JUNE 



IRISH GARDENING. 



95 



yet to be filled when the stock is depleted ! Could one 

 use up the odds and ends, that of course would be 

 different, but only patchwork on the larger scale being 

 admissible, such is not to be thought of. In our dire 

 extremity have we resorted to such things as migno- 

 nette. Mere madness one might say to sow beds at mid- 

 June However, as far as madness is concerned. 

 summer bedding time is the gardeners' dog days, and it 

 may be a round bed, or a square bed, or any of those 

 delightful designs the garden artist has inflicted on us, 

 or half-a-dozen of them perhaps which have to be filled, 

 and to make things sure they were surfaced with six 

 inches fresh yellow loam on which the seeds were thinly 

 sown, and — well there was not much show for a bit. but 

 the beds were tolerated, and later on it was quite 

 another story. By the way, we never get such migno- 

 nette as that sown in fresh loam, and too often ordinary 

 soil and early sowing is but vanity and vexation of the 

 spirit, and we have now come to regard the giant 

 varieties of the esteemed old-fashioned flower as indis- 

 pensable to the summer flower garden. The same 

 method can be employed with dwarf nasturtiums merely 

 treading the ordinary soil tight, as tight as possible, 

 and dibbling in the seeds six inches apart ; all mi^ke- 

 shifts, of course, but well able to speak up for them- 

 selves later. 



Fair but Fickle. — How difficult it is near the sea- 

 board to get the tuberous begonia into that cheerful 

 luxuriance it displays without trouble in the more humid 

 atmosphere of inland districts ! We should not. of 

 course, ever think of doing less for the tuberous one, 

 where an effective bed is wanted, than that of giving ii 

 a compost of well-decayed manure, rough leaf-mould, 

 and sand, with a coverlet of bog-mould to finish up with. 

 Under such conditions it is easy to keep an equably moist 

 rooting medium, with an occasional watering during 

 dry spells, watering only towards evening, otherwise 

 foliage scalding will probably result. We know some 

 friends inland who, having beds of the tuberous beauties 

 in perfection without trouble, will smile at our pre- 

 cautions, but they would smile both bigger and broader 

 if they knew how much we watered and wept and 

 prayed over half-adozen beds at the entrance to the 

 Irish International Exhibition but three short years ago 

 for fear they would disgrace us. But that, too, is 

 another story. 



The Fruit Gi 



ids. 



By A. Barker. Carrigoran. Xewmarket-on-Fergus. 

 Co. Clare. 



BY the time that my notes are before the readers of 

 Irish Gardening all fruit-growers will have had 

 an opportunity of forming a pretty accurate es- 

 timation of the crops of fruit for the coming season. I am 

 very much afraid that the wonted tours of inspection 

 of trees and plots will have very frequently brought 

 keen feelings of disappointment, as the weather during 

 most of May has been of a very unfavourable kind for 

 the proper development of fruit crops. However, if 

 happily the stormy sunless days of May are over there 

 is still every hope for a plentiful apple crop, as there is 



such an abundance of apple blossoms. Rarely have I 

 seen trees so loaded with blossoms in two successive 

 seasons. 



Lose fio time now in setting strawberry plots in order 

 for the ripening fruit as advised in previous calendar ; 

 do not err in placing too much straw or litter under the 

 fruit, as this is a decided advantage in a dull, wet season, 

 by keeping the ground too cold and wet under the fruit 

 (besides being wasteful). Give the plots a thorough 

 clearing of weeds, and there will be the less trouble 

 with them when the fruit is ripe. Get preparations well 

 ahead for netting the plots ; it is always an advantage 

 to raise the nets well above the plants, and to such a 

 height as will enable picking to be done without removing 

 the nets is much the best. Drive down a row of stakes 

 round the plots three or four paces apart, leaving them 

 four or five feet above ground ; also rows at intervals 

 through the beds. Run a strong tarred string from post 

 to post, giving it a loop round the top of stakes to carry 

 the nets. Galvanised wire makes a very good carrying 

 material, as it is not affected with weather, and keeps 

 the netting steadier in showery weather. By looping 

 t+ie string or wire round the tops of posts it is readily 

 taken down, and can be used again for other purposes. 

 A similar arrangement of netting is also very satisfac- 

 tory where quantities of bush fruits are left hanging to 

 ripen. 



Gooseberries are now rapidly approaching maturity, 

 and where required for bottling or for jam should be 

 gathered when about half grown. As soon as goose- 

 berry trees are cleared of their crops cut away any 

 branches too near the ground and any superabundant 

 shoots in centre of bushes (this thinning or summer 

 pruning is very beneficial to the bushes), and if cater- 

 pillars are present spray with Ssvifte's arsenate of lead, 

 I lb. to 50 gals, of water. A heavy dusting of air-slaked 

 lime and soot in about equal proportions is a useful 

 remedy against caterpillars. But if the trees are badly 

 affected, very old or exhausted, dig them up and con- 

 sign to fire-heap, and start anew with young clean trees 

 on fresh ground next autumn. As American gooseberry 

 mildew is such ri virulent and destructive pest prompt 

 remedies must be adopted wherever it may appear. 

 The Board of Agriculture recommend spraying with 

 liver of sulphur, 1 lb, to 32 gals, of v.ater. My remedy 

 (unless in case of a number of young strong trees) 

 would be to carefully cut away the trees and burn them. 

 The cost of doctoring bush fruit trees might soon exceed 

 that of replacing them with healthy young trees. 



Disbudding, training, and pinching of wall and other 

 fruit trees will need attention this month. Where out- 

 door peaches are grown, remove all shoots excepting 

 one or two of best and most favourably placed at, or 

 near, base of last year's shoots which are now carrying 

 the fruits, and keep them periodically nailed or tied in 

 to furnish fruiting wood for next year ; pinch the points 

 out of all leading shoots as soon as the fruits are swell- 

 ing freely(unless such as may be required for extending 

 the trees). If the trees have set heavy crops the fruits 

 may be thinned more or less according to the size of 

 fruits required. Unless small or medium-size fruits are 

 required for preserving, the fruits should be thinned to 

 from six to twelve inches apart. A further disbudding 

 of shoots may be made after it is quite evident that clean, 



