IRISH GARDENING 



woodi'U trilli>inK .xlmuld lu- iisiil for .staiuliiiK "H. 

 both as a nicaiis of ri-diiciii^ undui- f i"iin)iliiij^' cf 

 borders, and kft'iiiii^;; (hi- worker's feet drier and 

 wanner. The ]ininin>,' «if wall trees, having lilietl 

 tlieir allotted spa<-.-. «onsists, lirst. of reKnlatiiiK 

 the fruiting; s|)urs. if overcrowded, and nnduly 

 long : where too numerous, some shoidd lie cut 

 clean away, and over^'ritwii sjiurs shortened : a 

 portion of the overcrowded spurs may liave two 

 or three inches of base left, from which youii),' 

 shiiols will be produci'd next season, and these 

 sbiMits lieing pruned in due <-ourse. will ullim.iteh 

 form new fruiting,' spurs, and thus allow of more 

 old ones being removed in after years. After 

 going through these spurs, cut away the shoots of 

 jiast summer's growtli. or the oAH-r lengths of 

 shotds summer pruned, leaving about four buds 

 (or more) at l)ase of shoots. Ilorizontal-traiiu'd 

 trees on either walls or espaliers that have not 

 Idled llieir space. .sho\dd have the centre stem (or 

 shoot) redticed. to form twelve to fifteen inches 

 long, cutting at a side l)ud. NVhen growth le- 

 <ommen<-es sevei-al shoots will be pi-oduced about 

 the t'lul of shoot (if the tree is in good growing 

 condition), the uppermost one must be trained 

 upright, and two of the best jilaced shoots 

 ti-aiiied to right ami left, to form a lutw tiei' of 

 brandies. The leading shoots of jiast summer's 

 growth at points of liranches must be shortened 

 from a third to half their lengtli. but in shortening 

 tliese branches be guided to a great extent by the 

 result of i»revious prunings. especially on pears, 

 which vary consideraldy in growth and pro- 

 duction of fruit spurs : if the leading shoots are 

 pruned too long much of the })ranches may be 

 left void of spurs, tlnis indicating the necessity for 

 (loser i)runing. Wliere fan-trained trees have not 

 tilled tlieir centres more young shoots must be 

 tied in to form branches, and the leading shoots 

 on extending branches jtruned the same as on 

 horizontal-trained trees. Cordon trees may be 

 treated similarly where they have not attained 

 to their desired length. As nailing and training 

 of trees ])roceeds, all old shreds and ties should be 

 closely exanuned and rei)laced with new ones if 

 there is the least doubt as to their being soiind 

 enough to wear over another season. Rhreds 

 should be used on the yoimg branches, and tarred 

 string to tie the old or .stouter branches, being 

 careful not to make the ties so tight as to cause 

 injury to branches by ciitting, as they swell or 

 exyiand when growing. 



The Vegetable Garden, 



By A. Pearson, Gardener U 

 Crawford, Esq., Lota Lodge, 



A. F. Sharinan- 

 (rlanmire, Cork. 



TnK short, dark days of December are not by any 

 means dull days in a well-ordered garden, indeed 

 much of the .success in growing next year's c-rops 

 is due t^) the spade-work carried out in the winter 

 months ; naturally, digging, manuring, trenching 

 and remjvating, bulk largely in the present 

 month's work, but many apparently trifling jobs 

 are quite as necessary to the thorough working 

 of the vegetable garden, such things as the making 

 and painting of labels, gathering and pre))aring 

 ))ea sticks in their various lengths, making and 

 repairing baskets, seed boxes, &c., are jobs to be 

 carried out in wet days when outdoor work is at 

 a standstill, and, moreover, much valuable time 

 is saved when spring comes. Preparation for 



seed sowing s.-ems a premature subject, but it is 

 re.illy one of importance, and the early border 

 should be in readint'.ss for the introduction of 

 small things next month. Nothing is more 

 suitable than the spent soils from the jiotting 

 shed, and all these shouhl be saved ; errors in the 

 p.ist year's crojis may be rectified, and bad 

 vai-ieties eliminated in the new order, which will 

 now engage the garileiier's att<ntion. A plaji of 

 next yeai-'s ciop] ing will, of cour.se, be made, and 

 the long nights now give the necessary time for 

 thinking out the details. 



I''()i;( IN(.. Both seakale ,ind rhubarb <an now 

 be forced piolit a 1)1 v, .md oidv well prepared 

 roots not force. 1 last year should be employed ; 

 a mild, rather than a vifdeiit. t em per.it u re .suits 

 the reipiireiiient of tlu-.se roots. Spiitying with 

 lukewarm watei- once or twice i)er day fav«>urs 

 the growth of tlu- young shoots. 



HiJAssicAs. — Many of these have felt severely 

 the effects t.f the November frosts, and should any 

 bi'occ(dis be now showing the c\ird, jtrotect by 

 eithei- lifting bodily or laying down as advised in 

 last month's notes. Autumn .sown cabbages 

 occuii\ing their iiermanent quarters will require 

 liniiing after prolong! d frosts; this is best done 

 liy picssure of the feet rouud the jilant when the 

 ground tliaws. 



('.MUtoTs and other loots in storehouse should 

 ))«• <xamined now and again, and decaving roots 

 remov.-d. 



Cki.kkv.— In the event of a long S{>ell of frost 

 l)eing likely, a favourable day should be cho.sen 

 for lifting a supply. The roots if placed in a root 

 store will keep fresh for some days. This en.sures 

 a .suiijily for household u.se no matter how hard 

 the weather nuiy be, without the trouble of having 

 to break down the trenches by ])irk ; of cour.se the 

 necessary protecting material must be always 

 ready. 



E.N DIVE. — Blanch as required and transfer U^ 

 frames or .sludtered sjiot tho.se ])lants growing in 

 eX])osed ])ositions. 



Lettu('E.s. — -In hard weather ])rotect with 

 litter, frames or cloches, but give air at every 

 favourable oi))K)rtunity. 



Parsley. — Should the batch grown for winter 

 supplies be wintering badly (as indeed it is likely 

 to on cold heavy .soils), lift and ])ot some of the 

 best plants; ])laced in a heated house the.se will 

 give the few required leaves until the spring 

 sup])lies come in. 



Throughout the year I have advocated exten- 

 sive and intensive cultivation, I still urge it. 

 Without re.sorting to " French gardening," we 

 can make a good deal more of our space than is 

 usually done. 



In Sei>tember, 11)14, the Editor, the late Mr. 

 C. F. Ball, asked me to write an article urging the 

 necessity for conserving the food sujijilies. The 

 need exists to day as much, if not more so,^than 

 it did then. There is no panic in asking every one 

 to till more than usual, to work harder, and be 

 more thrifty is the bounden duty of every one 

 who is resi)onsible for a square yard of soil. 



With the last of the monthly notes for 1915 

 I offer my apologies to any reader who may have 

 expected more detail in the notes of the i)ast 

 twelve months. An editor must limit his con- 

 tributors t(i space. I acce|)t the shelter afforded 

 by .saying that my inclination to state how it 

 should be done was often confined to a general 

 observation. 



END OF VOLUME X. 



