74 



IRISH C^VRDENING. 



NOVKMHKR 



The Month's Work. 



Flower CJardcn and Pleasure (Jrouiuis. 



Ry W. UsHKK, Tlu- C.a.-dens. BieiiaTistown, Caliinteolx , 

 Ci-<. Dublin. 



^^ 0\1;M1?ICR is an iiniHUlaiil inoiith 

 ^ III lliL' i^^ariieiier's laK'iuiar ; it is 

 durintj tliis moiilii that lu- is I'l c^- 

 lo make any alterations wliiili lu- liail 

 iKn-iiii'd on Of wliich was tiMi-fti lo his 

 iioiiie diiiini; llu' suiiiiiuT ami aiiluiiin 



WluML' alterations have been decided 

 oi) they should be carried out as soon as 

 possible, while the effects or defects are 

 ^liil (ri'sli in the memory. In the selection 

 I't" plants, duration of flowering should be 

 the first consideration, for few gardens 

 will afford the time or cost of a changeable 

 flower garden, in which the beds are 

 decorated in early spring with scillas, 

 hepaticas, erythroniums, sanguinarias, 

 and many other choice spring flowering 

 bulbs and plants, to be succeeded by 

 autumn-sown annuals in masses for sum- 

 mer flowering, to be again succeeded by 

 autumnal flowering bulbs — dahlias, holy- 

 hocks, chr^'saiithemums. &c., which carry 

 us into the winter months. This system 

 of gardening as seen in most of our public 

 parks and noted gardens is very attrac- 

 tive when attended with high keeping, 

 " hut entails more cost than proprietors 

 of the ordinary run gardens will incur; therefore the 

 gardener must always have his eye on the cost as 

 well as the effect, and shape his plans accordingly. 

 There is nothing gives better value than the Darwin 

 and May-flowering tulips, which should be planted 

 during the earliest part of the month. Planted in small 

 clumps through the herbaceous borders they look 

 charming, and are seen to great effect amongst the 

 voung, fresh shoots of the herbaceous plants during 

 April and May. A nice collection of those may be got 

 up at a small cost. 



The herbaceous borders will now require a thorough 

 cleaning. Cut down all the stalks of plants gone out of 

 flower. Any vacancies, changes or additions should 

 now be made good, and the borders thoroughly cleaned. 

 It is important that any labels which may have been 

 displaced or became obliterated should be renewed 

 while the plants are distinguishable. Cuttings in frames 

 should be looked over and additional heat applied 

 where necessary. When storing plants and cuttings 

 away for the winter endeavour to keep those plants 

 together which require similar treatment. Geranium, 

 verbenas, petunias, &c., should be kept on the dry side 

 and as much air as possible given to them, a close 

 damp atmosphere being fatal to those plants. 



Roses. - Planting will now be the order, and where 

 any new beds are to b^ made it will pay to remove the 



olil soil lo tlu'di'pth of two li'i-l, and yooil, strong loam 

 from .m old iiasture suhsiii uteil, lo whii h may bo .iddeil 

 s.imi- ihoroughly di-i-oinposed larinyard manure (not 

 loo close lo the roots) and some inch bones, and wooil 

 ashes if available, it is very important to see that 

 there is no likelihood of any stagnant moisture lying 

 about. If the natural drainage be not good, then there 

 must be .irtifical drainage constructed. When planting 

 roses ilo iiol planl too deep ; it is ;i mistaki- which is 

 \ciy oil I'll inaile. 



Slirubbi'iies should now be thinned out. Any plants 

 wiiiii) are becoming crowded should be removed lo 

 where they will have more space ; where a shrubbery 

 has bi-en allowed to get too crowded, and large 

 branches have to be removed, the operation must 

 be performed gradually, and a portion headed down 

 every season until the whole is renovated and covered 

 with young foliage. Nothing looks worse than a mass 

 of tangled, overgrown shrubs with a confused mass of 

 bare, ugly stems. 



The lawns will require a good deal of attention to 

 keep them clean. All leaves collected should bo care- 

 fully stored and turned occasionally to make good leaf- 

 mould. The Pennyslvania people have an excellent leaf- 

 collector on the market, and where a large quantity of 

 leaves have lo be collected off smooth lawns it is an 

 excellent help, and very soon repays its cost ; it does 

 not pull up or " rough " the grass such as rakes will do. 



Pieces of Alpine plants which are liable to be injured 

 by frost or damp taken off last month, and now- 

 established in small pots, should be put in a cold frame 

 where they may get all the sunshine possible. A good 

 plan to follow is to to fill the frame up with silver or 

 soft sea sand in the form of a raised ridge and the pots 

 plunged therein ; this will prevent the need of watering 

 and keep the roots at a more even temperature. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By G. DOOLAN. 



FRITT GROWING. — During the past few years 

 there has been a great increase in the area under 

 fruit in this country. The figures for last j-ear are 

 particularly striking, especially those for Co. Armagh, 

 where the increase amounted to about 500 acres. This 

 is sufficient testimony' to the value of fruit growing as a 

 farm crop. In Armagh this industry is a long-established 

 and profitable one, though the conditions are not by 

 any means so favourable for fruit growing as in some 

 districts in the south of Ireland. Cireater interest is 

 now being taken in fruit growing and proper methods 

 of cultivation are practised by many growers. Growers 

 are also beginning to realise that it pays to imitate the 

 foreigner, who grades and places his fruit in a most 

 attractive manner in the British markets. Like Irish 

 eggs, there is no reason why Irish grown fruit should 

 not command a name for quality in the English market. 

 Fruit growers should avail themselves of the services of 

 the itinerant instructors of horticulture, who will, when 

 requested, visit and give advice on the various phases 

 of fruit culture, namely — planting, pruning, spraying, 

 &c. A letter should be addressed to the Secretary of 

 the County Committee of Agriculture, wlien a visit from 



