128 



IRISH GARDENING. 



AllCL'Sr 



worth doiiiy^ well, aiul if it is not worlli iloiii^^ \vi>ll just 

 let it alone and endeavour to tind consolation in idleness, 

 a futile task. 



For many reasons, often (oy w.int of spaee, plants 

 must stand over beyond the usual time for planlini;. 

 Haymakini;^ is often, most imfortunately, inrluded in the 

 duties of the gardener .iml his stalV, to llu- iK-lriiiunl of 

 the jjfarden and its oeiupants. Would it not he inon' 

 tittinij to introiluee sueli woik to the eoaehman, sup- 

 posinir he were a separate entity, whieh he often is not ? 

 or, in a diUkult ease, lei the ehaufieur toss a coin with 

 the gardener as to the performances in the hayfield ; it 

 would be just as reasonable to put the man of petrol on 

 the job as the overworked gardener. The begoggled 

 one would protest with truth thai motor cars dont 

 consume hay, but neither do the gardeners charge at 

 least those that belong to the vegetable kingdom. 



Planti.vi;. — At present it is safe to say that there are 

 plentv of vegetable plants to be put out yet in tluir tln.-il 

 i|uarters. The weather was not suitable for suili work 

 except for a couple of days lately. Out they must go, 

 however, and it will be found a good plan to ili.iw 

 shallow trenches about 3 or 4 inches deep and the 

 necessary distance apart, and let them have a thorough 

 watering in the forenoon— that is, supposing water is 

 to be had handily. In many gardens there is little or 

 none to be had presently ; it is nearly as scarce as the 

 stronger liquids. The bed containing the plants to be 

 treated likewise. If tlie plants have been dibbled out 

 from the seed bed and stand as they should, four or so 

 inches apart, the\- can be easily transferred without 

 much check to the required positions. Those that 

 have not been so well cared for as regards early 

 transplanting had better be puddled— it will prove 

 helpful. 



Cauliflowers. — Some time during the month, earlj* 

 or late, according to the district, seeds of Early London 

 and Autumn Giant cauliflowers should be sown on a 

 sheltered border or position. Fine, well-worked ground 

 is the thing for them ; it must not be over-rich or failure 

 will surely follow. It might prove a wise move to make 

 two separate sowings so as to dodge the weather, no 

 matter how tricky the winter and spring may prove. 

 We gather wisdom as we grow old. Smart growers 

 having good conveniences in the way of frames and 

 heated pits dispense with autumn sowing altogether, 

 for there are many fine varieties of what are known as 

 forcing cauliflowers that are ver)- dependable, and 

 when sown very early in heat and well managed are 

 quite as early as their older brethren and very delicious 

 at table. 



Moulding Celery. — The markings of good sticks are 

 often spoilt by roughness and carelessness in connection 

 with this important detail of their culture. Everybody 

 has heard of "the careful hand of the gardener," but 

 when this busy personage is obliged to delegate work 

 of this kind to his assistants the plants come in very 

 often for a bad time. A sensible way of attacking the 

 work is to arrange the leaf stalks in a natural manner, 

 beginning at the middle and bringing them closely 

 together. Temporary ties will keep them secured until 

 the earth is put to them. From six to eight weeks are 

 required for blanching. Soot might with advantage be 

 plentifully used with soil so as to keep slugs as far as 



jiossihli- ;il bay. W.ilet in pKiitv ought to be applii'd 

 before any moulding takes place, as unless special 

 means are provided it is not easy to apply it afterwards. 

 Tkii'ol! O.mo.ns. — liroadc.ist is the better method 

 of sowing tlu'se si-eils. The remarks made about 

 c.iulilloweis in reganl li> liim- will serve for these also. 

 A uonderful wt-ighl of bulbs can be produced from ;ni 

 ouui-e of si-eds. Ail rouiul few kinds can beat, for 

 hartliness ;uul gener.il puiposes, llu- Red l*'lal Tripoli. 

 .No better place can be selecteil for their accomnu>d;i- 

 tion than potato ground just levelled and made fairly 

 firm. If necessary, some may be transplanted before 

 spring, but this does not always succeed when the 

 winter proves severe. 



Garden Notes. 



The most successful growi-rs of the Shirle)' poppy 

 know that the best clumps of this gayly-coloured flower 

 are obtained from summer sown seeds. Immediatel}' 

 the seeds ripen they ought to be sown in their per- 

 manent quarters, and before the wintery days are 

 upon us the}' will have formed well-established colonies 

 that will survive the winter and make early and rapiil 

 progress in the spring. They should be sown thinly 

 and never be allowed to unduly crowd one another. 

 The best show of poppies we ever had were from self- 

 sown plants persistently thinned as growth progressed. 



A CONFIRNLVTION of the belief that strawberr)- plants 

 propagated from fiisl runners give the best results is 

 furnished b}- a recent Report issued by the Fruit and 

 Cider Institute. The total crop for three years with 

 five diff'erent varieties was 1.517 lbs. from first runners 

 and 1,207 lbs. from second runners. The variety 

 President gave the greatest difference. Royal Sovereign 

 medium, and Paxton practically no difference at all. 



Ix the same Report is given the results of some 

 experiments dealing with the influence of grass or fruit 

 trees. It would appear from what is stated that the 

 injurious effect of grass is only operative in the case of 

 young trees, and then also only during the first and 

 second year after planting. The results, therefore, 

 suggest that the best plan is to plant first on tilled 

 land, and then after the second or third year after plant- 

 ing to lay down to grass if the desire is to have a grass 

 orchard. 



As a remedy against the attacks of apple-sucker the 

 use of a lime and salt wash is recommended b}- the 

 English Board of Agriculture. It is made up of 20 per 

 cent, lime and 2 per cent. salt, and applied in the 

 form of a spray between the opening of the buds and a 

 fortnight before. The effect of the solution is to form a 

 hard case upon the egg-covering and so preventing the 

 escape of the larvai. 



The annual exhibition of the National Sweet Pea 

 Society was held in London on the iith and i2thof Jul}-. 

 According to the Gardeners Chronicle the show "will 

 rank as one of the best of the series. The qualitj- of the 

 flowers was up to the average, although not exceptional. 

 No outstanding novelty was forthcoming, the older 

 varieties well holding their own, and the best flowers in 

 the show were grown in Ireland." 



