IRISH GARDENING 



II 



become drawn and spindly. Plant them in rows 

 of one foot ajjart and allow a space of abovit 

 nine inches between the plants. They are best 

 planted in a firm and not over-rich soil, which 

 induces a solid growth, which is able to with- 

 stand the severe weather of the winter. In loose 

 rich soil the growth is ai)t to become very soft, 

 and such plants do not transplant well, besides 

 being often harmed by the wet and cold. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By Alfred Barker, Gardener to Lady Fitz- 

 Gerald, Carrigoran, Co. Clare. 



At the time of writing my " fruit notes " for 

 June, prosjjects were not of a very cheery nature 

 or " the elements " in at all a genial mood 

 However, it seems the clouds must have had a 

 " silver lining " for fruit growers, as so far as I 

 can at x)resent learn there is generally a bovxntiful 

 crop of all kinds of fruits ; and apples, which 

 appeared to be having a most critical time, have 

 set good crops, and on the whole have set nuich 

 more freely than could have been anticipated, 

 after such heavy crops as were carried last year ; 

 the most noteworthy exceptions I have met with 

 are old trees of Blenheim Pippins and Allington 

 Pi])pin. 



Small fruits of all kinds derive considerable 

 benefit from timely attention after crops are 

 removed. Strawberries being the first to be 

 cleared of fruit, the beds should be thoroughly 

 cleared of weeds and rvinners cut away, except 

 such as are required for layering ; if hot, dry 

 weather has prevailed during the latter part of 

 the fruiting season, a thorough soaking of water 

 will nuich relieve and considerably improve the 

 embryo crop of fruit for next year ; this watering 

 during an excessively dry summer is a most 

 important item in the cultivation of strawberries 

 to pi'oduce heavy crops of high-class fruit. If 

 liquid manure water is available so much the 

 better; this may be diluted with clear water 

 if very thick or strong, though strawberries 

 do not by any means resent strong manure water ; 

 the manure water must not be i>oured over 

 growing foliage. Lacking manure water, ajVply 

 a dressing of guano or some reliable quick-acting 

 fertiliser previous to giving a good soak of clear 

 water, and, if at all practicable, give successive 

 waterings until i)lentiful rainfalls ensue ; if 

 showery or wet weather ] ire vails, a ilressing of 

 guano or other fertiliser will ])rove very beneficial. 

 I may here supplement my remarks on straw- 

 berries, written for .June, by recommending an 

 auxiliary planting of strawberries, on a northern 

 aspect, such as a narrow border running on the 

 north side of a garden wall, &c. A plantation 

 of late varieties on good ground, in such a i)osition 

 materially extends the jncking of useful and good 

 fruits, where they uiay be specially required ; 

 though,generallyspcaking, if late fruiting varieties, 

 such as Givon's Late Proiilic, " i>atcst of All," or 

 " Waterloo," are planted with the earlier varieties 

 the strawberry season is sufficiently prolojiged. 

 Busli fruits, and especially large vigorous 

 bushes, should be pruned after the crop of fruit 

 is gathered, to the extent of cutting out surplus 

 young growths and such old branches as are too 

 near t-he ground, and wherever i)racticable,as in 

 black currants, the old fruiting branches (this 

 summer pruning of black currants is specially 



beneficial). Go round the bushes, cutting out 

 altogether or shortening branches that have 

 attained too great a length, and make plenty of 

 room for daylight and sun to permeate the 

 centre of bushes. Much improved fruit will be 

 produced where this practice is carried out 

 annvially. 



General Remarks. — Pay continued attention 

 to the training, or laying in, of extending shoots 

 on all kinds of trained fruit trees, whether against 

 walls or on wires, and towards the end of month. 

 In early districts, summer pruning may be 

 commenced, taking first the early varieties of 

 pears against walls, following on with other 

 fruits in succession. With Morel lo cherries, tie 

 in a sufficient number of young shoots to carry 

 next year's croj^, cut others clean away, shorten 

 the young shoots to five or six leaves and cut 

 puny, weak shoots clean out ; do not shorten 

 the leading shoots at all on either trained trees 

 or those trees growing in the open ; better, 

 defer this pruning somewhat longer than com- 

 mence too soon, especially so in a dry season 

 such as we are now experiencing, wlien, for 

 instance, heavy rains may follow the dry ])eriod 

 and induce a sudden influx of sap which would 

 in all probability induce a great croj) of secondary 

 growth, which is most undesirable. Whenever 

 this secondary growth follows summer pruning, 

 it should be checked by pinching out each 

 successive growth to one or two leaves. Where 

 summer pruning is desirable, notes should be 

 made from year to year of the date of commenc- 

 ing, natvire of season, and definite results of 

 sumnier pruning, as a guide for future practice ; 

 no tree should be summer ijruned until the 

 young shoots bear the appearance of almost 

 completed growth, andai-e naore or less hardened 

 and firm according to influence of weather 

 conditions on the growth. 



Judging by weather conditions here, and notes 

 frona other localities, the value of watering and 

 mulching will be well demonstrated this year 

 amongst fruit trees, &c. The i-ainfall here for 

 the months of March, April, May, and about mid- 

 June has been for tliat period only .5.83 inches, 

 almost exactly half the average rainfall for this 

 locality over the above-named months ; this 

 shortage of rain, combined with the great preva- 

 lence of parching N.E.S.E. winds, and on many 

 days unusually prolonged and powerful sun, has 

 ])roduced a ilryness and baking of land seldom 

 ex|)erienced. Wherever such ])arching condi- 

 tions prevail (or anything aiiproaching such) 

 watering should be freely practised. and 

 especially with trees growing against walls, which 

 feel the strain of severe drought miu-h more than 

 trees growing in the open — here the old juaxim 

 " well done is twice done " is very ajitly ajiplic- 

 able. New i)lanted trees and trees carrying 

 heavy crops of fruit should receive fii-st attention ; 

 give the lirst-named a thorough siiaking of clear 

 water, and afterwards ap])ly a mulch of any 

 material which will jirevent too rajiid ahsorjition 

 of the water ; in <ase of bearing trees, giy,. them 

 a half-watering of clear water, following this witli 

 an apjilication of manure water if available, 

 otherwise umlch the trees with good rich manure 

 3 or I inches deep, and over this nuiUhiiig give 

 a good soaking of clear water ; under conditions 

 of severe drought this nmlching greatly enhances 

 the value of watering by conserving the moist 

 condition of ground and stimulating the growth 

 of fruit. Where neither liquid uor solid nuvnure 



