IRISH GARDENING. 



^59 



The Fruit Garden. 



By T. E. ToMALiN. (iardi'mr to tlu- Earl of 

 Bessborough, Bessborough Park, ("o. Kilkenny. 

 The gathering and storing of ripe fruit will again 

 be the most important operation of the month. 

 Late keeping apples and pears should be examined 

 at short intervals, so as to secure them in perfect 

 condition. It is best to let them hang on the 

 trees as long as they wUl do so with safety ; but 

 as a general rule, when the colour of the pip 

 changes from white to brown the fruit is ready 

 for gathering. When storing, great care should 

 be taken not to include any pecked, or otherwise 

 injured, fruit, as one bad fruit will quickly spoil 

 many others. Apples are valuable this season, 

 and a little extra care in picking and storing will 

 be well repaid. 



Stbawherries. — New plantations should be 

 hoed frequently whenever the weather is suitable, 

 and all runners removed from the plants. This 

 treatment should be continued until ajitive 

 growth cearjes for the year. Old beds that are to 

 be kept for another year should also be kept 

 clear of weeds and runners. There is still time 

 to make new plantations, although these should 

 not be allowed to bear fruit next season. They 

 will, however, be very useful in providing an 

 early batch of runners either for forcing or early 

 planting. 



Raspberries. — If the old canes were cut out 

 after fruiting, as recommended previously in these 

 notes, and the new ones tliinned out to a suitable 

 distance apart, all tliat will be needed now is an 

 occasional hoeing to keep down weeds. If it is 

 intended to make new plantations, the ground 

 should be well trenched now and enriched with 

 farmyard manure. In heavy soils plenty of wood 

 ashes and leaf soil should be worked in near the 

 surface. 



Lifting and Root-pruning. — Fruit trees on 

 walls and in the open often require some re- 

 arrangement at this time, to fill blank spaces and 

 to afford more room to such as have become too 

 crowded. This provides an opportunity to lift 

 any trees that are growing too rampantly and 

 making much unfruitful wood. In doing this a 

 trench should be taken out about '3 feet from the 

 stem, and the soil looseni'd from about the roots 

 with a small fork, working giadually in towards 

 and under the trunk. Care should be taken not 

 to damage any small fibrous roots, but all thick 

 roots that are devoid of fibre should be cut hard 

 back with a sharp knife. All thick roots growing 

 downwards should also be cut. Having thus 

 reduced the ball of soil and roots to a size suitable 

 for lifting, the tree can, be removed to its new site, 

 or if no rearrangement is necessary it can be 

 replacc^d in the same hole, and the work of re- 

 l>lanting commenced. Each layer of roots should 

 l)e replaced at its proper level, and soil should be 

 well rammed into all hollows and crevices under 

 the ball. After the filling in is finislied tread the 

 soil firmly about the roots and fniish off with a 

 mulch of strawy manure. Secuie the tree 

 loosely to its supports, allowing room for ajiy 

 sinking that may occur. In root j)iuning a t reiicli 

 is taken out at between .'3 and 1 feet from tlie 

 trunk, according to the size and age of the tree. 

 All thick roots are then cut back to the inside 

 edge of the trench, but the thin fibrous roots are 

 carefully preserved and rej)laced at their proper 

 level when filling in the tiencli again. The soil 

 should be excavated from under the stem of the 



tree, and all thick taproots cut through. When 

 doing this one side of the tree must be done at 

 a time, and the soil replaced, so as not to displace 

 the tree. In the case of large trees it is better to 

 spread this treatment over two seasons, as it 

 would cause too great a check if all the large roots 

 were cut at one time. If the soil is fairly dry and 

 friable, the same can be replaced when filling in, 

 although, both in the case of lifting and root- 

 pruning, a little fresh loam near the surface is an 

 advantage, as it encourages roots to form near 

 the top. Where the soil is heavy and wet a good 

 heap of light soil should be kept under cover for 

 these operations, which can then be perfornied 

 under weather conditions that would render such 

 work impossible where no such provision had 

 been made. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



J3y J. B. Pow, (iardener to Lord Dunsany, 

 Dunsany Castle, Co. 31eath. 



Taproots. — During this month the root crop 

 should be lifted and stored. Any convenient 

 corner, or a frost-proof shed will be found suitable 

 for storage of this crop. Parsnips are better left 

 in the ground till the new year ; they then should 

 be lifted and stored in a cool place. If left in the 

 ground after that date, the roots will form new 

 leafage at the expense of the quality of the root. 

 Beet, salsify and, scorzonera should have their 

 leaves twisted off and placed in layers in dry soil 

 or ashes. Carrots may be stored in a somewhat 

 similar manner, but the roots kccj) fnslicr if the 

 soil is a little damp. Some turnips may be lifted 

 and put in store for the winter. The leaf crowns 

 should only be projecting from the sides of the 

 pits ; cover with straw litter or hay ; a sheet of 

 galvanized iron, or a broad plank, should be placed 

 over the ridge of the pits to ward off excessive 

 rain. 



Potatoes. — All late potatoes should now be 

 lifted and stored. Should the weather be dry, let 

 the tubers remain on tlie surface for a few hours. 

 Select a suitable (juaiitity of medium sized tul)ers 

 for seed : the tubers suitable for cooking should 

 then be gathered and stored in a dark cold shed 

 or pit. If dustings of lime be used wlu'ii storage 

 is in progress tlie potatoes will keej) much better. 

 All the small tubers should then be picked up for 

 poultry feeding. Arc, and the diseased ones 

 burned with the haulms. 



Seakale. — A few roots of seakale may be lifted 

 and trimmed for forcing. Cut the main root al)out 

 seven inches from the crown; they then should be 

 placed thickly in ashes or sand till reciuiied for 

 forcing. The root trimmings may then be made 

 into cuttings about six inches in length. Cut the 

 top portions neaii'st tlie main stem evenly across, 

 and the lower end |)ointed. IMaee the cuttings in 

 stock in any convenii'iit sheltered position till 

 required for planting in the s])ring. 



Caitliflower. — Dining tiiis month autumn 

 cauliflower will I'eiiuii'e i)i'olecl ion. Tlie most 

 forward i)lants may be lifted and i)laeed b.-hind 

 the shelter of a wall or hedge, otheis may have 

 tlic Icnvcs bent over to protect the curd. 



HiMssKLs Sprouts. — The sprouts are now 

 forming on early ])lanted stock. The leaves should 

 not be removed till the sprouts are well formed, 

 and even then it should be done with care, leaving 

 a little part of the leaf stock on the stem of the 



