SEPTEMBER 



IRISH GARDENING. 



H3 



weight be stated ; if otherwise, use no more packing 

 material than is necessary. 



3. Use fruit of uniform size in packing any one 

 package. 



4. Never mix varieties. If more than one variety be 

 put in one package, a sheet of paper should be placed 

 between the different varieties, and stated on label that 

 such is the case. 



Many varieties of pears ripen during the month. 

 The3' should be collected as they ripen, which may easily 

 be known by the simple means of lifting the fruit to a 

 horizontal position. If ripe, thev part readily from the 

 tree. They should not be gathered until they do so. 

 Providing these have to be sent to market Ihey should 

 be sold in one or two dozen lots in small boxes to hold 

 these amounts, and packed in wood wool. Small-sized 

 fruits are sold, as a rule, in larger lots, but the fine 

 pears grown on walls, &c., pay to sell in small lots. 

 A good price can generally be got for them. 



Plum trees and, indeed, all kinds of fruit trees benefit 

 by a thorough wash down with the engine when fruit 

 Is g.ithered, and if a fairly strong insecticide be used for 

 this purpose many thousands of insects will be 

 destroyed, greatly minimising the danger of an early 

 attack the following season. 



General. — Keep a sharp look out for wasps' nests, 

 which appear to be fairly numerous. Have bottles 

 examined occasionally and reset for them. Blackbirds, 

 in many places, give a lot of trouble and do consider- 

 able damage. A gun is one of the best things I know 

 of to keep these awa)-. On walls fruit can be netted. 

 The principal work this month is the marketing of 

 fruit, &.C., not much laboiw of soil being necessary, 

 only to keep down weeds amongst fruit bushes. If 

 work recommended to be done last month be not done 

 it may still be carried out, but no time should be lost in 

 dcingso. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J.\MES BR-iVCKEN, Horticultural Instructor, Co. Cork. 



IN the vegetable garden September might perhaps 

 give the first period of comparative rest, but that 

 when moisture follows the hot weather of summer 

 the weeds renew their persistent growth. Gigantic 

 slugs, yellow, or brown, or black, tempted abroad by 

 the increasing coolness and moisture of the shortening 

 eve, also roam about iti the gloaming ; and woe betide 

 the cauliflower plant or young lettuce, or cabbage, 

 either in seed beds or recently set out, that stands in 

 their way- The smaller brethren are no less innocent. 

 Hoeing must be continued during favourably dry 

 weather to prevent weed growth and to cultivate the 

 soil, and to baffle the slugs newly mixed soot and lime 

 should be dusted freely about celery, lettuce, and other 

 crops, and particularly round seed-beds and recently 

 transplanted brassicas. 



General Work. — As a night's frost in the middle 

 or at the end of the month may cut off half-hardy 

 vegetables as kidney beans, vegetable marrows, 

 tomatoes, &c., vigilance must be given so that such 



things are not so easily destroyed, either by gathering 

 the crops or by affording some light coverings at night. 

 Thin turnips and winter spinach as they may need it. 

 Late sown turnips often fail to form good roots by being 

 left too long unthinned. If pits or frames are becoming 

 vacant strong plants of lettuce or endive may be 

 pricked out in these for a winter supply. Cool tomato 

 houses can also be utilised with lettuce for the same 

 purpose. Burn all potato, pea and bean haulm, also 

 weeds, to destroy pests and seeds. Apply gas-lime to 

 land infested with vermin, and leave it uncropped for 

 winter. Cut out stems of globe artichokes that have 

 been cut over. To have plenty of cabbage for spring 

 cutting is indispensable, as it then is such a universally 

 popular vegetable, delicate and wholesome to use. To 

 have first-class quality liberal and careful cultivation 

 is necessary. The ground ought to be thoroughly 

 manured and dug, and in putting out plants let these 

 down to the first pair of leaves, and make quite firm in 

 the soil. Ground from which onions have been harvested 

 well suits spring cabbage, and is generally utilised for 

 the first planting, which may be done as soon as plants 

 are forward enough to plant out. Forking over the 

 ground is all that onion ground usually requires as 

 preparation for this crop, having been heavily manured 

 for the previous crop. Leeks must have earth drawn 

 up to them as they advance to blanch the stems. 



TOMATOE.s. — Tomato plants growing in the open air 

 should be closely stopped to induce fruit already formed 

 to finish off. Water must be given only if the plants 

 require it, as unnecessary moisture increases the risk of 

 diseases and cracking of the fruit. Remove portions 

 of some leaves to expose the fruit to the sunshine, but 

 this practice is much abused. Stripping the plant of 

 most of its leaves, as is often done, is not advisable. 

 No plant can fully develop its fruit without foliage, and 

 the tomato is no exception. 



Onions. — Autumn -sown onions sometimes fail to 

 winter well from being allowed to become weedy, this 

 having the eflTect of drawing up the plants and leaving 

 them tender. Crow'ded beds or lines also require to be 

 thinned. Sometimes the lines are thinned to about 

 three inches between the plants, and in spring every 

 second plant is transplanted. A greater distance is 

 allowed if extra large bulbs are desired. 



Celery. — Continue earthing early celer3- when the 

 soil is not in a wet condition. Defer the earthing of late 

 celery until it is well advanced, as it only checks growth. 

 Amateurs often check celery in this way. When the 

 side suckers have been removed a light mulch of earth 

 spread over the roots of the plants aids growth- 

 Earthing by piecemeal interferes with the watering or 

 causes earth to be carried into the heads, which often 

 prevents the crop from keeping by causing it to rot. 

 By tying each plant loosely with a string of matting or 

 raffia an upright habit of the outside leaves is caused, 

 and this will be found handy when earthing up later on. 

 .A better plan still is to bind any kind of paper about 

 each plant, thus starting the blanching process. Avoid 

 the use of too much strong liquid manure, as it is 

 likely to cause coarseness. A little salt in the water 

 helps to check vermin, »«d is an aid to growth and 

 fine flavour. 



