9 6 



IRISH GARDENING 



Peaches and Nectarines. — Trees in cool 

 houses should have their young shoots tied in 

 with raffia from time to time. Sometimes vigor- 

 ous growing trees make thick gross wood, which 

 considerably weakens other parts of the tree. 

 This sort of wood should be cut clean away at 

 an early stage, so that the sap in the tree may 

 become more equally distributed. Syringe tin- 

 trees every morning and afternoon in fine weather. 

 If the borders are well filled with roots, copious 

 supplies of water will be needed to keep the roots 

 in proper condition. Farmyard liquid manure 

 should be given once or twice a week, but to com- 

 mence, care should be taken not to use it too 

 strong, gradually adding to the strength as the 

 season advances. Similar varieties outdoors 

 should also be given due attention as to the tying 

 in and regulating of the young shoots. If too 

 many fruits are still on the trees, look them over 

 occasionally, always removing the smallest and 

 those situated in bad positions. Keep the roots 

 of the trees well supplied with water, and when 

 the fruits have attained a fair size liquid manure 

 may be given with great advantage. 



Small Bush Fruit. — Bushes of the goose- 

 berry that are heavily laden with fruit should 

 have a reasonable thinning. Around the plants, 

 for three feet outwards, mulch the surface soil 

 with rotten farmyard manure. This will pre- 

 serve the roots from drought, promote healthier 

 foliage, and increase the size of the fruit . Black 

 and red currants require similar treatment to the 

 above, but no thinning out of the bunches should 

 be resorted to, unless required for exhibition 

 purposes. Raspberries, being an important fruit, 

 must be given special attention at this season. 

 I'ull up all young suckers that will not be wanted, 

 leaving the strongest and best to grow on. The 

 surface soil between the rows must be kept 

 stirred with the Dutch hoe, and should a spell of 

 dry weather set in, apply a rich mulching of 

 rotten manure. 



The Orchard House. — Apples, pears, and 

 plums that are not required to ripen their fruits 

 under glass should be plunged outside in a shel- 

 tered position with a south aspect. To each tree 

 affix a stake as a protection against wind, and see 

 that every fruit is made secure. It is always besl 

 to plunge the pots to about three-fourths of their 

 depth. 1 ?, placing some rough cinder ashes at the 

 bottom of each hole for the pot to rest upon. 

 By so doing the tree will be prevented from he- 

 coming water-logged. Feeding with liquid man- 

 ure should still be continued, say. once or twice 

 a week. A bag of soot t ied somewhat loosely. 

 but securely, should be placed in the liquid tank, 

 and be well shaken before t he liquid is used. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



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

 culture, Co. Monaghan. 



Insect Pests. — Especially during the month of 

 June there are many of these which deliver their 

 attacks on various crops in the vegetable garden. 

 The culture of vegetables not only includes t In- 

 sowing of seeds, the digging and the enriching of 

 the ground, but also the care in a, genera] wa\ of 

 the growing plants in which may be included the 

 matter of defending them from their enemies. 



Onion Maggot. — This is perhaps the most 

 serious matter with which those who cultivate 

 onions from seeds sown in the open have to con- 

 tend. To prevent the parent fly from laying her 

 eggs, finely-sifted ashes, which has been sprayed 



with paraffin oil, might be laid to the depth of 

 half an inch and two inches wide on the soil each 

 side of the rows. 



Carrot Fly. — This vegetable, too, has its own 

 particular enemy. As in the case of the onion, 

 the maggots attack the roots and eat their way 

 in. Soon the leaves become discoloured, and 

 the plants die. Very often, too, those that sur- 

 vive and grow to a usable size are honeycombed 

 and completely spoilt. The same treatment as 

 advised for onions should be given. 



Celery. — Advantage should be taken of a 

 cloudy day, and a showery one, too — there won't 

 be much difficulty about it, perhaps — to get 

 celery plants into the trenches. Any check of a 

 serious nature has an exceedingly bad effect on 

 the quality of this crop, however good the sub- 

 sequent culture may be. In the event of sunny, 

 hot weather, the work should be done as nearly 

 as possible at the close of the day. Do not forget 

 a liberal watering in the morning and after the 

 planting has been completed. Nine inches to 

 one foot apart is usually allowed, the former 

 when only one row of plants is put in a trench, 

 the latter when two or more are favoured. 



Celery Fly. — The eggs in this case are laid 

 on the leaves, and the grubs enter between the 

 skins, and eat away the substance between. By 

 pressing them with finger and thumb they may 

 be cut off in the flower of their youth, and those 

 that would have developed into females be 

 spared the trouble of finding nice fat celery 

 leaves that were not partially covered with soot. 

 The application of this useful substance in the 

 evenings or mornings — when the leaves are moist 

 it adheres well — generally prevents the laying of 

 the eggs. 



Asparagus Beds. — Periodical waterings with 

 natural liquid manure will prove of much service 

 to beds of established plants. In dry weather, 

 plain water in sufficient quantity to thoroughly 

 moisten the soil is advisable beforehand. Kainit, 

 too, is an excellent form of artificial manure for 

 this crop. So is salt, especially for young plants. 



Lettuce. — Sow lettuce seeds for succession in 

 bunches six to nine inches at least apart. When 

 they are large enough thin out to one at each 

 bunch, and then the best thing to do is sow again, 

 so as to keep up '» supply. A little and often is 

 a golden rule here. 



MELONS. — Plants in frames will require care- 

 fid ventilation, and little or no water. The lights 

 should be closed up in good time before the sun 

 has ceased to shine on them. A good deal of care, 

 in the case of the inexperienced, must be taken 

 that the atmosphere is on the moist side when the 

 plants are growing, otherwise red spider will pro- 

 vide some trouble. Use the syringe or rosed 

 watering can before closing in the afternoon. 

 Rain water is. of course, the best, and it should 

 be warmed before use. Pinch out the points of 

 the growths if they are not showing female 



(lowers. 



Tomatoes. There is always a sporting chance 

 of getting a fair crop from the open, as, in 

 many other directions, the weather is the de- 

 ciding factor. They are worth trying in a warm, 

 sheltered position. ' Make the ground very tight 

 about them, arid keep to the one stem by the 

 simple expedient of picking off all side growths 

 as soon as they push forth. 



Fob Green Crops. Every available piece of 

 ground should now be manured and made ready 

 for the reception of Brussels sprouts, cabbages, 

 broccoli, savoys, and so on, as these are now, or 

 soon will be, iit for transplanting. 



