48 



IRISH GARDENING 



themg-et really dry at the roots. A second batch should 

 be ready for starting when required. 



General Remarks. — I will now take this oppor- 

 tunity of reminding- yon to look carefully over all fruit 

 trees, and make quite sure that all have been properly 

 cleaned and tied, also the borders forked nicely and 

 top-dressed. None of the trees will require mulching 

 until later on, though a good dressing of wood ashes 

 and old mortar mixed with some new loamy soil will be 

 found an excellent thing for spreading over those which 

 have spreading roots near the surface ; or a little 

 artificial manure washed in with a nice rain will benefit 

 exhausted trees. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By Wm. Tyndall, Horticultural Instructor, Co. 

 Kildare. 



DURI.NG the past month we have had so much rain 

 and frost, with just one week of dry weather 

 (from February nth to February i8th), and now 

 as I pen these lines it has been raining for eighteen 

 hours, with a cold north-east wind, and this must leave 

 the soil very cold and wet, unless in very favourable 

 localities and on light, sandy soils, so that the sowing 

 of vegetable seeds in many gardens will be later this 

 year than usual. It is much better to wait, even though 

 a little late, than to sow the seeds now, and thereby run 

 the risk of failure through getting them in when the 

 ground is cold and wet and also in a pasty condition by 

 working the soil when wet. 



I know that with so many shows now being held, both 

 local and county, throughout Ireland, much greater 

 interest is taken in the growing of vegetables for home 

 use and exhibition than formerly. These competitions 

 give impulse to endeavour and zeal to excel in growing 

 of plants. It is only by sowing good seed and by careful 

 culture during growth that vegetables of the highest 

 quality can be obtained, and then only when you secure 

 for the plants the soil conditions that suits them best, 

 by deep digging or trenching, using as much manure as 

 can be spared for most crops, for by no other method 

 can those grand samples of vegetables be obtained \vc 

 now see at shows. Even for home use, the extra quantity 

 and quality will well repay the labour and manure. 



Once we get fine weather and the ground dry and 

 warm, get in svich crops as parsnip, onion, early peas, 

 broad beans, potato, spinach and turnips. With a small 

 sowing of the various cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels 

 sprouts, and lettuces on a warm, sheltered border, net- 

 ting the beds immediately the seed is sown to protect 

 from birds, which often do much injury. 



Parsnips.— If a few specimen roots are required for 

 exhibition, bore holes three to four feet deep and about 

 nine Inches across the top of holes, in lines two feet 

 apart and and one anil a half feet from hole to hole. 

 Fill the holes with a compost of fresh soil, leaf or turf 

 mould, with a little sand and well rotted horse manure 

 added ; put all through a half-inch mesh riddle and mix 

 with each barrowful'a gallon of fine bone meal or dried 

 blood manure ; make the soil firm in holes and put two 

 or three seeds in the centre of each hole, and cover a 

 good inch deep. 



The same preparation and soil will suit for growing 

 carrots and beet, but these should not be sown till the 



beginning of April, unless wanted for early shows. The 

 best parsnips to grow are Tender and True and Model 

 White. 



C.\ttRO*rs. — Sutton's New Red. Intermediate, and 

 F2arly (ieni (the latter stump-rcoted, hut fine for July 

 shows). 



Beet. — Pragnall's Exhibition 1 ha\e foimd best in 

 shape and colour. 



Salsafv. — This is a winter vegetable, much liked by 

 many, especially when clean, straight roots, free from 

 flower stems, are secured. It requires the same cultiu'e 

 as carrots and parsnips, and, like those vegetables, if 

 fresh manure is used, causes the roots to fork, April is 

 soon enough to sow the seed, and one and a half feet 

 apart in the lines is quite enough room. 



Gi-iHii; AktichiiKEs. — Towards the middle or end of 

 the month is a good time to make a new planting. The\' 

 should be planted in an open position in groiuid deepl}' 

 trenched and well manured. Select well rooted suckers, 

 cutting oft all broken lOOts and leaves; plant in rows 4 

 feet apart and 2 to t, feet between the plants in the row. 

 If a long succession ofGlobe .Artichokes is desired a short 

 row should be planted ever}- year, as these young 

 plants will give heads a couple of months later than the 

 old established plants, (iet in Jerusalem .Artichokes at 

 once, and though they will grow in almost any soil oi' 

 situation, it is time and manure well spent to thoroughly 

 prepare the ground for them. Plant like potatoes, in 

 rows 3 feet apart and u to 15 inches between the 

 tubers, selecting medium sets. 



CailifijiWf.r. — Plants raised in autumn and wintered 

 in frames must be carefully hardened off by giving 

 plenty of air and removing the lights entirely a couple 

 of weeks before planting out on a warm sheltered 

 border in deeply dug and heavily manured ground. Give 

 plenty of air to cauliflowers, lettuce, Brussels Sprouts 

 and onions raised in heat during January and February 

 so as to have the plants stout and sturdy for planting 

 out next month. 



Asparagus. — Where the beds of this highly esteemed 

 vegetable were covered with manure last autumn 

 remove the strawy portion and fork in what is left, rake 

 over the beds to give a neat appearance, and keep free 

 of weeds. A dressing of salt every second year at this 

 time benefits the crop ; while the year no salt is given 

 apply superphosphate and kainit equal parts, 4 ounces to 

 square yard, early this month, and give a dressing of 

 nitrate of soda each year in April and May, 2 ounces 

 to square y.ird at both applications. 



Ci'H'.KV. — Sow the seed for main crop on a gentle 

 hotbed, keeping near the glass to pre\ent the pl.ants 

 being drawn and weak. Early raised plants should be 

 transplanted into other boxes, allowing about 2 inches 

 between the plants in the boxes, which should be filled 

 with fine rich soil, putting a good layer of decayed 

 manure in the bottom of the boxes ; the roots will 

 ramble through the mainne and the plants will lift with 

 good balls of'soil attached when planting out. 



Onion.— I am afraid very many cottagers aiid 

 amateurs do not sow their onion seed early enough in 

 the vear, for almost any kind of ground will grow fine 

 large onions if properly prepared ; a loamy soil not too 

 heavy is best but no miitler what your soil, trench 2 or.i 

 feet deep, t;iving a good dressing of manme while work 

 proceeds, and when finished apply k lb. of lime to each 

 square yard. Before sowing seed rake over plot, leaving 

 level ; draw shallow drills i foot apart ; cover the seed 

 and make the ground lirm by treading, antl finish by 

 raking the plot over. 



