30 



IRISH GARDENING. 



February 



Make firm by pressing- the soil with the foot. Secure 

 the tree to a stout stake. Water, and afterwards 

 mulch with littery manure as far as the roots extend. 



Pruning. — Complete the pruning of bush fruit as well 

 as apples, pears, and plums, and, when doing so, scions 

 of apples and pears, if such be required for g^rafting 

 purposes, may be secured. These to be taken from 

 branches well exposed to the sun. They should not be 

 taken from the centre of trees, as these are not so ripe 

 or firm as those more fully exposed. Tie the different 

 varieties in bundles, label, and have them heeled in in a 

 position shaded from strong sun, where they may 

 safely remain until required. 



Heading Down Old Trees. — Trees not satisfactory 

 from whatever cause, either becoming worn out or not 

 suitable to the district, should either be cleared out and 

 varieties known to do well in the same orchard or 

 district planted in their place, or if the stock and portion 

 of the branches be healthy they may be grafted. If the 

 latter be decided on, the branches may now be sawn off 

 a little above where it is intended to insert the grafts, it 

 being better to make a fresh cut as the grafts are being 

 inserted. 



Old Orchard Trees. — There are throughout the 

 country many old neglected orchai-ds in which the 

 owners appear to take \ery little interest. Generally 

 the trees are overgrown with moss and lichen and 

 infested with insect pests of the worst description. In 

 fruit growing districts the owners should be compelled 

 to have them properly cleansed or else burned, as they 

 are nothing short of breeding ground for such pests. If 

 such were done it would greatly assist in keeping in 

 check the many ills to which fruit trees are subject. 

 Many of these trees might be greatly improved by a 

 judicious thinning out of the branches, manuring, and 

 cleaniing of the \\ hole trees. 



To cleanse the trees, first scrape the trunk and main 

 branches with a piece of hoop-iron or similar blunt 

 instrument, to remove moss, loose bark, &c., and after- 

 wards spray the whole tree with one of the many- 

 caustic sprays now on the market, or, better still, a 

 home made one. Appended are a few- receipts for 

 making winter washes which are thoroughly reliable, 

 or freshly slaked lime may be used, applied while the 

 trees are damp, and on a calm day. The result, however, 

 is not nearly so satisfactory as that obtained by the use 

 of a caustic wash : — 



Winter Washes. — Instructions for making winter 

 washes, to be used not later than the end of the month. 

 I. Caustic Wash. — Ingredients for making lo gallons. 

 Iron sulphate ... . . I2 lb. 



Lime ..... . , % \h. 



Caustic soda ..... 2 lbs. 



Paraffin ...... 5 pints. 



Water to make .... 10 gallons. 



Dissolve the iron sulpliate in 9 (nine) gallons water. 

 Slake the lime with a little water, then add a little more 

 water to make into milk of lime. Strain this into iron 

 sulphate solution, to remove any particles which might 

 clog the spraying machine ; add the paraffin, and churn 

 into the mixture ; lastly, add the caustic soda, when it 

 will be ready for use. Thus made, an agitator is not 

 necessary in spraying machine. 



2. Caus/ic Wasli and Fung-icide. —Ingred'icntfi to make 

 10 gallons. 



Copper sulphate .... i^<lbs. 



Quicklime yi lb. 



Caustic soda ..... 2 lbs. 



Paraffin 5 pints. 



Water to make .... 10 gallons. 



Make in exactly the same way as (1), substituting 

 copper sulphate for iron sulphate, and using }4 lb. quick- 

 lime instead of a ji( lb. 



3. Caustic Wash. — Ingredients to make 10 gallons. 



Caustic soda 1 lb. 



Crude potash (pearlash) . . . i lb. 



Soft soap J^ lb. 



Dissolve the soft soap in a gallon of boiling water, 

 also dissolve separately caustic soda and crude potash 

 each in one gallon of water ; mix all thoroughly, and 

 make up to 10 gallons by adding clear water. 



The above three washes have been tested, and any one 

 of them may be relied on to thoroughly cleanse the 

 trees of moss and lichen, besides destroying the eggs 

 of many injurious insects. Wash (2) is the one con- 

 sidered to have given most satisfaction. (Both ( i ) and (2) 

 are recommended in the eighth report of the Woborn 

 Experimental Fruit Farm.) Buy the different ingredients 

 from a reliable source, guaranteed of the strength 

 required — viz., caustic soda, 98 per cent., and crude 

 potash about 80 per cent. Apply with a sprajing 

 machine on a calm day in as fine a spray as possible, so 

 that every part may be thoroughly wetted. These 

 washes are very caustic in their action, and care must 

 be taken to preserve the face and hands from coming 

 into contact with them. 



Fruit Room. — Examine apples in store frequently, 

 and remove any showing signs of decay. If frequently 

 examined these will be noticed in time to be of use in 

 the kitchen. Frost must be excluded, and to do so the 

 windows may be covered by nailing mats or sacks over 

 them and closing shutters, if provided. Keep as dry as 

 possible without using fire heat ; this may be done by 

 regulating the ventilation, opening slightlj' on fine days 

 and keeping close during wet and frosty weather. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By James Bracken, Horticultural Instructor, Co. Cork. 



GENERAL WORK.— "Fill dyke" is the term an old 

 saw applies to this month. But there is no rule 

 for weather at any time in our erratic climate. 

 Therefore there is no rule for sowing seeds by date, for 

 the proper condition of the soil is one of the chief con- 

 siderations. It sometimes chances that we get a dry 

 spell of weather towards the end of this month, in 

 which case it ought to be seized on for the preparation 

 of ground and the sowing of onions and parsnips. If 

 the soil condition suits, this can scarcely be done too 

 early. With onions, the seed is often sown too late, too 

 thickly, and too deepl)'. Thick sowing weakens the 

 plants from the start, covering the seed too deeply helps 

 to encourage thick necks and bad keepers. Onions 

 require an open aspect and a firm seed bed. 



When the soil is dry enough fork the surface of the 



