[6o 



IRISH GARDENING. 



OCTOMKR 



the crop. Tlio f'niit-room slioiiKi he ot a cool, imifoiiii 

 temperatiiro. An cartluMi floor is very ifooii in this 

 respect. Shelves should he placed around tlie walls, 

 and if these are detaciied and placed in tiers, allowim,-^ 

 a foot between each, it will he an aiivantagfe. as they 

 can be withdrawn and replaced as required. N'o lijjht 

 is necessary in the fruit-room, but after the fruit has 

 been stored a little while a sliijht current of air may be 

 admitted. A very ilry atmosphere, however, must be 

 _y:uarded against. The finest fruit should be placed in 

 sintrle layers on the shelves, while very hard fruit may 

 be placed in several layers. Injured or bleniisheil fr-uit 

 should be used or sold at any price. The fruit-room 

 shoiikl he examineil periodically ami .-.U decaying' fruit 

 be removed. This will teml to keep the room sweet 

 and clean. 



The Vegetable Cxarden. 



By J. (i. To.NKR. 



E\'E\ where that portion, be it large or small, set 

 apart for 'he culture of vegetables is distinct 

 from the flower and fruit quarters, it can be 

 made a place of beauty as well as utility. The word 

 beauty is defined as meaning " a pleasing assemblage 

 of qualities in a person or object," and it maybe proper 

 to add, a place. It may be taken then that this "pleas- 

 ing assemblage of qualities" in a vegetable garden 

 would give it a claim to be called a beautiful place, 

 and that is what it should ever be. Perhaps the more 

 important of these qualities would be cleanliness and 

 order, yes, even before good crops, from the a;sthetic 

 point of view. For however high the merits of the 

 different vegetables, their number and variety, all is 

 lost in the eye of the beauty lover if not accompanied 

 by an extreme degree of tidiness. Gardeners, amateur 

 and professional, should bear in mind that their gardens, 

 mixed or otherwise, give as true an indication of their 

 characters as the state of their clothes, the qualit}' of 

 their conversation or their standard of general conduct. 

 Not indeed but most gardeners are neat and tidy, to 

 be sure they are, at the same time these few lines will 

 possibly be read with beneficial results by some few 

 who are not so, and then the heart of the editor will 

 rejoice. 



This is a season when attention to small details must 

 ungrudgingly be given if the vegetable ground is to 

 give a handsome appearance. It is now that old 

 cauliflower and cabbage stumps bedecked with half- 

 yellow leaves that perhaps had served as a meal for 

 hungry caterpillars earlier in the year are left languish- 

 ing, not alone like "The last rose of summer," but in 

 hundreds. These, for instance, should be got rid of 

 and placed in such quarters as would insure their re- 

 turning to dust in the shortest possible time. And 

 again we see old pea haulm still holding on to the rods, 

 and covered by mildew, giving a neglected and deserted 

 appearance to a garden otherwise admirabh' 

 managed. Or a batch of lettuce may be seen hastening 

 heavenward to fulfil its natural mission of bearing 

 blossoms and seeds that would have served a more use- 

 ful purpose if thrown to the pigs a month ago, or fed to 

 pullets that they might lay early eggs and big ones. 



Did you ever notice too, dear brethern, how the sow- 

 thistles, the dandelions and the ubiquitous groundsel 



near tlu-ir wooll\' he.'iils ;i full eighteen inches high in 

 the more remoli" portions of the g.'iiden bc-fore you 

 h;i\e e\t'n suspci'teil their i-xisleiice, 



Through the rows of bioccoli, brussels sprouts, 

 savoy and other strong-growing subjects there are to 

 he found also various specimens of weeds of suflicienlly 

 strong constitution as to defy the eflbrts of the rightful 

 occupiers of the ground to smother them. .\ttention 

 to these matters goes a long way to make even a 

 vegetable garilen not only a place of great utility, but 

 also a place of beauty. 



CVHHAC.KS. -While the beautifying process is being 

 carried on by manual labour the thinking portion of the 

 gardener may be profitably employed in arranging 

 other more matter-of-fact tasks September is the 

 recognised period for getting spring cabbages into 

 their final positions. But as even in small gardens 

 ground is becoming fast vacant, another batch of the 

 strongest plants may be got out in addition. Rarely 

 are there complaints of an over supply of this democratic 

 vegetable in spring time. Should it be so, it is very 

 easily turned into money, more so perhaps than any 

 other garden crop. The human heart or perhaps some 

 other portion of the human anatomy seems to hunger 

 after cabbage green or white early in the year, so let 

 there be as much happiness as possible. Besides it is 

 wise to leave a wide margin for accidents. 



Lifting Roots. — In general it will be best to leave 

 parsnips alone, for they continue to increase in size 

 until very late in the year, and are also of much better 

 quality and flavour when dug as required. Carrots 

 however are best lifted and stored. They should be 

 dug out not pulled. Good ones, as a matter of fact, 

 cannot be pulled, that is, when they have fully matured. 

 If a large quantity has to be dealt with there is no 

 better plan than pitting them. Moderate lots might 

 be stored in sand either under cover or in the open, in 

 the latter case in a sheltered warm place and protection 

 provided against rain. 



Not only in the culture but in the after treatment 

 many errors are made in dealing with beetroot. In the 

 first place considerable care and patience must be 

 exercised in removing the roots from the soil, for if they 

 are cut or broken they will, on being cooked, bear more 

 resemblance to mangels, which few consider a dainty 

 dish except for the cows. Instead of attempting to dig 

 the roots directly the soil might be dug out to a 

 sufficient depth between the rows to allow for getting 

 quite under them, by this method scarcely a root will 

 be touched, and it takes only a small extra portion of 

 time. In the removal of the leaves two or three inches 

 must be left, and it matters little whether they be cut or 

 wrung off. There is always some danger in practising 

 the latter that some may be pulled from the crown, in 

 which case the roots will be deficient in colour and 

 sap when cooked. 



Preparing Ground. — Although early in the season 

 opportunity might be taken of preparing ground for 

 onions, parsnips, and carrots for next season. Special 

 treatment is necessary to produce the best of these and 

 and the longer beforehand the work is done the better 

 will be the results. Spaces intended for peas might 

 also be got readj', for other months will also bring their 

 own share of work. 



