January 



IRISH GARDENING. 



15 



Tilling. — The wetness of" last iiioiiili, in the south at 

 least, has in many instances retarded tilling' operations. 

 Where not finished, as weather suits, dig-, trench, or 

 bastard-trench all vacant ground. The man with a first 

 prize in view will be wise to trench for it. Nearly every 

 vegetable crop requires about two feet deep of tilled 

 soil at least to perfect it. In this matter of trenching 

 use judgment, so as not to bring sour and barren sub- 

 soil in quantity to the surface. Many writers advocate 

 trenching land ; most people interested in gardening 

 read of its advantages, but few people practice it. It 

 means some strenuous labour, and a love of strenuous 

 labour is not over popular in these days. .A.S a physical 

 training trenching- land would beat football or mountain 

 climbing into fits. One's digestion would be sadly out 

 of gear w'hen a regular course of it would not restore a 

 wholesome appetite. It is a pity such grand exercise 

 does not become a fashionable craze. But who knows 

 what may vet happen ! 



Manlrlng. — -A good supply of well made farm-yard 

 manure is absolutely necessary for successful vegetable 

 culture. We will refer to the subject again, but in the 

 nie^mtime Mr. Jamison's excellent article in the .August 

 number should be carefully studied. 



Sligs. — We must not wait the attacks of these arch- 

 enemies. Cut them ofi' and destroy them b_v every known 

 mciins of warfare. .Attack them in front, flank, and 

 rear. Brick or tile edgings in vegetable grounds afford 

 them no harbourage. Hedges about kitchen gardens 

 are a nuisance in this respect, so are uncultivated patches 

 and all untidiness. Old walls in which are crevices and 

 fissures also harbour the rascals ; they are also head- 

 quarters for snails. See to the pointing of such walls, 

 whether boundaries or of pits or outhouses. Use soot 

 iind lime newl}" slaked about growing crops and hedges 

 and all lurking places, traps under boards, and with por- 

 tions of vegetables, such as turnips, &c. W'liere coarse 

 salt is cheap it has value as a slugicide, but use it with 

 much care, as in quantity it is deadly to vegetation. 



F'ORCING Dep.\rtment. — Keep up supplies of vege- 

 tables usually forced. Sow French Beans {.\'t' P/us Ultra) 

 in pots about every fortnight. Place near glass in a tem- 

 perature not less than 60° F. Give vigilant attention to 

 necessary supplies of asparagus, seakale, and rhub.'irb. 

 We can command steady and abundant supplies of sea- 

 kale and rhubarb where plenty of crowns have been 

 propagated, in their own proper time, for the purpose 

 of lifting and forcing under cover. -Any warm house 

 does for this, as a mushroom house, &c. , when season- 

 ably attended to — that is, when done in time. At this 

 season asparagus requires brisk bottom heat, and it is the 

 better of the additional top-heat of a hot-water pipe. 



Hot-Beds. — Materials for hot-beds, leavesand stable 

 lilter in abundance, ought now to be at hand. We are 

 often practically helpless to push things on without these 

 valuable adjuncts, and plenty of them. Potatoes may 

 be planted in pits (see last month's calendar for method 

 of work). Myatt's old Ashleaf still retains its superior 

 flavour. Alas ! that its cropping powers are behind 

 time. Sharp's Victor is always reliable for forcing. 

 Prepare hot-bed, and on it place frame for horn carrots. 

 In about nine inches of sharp, friable soil sow the seed 

 in lines nine inches apart and about an inch deep. A 



thin scattering of Woods Early Frame Radish may be 

 sown broadcast among the lines of carrot, or a few- 

 dozen good lettuce plants can be raised in this way if 

 they are not left too long before being transpkinted. 

 These will be of sweeter flavour than autunni-sown 

 lettuce. 



Seed-sowing in He.^t. — People who intend to ex- 

 hibit must grasp time by the forelock to be ready for 

 summer and early autumn shows. Lose no time in 

 making small sowings, in handj- bo.xes, of celery, 

 cauliflowers (Early Erfurt, or Snowball), Brussels sprouts, 

 leek, onions {.Ailsa Craig or Cranston's), and lettuce. In 

 all cases be sure to sow thinly in fine, friable soil, and 

 give best position for light in heated structures or hot- 

 bed frames as may be available. Sow tomatoes if 

 steady heat can be maintained. In sowing these be 

 sure to use plenty of drainage with light soil, and sow- 

 very thinly. Later be careful of the watering pot, so 

 as to minimise the danger of damping off. Lister's 

 Prolific is a good all round variety. The flavour and 

 form of Perfection are perfection, although it is no new 

 kind, but it is rather shy to bear. The yellow fruited 

 kinds eat well too. 



Pe.\s. — First, early peas may be sown in the open, 

 but only in ver}' favourable positions — sunny aspects in 

 friable soil and in sheltered positions. So many enemies 

 are liable to attack this sowing in the open that for the 

 little extra work it is a wise plan to sow the seeds in 

 turves or boxes in frames to transplant later on. William 

 the First Improved is one good kind for this time. 



Onions. — If soil condition suits and the weather is 

 not frosty towards the end of the month potato onions 

 may be planted. Class the bulbs and give the larger 

 ones the space of about a square foot. The smaller 

 ones produce fewer bulbs and of larger size, and may 

 be planted closer. Plant in well-cultivated and manured 

 land of strong character, just covering the top of the 

 onion and making firm. If the land for seed onions has 

 not been already prepared and manured no further time 

 ought to be lost. Trench as the weather permits, and 

 use a liberal amount of good dung, and leave rough for the 

 present. We cannot give too much attention to the pre 

 parations for onion growing. Perhaps (excepting the 

 potato) it is the most important commercial vegetable that 

 suits our climate. When will our farmers and cottiers 

 realise their loss in not growing an abundant supply 

 of this valuable food ? I dare say most householders 

 would consume ten times more than they do with 

 great advantage if they had the supply at hand. 

 Horticulturists have taught agriculturists the advantage 

 of sprouting potatoes ; they have yet to teach them to 

 grow abundance of onions to .save us the loss and the 

 shame of having to import the greater part of our supph . 

 It would make one weep to think on it. Onions are 

 tearful things anyway ! 



An excellent mulch for herbaceous borders during 

 the winter may be made by mi.\ing charretl garden 

 refuse with decayed leaves. If this be spread over the 

 ground so as to well cover the dormant root-stocks it 

 will afford protection during cold weather and conserve 

 moisture during dry weather in the growing season. 



