IRISH GARDENING, 



59 



scarcity of sealed stores give summer syrup made 

 from 3 lbs. of cane sugar (Tate's No. 1 cube for 

 ])reference) to one qviart water, to which twelve 

 drops of Izal may be added a few minutes after 

 removing from the fire. Begin this feeding by 

 giving about half a pint of syrup the first night, 

 then continue giving a small to a full wineglass- 

 ful every night. All feeding with syrup should 

 be done at night, and the syrup should be given 

 at fully blood heat, and the feeders covered with 

 soft flannel or other covering to preserve the heat. 

 Bear in mind that as breeding progresses more 

 covering of lu-at -retaining material is required 

 during A)>ril and May than would be sufficient to 

 pi'otcct Ihcni safely through our hardest winters. 



Brood-si)i('a(ling may be resorted to towards 

 tlie t'nd of this month by moving the outside 

 coml) of brood into the centre of the brood nest. 

 This should not be repeated oftener than once a 

 week. On no account place either an empty 

 comb or sheet of foundation in the centre of the 

 biood nest before the hive is well crowded with 

 l)ees, and, even then, unless sufficient supplies 

 from outside are available, feeding maybe neces- 

 sary to maintain the lenipeial iii-e to |)i()rnote 

 breeding. 



Stocks on fixed combs in straw skeps or boxes 

 intended for transferring into bar frame hives 

 should now be stimulated by feeding every 

 evening to get them into a fit condition foi' setting 

 up on lianies towards the end of this month or 

 beginning of next. The weight of the skep or 

 )k)x will afford a fair guide to the amount of 

 feeding required. Some small hives that are well 

 supplied with stores and are generally the first to 

 open the swarming season become fit for ti-ans- 

 feiring early without stimvxlating. Such stocks 

 shoidd be fed slowly from a small hole in the top 

 of their skep or box. and the feeder and hive 

 should be well protected with warm coverings. 

 Transferring to frames should not be attempted 

 til) the hive from which they are being transferred 

 is crowded with bees. To ascertain the right 

 condition, genth lift the hive on edge early on a 

 cool nioi iiing. and if the floor is well covered with 

 bees the stock is leady for placing over frames. 



If the necessary supplies for the coming season 

 have not })een ordered, they should be sent for at 

 once. The preparation of crates and wiring of 

 frames for the coming season should be attended 

 to on wet days, when nothing can be done on the 

 land, or it may be done in the evening. There is 

 sometimes very little time to attend to this kind 

 of work during May, when the bees may require 

 inn ned ia t e at t ent ion. 



Notes for Novices. 



Broccoli and Winter (Jreexs. — Now is the 

 time to sow seeds to ensure a good supply of these 

 vegetables during next winter and spring. Choose 

 a border that is well sheltered from north winds 

 and one in which the soil is not over rich. After 

 the ground has been brought into good working 

 order, by forking over and levelling down, tread 

 the soil moderately firm. Draw out drills at one 

 foot apart and one half inch deep, and sow the 

 seeds evenly therein. Label each variety and fill 

 in lightly with fine soil. The main sowing of 

 Bi'ussels sprouts and leeks should be sown at the 

 same time and in a similar piece of ground. 



Arrange a garden netting over the seed-bed to 

 protect the seedlings when they appear from the 

 ravages of bh'ds. For succession the following 

 sorts may be sown now : — Early London and 

 V^eitch's Autumn Giant cardiflower ; Michaelmas 

 White, Christmas White, Frogmore Protecting, 

 April Queen and Methven's June broccoli ; 

 Asparagus and Cottager's Kale, The Bullet, 

 Brussels sprouts and Emperor leek. 



Peas — During the month a few rows of peas, 

 according to demand, may be sown at intervals 

 of a fortnight, to keep up a regular succession of 

 green pods during the summer. Draw out the 

 drills with a draw hoe, and continue the method 

 previously advised in a former issue. Telephone 

 and Eureka are two suitable varieties, both pro- 

 ducing a prolific crop of well-filled pods of fine 

 colour ancl quality. 



Beans. — Sow another lot of broad beans, and 

 towards the end of the month the first sowing 

 of dwarf French beans may be sown with safety. 

 For this sowing of the latter bean it is an inxpor- 

 tant item to select a light, rich and well-drained 

 soil, having a southern aspect, in order to obtain 

 good results. Drills shoidd be drawn out at two 

 feet apart and two inclies deep, and the seed 

 set in along the drills about fovu- to six inches 

 asunder. Canadian Wonder is one of the best for 

 summer vise. For an early supply of runner beans, 

 it is best to raise the plants under glass. Procure 

 three inch pots and fill up with faiily good sifted 

 soil. Sow the seeds — one in the centre of each 

 pot — and stand in the greenhouse or a warm 

 frame until the seedlings appear well through the 

 surface. Transfer the plants to a cool frame, but 

 admit air cautiously to begin with, as the plants 

 are easily chilled at that stage of growth. 



Carrots. — To do this vegetable well, it requires 

 a deeply- dug, rich sandy soil in which no fresh 

 manure has been added for twelve months. 

 Choose a fine day, and fork the ground over to the 

 depth of four inches, breaking it down as finely as 

 possible. Apply a dressing of soot, lime and wood 

 ashes, and in a few days rake the surface soil fine 

 with a wooden rake. Di'aw out shallow diills at 

 twelve inches apart and sow the seeds tlierein. 

 thinly and evenly. Fill in lightly with soil, and 

 level' off the surface with a short-toothed iron 

 rake. New Intermediate or St. Valery are the 

 best for the main sowing outside. 



Lettuces and Radishes. — Continue to sow a 

 few seeds of each on a warm border every ten 

 days or so, to keep up successional fresh sixpplies 

 during the summer. In dry weather water 

 frequently. 



Vegetable Marrows. — These are best sown 

 and grown on in pots for future planting out in 

 the open. Select three-inch pots, ensure suffi- 

 cient drainage, and fill up A\ith fine soil to within 

 one inch of the rim. Place one seed in the centre 

 and cover with one-half inch of soil. Stand the 

 pots in a temperature of 55 \ As soon as the first 

 rough leaf is made, remove the plants to cooler 

 conditions, admitting air cautiously unless mild 

 weather prevails. When fairly well rooted 

 transfer to five-inch pots, using a compost of two 

 parts loam, one part leaf-mould and one part 

 dried cow manure, with the addition of a little 

 sand. Put a stake at each plant, and tie loosely 

 with raffia. Two good varieties are Moore's 

 Cream and Long Green. 



Fruit Notes. — As there will be many fruit 

 trees coming in bloom dui-ing this month, every 



