IRISH GARDENING. 



59 



penetrate freely through the manure in search of food, 

 and at the same lime the plants will require less water, 

 as the roots will receive an adequate supply from the 

 manure except the weather be very dry. I have seen 

 an excellent crop of vegetable marrows grow'ing along 

 the top and sides of a rubbish-heap, thereby hiding the 

 unsightly appearance of the heap during summer and 

 autumn. 



Sowing of Seed. — The seed should be sown in pots 

 or pans, filled with light soil, about the beginning of 

 .April, covering the seed to the depth of half an inch, and 

 placing same in a gentle heal of about 55° temperature. 

 •As soon as the plants are strong enough to handle, 

 plant them out separately into pots, and replace them as 

 near the glass as possible in the warmth. Remove 

 them to a cold frame or window as soon as established, 

 and keep gradually preparing them for final planting 

 out by opening the lights during the day. These plants 

 may then be transferred to the ridge or bed during the 

 latter part of May, placing the plants in a triangular 

 form about three feet apart, and water liberally, 

 also taking care to protect them from frost and 

 cold winds by having some spruce or other evergreen 

 boughs stuck firmly into the ground around the plants. 

 These will also aid in shading the plants from the heat 

 of the sun until the roots have taken hold of the soil, 

 when they may be removed as soon as the plants are 

 safe from frost, &c. If hand-glasses are used the plants 

 will grow much better underneath them than would 

 otherwise be the case. It is essential to give plenty of 

 air during the day by tilling up one side of the glasses. 

 The seed may also be sown in May where the plants are 

 intended to grow, but such plants are rather late in 

 coming into bearing, and do not yield so large a crop 

 as seed sown under glass in -April. Seed sown in the 

 open in May should be covered with inverted pots until 

 germination is accomplished, when the pots can be dis- 

 pensed with on fine days. 



Prep,\ratio.n of Beds.— The beds in the open garden 

 should be formed by removing the soil to the depth of 

 fifteen inches and about four feet square, filling in the hole 

 with partially decayed manure, allowing same to be raised 

 a few inches higher than surrounding soil, and finally- 

 covering the manure with good soil of a fibrous, loamy 

 nature to about one foot deep. The beds or pits should 

 be prepared about a week before planting to enable 

 the soil to be properly warmed by the heat from the 

 manure. 



After Tre.\tment.— The main shoots of the plants 

 should be pinched when 18 inches long, and all side shoots 

 resulting from the first stopping should be stopped at 

 one joint beyond the fruit blossom. Give plenty of 

 water in dry weather, and apply liquid manure frequently 

 after fruit is set. It is necessary to artificially fertilise 

 the first female blooms, but not later ones. If the vines 

 are pegged down at a joint, fresh roots will be emitted 

 and additional strength imparted to the plants. 



CtATHERING Frlit. — Fruit for preserving should be 

 cut when yellow and then hung up in a dry room till 

 required for use. When required for table they should 

 be cut while young and tender for the following reasons : — 

 (a) Marrows cut while young are more desirable for 

 the table, and (b) a larger supply w-ill be obtained 

 from the vines, as the production of large ones puts an 



end to the supply. If the rind is impervious to the 

 pressure of the finger nail, the flesh is rather old to 

 cook ; but it may be made into a delicious preserve with 

 white sugar, ginger, and essence of lemon. 



Insect Pests. — Slugs are rather troublesome to the 

 young seedlings unless a good dressing of soot be 

 placed around each plant, also some traps, such as pieces 

 of boards, slices of turnips, potatoes, &c. , set to catch 

 them. If fly or aphis infest the plants, they can be removed 

 by syringing the plants with soapy water after sunset. 



Best V.^rieties. — Webbs Large White, Long Green, 

 Long White, Moore's Vegetable Cream, Large Cream, 

 Pen-y-byd, Custard. 



Potato Experiments in Co. 

 Roscommon. 



By E. H. Bowers, County Horticultural Instructor. 



THE following are the results obtained {1908) from 

 experiments worked speciall}' for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the cropping and cooking qualities 

 of certain varieties of early and late potatoes when 

 grown in a somewhat stiff, cold soil. These experiments 

 were carried out on a farm the property of Mr. Thos. 

 Coleman, Knockarush, Boyle, as follows: — The "sets" 

 were sprouted previous to planting, and were planted in 

 drills 28 inches wide. .A liberal quantity (14 tons) of 

 farmyard manure was applied along with artificial 

 manure, consisting of 6 cwt. 35 per cent, to 37 per 

 cent, superphosphate, lyi cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 

 and I'/i cwt. muriate of potash per Irish acre. 

 Return Per Irish Acre. 



It is interesting to note that Irish Queen, although it 

 has the second lowest total (21 tons 5 cwt.), takes fourth 

 place for the return of saleable tubers. Compare this 

 with Ninety-fold. 



Considering both cooking and cropping qualities. 

 Duchess of Cornwall was an easy first, and was free 

 from disease, and this variety was all that could be 

 wished for. Next to it comes Irish Queen, with little to 

 choose between Up to-Date and Diamond. Of the 

 early and second earlies, British Queen was all that 

 could be desired. When grown in " bog," Duchess of 

 Cornwall and Diamond were undoubtedly best. Any of 

 the above were not planted until the middle of April, igo8. 



