32 



\\i\>\\ (i ak'DKMNT; 



tlu-ir pliufH. Thi" fruit is iiKist u.s<fiil fur tjirts 

 and fi»r jam. 'V\i>-\ Uiftli- Wi-ll. and n\s>> iiiuki- a 

 iMOHt K.autifiilly-..'.|..vir. d jilly. 



ItAM'HKUiuK-. If IjtNi vi-arK fniitiiix ran.s 

 w«'r.' « ut I. Ill afl.r til.- .r.i|i was ov.r. all that 

 rriiiaiDH to li.' di'iif ii«'\v is !«• tliiii «>ut llir \vi'ak.>l 

 of till- ii-\v <an.s. and to s.-.-ur.' Ilios.- I.fl \*> th.ir 

 sU|>|H.rls. at altout J» iiulu's aj.art. TJii' w.-ak 

 t<i|>N of tli-s<> can III- rut otT a month lat<-r. iK-ariiiK 

 in mind that anythinv: thinii.r than a I. -ad |M-mil 

 will not pmdurr fruiting shoots. 



Thi- raspln-rry is a surfa«-<--r.>ot inu' sul)j..t. 

 th.-r.-for.' til.- Ii.ds .shouUl Ik- only v.ry liK'lilly 

 fork.d ov,-r. and w.-.-ds i-i-movi-«l. after whi( h a 

 iood mul< h of louK maimn- should Ix- a|ipli.-d. 

 Thf ran.s of autumn-fruit ini; iMs|.lu-rri.-s should 

 In- rut to tin- K'nuind in spring', thus iiidu( iiii; 

 strong gr'iwths on whi.h lh<- fruits .ir.. Im.iu,. tlw 

 .•ianu- vt-ar. 



(imv^KHKKIUKS .\NI» ( 'iHIJ ANTS. — The inuniri!,' 

 .if th.-s.- having; li.-.-n ..Mupl.-t.-d. a yood dr.ssini: 

 .if niaimr.- shuild li.- fork.-d in around tin- Imsli.s. 

 unless inanur.- was applied last \.ar. in wM. h 

 «-ase a K">"tl dressing of liim- will suHiie on all 

 exrept v.-ry liKlit s<iils. 



In th.-s.- «lays of .-nf.ir.-ed .-.•onomy in iu'j.,'aiii( 

 iiianur.-s i;.huI' r.sults will accrue from following 

 a tlir.-.- y.-ars' system .d munurinK- -My plan is 

 to apply stable manure the lir.st year, an applica- 

 tion of' lime the folhiwinK yt-ar. and thi- third 

 year I us.- a mixture consist in*,' of two parts su|M-r- 

 ph.isphat.' to .me part each .d suljihate of i>otash 

 anti sulphate of amm.mia. at ahout 'A ozs. to the 

 square y:ird. 



Al'!{i<«»Ts. — .VssuminA lh«»t tlie yoiin^ .sho.ds 

 were att.-nded to during last summer, there will 

 h.- little ne.-»l f..r thi- use <if the knife on the trees 

 n.iw, althou^li if spurs luive liecoiiie over, rowd'-d. 

 th.- lon),'est .if them can lie removed now. and 

 any young shoots that w.-re left t<i replace worn 

 .ml branches «an now b.- secure.! in their iiroper 

 |Misiti.ms. Kxamini- all tics and replace any not 

 lik.-lv i*> last the vear, and any that are likelv 

 to b."<-..me t4i.i tight. This last is m..st important, 

 as tlu- damage is often not visible nntil the leaves 

 fall again, and perhaps Aalualde branches have 

 been ruined. Itemove all .suckers from nnder the 

 trees, and lightly fork the surface s.)il. liut do n.d 

 apply manure until the trees ar.- carrying a crop 

 .if fruit. Hy the .-nd of the month arrangements 

 .should b.' made for protecting the trees from 

 fnist when in flow.-r. A <anvas cover that can 

 be removed in the daytime is the liest : such a 

 rover will la.st for years with jtroper care, and will 

 well repay its original c.i.st. 



SpH.wiNJ;. — This is the most imiMirtant opera- 

 tion of th.- month, aft^-r pruning, and advantage 

 should be tak.-n of every suitable day for thi- 



w.irk. An absem f wind is essential, but a 



little frost on th«' trees will ncd matter. Once 

 every .second year is often emmgli t<.i apply a 

 caustic alkali spray. In alternate seasons a 

 paraffin emulsion could be usid with advantage. 

 WTi.-n sjiraying with caustic alkali the operat^ir 

 sh.mid wear rubber gloves and an old suit, as the 

 fluid will take the skin of! the hands and the 

 c.il.mr ..ut of ch.thes. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J. B. Pow. (iardener to Lord Dunsany. 

 Dunsany Castle, Co. Meath. 



Arrange .m a plan how the garden lias to be 

 planted with vegetables during the seas<m. 

