. as the teiuleiuy oi' the former is to 

 produce too much fruit in proportion to the anunint ol 

 growth, whilst wilh the latter the converse is the case. 

 .\pples of the Karly \icioria type may be thinned a 

 second time when the fruit is about three-parts grown, 

 and thinnings will then be found useful for stewing. It 

 is not, as a rule, necessary to thin small bush fruits, 

 except gooseberries, which should have the largest 

 berries picked when there is a good crop. Gooseberries 

 realise a good price when marketed early. In the case 

 of newlv-plaiUed apples, no fruit should he .illowetl on 

 the trees the first year, and in the second year only a 

 very few to each tree. 



\V.\TKRINc; Fruit Trkks. This is not oflen necessary 

 in the open ground, especially where the trees are well 

 established and mulched with manure, but on ligiil soils 

 trees often suffer during dry weather, ami wall trees 

 .dso suffer. Water should be applied to such trees at 

 intervals of three weeks. This should be done in a 

 thorough manner. Constant wetting of the surface is 

 of little avail — far better to effectually saturate the 

 ground at every application. If the trees are bearing 

 crops, liquid manure, applied imniediateh- after the 

 watering, is of great benefit to improve the yield and 

 quality of the fruit. For this and spraying purposes it 

 is ad\ isable to have the water convenient. 



Gkneral Rem.\rks. — The young growths or suckers 

 of raspberries should be reduced to six or eight of the 

 strongest, and if the ground about these has not been 

 mulched it should have a good mulch of manure without 

 delav. Of all fruits, the raspberry requires liberal 

 treatment in this respect. Suckers arising from the 

 base of apple, pear and plum trees, and gooseberry 

 bushes, should be removed. Not only are they unsightly, 

 but they rob the trees of much nourishment. Grafts 

 will now be growing freeh', and where cla}- has been 

 used it should be removed. This can easily be done 

 hv placing a stone against the ball of clay, and then 

 striking it on the opposite side with a hammer or stone. 

 The young shoots must also be made secure against 

 accident from wind or other causes. A stake tied firmly 

 to the stock near each graft, and allowed to extend 

 beyond the growth, will provide a suitable support to 

 which the voung shoot can be tied. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J. G. TONKR. 

 ARDENIXG in all departments will now be in 

 full swing, and much thinking as well as work 

 must be done. This and next month will see 

 many important crops for w-inter and spring use planted 

 out in their final quarters. Though the weather of late 

 has been dry, warm and summer-like, ground that has 

 been well handled still retains plenty of moisture, so 



G 



tlu-re need be no fe.ii thai transplanting will in .any way 

 hinder growth. it is the ruli- with all good g.irdeners 

 — not necessarily professionals, for there are many 

 amateurs who iH>uld give them .i long start — to, if pos- 

 sible, have all suili pl.inls .is Miiissels sprouts, broccoli, J 

 cauliflowers, aiul such like, juickeil out on temporary I 

 beds to g.iin slrt-nglh, .md where this has been done 

 they shoulil be ihoioughlv watered some hours before 

 being disturbed, so that laige balls of clay may accom- 

 pany the roots. Let w.iiei he given again after ilu- 

 planting h.is beirn di>iie, .iiul they will never look hack. 

 Those who must depi-iul on plants pulled from the seeii 

 bed, or that have come from the nursery all innocent of 

 soil, will do well to "pudille" them before planting. 

 What in the name ol goodness is "puddling"? It 

 means the placing of the roots in a thick, creamy mix- 

 ture of manure, clay and water. A proportion of this 

 mushy stuff adheres to the roots, keeps them moist foi 

 the time being. :um\ gives them a start ever so slight in 

 growlh. 



(lil.KKV. — \eiy olten celery jilanls are kept too long 

 in the boxes or beds, and theie is much destruction of 

 roots by-and-bye, when they have got badly matted. 

 Big, crisp)', sweet celery is not to be had no more than 

 anything else that is worth having without the taking 

 of plenty of pains and care. It is true to say that hardly 

 any vegetable resents ill-treatment more nor revenges 

 itself so surely, not perhaps on the person who neglected 

 it, but on the unlucky consumer. There are thousands 

 of gardens at present where no trenches have yet been 

 prepared for the reception of the plants. Let it be done 

 at once. The upper layer of soil taken out shoukl be 

 kept to one side, and when the subsoil is removed return 

 that which was on top to the bottom of the trench, with 

 equal or nearly equal bulk of manure. Superphosphate 

 will also be of much benefit, and might be mixed with 

 the soil before it is returned to the trench. The water 

 suppl}' is even of more importance, and must be plenti- 

 fully given while there is opportunity for doing so. 



Insect Pl.^cu'Es.— In perhaps the majority of gardens 

 much difficulty is experiencid in cultivating even 

 middling crops of carrots and onions owing to the 

 presence of their special enemies, the carrot and onion 

 flies. The former, Psila rosae, will be coming along 

 just now. and eggs will be laid just beside the 30ung 

 roots. When the maggots hatch from these we may 

 say good-bye to nice, clean carrot.s, or perhaps to roots 

 fit for use at all. There are many methods of dealing 

 with this pest, and, needless to say, good culture has a 

 lot to do with staving oft such attacks. Sowing rather 

 early and observing the same rule as regards the thin- 

 ning helps very largely to bring them through alright. 

 The thinning should be seen to when they are an inch 

 high, and the soil made fine and closed well in about 

 the crowns. Over this might be laid a layer of fine 

 ashes that have been passed through a quarter or three- 

 eighth sieve, having spraj'ed it lightly with paraffin oil 

 and mixing thoroughly before applying to the rows of 

 plants. 



The onion fly lays its eggs in much the same manner, 

 and if the onions are grown in lines they may be treated 

 in precisely the same manner as the carrots. If in 

 either case the crop is grown broadca.st, the better 



