IRISH GARDENING. 



27 



Hints to Amateurs. 



By R. M. Pollock. 



Gooseberries and black and red currants can 

 now be propagated by cuttings. In preparing 

 these the same method should be followed for 

 gooseberries and red currants. Cut out some of 

 the best of last summer's growth, about 14 inches 

 in Length, remove the weak soft top of the shoot, 

 cutting it off just above a bud, and then cut the 

 lower end of the cutting straight across below a 

 bud or joint with a clean sharp knife, removing 

 the buds for about 7 inches up the shoot. Put 

 down a line, and with a spade oj en a narrow 

 trench about 6 inches deep, and in this place the 

 cuttings firmly, about ti inches apart. Fill in 

 with soil, and firm the cuttings well, leaving them 

 all straight in the line and level at the top. If 

 more than one line is required the rows may be 

 12 inches apart. The removing of the lower 

 buds prevents shoots springing directly up from 

 the base of the young plant, and gives the plant 

 a few inches of " neck," thus bringing the lower 

 branches well up off the ground, so that when 

 carrying a crop the fruit will not get mud splashed. 



The method also applies to red currants, but 

 in the case of black currants, the buds at the base 

 of the cutting need not be removed, as here it is 

 the strong growths direct from the base that are 

 wanted, as the fruit in black currants is borne on 

 the young wood. They may be inserted in 

 exactly the same manner as described for goose- 

 berries and red currants. 



When pruning fruit trees, especially apples and 

 pears, it is well to save a few of the best primings 

 to use later on as grafts. Put them in in a north 

 border, the different varieties tied together, and 

 they will be quite safe. Some one may take a 

 fancy for a special variety and be glad to have 

 a few grafts. 



When nailing fruit trees, or any plants, to a 

 wall, be very careful that the ties, whether of 

 raffia, string, or shreds, are not too tight, which 

 when growth begins would squeeze and injure 

 the branch. Also that the nails holding the ties 

 are not too close to the branches, which would 

 bruise the bark and cause decay to set up. When 

 tying, especially where there is any strain, the 

 branch should lie in the tie, not on the nail as is 

 often seen, and the tie should not be drawn so 

 tight as to bring the branch up close to the nail. 

 Look over and loosen old ties, and where necessary 

 renew them. Insects love to harbour during the 

 cold winter in cloth shreds, and appear when the 

 first warm sun tempts them. 



Early this month all fruit trees should be 

 sprayed with the " cleansing wash " or " caustic 

 spray." This can be easily prepared on the 

 premises, and be applied to apples, pears, plums, 

 damsons, cherries, apricots and peaches (outside), 

 gooseberries and currants, in the following pro- 

 portions : — Two pounds caustic soda (98 per 

 cent.), half a pound soft soap to 10 gallons water. 

 This mixture must be used warm, otherwise the 

 soap will clog the sprayer or whatever instrument 

 it is applied with. Where possible it is advisable 

 to use a sprayer, but in small establishments it 

 may not be available, in which case a fine nozzled 

 garden syringe will do, although, of course, this 

 is more wasteful than a sprayer. See that the 

 spray reaches all over the trees, and apply the 

 spray on a fine day. 



The first batch of Sweet Peas may now be sown 

 in pots. This can be done in two ways — one 



seed can be put singly in a thumb pot, or as is 

 usually done, five or six seeds in a 5-inch pot. 

 Fill the pots with good loam mixed with leaf- 

 mould and sand to within 2 inches of the top. 

 firm the soil, and place the seeds evenly round 

 the pot, putting one in the centre. Cover these 

 with an inch of liner soil, obtained by passing- 

 some of the mixture through a sieve, and smooth 

 the surface over. This will leave about an inch 

 of room in the pot, which will allow for watering. 

 The pots may then be placed in a bright frost- 

 proof house, frame, or even in a bright window. 

 If in the latter, as soon as the seeds germinate 

 and come above the soil, they will have to be 

 kept turned, as the light being only on one side, 

 they would grow crooked. There are articles in 

 this number from which more details can be got. 



Dahlia tubers may now be started. When 

 taken from their winter quarters they look very 

 shrivelled and miserable. Put them in boxes, a 

 little soil may be scattered over them, and place 

 these boxes in the greenhouse ; if hot pipes are 

 available, put the boxes on these, and water very 

 lightly with a fine rose-can. In a very short while 

 the shrivelled appearance will disappear and the 

 young roots and shoots make their appearance. 

 There are three distinct methods of propagating 

 Dahlias — by seed, by cuttings, and by division. 

 The first two require some heat, the latter is the 

 poor man's way, but answers the purpose just 

 as well if properly done. This method, however, 

 should not be attempted until later on, say April 

 or May. Seed of most of the classes of Dahlias 

 can be obtained, and this should be sown in pot. 

 boxes or pans in rather sandy soil. Pot off as 

 they require it into good soil, but keep the plants 

 as strong as possible, and avoid all tendency to 

 hurry them on by forcing. 



More care will be required in propagating by 

 cuttings. Take the sturdy young shoots that 

 come from the tubers that were placed in the 

 boxes. The long hollow shoots are useless, and 

 will never give satisfaction. Cut the shoot off 

 straight where it springs from the tuber, and 

 insert it firmly in a small pot. The warm atmos- 

 phere of the house will soon make the cuttings 

 stiff and happy looking, and in a short time they 

 will have rooted. As the pots become full of 

 roots, pot them on into larger pots, and give them 

 plenty of air while in this young state. Direc- 

 tions for propagation by division will be given 

 in a future issue. 



Greenhouse. — Begonias and Gloxinias may be 

 started. Place the tubers as described for Dahlias 

 in boxes, and when they start making growth, pot 

 them on singly in 5 or G-inch pots. Gloxinias 

 will require more heat than the Begonias if good 

 results are required. Where necessary green- 

 house plants may be repotted, but care should be 

 taken not to do this rashly, and very often a good 

 topdressjng will be sufficient. Another batch of 

 Zonal Pelargoniums may be taken during the 

 month and potted singly in small pots. Those 

 that were put in in October or November will 

 now be ready for shfting to 4-inch pots and those 

 put in in the summer may get a final shift into 

 their flowering pots (6-inch). The first lot of 

 rooted Chrysanthemum cuttings will also be 

 ready. Pot these either singly in 4 -inch pots or 

 three in 5-inch pots. 



Mowing machines should now be looked over, 

 and those requiring repairing should be sent off 

 at once. As soon as the weather settles down 

 and the ground dries a first cutting of lawns 

 may be given. 



