IRISH GARDENING. 



175 



The Month^s Work. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By T. E. ToMALiN, (iaideiur to tlu- Earl of 

 Bessborough, Bessborough Park. Co. Kilkenny. 



Planting. — November is the best month in 

 which to plant most kinds of fruit trees, provided 

 that suitable weather occurs during the month. 

 Never plant when the ground is wet and sticky, 

 but have everything in readiness so that the first 

 spell of fine weather niay be taken advantage of. 

 Suitable stakes, for each tree ajid bush to be 

 l^lanted. should be prepared on wet days, and a 

 good heap of fi.ie soil containing leaf-mould 

 sliould !)(> kc])t uiidci' cover ; a few shovels full of 

 tliis worked ill amongst the roots of each tree 

 when planting will encourage new roots to form 

 ([uickly. Small fruits, such as gooseberries and 

 curraiits, should be planted in various aspects so 

 as to prolong the fruiting season. Single or double 

 cordons of these may be planted on a wall facing 

 north, and from these gooseberries may be 

 gathered throughout August, whilst red and white 

 currants will hang quite fresh until November. 

 .Moreover, the very finest fruits ai*e obtained 

 from cordons, especially where judicious thinning 

 is practised. Odd corners, such as the angle 

 formed by a north and a west wall, may be 

 utilised for a fe.v bushes of black currant. These 

 will do well in almost any situation if treated 

 liberally, and will give splendid late crops in svich 

 a position. Bushes of gooseberry and red and 

 wl ite currant should be planted at least five feet 

 apart. Black currants should be given seven feet 

 at least. Raspberries are best planted in rows 

 six feet apart, and the plants may be put at three 

 feet apart in the rows to begin with. In a couple 

 of seasons they will throw up enough canes to 

 allow of their being trained to the wires at about 

 nine inches apart. The wires for raspberries 

 slioidd be sti'etched from stout larch poles stand- 

 ing seven feet high ; these will then serve to 

 support nets to protect the fruit from birds. In 

 jiUmting all kinds of fruit trees care niust be 

 taken to spread out the roots at their proper 

 level, covering each layer of roots separately and 

 keejnng them in a horizontal position. The finest 

 soil should be used when the roots are being 

 covered, leaving the rougher portion for filling in 

 Uw. hole afterwards. Never plant too deeply, as 

 a rule about four inches of soil is an ample depth 

 to cover the topmost roots. Bush and standard 

 trees should be secured to stakes immediately 

 after planting, care being taken that the stake 

 it so placed that there will be no danger of it 

 lubbing against the stem or branches during 

 windy weather ; and also that the ties are not so 

 tight as to cut into the bark when the stem begins 

 to swell with active growth. 



Prunixu. — This subject will be more fully 

 dealt with in next month's notes, but .Morello 

 clierries should be attended to during November 

 a soon as the leaves have fallen, so that the 

 necessary tying may be done before the vveather 

 becomes too cold for this work. These fruit on 

 wood of the previous season's growth, so that all 

 old wood not required to extend the tree may be 

 cut out, and the young wood tied in at from four 

 to six inches apart, distributing it evenly over 



the wall space to be covered. The young shoots 

 should be retained at their full length and not 

 shortened, except those that have grown over 

 the top wire. Old trees that have borne heavy 

 crojjs will be greatly benefited by a top-dressing 

 of fresh loam, to which a little well-rotted manure 

 and bone meal may be added. Carefully remove 

 a little of the old surface soil first, but do not 

 damage the roots in so doing. The fresh compost 

 may then be spread evenly over the border to a 

 depth of two or three inches, and made firm by 

 treading. 



The Fruit Store. — Apples and pears in the 

 store should be examined at frequent intervals, 

 and all decaying specimens removed. It is 

 essential to keep the f^tmosphere in the fruit 

 room sweet, but drafts of air should be 

 avoided, as tending to cause evaporation and 

 consequent shrivelling of the fruit. Where 

 marketing is jiractised each kind should be 

 cleaned as it reaches maturity. In this way the 

 highest prices may be commanded, whereas if 

 left too long ir the store, the mid-season varieties 

 especially soon deteriorate and quickly become 

 unsaleable. Owing to war freights having reduced 

 imports, and to the short home crop, prices for 

 apples arc iuli))g very high this year, especially 

 for selected liiiils jtacked in the standard bushel 

 and half buslicl lioxcs. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By J. B. Pow, Gardener to Lord Dunsany, 

 Dunsany Castle, Co. ]Meath. 



Asparagus. — The withered growths should now 

 be cut down, the beds cleared of weeds, and a 

 good top-dressing of well decayed farmyard 

 !nanure applied to the soil. 



Broad Beaxs. — Make a sowing of beans any 

 time during the month. Dwarf Fan and Early 

 Mazagan are two good varieties for autumn 

 sowing. The lines may be made on an early 

 border, at a suitable distance apart ; and as the 

 spring advances they will help to protect more 

 tender crops planted between the lines. Draw 

 the lines 3 inches deep, and before sowing coat 

 the seed with red lead, to protect them from rats 

 and mice. 



Cauliflowers. — Protect caulifiowersand early 

 broccoli as advised in last month's cak'iular. 

 Plants that are showing signs of forming their 

 curd may be lifted and planted thickly in cold 

 frames, the plants will then develop during the 

 early winter, and form a welcome addition when 

 variety in table vegetables are few. 



Peas. — Where the soil is of a light nature a 

 sowing of peas may be made early this month. 

 Immediately the growth appears over th<> gi-ouiul 

 I)rotect with evergreens or bushy sticks. Poimd- 

 seeded varieties are best suited for an autumn 

 sowing. On heavy damp soil little beneiit is 

 obtained from an autumn sowing, as they seldom 

 give satisfactory results. 



PiiUBARH. — Some roots should now be lifted 

 for forcing: three year old crowns are best suited 

 for the purpose. One of the most important 

 points is to dig up the crowns some few days 

 before they are required, and expose them to the 

 weather before being placed in heat. A dark 

 cellar with a temi)erature of r),")" to (50° will be 

 found suitable for forcing the roots, \icturia and 