 \\Tiere there has only been time to dig the ground 

 trenches should be prepared for peas. Measure 



th.- vari.iiis pl.its. mark th.- spa.-.- wh.r»- y.m 

 int.-nd s.iwing the p«-as. tak.- out the soil to the 

 d<-ptli <if I I in.-h.-s. and manure w.-ll : dig in the 

 inamu'.-. and Mil the tr.n. h with th.- soil that has 

 b.-.n rcmov.-d. I'.-a lin.-s can b.- mad" at ji 

 .listan.'i- to suit tie- .paiitit> grown. 



IM:\s. I'lii in the s-.im.l sowing of early p. -as 

 in .1 sh.-lt.-red part of tin- garden. Th.- .Marchi.mess 

 oi-( liadusaii- 1 wo g.iod \ iirii-t i.s. The p.-as sown last 

 Mionlhwill re.piii-eatt ntion. As t he young growt hs 

 app.-ar sprinkl.- soot ..v.r tli.-m to wanl .i(T slugs. 

 .111.1 pr.iti-.t with bran.-hes from th.- cold winds. 



Camhahi-:. -hook to th.- autumn planted 

 <' tbbag.- : nil up all blanks, ami ho.- b.-tw.-.-n th.- 

 lin.-s to l.ios.-n th.- sulfa..-. When th.- plants start 

 into growth giv.-nthem a light dressing of nitral-- 

 of s.i.la ami a se...n.| .Iressing thr.-.- w.-<-ks lat.-r. 



Onions. \» . When fh.- w.-ath.-r is suitabh- 

 trans|>lant autumn sown onions. I'otato onions 

 .ind shall.its shoul.l b.- plant. -<l at th.- first oppor- 

 tunity, liook to tl nions in boM-s. and wh.n 



the seedlings are well forward remov.- to a .dolii- 

 housi- netr th.- ro..f-g|ass. 



SiMNAcii. — .Mak(- a sowing of Victoria siiina.h 

 in th<- middl.- of the niontli. on a warm b.irder. 

 Altt-rul to thi- autumn sown spinach, hoe lii-tw.-en 

 tile lines, and give a dressing of nitrate of soda. 

 S|iinach is always in demand in the early sjiring. 



I'.\i<sLKY. — .Any time during this m.inth sow- 

 some seed in a box and pla.-.- in h.-at Ut germinat.-. 

 When the seedlings are well advanced remov.- to 

 a c..<der house and harden oft. Plant out the se.-d- 

 lings !» inches ajiart aliout the lirst week in .Vpril. 



ToMATOKS. — Sow the lirst .-arly tomatoes as 

 soon as convenient. Sunrise and I'erfecti.m are 

 two good varieties. When th.- seedlings are lit 

 to handle jiot oil into :{-in. pots: r.-jMit into (i-in. 

 when r.-([uir(-d. Alwavs bring the seedlings near 

 the roof-glass, and l.-t "them liave plenty of light. 

 A temperatun- of ."id-.")."* is warm .-nough foi' 

 seedlings. 



BuoAD Bkans.— A sowing of a long-podded 

 variety, such as Exhi))ition hong Pod. may lie 

 made early this month. 



Fhencii" Be.\n.s. — Beans sown last month will 

 require a top-dressing of rich loam. Pla<-e a f.-w 

 twigs in the ])ots to keep the shoots upright. 

 Make a sowing every fortniglit t i keep up the 

 .su]iply. Syringe the ])lants daily t<i ward <ift 

 red sjiider.' When the ))lants start to |)od feed 

 once or twice a week with diluted liqui.l manure. 



PoTAT.iKs.— The p.dato.'S planted in p.ds last 

 month will b.- througli the s(.il. U.-mov.- th<- pots 

 to a ])osition n.-ar the glass, and occasionally 

 svringe. (rive pl.-ntv of ventilation, but d.i not 

 exi.ose to c.dd draughts. Hef.ire the tubers in the 

 ])it frames are too far advanced remove any 

 seedlings oJ the Brassica family that have been 

 •sown there. Place tubers in shallow boxes to 

 sprout with the view of jtlanting out in the 

 .qten in March. Plant early p.>tatoes about thf- 

 end <if the m.inth on a border facing west. 

 Potat.ies jilanted <in a border in that i>osition 

 (-sc-i))es the harm done liy the early morning sun 

 after one of <iur spring frosts. 



Caui.ip'LOWEH. — If early cauliflower has not 

 been s.iwn. as advised last month, sow early this 

 month in boxes. ^Magnum Bonum and Karly 

 Snowball are tw.i good varieties. Sow- thinly, and 

 place the boxes in a co.d house. When the seed- 

 lings are lit to handle transplant into a cold frame. 



If Brussi-ls sjirouts are re(piired early in the 

 season the above treatment will Ix- found suitable 

 for an early crop. 



JiEEKS. — Make a sowing of leeks in a box, and 

 place in heat; when fit transjilant into boxes, and 

 give the same treatment as advised with onions. 



