46 



IRISH GARDENING 



MARCH 



If not alro.iily done, do not riiitlu-i ilolay llu- pnminir of 

 fruit trees newly pl.inted. or trees that have been lifted. 

 Ill the ea>e of newly plaiileil trees, eut away any 

 damaged and weakly wood completely ; cut back to two 

 or three eyes other siioots not required for shapinjj; the 

 trees, then shorten the leading shoots to leave about K 

 or 9 inches of last year's growth in strong, growing 

 trees, and 2 or .^ inches less in weakly growing trees. 

 On the strong shoots cut back to a side bud, or one 

 pointing outwards ; in case of weakly or ili oo|iing 

 shoots cut to a bud looking upwards. 



As soon as the ground is dry enough look through all 

 newly planted trees, and in case of any that may have 

 been loosened by the wind, trample the ground very 

 firmly to the full width of the hole made when planting, 

 and give extra tramping round the stems ; then give all 

 trees either lifted or new planted a mulch of littery or 

 half-decayed manure ; this mulching is of great benefit 

 in retaining moisture about the roots and encouraging 

 free and healthy root action. Where it is determined 

 to grow vegetables or other crops between rows of 

 fruit trees, plant only low-growing crops and early 

 potatoes which will not remain long on the land, robbing 

 the roots of fruit trees of their due share of light and 

 sun. The roots of fruit trees require quite as much con- 

 sideration as the tops, and it is onl}^ courting disaster 

 to smother up young or newly-planted fruit trees 

 with vegetables. I have my^self seen Champion 

 potatoes, mangels, turnips, &c., planted so thickly 

 amongst young fruit trees, that the trees themselves 

 could hardly be seen at all ; then no wonder after a 

 couple of years of bad treatment in this way the trees 

 will only produce poor, hardly saleable fruits, or become 

 an early prey to disease and fungus ; and finally it is 

 voted '■ apple growing doesn't pay." 



If gooseberries, currants, and raspberries were 

 treated to a dressing of basic slag as recommended 

 in my January notes, a dressing of kainit applied during 

 showery weather this month, and at the rale of 2 to 3 

 lbs. per square perch, would be a valuable adjunct to 

 the slag. Strawberries, if not already heavily mulched 

 with farmyard manure or only half manured, may be 

 made to carry heavy crops of fruit, by application of 

 artificial manures such as a dressing of kainit this 

 month early, and at the rate of 3 lbs. or so to the perch, 

 followed by a dressing of about i lb. of nitrate of soda 

 per perch, sprinkled down the side of the rows about 

 the time the fruit is set. 



General Remarks.— In fruit plots or orchards, fences 

 should be trimmed up ; any weak places or gaps filled 

 up by the planting of strong quicks, beech, or of what- 

 ever plants the fence is composed. Roads and walks 

 cleared of weeds, repaired, and tidied up to give a neat 

 and clean appearance to the plot. Burn up the trim- 

 mings of hedges, any prunings, rubbish, and weeds that 

 may be about ; the ashes may be spread on the land 

 and dug in. Label newly planted trees with names in 

 full, or number them, and keep a record of the names 

 with corresponding numbers, and write up a general 

 memorandum of planting, &c., for reference in future. 

 It is also very advisable in case of artificial manures 

 being used to write up an exact account of quantities 

 applied and where, also outlay on same. 



The Vegetable (harden. 



Hy W'll.llAM TVNPAI.I.. 



Till-; we.ilhei foi- the p.ist month h.is been so 

 severe that iitlU- work could be done in the 

 \egetable garden, except in very favourable 

 localities and on light sandy soils, so that much work 

 that would have been better done earlier will be added 

 on to the normal work to be done during the busy sow- 

 ing time in the months of March and .April. Amateurs 

 and cottagers with strong clay soils to work are almost 

 certain to be late this season in sowing some of their 

 vegetable seeds on account of the very bad weather we 

 have had, and consequentU' will be inclined to work the 

 soil when too wet. It will be better to wait, even risk- 

 ing lateness in sowing, rather than run the risk of the 

 seeds failing to grow on account of the wet and cold 

 slate of the ground. Added to this, working and tread- 

 ing the soil in such a pasty condition will utterly spoil 

 its texture. Cut out the "Calendar of Cultural Opera- 

 lions in the Vegetable Garden," printed on last page 

 of February number of Irish Cj.vruening, and keep for 

 reference, so as to save space in naming the several 

 kinds and varieties of vegetables in succeeding issues. 

 All seeds, too, can be ordered at once, and not left till 

 time of sowing. Towards the end of the month all 

 coverings of straw, long manure. &c , used for protect- 

 ing vegetables during the winter may be removed, gravel 

 walks put in order, and all made neat and tidy, for 

 order and neatness are just as necessary in the veget- 

 able as in the flower garden ; yet how often do we find 

 it quite different ? 



Once the weather becomes favourable and the ground 

 dry and warm, no time must be lost in sowing the 

 various seeds and roots as recommended in calendar 

 l&st month — on a sheltered border or plot making 

 sowings of cabbage, early broccoli, Brussels sprouts, 

 cauliflower, and leeks, netting the first four kinds 

 immediately the seeds are sown to prevent birds in- 

 juring the crop. Make successional sowings of lettuce, 

 spinach, peas, and broad beans ; also celery seed on a 

 hotbed for maincrop. 



Cailiklow'ER. — Autumn-sown cauliflow'ers have 

 suffered very much, damp and frost being chiefly to 

 blame. Winter setting in, too, so early, the plants 

 were in many places not well established before the 

 severe weather was upon them. Carefully harden off 

 by giving plenty of air at first and removing the 

 lights entirely for a couple of weeks before planting 

 out on sheltered sunny border in deeply-dug and 

 heavily-manured ground (for all tiie Brassica family 

 dearly love manure). The plants raised from seed 

 sown in heat in January will require plenty of air in 

 mild weather to prevent them becoming drawn, and to 

 have them stout and sturdy for planting out next 

 month ; a like remark applied to sprouts and lettuces 

 raised in heat and dibbled out into boxes. 



Carrots. — Where a frame on a mild hotbed cannot 

 be given over to raising carrots early in the year, I have 

 often grown good crops on mild hotbeds, and placing 

 on it a temporary frame made of boards 1 1 inches wide 

 and I inch thick, covering the hotbed inside these 



