IRISH GARDENING. 



15 



^<?stiug ou a stone, so as to throw the water off 

 ^he centre of the i)lauts, while in no way ])re vent- 

 ing a free c-ircilation of air around the ]ilants. 

 Above all things do not put the old fashioned bell 

 glasses on Alpines. Clematis, of the autumn 

 flowering section, of which Jackmanii is the best 

 known type, should be prvmed down to two eyes 

 from last year's growth. This should be done at 

 once ; bv t the spring and early summer flowering 

 varieties should not be pruned until after they 

 have flowered. 



Work should be pushed forward, and all 

 arrangements made to enable the planting of 

 trees and shrubs. Herbaceous plants to be pushed 

 forward with all possible speed when February 

 arrives. Planting operations for the month of 

 .January should be at a standstill. 



Lawns are usvially badly treated, and they well 

 repay a little generosity on the owner's part. A 

 to])dressing of wood ashes and thoroughly rotted 

 manure is ideal. Wood ashes alone is splendid, 

 and a few shilliniis spent on b^sic slag in the 

 winter and sulphate of ammonia in March snd 

 April pays us well in the improvement in the 

 lawns. During this month every o])])ortunity 

 shoiild be given to rolling the lawns when the 

 weather conditions are favourable, this will help 

 later on in the season, esi)ecially tennis courts and 

 croquet lawns. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By T. E. ToMALiN. Gardener to the Earl of 

 Bessbo rough, Bess bo rough Park, Co. Kilkenny. 



The year 1910 o])ens with oii,r country still 

 involved in the greatest war in history, and it is 

 incumbent on all engaged in fruit growing to 

 encourage production in every possible way. 

 One effect of the war has been to decrease the 

 available supply of skilled labour in gardens, 

 large and small. Under-gardeners, as a class, 

 have rallied to the Colovi,rs almost e>i masse, with 

 the result that the ordinary routine of work has 

 been greatly disturbed, and much difficulty is 

 being experienced in carrying out the most 

 necessary work. Whatever may be said for or 

 against the upkeep of pleasure grounds and 

 flower gardens during this troubled period, there 

 can surely be only one opinion as to the import- 

 ance of attending fully to our fruit trees. A 

 country's fru,it trees are a national asset, whether 

 they are situated in a private garden or a market 

 orchard; in either case the produce usually finds 

 its way. to the public markets, and has its effect 

 there in regulating the price of an im])ortant 

 article of food, and a year or two of neglect in 

 the tvv.it garden is capable of undoing the labour 

 of years, and is likely to entail considerable 

 expense in righting matters in future years. 



Planting. — ^ Where planting still remains to be 

 done, the first opportunity should be taken to 

 finish this work, although in all cases delay is 

 preferable to ])roceeding with the work whenthe 

 soil is in an unsuitable condition. Never plant 

 when the soil is so wet as to stick to the boots. 

 If the work is delayed beyond the end of the 

 present month, a little extra attention will be 

 necessary during the ensuing summer in the 

 matter of watering and mulching should a very 

 dry period occur. Have a suiiply of fine soil, 

 containing leaf -mould, in readiness ; about a 

 wheelbarrowfull of which, worked in amongst the 

 roots when planting, will ensure a good start 



being made. With a sharp knife shorten all 

 thick roots, to encourage the i^roduction of 

 fibrovis feeding roots, and cut clean away all 

 damaged portions. Mulch all newly planted 

 trees with strawy manure, and guard securely 

 against rabbits, if necessary. 



Staking. — Enough stakes should have been 

 prepared on wet days for the trees that are to 

 be ])lanted. The stake should be driven in before 

 the tree is placed in the hole, thus obviating the 

 danger of damaging the roots afterwards. Place 

 the stake on the side from which the prevailing 

 winds come, and so manage the tie that there 

 will be no danger of the stake rubbing against 

 any ])art of the tree during windy weather. 

 The stakes of all young trees should be examined 

 annually, and ties renewed where necessary. At 

 the same time see that the labels are secure and 

 the wire affixing these to the trees not too tight. 

 Never hang these round a main branch if it can 

 be avoided, but utilise a spur, and if labels are 

 placed at about the same height on all the trees 

 it will greatly facilitate finding them when the 

 trees are in leaf. 



Pruning. — Whenever the weather is suitable, 

 pruning should be proceeded with, and, if 

 ])ossible, finished this month, so that all suitable 

 days may be taken advantage of for spraying in 

 February. If wet weather ])revails, it will 

 perhaps be profitable to take in hand the wall 

 trees first, as planks can be used more conveniently 

 in the case of these for the operator to walk on, 

 and the bad effects of walking on pasty land 

 avoided. 



If scions are reqv.ired for regrafting unsatis- 

 factory trees, select medium sized, well ripened 

 shoots from the side of the tree from whicli the 

 best fruits are usually obtained. These should 

 be carefully laljolled and heeled in behind a noi'th 

 wall until itMiuired. This will ensure their being 

 in a ])erfrctly dormant state when the rising of 

 the sap in tlie stocks denotes grafting time. 



Bud-eating. — If bullfinches are numerous, 

 measures should be taken in good time to prevent 

 damage. I find it necessary to net gooseberries, 

 currants — red and white — and wall fruit trees. 

 The nets are placed in position early in January, 

 and are made to serve the double purpose of a 

 protection from bud-eating birds, and later from 

 spring frosts during the flowering period, after 

 which the nets are stored again until the fruit 

 ap])roaches ripeness. 



Large standard trees of plum and damson are 

 thickly sprayed with limewash. 



The Fruit Store. — Stored fruit should be 

 examined at frequent intervals and all decaying 

 specimens I'emoved, and such kinds as are at their 

 best disposed of at once. I And it best to clear 

 each kind as it reaches this stage, as apples, 

 especially, soon deteriorate in quality and market 

 value. This system also conduces to orderliness 

 and a sweet atmosphere in the fruit room, the 

 latter especially being an essential condition to 

 the preservation of fruit. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By .1. B. Pow, Gardener to Lord Dunsany, 



Dunsany Castle, Co. Meath. 

 The Cultivation of the Soil. — The most 

 important point in the growing of vegetables is 

 deep cultivation. It is a. good practise to trench 

 part of the ground every year. Trench the 



