IRISH GARDENING. 



Lectures for Plotholders. 



How TO Crop ax Ai-lotme>t. 



This was tho sul).iect of a most useful loot are 

 delivered by -Mr. James Scrimjieoiir in the Dublin 

 Technical Schools on Fridny, the (iih of December. 



A considerable audience manifested the interest 

 which Dublin Dlotholders are taking in getting 

 the most out of their ])lots, and bodes well for an 

 increased production in the ensuing season. 



The lecturer, in common with all the other 

 lecturers who have so generously placed their 

 services at the disposal of the Plotholders. 

 emphasised the need for deep and thoiough 

 cultivation of the soil. It is a remarkable fact 

 that all the lecturers, eacli being a practical 

 cultivator, have reiterated the vakie of deep 

 digging and, whenever possible, trenching. The 

 sivme thing is noticeable in the writings of those 

 who contribute the " Month's Work " calendars 

 in Irish (]1ardeni>o and other similar periodicals. 

 These men have all years of practical experience 

 and neither speak nor write idly. It is to be 

 hoped, therefore, that all Plotholders will 

 endeavour to break up their soil as deeply as 

 posf^ible now or before cropping time. 



By means of diagrams the lecturer showed the 

 best way of cropping an allotment, so as to 

 utilise the space to the greatest possible advantage. 

 Taking as an example a plot one-eiglith of an acre 

 in extent, say 60 yards by 10 yards, he divided 

 it into areas as follows: — birst, deep rooting 

 crops, such as I'arsnips, Beetroot, Carrots and 

 Onions. These it was pointed out required a 

 deeply worked soil without manure, except for 

 the Onions, which, though forming a bulb on the 

 surface, are known to send their roots far into the 

 soil in search of moisttu'e and food. Being gross 

 feeders, Onions benefit by a dressing of manvire 

 being deeply dug in. It is better to have the 

 manure well down so that the roots will seek it 

 and be cooler and inoister than if kept nearer the 

 surface. The next division \Aas relegated to 

 fibrous-rooted crops such as Cabbages, Cauli- 

 flowers, Potatoes, Celery, &c., and the third 

 division to pod- bearing crops, such as Peas, 

 Broad Beans, Dwarf Beans, Scarlet Runners, &c. 

 Here the lecturer seized the opportvmity of 

 explaining to his audience the beneficial effect 

 of pod-bearing crops on the soil : the reason, as 

 pointed ovit, being that by means of small 

 organisms which inhabit the nodules on the roots 

 tliese plants are enabled to utilise the free nitrogen 

 of the atmosphere, and consequently accumulate 

 a supply of this valuable fertiliser, which, when 

 the plants are dug into the soil at the end of the 

 season, becomes available for a succeeding crop. 

 The fovirth division was devoted to permanent 

 crops, such as lihubarb, and, if possible, a few 

 bush fruits and .Strawberries. The suggestion 

 was made that if every Plotholder took courage 

 and planted a few Gooseberries, Currants and 

 Strawberries they would soon become recognised 

 as part and parcel of allotment gardening, and 

 thieving would soon cease. The idea shoidd not 

 be lost sight of, and we shall have iiiore to say 

 of it shortly. 



Having fully described the system of divisions, 

 the lecturer then briefly ran through the niethods 

 of cultivating the various crops, recon\mending 

 the best times for sowing and planting and the 



t)e.st means of securing a rotation of crops; tlius 

 ground which had been cleared of early I'otatoes 

 would be ready \\ ith little preparation for Broccoli 

 and autumn Cauliflowers, while ground cleared of 

 early Cabbages and Caidiilowers would be avail- 

 able for winter and spring crops of Celery and 

 Leeks ; early Peas might make way for Tripoli 

 Onions and late Peas for young Cabbages to 

 stand the winter. By these and other examples 

 he showed how the greater part of an allotment 

 could be cropped almost the whole year round, the 

 only vacant ground being that from which the 

 very last crops were harvested. He also described 

 the management of a seed bed so necessary in 

 spring, and recommended the use of a small 

 frame whenever possible for bringing on early 

 supplies. We hope the time is not far distant 

 when every allotment will have as a complement 

 a portable frame. Many questions were asked 

 at the close of the lecture, and INIr. Scrimgeour 

 was accorded a warm vote of thanks. 



Ct.onmei- Allotments. --Mr. Richard Bagwell, 

 D.L., has let at. a yearly rent on lease a field of 

 about thirteen acres, close to the town of Clohmel, 

 which will provide one hundred allotments for 

 town \\orkers. 



The Making of a Herbaceous 

 Border — II. 



Two other suitable positions for hardy flower 

 borders are : — (1) By a garden wall. For an all- 

 round good border, a sunny asyiect is essential, 

 and if a south wall is chosen it will probably also 

 be required for fruit trees ; tlierefore make the 

 border at least 3 feet from it. This will give 

 sufficient root room for the fruit trees and allow 

 a path for vise when tending the fruit and flo\\ ers. 

 (9.) The most delightful situation of all for a 

 border or borders is at the edge or back of a 

 grass plot, when a walk of grass or gravel runs 

 between. These borders, which can be kept a 

 mass of bloom during spring, summer and 

 autumn, result in a picture of never-failing 

 delight. Such borders can be seen at Glasnevin, 

 and amply repay the cultivation and care 

 bestowed on them. Even in winter Epimediums 

 and plants of variously coloured foliage, inter- 

 spersed with brown decaying stems, show a 

 certain amount of subdued refinement entirely 

 their own, especially noticeable on a bright 

 wintry morning. 



The width of a border must correspond with 

 its length. A long curving border, such as at 

 (ilasnevin, would lose effect if it were very 

 narrow, and a short one of the same width — 

 about 12 feet — would have no gracefulness in 

 appearance. 



If a background of shrubs is desired, these must 

 be chosen not only for effect, but also with a 

 knowledge of their requirements ; all gross 

 feeders should be eliminated. Rhododendrons, 

 Azaleas, Escallonias, and Berberises, <kc., are 

 useful for this purpose. The herbaceous plants 

 should be at least 3 feet from them. 



In planting, bear in mind that a mass of one 

 kind looks much lietter than a little piece here 

 and there. The large plants — from 4 to 6 feet 

 high — which form the background should be 



