48 



iKi>ii i.\i;iM.M\i: 



iiiamiif, ami ili^ aiouiui liiiil Ji\i.shr> and tn<> 

 ast iulviscd in last iMMiilirs noU-s \vlirn.-N< r tli.' 

 irround is in suit iMc ludcT. IIj'Vi- i>iuti it in . 

 niat<Ti:»ls in i«-ailintss f«»r nivfrinn wall frnit tu.-s 

 fniin fnist wh.n in lluWi-r. S|iiu«'c Imhi^'Iis 

 worked in <an-fiilly amongst tlw hranclKS will 

 do, if n.ith.T lish-iiitt = n>^ n..r tilTiuiy an- avail- 

 ahl-. (iraftinn rin Im- |.i..i-.i<lf.l with at anv 

 (inu- aftrr th.- middl.- ..f (In- month, t ikin^ <ai.- 

 to s.-al the nni >n wtll .-ith.! with (.'rafting wa\ 

 or >\ith a Miixtuic r >nsiNtin^'of two |.;!rts (cnations 

 clay t ) on.' i>ait<-ow niannn- ind lioisr dropiiini^'s. 

 «an-fiill> V iinji tumli'd. 'I'lic K"ift'"K' ^vr x is to 

 hi' lui-fi'iTi'd. as it is not so liahh- to iiaik in liot 

 or dry wi-athi-r. A spi-ll of hrokiii Wi-atlur in 

 Muivli oftfii alTords an o|.|.ortnnit y to diir 

 hrtwi'i-n and around onhard tri-i-s. whcic I lie 

 hranih.s or roots do not adndt of tin- iilou^h 

 lii'iiiK used. Tinii' for this work is often ^'rutl;;ed 

 wlieii the Weather is jiooil. esi>e(ially now tliat 

 lahoiu is so sear-e. i>ltlionsli. re'iliy it is a inosl 

 important operation. Tlie alle\s sliould he left 

 until pruning' and spraying are linished. and then 

 duK. These remarks apjily to apple and pear 

 trees. Thi- ground under Inish and standard 

 plums sh )uld n>t he dug. as they fruit hist iii 

 jiard j^r )und only lightly h h-iI wlien necessary. 

 Another )ia> ing joh f )r such weather is the 

 U'ni;>val of the grass from u/uler ;ind th.' to]!- 

 dressing of any grass orchard trees reciuiring 

 inanurial a.ssistance. Tlie turf should ne 

 removed for at least ;is far out as the l)ranchcs 

 spread. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



H. I'ow. (.aideii 

 1) u u-siiu V Castle 



• to Lord Duusauv. 

 Co. Meath. 



Onions. — There are few vegetaljle eroiis of greater 

 importance than tliat of tlie onion. Tlie ground 

 intended for this crop shoukl l)e well iiKiniired and 

 trenched the ])revious autumn. The s<;il sliould 

 he left in ridges during the winter. At the first 

 opportunity the soil sliould he thoroughly broken 

 and levelled, it should then he trodden or rolled, 

 and a good dressing of soot api)Ued. Work the 

 soot well into the soil with a rake, and secure a 

 fairly even surface previous to drawing the drills 

 for the seeds. Sow the lines 11 inches apart, 

 draw the lines one half-inch deep. Sow lliinly, 

 cover the seeds lightly : the ground should l)e 

 then trodden over in a direction at right anuh s 

 to the lines ; lini.sh off the seed bed hy carefully 

 raking the surface over with an u])turned rake. 



BiiAssicA Family.— About the middle of the 

 month nearly all seed of the Brassica family may 

 be sown. It is well worth while making good 

 pre]iaration before sowing the .seeds. Select a 

 border that is fairly rich ; give the border a 

 good dre.s.sing of lime, fork the lime well into the 

 soil before raking the surface ; give the .seed bed 

 a dressing of Wood ashes. Draw the lines one 

 foot a|)art and one half inch dee]). It is a good 

 idan to red lead the seed before sowing and to 

 cover the bed with a small mesh net after the 

 seeds are .sown. Some good va.rieties for .succes- 

 .sion are the following: — BroccoU Walcheren, 

 Snow's Winter White. Ajiril Queen, Leamington. 

