IRISH GARDENIXG. 



127 



enough. Cuttings of Pelargonium C'lorinda for 

 vase work or bedding purposes shovild be 

 inserted in pots, grown on in a greenhouse and 

 kept growing single in a 5-inch pots all the winter. 

 This enables them to be put in a 7-inch pot in 

 March, and fine servicable plants ai'e thus 

 obtained. 



Seeds of Cyclamen should be sown at once, and 

 grown on all the winter in a warm greenhouse to 

 make good flowering j)lants for next season. At 

 the end of the month annuals such as Clarkias, &c., 

 may be sown in pots for spring flowering in tVie 

 greenhouse, where they make fine decorative 

 plants. 



Cuttings of the Cape PcliU!j,<iniuiiis should, if 

 not already done, be insci-tcd niid ^rown on in a 

 frame or cold greenhouse lOi- ut-xt year's plants. 

 Every encouragement should be given them to 

 form roots, so that they can winter singly in 

 3-inch pots, and be ready for their flowering pots, 

 5-inch, early next March. 



Malmaison Carnation cuttings will be rooted 

 and ready for placing in 4-inch pots by the end 

 of the month. Layers of the border varieties must 

 be watered in the evening of hot days so that 

 they may have plenty of roots when they are 

 transplanted later on ; spring bedding plants 

 must also be freely watered during dry weather. 

 Bulbs of Freesias should be potted every fortnight 

 to have these lovely sweet flowers over as long a 

 season as possible. Where other bulbs are 

 forced for Christmas, Roman Hyacinths, 

 Narcissus, Golden Spur and Scarlet Due Van 

 Thol Tulips should be pot tod as soon as the 

 bulbs can be got. Place llie pots in a cold frame 

 and cover with coal aslie^ {n 1 he depth of 2 inches 

 until roots are being freely made, when the pots 

 should be shaken free from the ashes and top 

 growth encouraged. 



Small cuttings from the rock garden will 

 requii'e to be put in single small pots or a number 

 in a pan as needed during this month. Many of 

 the choice shrubs which are somewhat tender 

 may be increased by cuttings taken during this 

 iriontli. Cuttings of the Rambler Roses rooted 

 on an old spent hot bed make good plants next 

 season and save a year's growth. 



Make notes of failures on herbaceous borders 

 and of changes intended during the planting 

 season. 



Roses will repay generous treatment and 

 copious waterings during dry weather by the 

 ajuount of blooms obtained during the autumn. 



Last year's seedlings of Cyclamen should be 

 growing freely, and little feeding with soot 

 water very much diluted with water and very 

 weak, and a little weak manure water. Air 

 should be freely admitted, and the leaves should 

 be sturdy, the leave stalk short and thick : this 

 means plenty of flowers during the dull days of 

 winter. 



Tree Carnations, which have been stood on an 

 ash bottom outdoors since the middle of June, 

 must be placed in the greenliouse by the middle 

 of the month. A cool ash bottom, or loose sliell. 

 or pea gravel is necessary to stand lliem on. 

 Nothing is so bad as a trellis stage?. 



After housing the plants they sliould ha\-e a 

 spray night and morning until the weal lief 

 becomes dull or cloudy; these; may be fed with 

 a suitable fertilizer once a fortnight until Octolu^i-, 

 when once in three weeks will ha suHicient for tlu; 

 winter. Mignonette may be sown in O-inch 

 pots for early spring flowering. 



The Fruit Garden* 



By T. E. ToMALix, Gardener to the Earl of 

 Bessborough, Bessborough Park, Co. Kilkenny. 



Apples and Pears. — -The summer pruning of 

 these should be completed as soon as possible, so 

 that the full benefit of August sunshine will be 

 obtained both for the current year's crop and for 

 next season's fruit buds. Do not neglect summer 

 pruning trees that are carrying no fruit this year, 

 as it is very important to admit air and sunshine 

 to the fruit buds now forming for next season. 

 Early varieties will soon be ripening their fruits, 

 and as these aWU not keep in good condition for 

 any length of time, it is better to go over the trees 

 at frequent intervals, picking a few of the most 

 forward at a time : by this means the season for 

 these fruits will be greatly prolonged. Early 

 apples, and even more especially early pears, 

 soon go mealy and soft if kept many days after 

 they are fit to eat. The flavour of the latter is 

 improved by picking a few days before ripe, and 

 allowing them to mature in a cool fruit room. 



Raspberries. — The old fruiting canes should be 

 cut out as soon as the crop is finished, and if more 

 young canes have been left than are necessary to 

 furnish the plantation next season, these can be 

 thinned again at the same time. This will ensure 

 the young canes being well ripened and their buds 

 well developed. They will also be less likely to 

 be injured by hard frost in winter, which often 

 causes many gaps in plantations where the young 

 canes are allowed to lii-ow up in a ci'owded'state. 

 Clear th.' jilantat ions of \\ eeds al't ei^vards ; these 

 and the old eaues can he huiut together. The old 

 growths of Loganberries alsoshould be removed 

 after the crop has been gathered, and the young 

 gi'owths trained in their places. These are 

 becoming increasingly popular, and are unfailing 

 croppers. 



Strawberries - As beds go out of bearing they 

 should be cleaned of weeds, dead leaves, and super- 

 fluoxis runners. If sufficient of the latter have not 

 yet been layered, no tinie should be lost in secur 

 ing these, by one or other of the methods advised 

 last month. At the same time ground shoidd be 

 prepared for new i)laiitati<>iis. so that no delay 

 occurs when the\ aic lit to plant, as early planted 

 layers, by becoming estahlished before winter sets 

 in, have a nuich better chance of succeeding, and 

 can be allowed to fruit next season, which fruits 

 will be some days earlier in ripening than tJiose 

 on older plants, and will command the liigh 

 prices which rule just before the main crop 

 comes in. 



Wall Fruit Trees. — The fruits on peaches 

 and nectarines will require exposing to the sun by 

 tying l)ack any overhanuinii- leaves. The young 

 growths shouhl be neai 1\ t ied in. and all secondary 

 growtiis pi'oceeding liom tli(-.e should be removed 

 altogethei'. After t\w fruit is gathered the old 

 fruiting wood can be cut out, removing at tiie 

 saiiH" time all very gross shoots, and retaining 

 just suiTicient of the medium-sized growths to 

 furnish tlu; wall space with fruiting wood for next 

 season. Do not neglect watering these trees 

 w hen necessary, after the fruit is gathered, and 

 (luring hot weather frequent syringing witli clear 

 soft water in the evening is of great benefit in 

 keeping the foliage clean and healtliy. Plum 

 trees of various kinds will be ripening their 

 fruits, and should l)e netted as soon as necessaiy. 



