IRISH GARDENING. 



141 



be lifted and stored in soil that must not be 

 allowed to become very dry. otherwise they will 

 split and beconxe almost useless. Cauliflowers 

 that are developing rapidly should have their 

 heads well protected with leaves. A sowing of 

 parsley may be made in a cold frame for winter 

 use. Two or three small sowings of turnips may 

 be made at intervals during the month. 

 Tomatoes in bearir must have all side growths 

 removed, and some )f the leaves that are shading 

 the fruits shortened back. Keep the plants well 

 supplied with water and feed twice a week with 

 farmyard liqviid manure. An approved artificial 

 manure applied occasionally will be beneficial by 

 way of a change. Examine Marrow plants 

 frequently with a view to cutting the fruit 

 before they become too large, as young Marrows 

 are generally to be preferred. If mildew makes 

 its appearance cut off the affected leaves at once 

 and have them burned. 



Fruit. — Early apples that have completed 

 development should be picked and stored in a 

 cool fruit room. It is important in picking the 

 apples froni the trees to ensure they are carefully 

 handled, because if they get brviised and are laid 

 beside other sound fruit, one favilty apple will 

 soon affect several immediately surrounding it. 

 thereby causing much loss which might otherwise 

 have been avoided. It is well to give those trees 

 which have been cleared of their fruits a thorough 

 syringing with the hose or garden engine in order 

 to cleanse the foliage of insect pests. Clean 

 healthy foliage retained on the tree as long as 

 possible ensures fully developed buds for next 

 season's crop. Later apples shovild have all side 

 growths removed, so that abundance of light and 

 air can reach the fruits to produce high colour 

 and improve their quality. As pears ajjproach 

 maturity, they must be gone over daily, picking 

 those only that are fit. The best means of know- 

 ing when the fruits have reached this stage is to 

 take each fruit in the hand and raise it gently. 

 If it parts readily by so doing the fruit is fit for 

 removal. Pears require a Klightly warmer and 

 drier atmosphere for their storing quarters than 

 that of apples. Their keeping qualities, of 

 course, are not so good, in fact, some of the early 

 varieties to have them at their Ijest must be con- 

 sumed soon after they are gathered from the tree. 

 I'lum trees that have produced vigorous growths 

 this season should have these well thinned out to 

 admit light and air to the fruits and buds. Use 

 the syringe forcibly upon the foliage to get rid of 

 green and white fly. Early varieties of fruit 

 trees that have made too much wood growth and 

 produced but little or no fruits ought to be 

 lifted and root-pruned. The best time for this 

 operation is just before the leaves begin to fall. 

 With a sharp knife shorten the thick roots well 

 back, and trim off neatlv others that have been 

 damaged in llie lifting." Kcplanl in the same 

 soil, woiking in a little lirnc-rubWlc if deficient in 

 this material. Ham the soil firm, and it may be 

 necessary to support the tree with a stake until 

 fresh roots have been made. If the soil be very 

 drv. a])plv a good soaking (jf water, and syi-inge 

 the foliage for a week or ten days after the 

 operation. 



FL()WP;r (J.vkdkn. — Duiing September the 

 flower beds may remain beautiful and gay if 11h' 

 weather conditions are free from frost. But ;is 

 far as frost is concerned, this month is imcertain, 

 so wise cultivators will do well to err on the safe 

 side by taking cuttings of such tender plants as 

 Ageratums. Altei'nantheras. Iresines. Heliotropes, 



i^c. These cuttings root freely on a mild hot bed, 

 but when rooted should be transfei'red to a cooler 

 structure. Tender subjects in pots that have 

 been plunged in beds or borders during the 

 summer should be removed indoors before the 

 cold becomes too severe. There are many kinds 

 of shrubs that may be increased readily where 

 time and space can be afforded for their propaga- 

 tion. Seed should be saved where possible, if it 

 is desired to raise a quantity of any given subject. 

 Many plants can be raised from cuttings, inserted 

 in a cold frame in a compost of light sandy soil. 

 Any that fail to root from cuttings may be 

 layered and rooted successfully by the help of 

 the parent plant. Lift Violets from the open 

 ground and plant in a frame. Before planting, 

 apply to the soil a good dusting of soot, and 

 lightly fork it in. Water in and admit plenty 

 of air both night and day if the weather is fine. 

 Stir the soil between the plants occasionally, and 

 remove from time to time all dead and unhealthy 

 foliage. M. T), 



Beekeeping. 



The delightful spell of warm weather which set 

 in and started the honey-flow on 19th .July 

 roused beekeepers from a despondent mood and 

 put full steam on the hives once more. The 

 white clover was past when the change came, 

 but the blackberry coming into full bloom 

 afforded fairly good pasturage without a break 

 till the loth of August. Since then the weather 

 has been somewhat broken, but this broken spell 

 permitted the clearing out of freshly gathered 

 nectar from the brood combs, affording more 

 room, which had been for some time restricted, 

 for the queen to carry on her good work. The 

 lime trees bloomed very profusely, and the 

 weather conditions being favourable, some well- 

 finished crates of sections have been procured 

 from this source. There was the usual trouble 

 with strong stocks swarming immediately before 

 the honey flow set in, but those who succeeded 

 in returning the swarms and getting them settled 

 to work will have from 40 to 60 well-filled sections 

 per hive. The wild Scabious has come into 

 bloom earlier than usual, and I have, during the 

 past week, met with some very fine sections 

 filled from it even in districts w^here heatlier is 

 equally plentiful and near, but the Scabious 

 seems to yield more abundantly and at a lower 

 temperature, or in less favourable atnios|)heiic 

 conditions than is required to attract the bees 

 to the heather. It has l)een a splendid time for 

 getting sections tompleted. and those who 

 removed the full sections immediately they were 

 finished, and crowded the bees on those that were 

 returned to get the corners completed will have 

 very few unfinished sections to deal with this 

 autumn. In districts where the honey flow is 

 over, all unfinished sections, not fit for home use, 

 should be cleared of honey by placing them 

 behind the dummy, which should be raised 

 sufficiently to let the bees have access to rob and 

 free the combs from any honey they may contain : 

 they may then be placed in crates, securely 

 covered with paper, and stored in some warm 

 (li y place for winter. 



Where the honey flow is over stocks should 

 now be prepared for winter. Any deficiency in 

 stores should be made up by feeding with syrup 

 made from 5 lbs. cane sugar — Tate's No. 1 Cube 

 for preference — to one quart water, to which 



