i6 



IRISH GARDENING 



STKAWBKKHY BKD.- oI; I'l.ANIAIlD.Ns sIkmiI.I 

 be rk'ivred of wei'd.s. all lat r-ronii.'d runiicis .irul 

 (load leaves : do not ilaiuage nr iciuonc ;tn\ 

 liea.lt liy live t'oliane on plants, 'fhus cleaMcd llir 

 irrouiui is iu order for the aiuma! dres.'^iu.LC ol 

 manure, and if the best results air to Ix; obtained, 

 this dressing; must be amp'.f iu quantity and 

 t'eediutx ])ro]ierties. (Mioose a caiui day, alter tlie 

 cieauiui,' of beds, when the surfaee is dry (or fairly 

 drv). and ai)i)ly a dressing of basic slag, about 

 I ozs. to the squaiv yard, or from S to 1(» ewt. 

 to the aere. On comparatively snui.ll ai'cas it is a 

 good i)laix to mix the requisite amount of shig 

 with a q'laiitity of fairly dry (or quite dry) 

 earth: by this uu-aus a more uniform distribution 

 may be secured, and can be s])read on a windy 

 day : spread the slag quite close to plants, ])ut 

 not over the foliage. After the lai)se of a. week 

 or ten days, give the ground a liberal mulching 

 of rich luanure (or the very best obtainable). 

 The best manure for this niidching is mamire 

 which has been made in houses under highly fed 

 cattle or milch cows. The manure may lay in 

 heai)s a few days to season, but not allowed to 

 overheat, or be washed too much with rains ; 

 such exjxisure would very materially reduce the 

 feeding i)roperties of the manure. Cover the 

 whole surface of ground 2 or :'. inches deep, and 

 right up to crown of plants underneath the 

 foliage. 



liASPBERitY Plantations. — Cut away all old 

 canes and such canes as are not required to tie 

 in for carrying this year's crop of fruit. Where 

 the canes are tied ' to wires, tie them about 

 15 inches apart ; if grown in clumps or stools, tie 

 5 or canes to the stakes ; afterwards clean the 

 ground thoroughly, and then apply a dressing of 

 basic slag as recommended for strawberries ; 

 also farm-yard manure in similar i)roportions, 

 but this need only be a])plied about 18 inches on 

 each side of canes. It is advisable to leave 

 shui-lciiiuLi of caiLcs until danger of injiiry through 

 sc\ cir lidsis is past w herever the canes have over- 

 grown desired lieight. 



The Vegetable Garden, 



By Andrew I'eap.son, Gardener to A. S. 

 Crawford, Esq., Lota Lodge, Glanmire, Cork. 



The year 1915 will be to many garch'u owners 

 one of economy — to some '" markitm timi'" and 

 to others retrenchment. In tiic vcgctabl*- garden, 

 liowever, it ought to be one of redoubled energy, 

 and, if at all possible, an additional area should 

 be laid out for vegetable production. Well- 

 grown vegetables are at all times acceptable on 

 the table, and in such a year as this may prove 

 to be, they will be doubly welcome. 



The best structures are reared on good founda- 

 tions, and the vegetable world is no exception. 

 See then that all vacant plots are ])roperly 

 prepared by thoroughly digging or trenching the 

 soil, incorporating with it a liberal dressing of 

 farniyard manure on heavy land. This ought 

 to have been accomplished in autvimn. There 

 is still, however, time for the atmosphere's 

 ameliorating effects to take ]dace before seed beds 

 are made. 



If rotation in cropping is not followed, it ought 

 to be, and the present is an excellent time to draw 



■iiip.U'ai 

 id.l thr 



ilaii 111 the S(plalrs, shewing the iro|)S, 

 llifiTon ; by such a 

 takes of i)vei'la.pping, 

 lepi'.d ill'.' (Tnps, \c.. .iiid incidentally insure a 

 maxiiuuiii ciop Iruiu ;i, minimum outNiy ol' 

 expense and lalMuir. A det.iiled plan cannot be 

 given within llie liinils ,,r tliese monthly notes. 



The diniciillN (»r (ibtainiuu |)ure seeds nuiy )te 

 accent uated this year on account of the curtailed 

 supplies. It is hardly necessary to say that 

 immoderately cheap s(!eds ai'e often very (!X|)en- 

 sive, being clelicient in ])urity and germination ; 

 it therefore behoves all who wish to grow the only 

 jiroduce worth growing to buy lirst-chuss seeds 

 only. These given lirst -class cultivation will 

 not be disap])ointing. 



Much depends on the weather this month, and 

 to work soil or sow seeds during wet or frosty 

 weather is only courting disaster. 



Peas and broad beans of the early sorts may be 

 sown on the lirst favourable o])])ortunity on a 

 sheltered south border, dressing the seeds with 

 either horticol, red lead, parafTin oil or similar 

 dressing to ward off rats, mice, or bird attacks. 



Potatoes may be ]»lanted on a bed of leaves 

 and stable manure. Sharpe's Exjiress, Mid- 

 lothian Early, May Queen, and British Premier 

 are useful early sorts for such work. On a similar 

 hotbed French horn carrots. Early Milan turni)). 

 Lettuces of the dwarf cabbage varieties, Eadishes, 

 silver skin onions for saladings, cabbage, cauli- 

 flower, &c., may be sown, while towards the end 

 of the nwnth all of these small seeds, excepting 

 turnips, may be sown in small iiinches on the 

 most sheltered possible border. 



Continue the forcing of French beans. The 

 climbing variety. Tender and True, is a splendid 

 forcing sort ; if jjerhaps a few days later than the 

 dwarf varieties. It continues longer in bear- 

 ing — an important point in the early spring 

 supplies. 



Early tomatoes should be afforded water care- 

 fully, keeping the plants close tx) the roof glass. 



Bring forward fresh batches of seakale and 

 rhubarb, either by gentle forcimi indoors or in 

 open quarters by the aid of fermenting nuiterial. 

 Seakale is of superior quality when forced gently, 

 and light must be rigidly excluded by using 

 seakale pots over the ci"owns. Save all thongs 

 of seakale for future planting, cutting top ends 

 straight, and bottoni with a slo])ing cut, tying 

 in bundles and placing in ashes until required for 

 ]ilanting fresh beds. 



Where mushrooms are grown, fresh beds may 

 now be made, using only hard fed horse inanure 

 for the purpose. 



If Asj^aragus beds are not yet mulched, give a 

 dressing of farmyard manure, or if close by the 

 sea, seaweed is to be preferred. Salt should not 

 be applied at present. 



All avitumn sown or planted stuffs should be 

 kept clean and encouraged to grow by hoeing on 

 favourable days. Keep dried bracken or straw 

 convenient for covering celery or tender crops 

 on frosty nights. Wheel manure on to vacant 

 idots dviring frosty weather, and prepare pea 

 sticks for summer use. 



Look over the root stores in wet weather, 

 removing decaying roots : turn onions to prevent 

 growing, disbud all potatoes required for late 

 use, and any required for planting should be 

 ])laced in sprouting boxes, if that has not already 

 been done. 



