IRISH GARDF.XINC 



JAMARY 



more onViliial, aiul a i^n-at saxlii); in spia\ inj;^ «.om- 

 poiiiui is onoctotl. Tliis sprayiiiij may he ildiu- on In -<t 

 favoiiralile opportimily, or afiv timo ln-lori' llu- hiuls 

 beg-in to swi'll. 



There is now many roliable sprayini^; oompomuls 

 advertised and si-vi-ral makes of spraying mai-hines to 

 select from so that there is no reason.ible excuse for 

 nejcleclinij this operation. In cases where the nnmber 

 of trees to be sprayeti, iS:c., lioes not justify the purchase 

 of a sprayinif machine, one may reatlily be liireil at a 

 small cost, and in many localities the Hoard of As^-ri- 

 culture Instructors have machincN whiili I hey may Iciul 

 at their discretion, I believe. 



For the benefit of those who may lie tloiililful as to 

 what compound to select, or who may prefer to mix 

 their own, the following: is a mixture which may be 

 safely used on all fruit trees this m^ iilli ov m-xt. (Do 

 not allow this mixture to fall in any i|uantity on llower- 

 ing- pl.ints or vegetables that may be growing within 

 reach of fruit trees, or injury to plants may result.) To 

 make ten gallons, t }i lbs. sulphate of copper, ^4 lb. of 

 quicklime, 2 lbs. caustic soda, 98 percent., 5 pints best 

 parafin oil. First place the sulphate of copper in a 

 small, coarse bagf (or tie up in a piece of canvas), and 

 drop into 9 gallons of water in a suitable tub (wooden), 

 slake the lumps of lime in a little water, then add 

 more water to make milk of lime, strain this into 

 sulphate of copper, add the parafin oil and stir all 

 well up with a flat piece of wood, afterwards add the 

 caustic soda. Keep the mixture stirred up while using, 

 and let the man using the mixture rub a little vaseline 

 over his hands, or wear India rubber gfloves. A long 

 canvas jacket or an old overcoat is useful to wear over 

 the clothes while using the mixture. 



Proceed with the diggings of fruit tree borders or plots 

 yet unfinished. As a rule all established fruit trees in 

 bearing condition are benefited by lig-htly digg-ing in 

 around them more or less good, well-decayed farm- 

 yard manure. A dressings of basic slagf before digging 

 is commenced is a beneficial addition. The slag may 

 be sown or spread over the ground at the rate of 

 about Jib. to the super square yard (more would not be 

 harmful). A good way of applying is to weigh out the 

 slag for a border or square, mix with a quantity of 

 fairly dry fine earth, and spread broadcast over the 

 ground under the trees. The slag is especially useful 

 if (as often happens) a good supply of farm-yard 

 manure is not available for this purpose. Slag is a 

 cheap fertiliser, easily applied, and beneficial to all 

 kinds of hardy fruit. The best possible brand must be 

 procured, as beneficial results from the use of indifferent 

 slag- would be practically nil. If it is known, or even 

 suspected, that the soil is deficient of lime a little old 

 mortar rubble or a sprinkling of slaked lime is advisable, 

 and especially so for cherries and plums. 



Raspberries. — If the old canes have been removed, 

 the new ones neatly and securely tied to wires or 

 stakes, hoe and clean the square, then give the whole 

 square a dressing of basic slag, and apply liberal 

 mulch of rich, half-decayed farm-yard manure down 

 each side of rows of canes, at least a foot wide on each 

 side of canes. Do not cut or shorten the young canes 

 until danger from severe frost is past. 



Si KAwmuKV Pi.ois.— If till- jiLmts are not already 

 ile.iri'il of ile.ul ;ind tlying leaves get this done as 

 quickly as possible, aiul the grouml cleared of weeds 

 so that a liberal mulch of rich, half-decayed farm-yard 

 m.muri' may be wheeK-d on to tlu' plots during frosty 

 wi-ather or as soon as the giouml is fairly dry (failing 

 either condition lay a few planks down to wheel on). 

 If possible to give the squares a couple of waterings 

 with liijuiil manure previous to mulching so much the 

 Inlki. I'or this mulching procure the very best 

 manure possible, and give the whole of ground right 

 u|i lo collar of plants a mulching two or three inches 

 liiick. .Manuii- from houses where stall-fed cattle or 

 highly-fed milch lows are kept is the best for this pur- 

 pose. It must he thrown into a heap, and once or 

 twice turned previous to use being careful not to allow 

 it lo hi-al in tiie heap. 



Hisii l-Ki 11 Pi.ors. If the imshes are already 

 pruned then no time should be lost in getting the 

 grouiul forked or dug over. With black, red, and white 

 currants the surface soil may be removed v.-ith a fork 

 Of lake fov a distance of a foot or more all round stem 

 of hush until roots are met with, over these place a 

 dressing of" rich, wi'li-deca^'ed manure, covering it over 

 with two or liirci- inches of clean earth as the digging pro- 

 ceeds. Take advantage of spaces between the trees 

 where there is not many roots to dig more deeply, and 

 bury weeds or all leaves and rubbish that may be lying 

 about the ground. If there is any suspicion of the 

 black cui-rant mile, closely examine the bushes before 

 digging is commenced. If the mite be found only on 

 occasional shoots cut out these shoots, carry them 

 straight away to a fire and burn them, if the bush is 

 badly infested uproot the whole bush and burn it imme- 

 diately. It is a good practice (specially in localities 

 whei-e the mite exists) lo put in a couple of dozen or 

 more good, strong, clean shoots of black currants 

 annually to form a reserve of fruiting bushes ready 

 to replace such as may have to be destroyed. 

 Obtain the variety Boskoop giant (true) for this 

 purpo^,e, it is a most desirable variety. Gooseberries 

 will continue to produce satisfactory crops with 

 much less feeding- than currants. If they receive a 

 dressing of manure every second or third year, that is 

 generally sufficient for their needs, though an annual 

 dressing of slag broadcast over the whole square will 

 be found beneficial. The dressings of slag is equally 

 beneficial on the currant plots. Don't forget the birds 

 on the gooseberry plots, as here it is a case of saving 

 ourselves from "our friends" as well as our enemies. 

 Bullfinches, tom tits, and sparrows are all very partial 

 to gooseberry buds, and will also clear red currants of 

 buds at times. Late pruning is often put forward as a 

 means of securing a crop of gooseberries where birds are 

 troublesome. Without adopting such drastic methods 

 as shooting or poisoning, I think there are two remedies 

 against this evil — i.e., either put wire netting about the 

 squares or prune and clean out the bushes early in the year. 

 I generally adopt the latter. Get the trees pruned early 

 in the season and have the ground dug over as early as 

 possible. In a thick unpruned tree birds can perch 

 comfortably on the branches and eat to satisfaction, 

 There is also a gre<it amount of siiade and protection 



