IRISH GARDENING. 



159 



wishes to make additions to his present stock, and 

 prospective fruit growers must now make up their minds 

 as to what they intend to pkint, and order accordingly. 

 The earlier you get your order placed with the nursery- 

 man the better for yourself. He will execute the order at 

 the proper time. But do not try to cut him down in his 

 prices too much, otherwise you will not get what you 

 might like. If you are willing to pay a fair price you 

 are entitled to get good value for your money, but you 

 need not expect high-class plants for the price of low- 

 class stuff. Parings of edges of roads, &c., also old soil 

 heaps, and road scrapings, leaf-mould, and such like 

 material, if collected and put into a heap and mixed 

 togethera time or two, makes first-class stufffor working 

 round and between roots of trees that want a stimulant. 

 Il would also be useful for working in when planting 

 trees and after root-pruning. There are many uses to 

 which such a compost could be put, and whenever an 

 opportunity offers this heap should have additions made 

 to it. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J.\MES Bracken, Horticultural Instructor, Co. Cork. 



IN October the garden begins to put on the .ispect of 

 winter, and the principal work will be clearing off 

 the remains of crops, as scarlet runners, cauli- 

 flowers, turnips, &c. ; removing dead leaves from 

 growing crops, as sea kale ; storing root crops, as 

 beet, carrots, &c., and getting vacant ground dug, 

 trenched or ridged up for winter as the case may 

 require. 



In tilling ground before winter the surface ought to 

 bo left as rough as possible. By thus exposing the 

 greatest surface the action of frost, snow and rain, 

 contact with air, and other natural forces makes land 

 far more fertile as well as more healthy and friable than 

 when left level and unbroken. 



Trenching. — It is nearly impossible to get satis- 

 factory crops from old garden soils without trenching 

 from time to time. By judiciously raising some of the 

 sub-soil and mixing it in the surface (only some portion 

 at a time), some of the e.>chausted mineral constituents 

 are restored, and the greater root range soon tells its 

 own tale. This is true and trite enough, but it may be 

 repeated and must be repeated for some time yet. 



General Work. — Remove weeds froin the ground at 

 once after hoeing, as at this season these soon revive. 

 Ground cleared of potatoes, French beans, &c. , may 

 be cropped with cabbage for spring use. Ellam's Early, 

 planted out firmly in a sunny aspect about one foot 

 apart between the plants every way, will give a first 

 early supply. Thin winter spinach to about six inches 

 apart. At the beginning of the month cauliflowers, as 

 ihey form heads, will be in danger of the effect of frost. 

 To prevent this turn down the leaves, breaking the 

 mid-rib, for protection for the hearts. Towards the end 

 of the month it may be necessary to give better shelter. 

 Be then in readiness to lay these in by the heels in some 

 convenient spot facing north, where they can be covered 

 with mats or straw, or some other covering, when 



severe frost threatens. Young cauliflower plants to 

 stand W'inter in frames and hand lights should be fully 

 exposed night ;ind day unless during frost or continuous 

 rain. Mushroom beds should be formed indoors. In 

 this work be sure that the spawn is obtained from a 

 trustworthy source, and that the bed is made so that 

 there will be no violent heating with consequent quick 

 decline. This can be prevented only by thoroughly 

 blending and turning proper heating material for some 

 days in preparation till of the required sweetness, and 

 after, by putting the bed firmly together. 



Storing of Roots. — Towards the end of the month 

 it may be time to get beet and carrots stored. In storing 

 these crops the mistake is sometimes made of cutting 

 the leaves off close to the crown, decay of the root 

 often following. Another mistake is that sometimes 

 these roots are stored in a comparatively warm place, or 

 in a place that may be warm on sunny days, when 

 growth soon starts again. This growth greatly takes 

 from the flavour and colour of beet, and renders carrots 

 more woody in tissue. Beet ought to be taken up care- 

 fully, so that no small root may be broken or the body 

 of the root in any way bruised, and the leaves removed 

 by a twist of the hand. Carrots should also have the 

 leaves removed by hand. If stored in sand in an open 

 shed facing north, take care not to let extreme frost 

 reach them. This can be done by covering when neces- 

 sar\'. These roots can be preserved better and longer 

 in such places than in a warmer position. 



Bees. 



By T. Maguire, The Orchard, Enniskillen. 



NOW that the honey season is over, the bees (let 

 us hope) well supplied with stores for the 

 winter, the hives made water-tight and secured 

 from being blown over by storms, and all appliances 

 stored away snug and dry, we can lean over our garden 

 gate and gossip about such matters as the local 

 show. 



We have had a very fine show here in Enniskillen — 

 fine all round, flowers, fruit, vegetables, industries, but 

 the honey was the most striking exhibit of all. The 

 entries totalled 84, and nearly all were staged. Every 

 section was glazed and laced, and, arranged as they 

 were in six tiers on a snow-white staging, they formed a 

 most imposing array. The quality, too, was superb ; 

 indeed one wondered how so much really first class 

 stuff could be turned out in so indifferent a season— not a 

 section in the lot that one need be ashamed to bring 

 anywhere— so that Mr. Crawford, of Castlederg. who 

 had the onerous task of judging them, must have looked 

 aghast when he saw the task before him. However, he 

 happens to be a veteran bee-keeper himself, and he 

 went coolly and methodically to work, with the result 

 that when his awards were made not a single grow! 

 was to be heard. No doubt the system of point 

 judging adopted was a great help in this respect. Cards 

 were printed showing the points possible and 

 those obtained, and if any unsuccessful exhibitor felt 

 aggrieved he had only to look at the cards and sec 



