TRTSH GARDENING 



ii 



on the wall. Ramblers such as Dorothy Perkins, 

 Dorothy Dennison, White Dorothy, Crimson 

 Rambler, Blush Rambler, and many more of the 

 same- section, will only require to have the old 

 wood removed, and the long' uew shoots carefully 

 tied in. In most cases it will be found that for 

 the first two or three years after planting these 

 Ramblers, practically no pruning of any sort 

 need be done, and then only the old shoots 

 should be removed. 



Flowering shrubs may also be pruned, but 

 before starting on this work the grower should 

 ascertain on which wood of the plant the 

 flowers are borne. Such shrubs as Spirrea 

 japonica and its many varieties, Coluteas (Bladder 

 Senna), Sambucus (Folders) and Veronicas, 

 where they requir ? to be reduced, are among some 

 of the ordinary flowering shrubs which should be 

 cut back at this tune of the year, because they 

 flower on the growth which they will make 

 in the spring. Such shrubs as Brooms (Genista 

 and Cytisus), Lilacs, Forsythias, Almonds, 

 Cherries, Pyrus. Flowering Currants (Ribes), 

 Philadelphus (Mock Orange). Deutzias, Kerria 

 japonica. Spiraea arguta, Berberis (Barberry) and 

 Cotoneasters, &c, should not be touched at this 

 time of year. If any pruning is necessary this 

 must be done in the spring, or after they have 

 flowered. This, of course, is not a full list of all 

 the many and beautiful flowering shrubs there are. 

 but it may serve as a guide to those who arc 

 learning. 



Any vacant ground may be dug over and left 

 in the rough for use later on. Where necessary, 

 lawns may be repaired, and an occasional rolling 

 and sweeping will be beneficial and remove worm 

 casts. Where worms are troublesome in grass, 

 especially on tennis and croquet lawns, they can 

 be removed by using a mixture supplied by 

 Messrs. Birk it Co., 1 Fenchurch Avenue. London, 

 E.C. This was successfully used on the courts of 

 one of the Dublin Tennis Clubs, without the 

 slightest injury to the sod. but the proportions 

 and the mixing directions must be carefully 

 followed. 



Frost may come at any moment, and then all 

 outdoor work will be at a stand still, therefore 

 the sooner these operations are completed the 

 better. After a heavy fall of snow the weight 

 lying on the branches of trees will often cause 

 them to break, and it is a good plan to go round 

 any choice trees or shrubs with a long pole and 

 shake off the snow. A piece of glass securely 

 propped up on four pegs, slightly sloped in one 

 direction, will keep wet and damp from lodging 

 in the heart of any tender Alpine plant. 



Violets in frames should be gone over periodi- 

 cally, and all decaying leaves removed. A light 

 forking is also beneficial. Give plenty of air on 

 mild days, but cover well at night in case of frost. 

 Unless the weather is exceptionally dry no water 

 need be given. 



Greenhouse. — Chrysanthemum cuttings may 

 still be taken, but by the end of the month all 

 cuttings should be secured. Watch the rooting 

 plants well for damp, and water carefully. 



Gladiolus Colvillii the Bride, is an excellent 

 subject for pot work, and may be potted up now. 

 Also Lilium auratum and L. longi riorum. When 

 well grown, these make beautiful pot plants for 

 indoors. The first batch of Paper White 

 Narcissus should be coming into flower, and the 

 most forward of the others might be brought into 

 the house. Arum Lilies in pots will benefit by 

 occasional waterings with weak manure water. 



Keep the leaves, and also the flowers as they 

 appear, clean and free from green fly. If the 

 pure white flowers get marked with fly or damp 

 while still in the bud, they remain marked and 

 thus lose much of their beauty. 



Look over the seed lists and mark what seeds 

 will be required. The sooner the order is sent 

 in the better. 



For small gardens the packets of seed priced 

 at Is., (id. and 3d. are too large, and entail a lot 

 of wasted seed. There is in Ireland no seed 

 merchant who quotes in his seed catalogue Id. 

 packets of seed. Some of them will supply a 

 small packet if asked to, but why do they "not 

 quote for these in their general seed catalogues. 



An early batch of Antirrhinum seeds may be 

 sown now for early flowering. Look over 

 cuttings in boxes and pots and keep them as dry 

 as possible. 



The Winter Pruning 

 Orchard Trees. 



Bv James Scktmgeour. 



of 



To the inexperienced the subject of pruning 

 appears at once difficult and complex, as there 

 seem to be so many authorities on the subject, 

 each putting forth his own methods. 



Pruning is the removal of any part of a tree — 

 either root, stem, or branch — for a definite object, 

 which includes — (1) the training and formation 

 of the tree ; (2) the admission of sunlight : (3) the 

 production of wood and flower buds to ensure 

 the greatest quantity of fiuit on a limited space. 



Here the pruner should not forget that a tree 

 is a living plant, capable of playing as many 

 tricks as an energetic schoolboy, and should the 

 tree not respond to his intelligence he must 

 accept this as a challenge from nature. 



The initial training of fruit trees need not he 

 described here, as they can be had from reliable 

 nurserymen in various forms, such as Standards. 

 Half-standards, Bush. Pyramid, Espaliers, 

 Cordons, &c. 



A great deal of controversy obtained as to 

 whether trees should or should not lie pruned 

 in spring immediately after planting. The fallacy 

 that they should not is fast dying out, and pruning 

 is now almost invariably performed after planting, 

 and rightly so, as thereby no time is lost. 

 Starting then with a two-year old tree with well 

 developed root, stem and branch, the winter 

 pruning consists in the removal of a portion of 

 the branches. 



As it is the production of wood that is required 

 at this stage to lay the foundation of the future 

 tree, the branches must be cut tolerably close 

 back to within six or eight inches of the base, 

 according to the strength of the shoot or branch, 

 it being advisable to have plenty of young shoots 

 to form a good head. It will afterwards be much 

 easier to cut a branch out than to replace one. 

 When cutting back it should he remembered that 

 it is necessary to cut to a bud facing the direction 

 in which the branch is intended to grow. The 

 cut should be about a quarter of an inch above 

 the bud so as not to impoverish it. and each 

 branch should be similarly treated, the result 

 being observed during the season. 



In August it will be seen that the branches 

 have extended in length — these summer growths 

 are technically known as the extension : side 

 shoot or laterals will also have formed, and a few 



