DECEMBER 



IRISH GARDENING 



191 



to cure them, and it would be just as well to grub 

 these up and replace them with new healthy trees, 

 but with trees, large or small, not severely attacked, 

 this pest may, by close attention and perseverance, be 

 eradicated to such an extent that the trees may be 

 considered practically free from injury by the canker 

 fung-us. Small branches, if severely attacked, should 

 be cut away completely and burned. In larger 

 branches, or on stems of trees, wherever the corru- 

 gated wounds present, take a very sharp knife or 

 chisel and cut the injured part completely away until 

 sound, healthy bark and wood are reached, leaving a 

 very smooth surface ; then brush this surface over 

 with Stockholm tar, as a protection from future attacks. 

 It is also very advisable to raise the vitality of the 

 tree by lifting or root pruning, if the roots are in any 

 bad soil. Liberal mulchings of good, rich manure, 

 or new loam, &c., will assist in rendering the trees less 

 susceptible to canker attacks. It is useful to always 

 bear in mind that the canker fungus can only gain 

 access to the tree through a wound or damaged part, 

 and, consequently, it is very advisable lo pare all 

 damaged parts over, and give a rub of the tar brush 

 to the cleaned surface as a preventative. 



According- as pruning is completed spiaying should 

 be proceeded with on every favourable opportunity. 

 Where "black spot " or apple and pear scab has been 

 very virulent give the trees a thorough drenching with 

 sulphate of copper, as recommended in my November 

 calendar. If the trees are infested with lichens, 

 woolly aphis, &c. , a very good combined spray to 

 destroy these pests and check the scab is as follows : — 

 One and a-half pounds of sulphate of copper, half 

 pound of quicklime, two pounds of caustic soda 

 98 per cent., five pints of best parafin oil ; water, ten 

 gallons. Mix the materials as follows :— P'irst place 

 the sulphate of copper in a canvas bag and suspend 

 it in nine gallons of water in a wooden tub until the 

 sulphate is dissolved ; thoroughly slake the quicklime 

 in a little water ; then add more water to make milk of 

 lime ; strain this into tub and add the paraffin oil, and 

 well stir the whole with a flat piece of wood ; after- 

 wards add the caustic soda and give another stirring, 

 and be careful that the mixture does not splash into the 

 face. While using this spray it is advisable to rub the 

 hands over with vasaline or wear tight-fitting rubber 

 gloves, and be careful that the spray does not blow 

 over the face. Pears are never (or very rarely) attacked 

 by woolly aphis, and not so subject to lichens, &c., as 

 apples, so these may be sprayed with the copper 

 sulphate to cure pear scab. There arc now many very 

 effective sprays sold by all nurserymen and seedsmen 

 which are less trouble to prepare for use than the spray 

 I have described. 



Strawberry beds should now be cleaned over, re- 

 moving all dead leaves and weeds, or any runners that 

 may be left on the plants, so that they may be ready for 

 a heavy mulching of manure in the early part of the 

 coming year ; a dressing of bassic slag after the beds 

 are cleaned will prove of considerable advantage ; the 

 -slag may be applied at the rate of 8 to 10 cwt. per acre. 

 Similar treatment also applies to raspberry plots, after 

 the old canes have been cut away and the new ones 

 secured to their supports. 



T 



General Remarks.— Hedges should be clipped and 

 cleaned over; if any weak places are showing make 

 them up with new plants of whatever the hedge or fence 

 may be composed of. It is a good plan to throw all 

 hedge clippings, prunings, leaves, weeds, &c., from 

 general cleaning-up into a heap on some vacant ground, 

 and when all is gathered up at end of season (or earlier 

 if the heap is getting too big) set fire to it in two or 

 three places and burn all up ; the ashes will make a very 

 fertilising agent on the land. Where shelter is required 

 for plots or orchards the present is a good time to plant 

 such shelter or hedges. Common laurels, beech, or 

 thorn quicks and privet mixed, all make good sheltering 

 hedges. The Myrobalan plum forms a hedge more 

 quickly than any of the above, and the more it is clipped 

 or pruned, the denser it becomes. Beech makes a very 

 dense shelter also by planting a double line, the lines 

 about a yard apart, and the plants according to size. 

 Be sure to look through fruit stores and remove any rot- 

 ting or damaged fruit, otherwise much fruit might be 

 spoiled. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By William Tvndall, Horticultural Instructor, 

 Co. Kildare. 

 HE chief work in the vegetable garden during 

 this month is to continue the work of trenching, 

 digging, and ridging the vacant ground if the 

 weather is dry, yet whether some soils are benefited by 

 autumn digging is one of those points on which gar- 

 deners, though differing, may each be right ; likewise 

 the benefit of digging manure into sandy soils at 

 this time of year for next season's crops. Where 

 grubs, wireworms, and millepedes are troublesome, 

 the soil should be deeply dug or, better, bastard- 

 trenched and left rough, giving a dressing of gas-lime 

 on the surface, and left for some time before lightly 

 forking in. 



Draining. — If you are to grow good crops the soil 

 must be efficiently drained so that aeration may follow, 

 otherwise crops will not do well, A badly-drained soil, 

 on account of its coldness, attracts frost, which, espe- 

 cially in spring, proves so destructive to tender crops. 

 To know if the ground requires draining open trial holes 

 two to three feet deep, and cover over with boards, &c. 

 If water collects in these it is evident the soil requires 

 draining. Draining need not be very expensive if there 

 is a fair fall for the drains to empty. To know the 

 number of drains required open first at twenty feet 

 apart, and when completed open holes midway between, 

 and if the water stands in them instead of draining 

 away open other drains midway between those opened 

 first. In opening the drains make them wide at the top 

 and narrow down, so that there is barely room for the 

 tiles at bottom which keeps them from rolling about, 

 and consequently easier fixed. The cross drains should 

 empty into the main drain, which should be at a lower 

 level. When all is finished put a good layer of broken 

 stones, clinkers. &c., over them before replacing the 

 soil. 



Seakale. — If you would grow good seakale early in 

 the winter you must have strong roots that have had a 

 good rest, so do not be in a hurry to start forcing or 



