48 



IRISH GARDENING 



shniilii.T ;issi>t> iu;(ti'iiMll> in iiiMkiii,' ;i lunp.- 

 comiilcti- imiiiii. ami kt'c))s the sciim stiadv and 

 lirni : now slit (li.- l)ark cii (he st^x-k (.. a (l.|.lh 

 sli^'htlv ^;n-al.T than Mic spli..- <>it <.n tin- sci-.n. 

 lais.- till- »)aik with tiic liandic cf a l.nddini: kiiif.^ 

 iif a )iiiTc of wcd"-r"'-'<lii>l'<'<l W'M'tl luadi' t|iii1i' 

 >nii>utli. tlu'U i>usli tin- scion down nndi-i- (lif 

 rais.'d l.ai-k until it rests with (In- slionld.-r on 

 top t.f till' stock, afterwards hindins; the scions 

 snllicit'iitly ti^'ht to keep them in contact with 

 l!ie wooil aiul without injnrv to the hark, with 

 >tout strips of rallia or two" or tliree strands of 

 worsted twisted to^iether. Ki^X. li shows the 

 scions linished, olT willi v:'-»n ini.' wax. which is 

 ipiickiy appHed. atid makes a neat linisli. lhon^,^h 

 I verv muih prefer t he ancient method of linisiiinu' 

 olT with clav. and always us.- this matt-rial. A 

 suitahle -luantity of jjood adlu-siv.- ch.y should he 

 procun-d a fi-w «lays i)revi(>us to Ix-inji r(-<(uired ; 

 it may In- spread out on sonu- hard floor and 

 knea(l(-d with a stick; any stones must he jticked 

 out. if tlnM-i- should he anv mixi-d in the cla\ : 

 afti-r kneadiuir the day.' mix in throu^'h it 

 about a third (or less) of horse-di-oppinixs. whicti 

 nuist In- madi- <|uite liu'- hy ruhbiu.; fhrou^^h a 

 [inch mt-sh sievt-. uivinji this a furl lu-r kneading', 

 and now d->iuiiin<r tin- mass sunici'-ntly to l)iinir 

 it to ahout the consist. -ncy of },daziii,!.; putty: 

 wlieii ciosiui,' up th(- ^n-afts with clav. <,'radualiv 

 ai-iilv t!ie clav overhead of stock and all roun.J. 

 until a j,'ood .sized cgg-.sliai.ed hall has h.-en 

 a|i|>li(-d,. and smooth it over wit'.i a damp jiaint- 

 brush or tie hand,, wetted. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



r.y A.NUKKW Pk.vkson, Gardener to A. F. 

 Sjiarman-Crawford. Estp, Lota l^odge, (ilau- 



mire. Cork. 



.Maik II is the most important seed-sowing moutli 

 id' the year, almost every vegetable may be sown, 

 and it is still ]iossible to make good earlier sowings 

 which may have failed- hut every fine day must 

 be taken advantage of in the pre])aration of seed 

 beds. Should the s(dl be w^et and pasty defer 

 seed sowing until in proi)er condition, as seeds 

 will neither germinate evenly nor grow vigorously 

 in a concrete or sodden soil. 



As])ara.g\is 'l)eds may be tidied and strawy 

 mulcliings removed- ])ointing in short manun- 

 with a fork, and dressing with nitrate of soda or 

 salt towards the end of month ; ])re])are se(-d 

 beds for April sowing. 



Brassicas of all kinds jiuiy be sown in quantity, 

 the nnich wanted cabljage taking })recedence. 

 gaj)S require Idling, and good heads — even if not 

 required for bousehold consum])tion — never go 

 anuss. Brussels s]>routs, autumn })roccoli, cauli- 

 flowers and winter greens should be sow^n also, 

 and to make doubly sure of success i)reserve seed 

 enough of all the winter stuffs for a sowing next 

 month. Ury, hot summers, and even wet ones, 

 at times rush or retard ])lants towards maturity, 

 and the additional sowdng may just save s\ich an 

 occurrence. On no account jilant the cabbage 

 family on the san\e ground tw4ce in succession : 

 give early s])ring cabbages a dressing of 1 oz. 

 nitrate of soda to the square yard, hoeing the 

 grouTid after the a])i)lication; the croj) responds 

 to this treatment in one week, and yi(-lds a tend(-r, 

 well-flavoured head rarely found in tlie slower 

 gi'own coarse tissue of the ordinary caljbage. 



