JUNE 



IRISH GARDENING. 



«3 



becomes very rich and quite black. It is then 

 very valuable. 



Up to the present the most successful crops 

 for French g-ardening- have been found to be 

 Canteloupe melons, asparagus, carrots, celery, 

 cucumbers, lettuces, mushrooms, peas, radishes, 

 tomatoes, turnips, strawberries, and several 

 varieties of flowers, but there are endless 

 possibilities. 



Unfortunately success cannot be guaranteed 

 with book knowledge alone, as so much 



on a large scale, as in most things, one should 

 advance with caution from small beginnings. 

 It is considered that about ;^40o is required 

 to thoroughly equip an acre according to the 

 French system. But most people start with 

 only a few frames in a suitable corner of their 

 garden, and just as good profits proportionately 

 may be obtained, I myself studied the system 

 with two ladies in Berkshire who have a 

 maraicher to manage their garden. They 

 have him still, and are extraordinarily success- 



At Work in thk " French " Oardi-n ai KinnnwN. 



depends on attention to details which can only 

 be acquired by training. This is realised in 

 England, where many gardeners get French 

 maraichers to demonstrate their system. But 

 given this training the would-be French 

 gardener may regard the following as three 

 st'nc qiui lions. 



(i) There must be a ^^oo<\ water supplw (2) 

 Stable manure must be obtainable. (3) Prox- 

 imity to a station or market is essential. It is 

 also advisable that the garden should slope to 

 the south. 



Many people have an idea that an enormous 

 capital is necessary to start a garden of this 

 kind. But it is by no means necessary to start 



fui. French gardening seems to be specially 

 suitable for women, as there is a great deal 

 o{ light and interesting work in connection 

 with the system. 



^w 6^^ ft^^ 



Gooseberries on Trellises 



There are certain advantages arising from growing 

 gooseberries on a trellis— the fruit is easily gathered, 

 and by using different sorts the season may be con- 

 siderably prolonged. Posts may be placed about ten 

 feet asunder, and four wires (a foot apart) run through 

 holes in the series of upright posts. Prune so as to 

 leave just sufficient old and young shoots to nicely 

 furnish the trellis. Mulching the ground will prove 

 beneficial to the crop. 