 Late Queen. Methvens .iune. and Latest of All. 

 (*artercon Savoy is well worth a trial. 



Lekks. — Sow' a few lines of leeds for trans- 

 planting. 



r..r\T..i> Much del end- ..n Ih.- li^'lity and 

 the sl.ite of the^ ..,oil^when the^iuain crop .if 

 potatoes .should he planled. l-'rom (he beginning 

 until the end of .March, according to iircum- 

 stances, is the best liine for | l.intin.; the tubers. 

 IManl the dwarf soitsoneand .i half feet ln-tweeii 

 the rows and on.- foot between the seLs. the 

 stronger growing sorts ma\ be planted two and a 

 half feet between tile n.w.4and one foot between 

 the sets. 



I'aHSMI'S. — Select an open situation wllele (he 

 soil is not too stilT. i'aisnips delight in «leep rich 

 .soil. The ground should he ^well .manured and 

 deeply trenched Ihe jirevious autumn. Sow the 

 lilies one and a half feet apart, draw tlia lines 

 one and a half indies deep, sow thinly, cover in 

 the rows, and juess the .soil lirnily. 



CakkoTs. .Make the lirst sowi'ng of larmts in 

 a warm situation about the middle of the month. 

 lOarly French Horn and Scarlet Morn are two 

 good early varieties. 



TlltNil'.s. — Sow any of tlie early varieties of 

 lurnips at the lirst opportiinit v! Should llv 

 appear, dust tile leaves with s.m.I while IheV 

 are damp. 



('ki.KHV. — .V .sowing of celery max he made in 

 bo.Kes or pans for the main croji. Sown thinly, 

 cover the seeds lightly, and jilace in heat to 

 germinate. When the seeds have g«'rminated, 

 remove to a cooler house or frame. At this date 

 the celery plants can be transplanted into a cold 

 frame in a well .sheltered po.sitiou. 



Tea-s. — From the month of Manh till the end 

 of .June, iieas may be .sown every fortnight. If 

 trenches have been piejiared tlie re will be no 

 ditTiiulty in s.>wing peas in any kind of weather. 

 To i)rotect the peas when they are just over 

 ground from birds, \'c., put a few stakes down 

 each side of the rows and jiass some black 

 thread alony the stakes an inch or two from the 

 grinind. 



To.M.\TUE.s. — 3Jake a sowing of tomatoes for 

 planting outside and growing under glass. Cse 

 (j-inch pots, and place in a warm house to 

 germinate. (Uve the .same treatment as advi.setl 

 in Febmary. The tomatoes sown in February 

 will now be in ti-incli pots ; before the |)lants get 

 ])ot-bound. remove them to their fruiting ([uarteis. 

 Cse 10-inch pots or bo.xes any convenient size. 

 A rougli turfy comiiost, with a little decayed 

 manure, will suit them. It is jireferable to give 

 artificial manure and manure water after the 

 fruits begin swelling than to give rich c »iii|)ost 

 previously. 



S.\r>.\D.s. — Sow lettuce and radish on an early 

 border. A few cucumber seeds may be sown 

 and ])laced in heat. Use :i-iuch ])ots, place the 

 seed pointed end downwards about an inch deej» 

 in the soil. 



AUTICHOKE.S. — Lift the cro]) of artichokes, store 

 the best tubers for kitchen u.se and .select the 

 medium for re-jdanting. I'lant the tubers three 

 feet between the rows and one and a half feet 

 between the sets. 



(iENEHAi, Kemark.s. — Attend to all vegetables 

 and .salads in frames. Give iilenty of ventilation 

 t) earlycauliliowers, iVic.that will re((uire ]>laiiting 

 out towarils the end of the month. OverJiaul 

 the herb borders and divide Globe artichokes. 

 It has been almost impossible to get the winter's 

 work of trenching and digging comjdeted. When 

 weather ])erinits, get all vacant ground deejdy 

 dug. 