Broad Beans. — Sow the main croi)s as advised 



m la>t, month ^ 11. .le>. and pl.uit .nil any uhi.h 

 may have been hrought on in jxds or boxes. 



("MtiuiTs. -Sow lOarlv Morn varieties on a. south 

 or sh.-lten-d Ix.rder for" early drawing. 



('iM.Kltv and ('i:i,i;i!lA< . for (-arly ciiqis, should 

 be sown in heat., luicking out. when ready iiit.o 

 rich soil, tliret- iu<li(-s a]iart ; give plenty of wati-r, 

 and grow on sturdily without check. 



Ci ( l-.MHKKs. -Sow" singly in p.ds, and w her«- 

 liol-house s]ia<-e is not. available high class 

 cucumb(-i-s can be grown in Im) bed frames; 

 indet-d,, for an e\ei\' da\ >uppl\ liame-grown 

 stiiir is invaluable. 



LlOKK.^. Sow on rich stdl, and (Iraw the stronger 

 plants for tin- lir.st ]i!aiitings ; by a.h.pting this 

 pra<tice succ(-ssivt- plantings can be made from 

 on(- thick sowing. 



hKTTfCK. — Sow now. and <onlimie to sow at. 

 int(-rvals throughout the year. The lin.-st 

 (piality lettuces are grown where sown. The Cos 

 varieties are considered sujierior in flavour to the 

 cabbage, but many growers ])i-(-fi-r the cabbage 

 varieties, whidi I'leart and bhuich naturally 

 without the lu-ed for tying. Without any desire 

 to be invidious 1 would re<omnu-tul for summer 

 usi- the Cos variety I'ritu-t- of Wales and the 

 cabbage variety Iceljcrg, lioth fine flavoured, 

 long standing sorts. 



Onions. — Sow- on a wadl ]irej>ared seed bed 

 consolidated l)y tramping or rolling; scatter a 

 dressing of soot, salt and woofl ashes ov<-r the 

 whole, rake in and sow in shallow drills 9 inches 

 apart. A few lines may have a sprinkling of Karly 

 Horn carrots sown with the onions; these will 

 l^rove usefxil for early di"aw4ng at the season of 

 thinning the onions for salads. The variety 

 Ailsa Craig and its many selections, altliough 

 generally looked on as only lit for exhibition, are 

 nev(-rtheless excellent main cro]) good keepers. 



l'.\Ksi,EY. — Sow summei- cro]) IS inches a^iart. 



I'ausxips. — Sow in (Irills IS inches a))art in 

 dee])ly dug soil wliere the manure has been 

 ])laced at sonie depth. 



Peas. — The choice Marrowfat varieties should 

 be sown thinly, allowing plenty of space between 

 the rows ; the intervening s])aces may be filled 

 with potatoes, spinach, cauliflowers or similar 

 dw^arf-growing vegetables. Should slugs he 

 cutting oiT early sowings, cover the row's with 

 coal ashes. Stake all jieas above ground- 



Seakale. — Thongs saved from roots lifted for 

 forcing should be planted in their (luai-ters ; 

 insert the thick end up])ermost, about one inch 

 below the svirface, 2 J feet lietween the rows and 

 2 feet between the roots, or jilant three roots in 

 triangles 2 feet apart and '•'> feet V)etween tlu- rows. 

 This plan jiermits forcing in the gi-owing (piarters 

 and enables the grower to cover a set of three 

 crowns with one 12-in<h ])ot. S(-akale recijiro- 

 cates generous treatnuMit. 



TuHNiPs. — Sow tlu- white and yellow varieties 

 towards the end of the iiuuitli on line rich soil 

 12 inches a])art. 



To.matoes for outdoor fruiting should now be 

 sown in heat; avoid too high a temperature, and 

 keep the growing ])lants stocky by kee])ing close 

 to the glass. These will be ready for planting 

 out about the end of May. Choose a good open 

 air variety, such as ],axton's 0])en Air or 

 Fill basket. 



Potatoes. — Plant all niaincrop varieties, 

 giving liberal sjiace, according to their res])ective 

 growths, and if time ]jcrmits remove all but onQ 

 strong brul from the seed tuber. 



