32 



IRISH GARDENING 



Cordon Fruit Trees.— This method of train- 

 bag is suitable alike for apples, pears, plums, or 

 cherries, and is decidedly before all other systems 

 for producing the largesl frail of the finest 

 quality. The whole strength of the tree is i brown 

 into the fruit, and as all the fruil is on the main 

 stem, it draws the sap direcl from the roots. By 

 this means the greatest weighl of fruit can be 

 produced in a given space, and each fruit, being 

 well exposed to the sun and air, develops the 

 colour ami flavour to perfection. To cover walls 

 the trees should be planted eighteen inches to 

 two feet apart. The training must be done 

 according to height and position of wall, [f the 

 wall is <>vr twelve feel high the cordons may be 

 trained upright, but if lower, it is better to train 

 them obliquely to an angle of 10 to 50 . or even 



a ureal. -i- -lope if the wall is low. 



Fruit Trees iv Pots. Assuming thai some 

 of the earliest peaches and nectarines are required 

 to ripen their fruits in June and July, it will be 

 necessary to have them brought into the orchard 

 house at once. Before doing so give the trees 

 what little pruning they may require, such as 

 Cutting clean away any wood that has decayed 

 during t lie winter, also other shoots that are 



badly placed and upsetting the balance of the 

 tree. Wash the pots, and, most important of all. 

 see that the drainage is thoroughly clear. Stand 

 the pots in position in the orchard house and 

 endeavour to maintain a buoyant atmosphere 

 until the friuts are well set. The buds will 

 quickly respond to this removal inside and will 

 therefore soon come into flower. When the 

 blossoms are fully expanded fertilize the blooms 

 about mid-day by means of a rabbit's tail. As 

 few bees are on the wing so early in the year the 

 above operation is very important to ensure a 

 good set. The pruning of all other pot fruit trees 

 should lie performed about the middle of this 

 month and those within the near approach of 

 flowering may he brought indoors. 



Strawberries i\ Pots. 'To achieve success 

 with the strawberry for forcing pnrpo.se> it is 

 essential that strong, well-ripened plants he pre- 

 pared. | f a batch has not already heen hit rod need 

 to the forcing tlOUSe, this may lie done the first 

 week of this month. Pick off all dead and 



decaying leaves and freshen the surface soil in 

 the pot- by mean- of a blunt-pointed label. 



'The plant- are besl stood on shelves near to the 



roof-glass, where a night temperature of 18 to 

 commence with is maintained. Thi- degree of 

 heat should he increased another ."> in about a 

 fortnight, thus gradually inuring tie- plants to 

 warmer conditions. From the time the plants are 

 brought into tin- forcing house, syringing morning 



and afternoon mu-t lie enforced around the pot- 

 ami on tie- under sides of the leaves. Red spider 

 will sometimes make it- appearance, hut if due 

 attention i- given t<> syringing, and a moist 

 atmosphere prevail- until the flowering stage, 



t here need he little leal' of that t r< i II hlesoi I ie lie-t . 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J. G. Toner, County Instructor in Horti- 

 cull tire. ( 'o. Monag han. 



Parsnips. If an opportunity occur- during 



this month to get seedfi -own. hy all mean- 

 take advantage of it. The\ are usuallj slo^ 

 in germinating, hut as they are \er> hardy 

 a beginning may be made in good time, and 



besides a long season of growth is required. Nine 

 inches apart is about the minimum distance at 

 which fair roots can be grown ; as a rule, how- 

 ever, one foot would In- better if the space could 

 be given. Anyhow, allow all possible room, for 

 undersized parsnips are of little use. It will not 

 he necessary to -ow a continuous line of seeds, 

 rather should four or live he nut in one inch deep 

 at the selected distance apart. An absence of 

 freshly-introduced manure is desirable, and the 

 soil cannot be too well or deeply worked. Some- 

 times holes are made with a crowbar sis or nine 

 inches wide at the top. The lower portion is 

 Idled with a rich soil, decayed manure, and a 

 little superphosphate soil of the same kind minus 

 the manure, hut containing a little soot, com- 

 pletes the filling. On this a few seeds are sown, 

 and the plants later thinned to one. Verj line 

 specimens usually result. 



Onions.— Where difficulty is found in culti- 

 vating onions from seeds, bulbs of the potato 

 onion should he planted. Their culture is much 

 easier, though the weight of crop is not to he 

 compared with that given In seeds. Those 

 grown from the latter most people consider much 

 tenderer, besides being milder in flavour. Any- 

 how, this month is the best time for planting sets 

 of potato onions. The bulbs are covered to just 

 half their depth and placed about nine inches 

 apart. Dung of ordinary richness will be required 

 at the rate of about three hundredweights to the 

 perch: this would have heen much better done 

 in the autumn. A line artificial mixture would 

 he 1 I His. superphosphate, 1 ' lbs. nitrate of soda. 

 1 Id. kainit, and .'! lbs. common salt, half to he 

 applied a fortnight or so before sowing, and the 

 remander when a couple inches of growth is 

 seen. 



Tripoli <>u Autumn Onions. — Plants of these 

 may lie set out at any time when the ground is 

 in good order, the -round being manured as 

 advised for potato onions. If none were sown 

 last autumn they can he purchased now at about 

 one shilling per hundred. They will give a line 

 ret urn 



Broad Beans. -There are many kinds of these 



that are coarse and devoid of flavour ; this is not 

 the case with many of the Windsor type. They 

 almost rival peas in the colour and delicacy. A 

 row should therefore he sown during the month. 

 Tin- vicissitude- of the weather will have little 

 effect on them, and the crop will turn in at a time 

 when it is sure to he appreciated. Firm soil that 

 has heen well treated suits them perfectly. A 



double row of seeds may he placed in a trench 

 at least Ihi inches deep, placing them alter- 

 nately nine inches apart. A most useful and 

 easily-managed \ eget able. 



Parsley. Although plants originating from 

 a .lune sowing give better results, this is so con- 

 stantly in demand that a shortage would he found 



inconvenient, therefore a row might be sown 

 towards the end of the month. Few gardeners, at 

 least a mat curs, think of the necessity lor thinning 



parsley, yet it is one of t he most important details 

 if line leaves are expected, as the\ often are 

 required lor the decoration of dishes. &< . A con- 

 tinuous thinning max he carried on until the 

 plant- -land at nine inches apart. Besides the 

 mossy-curled variety there is also a pretty kind 

 known as the fern-leaved parsley, which is often 

 given the preference on account of the pretty 

 formation of the leaves. Good use is made of it 

 too as a pot plant an exceedingly graceful one ii 



make-. 



