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IRISH GARDENING. 



DECEMBER 



Christmas Decorations. — With the advent of 

 December thoughts of Christmas decoration for house 

 and table will claim attention. The cheery aspect of 

 Christmas is very much influenced by the decorative 

 effect of holly, mistletoe, ivy and other evergreens, 

 made more or less effective according to the means at 

 disposal. Much of the holly this year is prolific of 

 berries, and suitable schemes of decoration readily 

 suggest themselves to those accustomed to exercising 

 their taste in the matter. For Christmas week holly- 

 filled vases look well throughout the house. White 

 chrysanthemums and Christmas roses, arranged with 

 their own foliage, are also in keeping ; in fact anything 

 to help to make the house and table look bright and gay 

 is all-important, and so follow the advice of the poet, 

 who bids us 



" Be merry all, be merrj- all, 

 With holly dreis the festive hall, 

 Prepare the si)ng, the feast, the ball, 

 To welcome merry Christmas." 



To those who have followed my notes throughout the 

 past year I offer the season's best wishes, and trust the 

 suggestions given may have been helpful in aiding their 

 labours in the noble art of gardening. 



The Fruit Grounds. 



By William R. Spencer, Manor House Gardens, 

 Loughgall, Co. Armagh. 



THE principal work during this month will be the 

 pruning of fruit trees and bushes. This is a 

 very important part of the fruit growers' 

 business, but unfortunately but little understood by the 

 vast majority of them. The following hints on each 

 kind are given in the hope that it may help many who 

 are anxious to do what they can in this way. 



Trees properly pruned annually are pleasing to the 

 eye as well as being more fruitful than those not 

 attended to in this way. Pruning, besides making trees 

 fruitful, keeps them in proper bounds and keeps them 

 open, so that air and sun are freely admitted to all parts 

 of the tree, making the fruit of better colour and 

 flavour ; it also strengthens the branches, making them 

 better able to support a heavy crop of fruit. 



Apples. — The winter pruning of these is fairly simple 

 when the method of producing fruit is understood. 

 They produce fruit on spurs which issue from the sides 

 of the branches. Some varieties also produce fruit on 

 the ends of branches. Trees, bush and standard, which 

 have attained their full size, or nearly so, require very 

 little pruning. The best thing to do with such trees is 

 to remove altogether any branch which may be too 

 close to its neighbour to prevent them rubbing. Keep all 

 outer branches well thinned so that light may be freely 

 admitted. In these it is not necessary to cut the ends 

 of shoots, as if in good bearing condition, as they 

 should be at this age, very little growth will be made, 

 and fruit buds will form naturally on them. Younger 

 trees trained in these forms require more careful 

 handling ; each tree, before a knife is brought into con- 

 tact with it, should be well survej-ed. In doing so anyone 

 with a practised eye will at once see what is to be removed 

 and what is to be left, he will also have in his mind's 

 eye the ultimate shape of the tree when finished. If 



two branches cross each other one must be removed. 

 All leading shoots are to be shortened ; this must be 

 done according to their strength. Shoots three feet in 

 length may be shortened to about fifteen inches, those 

 about twelve inches long to about six inches. All side 

 shoots should be cut back to about two buds of their 

 base, and sappy growths arising from stem, and suckers 

 must be entirely removed. .Always bear in mind that 

 the centre of all bush trees must be kept open. AH 

 cankered parts in thick branches or trunk of trees 

 must be cut out and painted over with tar, and shoots 

 showing signs of it should be entirely removed. Apples 

 trained on walls, either fan-shape or horizontal, are 

 easily done, simply requiring all growths to be cut hard 

 back to about two eyes of their base, all decaying spurs 

 being removed and leaders laid in, shortening them to 

 about half their length. In pruning horizontal trained 

 trees which have not filled their allotted spaces, the 

 upright leaders must be cut back to where the next pair 

 of side branches are rquired. From this point three 

 shoots must be secured — one to be trained upright and 

 the others laid in one at each side. The foregoing notes 

 apply to pear-trees, as both produce their fruit similarly. 

 Cherries and Plvms.— These produce their fruit on 

 spurs and on shoots made the preceding year, and 

 therefore may be taken together. Fan-training, where 

 walls can be used for the purpose, is the best way to 

 train these. Lay in the branches regularly, and at least 

 nine inches apart. If plenty of spurs are in evidence on 

 young wood the old ones should be well thinned out, as 

 on the younger and more vigorous shoots the finest 

 fruits are to be had. Leading shoots should be shortened 

 about a third of their length, and the side shoots 

 cut hard back. I'lums trained as standards require 

 the leading shoots shortened, and side ones spurred. 

 .Avoid cutting strong branches as much as possible. If 

 they are regularly pruned this may be avoided, as 

 gumming is sure to result. 



Gooseberries, Red and White Cirr.vnts.— These 

 may be taken together also. They produce their fruit 

 almost exactly in the same way, so to avoid repeti- 

 tion may be classed together. The finest fruits are 

 produced on the young wood of from one to three 

 years old. This should always be secured ; at least 

 two young shoots should be secured every j'ear ; the 

 older wood must be cut out to make room for it. .AH 

 young shoots arising from the old branches should be 

 cut hard back, and the leading shoots left full length, 

 unless thej- are becoming too long, when they should be 

 cut back to a healthy shoot. The young shoots or 

 branches should not be cut back. Keep the centre of 

 bushes well opened and all suckers arising from the 

 roots cleared away ; they should be pulled up, not cut 

 back, as that would only cause several to come up the 

 next year. And do not allow the branches to lie close 

 together, keep them at least a foot apart, at. say, two 

 feet from the ground, so that plenty of sun and air may 

 be freely admitted. Black curiants produce their fruit 

 in almost the same way — viz.. on spurs, and also on 

 young wood of the past season, but always the best 

 fruit on the j'oung wood. So the method of pruning is 

 obvious, secure plenty of young shoots and cut away 

 old branches to make room for them ; this must be done, 

 otherwise bushes would become a thicket of almost use- 



