IRISH GARDENING 



31 



The Month's Work. 



Flower Garden and Pleasure Grounds. 



Hy A. Cami'HF.i.i., Gardener to I.onl Arilil.uiii. 

 St. Anne's. Cloiitarl". 



A 



I iiile I't'liriinry is .'i ilillicull 

 month for oul-cloor work. We 

 liave often to contend with snow 

 .>i hiMvy rain, therefore every available 

 iipportiniily must be made use of in 

 . onipleting^ tlie planting- or any alterations 

 vhlc-li are to be done this spring. Any 

 np.ilis to edges of walks, whether 

 L;rass oi' box, can be made good, and 

 walks should be cleaned and rolled. 

 The garden throughout must present a 

 clean and tidy appearance. When 

 heavy rains make it impossible to pro- 

 ceed with outdoor work, stakes can be 

 prepared and new brooms made; from 

 the old ones useful liook-head pegs can 

 lie made for layering Carnations, Ver- 

 benas, and many other plants used in 

 summer bedding. 



When weiitlicr permits all cllinbcfs 

 can be thinned out, removing all dead 

 and weakly wood, securing all strong 

 and healthy shoots where ihey are re- 

 quired to give effect later on. The 

 plants should then have a good dressing 

 of decomposed manure worked in at 

 their roots, which will greatly assist 

 them. Clematis of the Jackmani type 

 can be cut back, as they flower freely on the young 

 growths. Dahlias and Salvia patens can now lie 

 started in a little heat, so as to get cuttings for- summer 

 planting and autumn display. 



Annuals which require a genial temperature to start 

 them should now be sown in pans or bo.xes. so that when 

 seedlings are up they can be placed in full light near 

 the glass, to prevent them damping or becoming drawn. 

 In the flower garden and rockeries many interesting 

 plants will now be in flower. The Winter Aconite 

 (Eranthis hiemalis), even in partial shade, will clothe 

 the ground with ample foliage and bright yellow 

 flowers. Snowdrops and some of the early Crocuses 

 will also be in bloom. Helleborns niger and Lenten 

 Rose will also be gay, and Iris stylosa, placed at the 

 foot of a wall or in a sheltered position facing south, 

 will also be in flower, and the charming little Uafl'odil. 

 called Narcissus minimus, will now appear. The 

 Tenby Daffodil and W. P. Milner are also well ad- 

 vanced, and remind us that spring is again with us. 



Now that preparation must be made for the coming 

 summer, hotbeds should be made for propagating 

 all necessary plants for bedding out at the end of May. 

 Autumn-sown seedlings should now be pricketl out in 

 cold frames and encouraged to make roots and strong 

 growth. I'cntstemons w-hich were propagated last 

 autumn can now be planted where they are to flower ; 

 they are a great addition to the flower garden, whether 

 planted in groups in the herbaceous borders or for beds 



of distinct colour. The early sweet peas will now be 

 advancing, and will require small stakes or supports. 

 Work some flne soil in amongst the little plants to 

 strengthen them. 



The Fruit Garden. 



Hy I-. Ciiiiiis, (iardener to the Karl of Mealh, 

 Kilruddery, Kray. 



E.\RUY VI.N'KRIKS. — In many gardens early vines 

 are by this time well advanced. It will be neces- 

 sary to maintain .an atmospheric temperature of 

 not less than 60 degrees at night during mild weather. 

 If you gave your borders a thorough application of 

 tepid water when starting them little will be needed for 

 some time, only be sure to keep what gardeners call a 

 growing or humid atmosphere, and until they are 

 flowering damp down three times daily. If the canes 

 are tied about four inches under the wires, )-ou 

 need nol attempt tying the young growth into its 

 permanent position until }-ou are thinning the berries. 

 When shoots are strong and heavy they may, perh.aps, 

 require some support, just a loose tie to keep them 

 from falling or slipping off at the base will be sullicient. 

 Then rest content for a few weeks by keeping tender 

 shoots free of the cold glass and stopping the shoots 

 at the second joint above the bunch. Get on with 

 washing succcssional vines. Vou cannot be too 

 particular- about taking ofl' loose bark .and washing the 

 rods proper-1}-, especially if you are unfortirnately 

 troubled with mealy bug. I need not enurner;ite the 

 various methods for dealing with this horrid pest, for 

 every grower does or ought to know how to treat it. 

 I will simply urge everyone to use all possible means to 

 eradicate this unwelcome pest bofore the growing 

 season or- warm weather commences. 



Ni'.cr.vRiNKs AND Peachks. — If you notice any sign 

 of buds falling off early peaches examine the borders 

 at once <'ind try to ascertain the reason. When this 

 trouble arises you will generally be able tc trace 

 the cause to insuBicient water at their roots, and 

 neglect in this matter may deprive you of a crop. 

 Now that the days .are lengthening, all peaches and 

 nectarines should be ready for growing. When the 

 early trees commence flowering the .'itmosphere mirst 

 be kept somewhat drier. Take advairlage of bright 

 days to assist fertilization by every means in your 

 power-. Attach a rabbit's tarl to one end of a short 

 stick, then go carefully over the blossoms with it, 

 giving them light touches when the pollen is quite dry 

 and sun shining about mid-day. Make this your 

 practice and it will greatly help in securiirg a good set 

 of fruit. 



Flt;s. — Whenever possible one house ought to be 

 devoted to fig cultivation. .Most families are fond of 

 figs, and medical men often recommend good ripe 

 fruit to their p.-itients. Without doubt fig trees will 

 flourish in the open garden if grown on .'i wall with a 

 south aspect, but with our fickle Irish climate it is only 

 a chance whether the fruit ever comes to maturity. 

 Confine their roots irnder glass in small beds, and give 

 plenty of good feeding when the fruit is formed. 



WiNTi.K Spraying.— For hardy fruit all growers 

 recognise the necessity for spraying, and in many 

 places I know it is systematically carried out with 

 satisfactory results. Spraying kills all moss or lichen 

 and also many insects. .Imeriiou bliglit. — \S you h,-ive 

 this tenaciorrs garden enemy established on your ;ipple 

 trees I fear that it will give more labour than ordinary 



