IRISH GARDENING 



5 



should always endeavour to carry out this work 

 thoroughly, being careful to cut away all dead or 

 diseased parts, large or small. Branches badly 

 affected by canker should be cut clean out : 

 other ])arts affected by canker should be pared 

 dowp to hea'thy bark (using a very sharp knife 

 or chisel), and afterwards painted with Stock- 

 holm tar, to prevent any further lodgment of 

 the canker fungus. 



Old trees which have, through mismanagement 

 or neglect, got into a generally undesirable con- 

 dition may be much imi>roved by freely cutting 

 out weakly and interlaced branches and ti^e 

 application to roots of some stimulant to healthy 

 growth, such as thorough soakings of liquid 

 manure or a mulch of new compost or well 

 decayed rich manure. 



Both old and young trees may (and freq lently 

 do) break away int;0 ram])ant, unfruitful growth, 

 or the roots may have grown down into a subsoil, 

 which causes the tree to produce small, badly 

 coloured and diseased fruits ; when this occurs, 

 root-pruning in the case of old trees and lifting 

 of youn'^ trees must be resorted to as a means 

 of restoring them to proper fruiting condition. 

 Root-pruning may be carried out this month, 

 rather than defer it to another year. In root- 

 |)runing work half round the tree this year, 

 taking the other half the following year ; make 

 sure that no strong fibreless roots are left uncut ; 

 add some good manure as the trench is refilled, 

 and a little basic slag is a very useful addition. 

 Lifting of trees may also be carried out, if con- 

 dition of soil allows of being well trampled during 

 course of replanting ; though as weather and soil 

 conditions are as a rule much more favourable 

 during February, this o])eration may be better 

 carried out during that month. The ])runing of 

 fruit trees, if not already finished, should be got 

 through as quickly as jtossible, so that advantage 

 may be taken of first favourable days to spray 

 the trees. (*alm dry days, such as are absolutely 

 necessary for successful spraying, are rather an 

 exception than the rule, so that it is very advis- 

 able to have the trees pruned and everything in 

 readiness to make the most of first favourable 

 days. Caustic comjjounds may be a|)plied for 

 the destruction of moss and lichens, scale, and 

 woolly ai)his : the latter very common pest may 

 be dealt with where the number or size of trees 

 hardly call for the ])urchase of si)raying machines 

 and com]JOunds by painting the affected parts 

 with methylated s])irits ; a sniall quantity of 

 spirits could be carried in some rece])iacle, such 

 as a small ])?int tin, and ai)plied to the affected 

 Ijarts with a rather stiff and small paint brush. 

 For aj)ple and ])ear scab and brown rot in ])lums 

 and cherries, thoroughly spray the trees with 

 sulijhate of copper— 1 lb. of sulphate of ctjpper 

 dissolved in 10 gallons of water. ObUtin the 

 powdered sulphate, and it dissolves more readily 

 i< tied in a piece of course canvas and suspended 

 in the water. Where attacks of scab have been 

 severe, this winter spraying is of considerable 

 value in destroying the spores of the fungus 

 which lay dormant on the trees during wintei-. 



All trees which have reached fnjiting ag;^, and 

 sj)ecially old ones carrying heavy crops of fruit, 

 should receive annually a good dressing of farm- 

 yard manure, quantity to be regulated by size 

 of trees ; fully developed trees should be manured 

 at least <> feet all round the stem of the tree. 



The a]ti>lication of basic slag to fruit trees is 



very beneficial, sui)]ilying as it does an amount 

 of phosphate absolutely necessary to the 

 maintenance of trees inirofitable condition : apply 

 at rate of from 4 to (5 ozs. per square yard before 

 spreading the dung ; spread the slag during 

 January whether the ground may be dug or not 

 during this month. 



Bush Fruit Plots.— If the different varieties 

 are already pruned, proceed with manuring and 

 digging on all favourable occasions. Black, red, 

 and white currants may be similarly treated as 

 regards manuring, and must receive annually a 

 liberal allowance of good farm-yard manure' to 

 ensure heavy crops of fine fruit, and maintain 

 the bushes in vigorous healthy condition for a 

 number of years. Have sufficient quantities of 

 manure carted or wheeled to convenient spaces, 

 then remove the surface soil under bushes until 

 roots are niet with, using a rake or fork for this 

 purpose, for a distance of 1 foot all round stem 

 or centre of bush (or more in the case of larger 

 and robust bushes). Give the cleared ground a 

 good dressing of manure, and as the digging of 

 ground proceeds cover this manure with clean 

 fresh earth to a depth of about 3 inches ; do not 

 use the removed surface for the purpose, but 

 bury it deeply in course of digging. Take ad- 

 vantage of spaces where deep digging will not 

 destroy roots to bury weeds, leaves, &:c. My 

 practice when having currant squares dug is to 

 have the men provided with a bucket of basic 

 slag, and as each bush is finished, a couple of 

 handsfuU of slag is s])read over ground under the 

 bush ; and I find this treatment gives excellent 

 results. Black currant bushes should be closely 

 examined for the black currant mite. If any 

 slight attack is found, the shoots bearing affected 

 buds must be cut out and burnt ; badly attacked 

 bushes should be dug up and burned completely. 

 Gooseberries will yield satisfactory crops of 

 fniit with much less manure than currants ; it 

 is goodjjractice to give them a dressing of manure, 

 applied as for currants, one year, and slag, dis- 

 solved bones, or any ai»proved artificial nianure 

 the following year. Whatever manure may be 

 applied, do not fail to remove the surface soil 

 from under the bushes' to about the sju-ead of 

 the branches, and bury it to the dejjth of the 

 spade or fork, away from roots of trees. This 

 removal of surface annually will prevent, and in 

 great measure stoj), attacks of gooseberry cater- 

 pillars. Keep a good look out tor our feathered 

 "friends," bullfinches, tom-tits, and si)arrows ; 

 where these abound they seldom s])are goose- 

 berry and red and white currant buds ; if their 

 attacks go on undetected all diance of a cro]) 

 rai)idly disappears. I find here that after the 

 bushes are pmned and ground dug over, we are 

 free from attacks of these birds. Any of these 

 birds will sit quite unconcerned in a thick un- 

 ])runed bush. 1 ceding away on the buds, but not 

 so in a ])runcd bush, where the shelter that 

 eiul)<)ldens tliiuu is absent. It is good and econo- 

 uiicai practice to ])ut in a few rows of cuttings 

 of the bush fruits when the bushes are being 

 pruned. For this i)urpose select clean straight 

 shoots, about 18 inches long. Black currants 

 iiuiy be inserted as they are cut from the bushes ; 

 gooseberries, red and white currants nuist have 

 all the buds removed, excei)t 5 or at ]>oint of 

 shoot. All cuttings should be inserted about 

 8 inches deep, and nxade thorougldy firm in the 

 ground. 



