IRISH GARDENING 



39 



calendar of work can be toviched npon, and it is 

 not an easy matter to say where the beginning 

 or the end lies. Taking the seasons by the 

 calendar is hardly practicable, but any other 

 method might lead, to confusion, therefore I will 

 start with .January. During the dull days of this 

 month very little can be done to increase or vary 

 the vegetable supply. I would at least advise 

 that the seed order should be made up and sent 

 off, so that the seeds may be always at hand when 

 required, as this very often spells the difference 

 between success and faihire. Batches of rhubarb 

 and seakale must be put in to force, as they are 

 both very much ai)preciated- To those who have 

 not acconimodation for this work, a few bottona- 

 less barrels placed over the stools outside and 

 covered over with fermenting material usually 

 has the desired effect. Many ingenious plans for 

 this work arc ado])ted — viz., boxes ])liiced on hot 

 water ])ipcs or under the stage in a moderately 

 warm house. The stools niust always be kejit 

 moist and light excluded, especially from seakale. 

 Mustard and cress should be sown every week in 

 boxes and placed on a shelf; being the first green 

 stuff of the season, both are much appreciated. 

 Tomatoes sown during this nionth and grown 

 steadily on in moderate heat near the glass make 

 the most profitable plants. Cauliflower in frames 

 must have all the light and air ])ossible. Those 

 who prefer good large onions must sow during this 

 month and ])lace in a heated house near the glas.-:. 

 The digging of vacant plots should be ■i)roceeded 

 with during dry weather. We have in season 

 during this month such useful vegetables as 

 celery, leek, onions, cabbage, parsnips, beet, 

 Brussels sprouts, parsley, broccoli, rhubarb, 

 artichokes, carrots and pot herbs. 



The month of February ushers in a busy 

 season for the vegetable grower. Where cauli- 

 flowers and lettuce are scarce or have not stood 

 the winter well, sow a pinch of each indoors as 

 early as possible in this month ; provided the 

 soil is dry for working, a ])lantation of cabbage 

 should be made, also a sowing of three or four of 

 the earliest varieties of peas and broad beans, 

 which ought to be ready in the second week of 

 .lune. Transjjlant Tripoli onions, choosing a 

 well manured space in that division allotted to 

 deeji-rooting crops. If possible get the soil in 

 that fine dry state for working so necessary to 

 prei)are an onion bed, which requires to be rather 

 iirm and fine on the toj). I would recommend 

 .sowing seed onions, spinach and parsley at this 

 time. Jerusalem artichokes ought to be ]>lanted, 

 if possible, during this naonth, as they require a 

 long season's growth. Early potatoes are quite 

 early enough if planted during the last days of 

 February, and now that sprouting is carried out 

 by the vast uuijority, I think it is a mistake to 

 plant too early in the o|)en, as there is the danger 

 of a later frost just when they are above the 

 ground, hut on the warm sea-board, of South 

 Dublin yoii can easily i»lant nuuh cailicr than we 

 do on the north side. The ^ cgrl al»lis in season 

 during this month are identical with those I 

 enumerated for .Tanuary, with the exception of 

 cabbage, but a very good substitute takes its 

 place in savoys. 



In March gardeners rectuire to bestir themselves, 

 as everything wants doing at once. We require 

 to prepare a seed bed for such as are grown and 

 trans])lanted into ])ermanent qiiarters later on — 

 viz., cabbage in variety, <'a\iliflower, Brussels 



s])routs, savoys, greens, leeks, lettuce, parsni])s 

 and carrots. Second early peas and beans should 

 be sown in their pernxanent quarters, also radishes, 

 s])inach and turnips, to form a succession to those 

 already sown. Attention must be paid to the 

 permanent bed of seakale by placing ]jots over 

 crowns and covering the liole on top with a piece 

 of slate. I consider it a better method to cover 

 the crowns with dry moss and place the earth up 

 over it in the same way as celery is earthed up. 

 If every op])ortunity during the winter has been 

 availed of, in the way of preijaring the soil by 

 digging, trenching and manuring, it is surprising 

 how quickly the ground dries up during the 

 lengthening days of March, enabling the work 

 to be ])roceeded with simultaneously. Indoor we 

 ought U) keep the su])i)ly of nmstard and cress 

 fresh by sowing every week. Celery also requires 

 artificial heat, and the main crop may be sown 

 about the middle of the month and grown on, 

 ])ricked off into boxes or frames preparatory to 

 being planted out in trenches. During March wo 

 have still a good variety of vegetables, such as 

 seakale, rhubarb, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, 

 carrots, leeks, parsnips, parsley, beet, celery, 

 onions, and greens. 



April, probably, is not so important for seed 

 sowing in the kitchen garden, yet it has its full 

 share of work in store if we are to maintain 

 an unbroken supply of vegetables. The first 

 days of this month can be profitably spent in 

 hoeing and breaking the surface soil through all 

 the crojjs in the garden ; the first croj) of spring 

 weeds are cvit down and the surface soil stirred, 

 aerated and nuiichcd by the one operation. The 

 Buco hoe cultivator is an excellent tool for this 

 work. Successional .sowings must be nxade of 

 peas, beans, carrots, turnips, spinach, lettuce and 

 radish. Carrot and beet might well be delayed 

 until the last days of the month. By sowing a 

 ])inch of celery during this month and giving it 

 the usual attention it comes in very useful as a 

 late row or two, where it is esteemed in the late 

 si)ring. Cauliflowers ]>rotected in frames during 

 winter and hardened oft" ought to be planted, also 

 another plantation of cabbage. Onions raised in 

 heat may also be planted towards the end of the 

 month. Another sowing of the Brassica family 

 should be made about the 20th. such as early and 

 mid-season broccoli, kale, savoys, Brussels sprouts 

 and cabbages ; these always <'ome in iiseful, as the 

 March sowing is uncertain. Vegetable marrows 

 will be much earlier if started in heat and 

 hardened off before ])!anting out. Sjjring 

 cabbage is again making its ap]>earance, while 

 other vegetables are gradiuilly disap])earing, yet 

 we have onions, beet, parsni])s and carrots in 

 store to draw from, while celery, parsley, leeks, 

 Brussels si)routs, broccoli, rhubarb and seakale 

 remain with us yet. 



May. — In this month vegetable crojjs make 

 rapid growth, and early turnii)s. carrots, ])arsnips 

 and si)inafh may require thinning. Kee]> the hoe 

 at work hctwceti crops and. on all vacant s])accs ; 

 it is not only desirable for the d»'stru«tion of we(>ds, 

 it also heljis to retain moisture in the soil, a 

 uuitter of great im])t)rtancc in dry situations. 

 Peas will recpiire staking as growth proceeds, and 

 two sowings may be nxade, one at the beginning 

 and the other "at the eiid of the uxonth, for 

 succession. Sow kidney beans every fortnight 

 till end of June, and one sowing of runner beans. 

 Late broccoli, cauliflowers and cabbages ought 



