IRISH GARDENING. 



63 



The Month^s Work. 



Southern and Western Counties. 



T.v W. Camprkij., IToad Ganlonor to T.r)Rl 

 Castletown, Donoraile Court, Co. Cork. 



Kitchen Garden. 

 Owing to the continuous wet weather experienced 

 during the earlier part of March, little could bo 

 done on the ground except an occasional day's 

 digging. We may now reasonably expect a spell 

 of fine weather, and no time should be lost in 

 getting arrears of work forward. 



Potatoes. — Fkiiish planting of main crop Pota- 

 toes as early in the rnoH-th as possible. Fresh seed 

 should" be obtained, every isccont^ year, if the same 

 Potatoes are ])lant«l too f)ften in the sanae ground 

 they are imicli more Ifabhs. to disease. H<>e 

 between and draw the earth up to ©ai'ly varieties 

 coming' over ground. Potatoes in framf*. will 

 rMj.uire all the air that can be judiciously given 

 them, rcrm>ving the lights entirely on fine days, 

 frosts at? night whiek often occur at thi.s season of 

 the year must still be guarrled. against. 



Onions. — The great scarcity and- consequently 

 tiie high prices of Onions we are now experieiwdng 

 should induce everyone who can do so to grow 

 more Onions this year. Seed which was sown in 

 boxes will now be ready for ]3lanting out. A good 

 deep rich soil is necessary to grow Onions success- 

 fully. The boxes containing the seedlings should 

 l)e stood in the open fully exposed for a few days 

 l)efore planting, drills 12 incheis apart and 4 to fi 

 inches from plant to plant will be sufficient for 

 general crop. 



Carrots. — Sow the main crop of Carrots. Fork 

 over the ground and make as fine as possible, at 

 the same time work in a liberal supply of wood, 

 ashes and sof)t, these will help to ward off the 

 attacks of wire worm and carrot fly. St. Valery, 

 an intermediate type of Carrot, is one of the best 

 for main crop. | 



Pf.as. — Continue ify sow main crop varieties, 

 di'aw the earth up to those over ground liefon^ 

 staking them. If the weather is dry an occasional 

 soaking of water will l)enefit them. 



PjROAn Beans. — IMalce another sowing about the 

 middle of the month. 



French Beans. — Those in pots should have one 

 or two soakings of weak liquid manure weekly, 

 place a few twigs around the edges of the pots to 

 suppoi't them, syi'inge frequently to keep down 

 red spider. About the end of the month mak-e a 

 so\\ing on a warm border out-door. 



Beetroot. — Sow in drills 15 inches apart l)oth 

 the long and globe rooted sorts. 



Cfxery. — Sow early in the month in ])ans or 

 boxes, for general crop sow thinly and prick off 

 into frames as soon a^ the seedlings are large 

 enough to handle. Celei'y should never suffer-'ioi 

 want of water. Open trenches for early sown 

 Celery, Lettuce or Radishes can be sown on th 

 ridges, these will have matured and the crop 

 cleared off before earthing time. Sow la 

 Broccoli, Savoy and Borecole, also make another 

 sowing of Cabbage, protect from birds by placing a 



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close mesh net over them rai.sed on forked sticks 

 about one foot above the beds. Make sowings of 

 early Snowball Turnips, Lettuce and lladishos; 

 the two latter should be sown little and often. 



Asparagus beds will greatly benefit by giving a 

 dressing of salt. If new beds are being made have 

 the .grourtd well trenched and plenty of goo<l 

 manure worked in. Asparagus beds remain in 

 good condition for a number of years, and will 

 well repay all extra trouble taken to make the bed 

 a lasting one; keep the bed free from weeds. 



Spinach. — In dry warm weather summer 

 Spinach very quickly runs to seed; to avoid this 

 as much as possible sow in a cool shady part of 

 the garden. 



Vegetable jMarroav. — Sow in pans in warm 

 greenhouse, afterwards pot off singly. About the 

 second week in ^fay they can be moved to a cold 

 frame to be gradually hardened off. 



Prepare material for making up hotbeds for 

 Melons and Cucumbei-s, when the beds are made 

 up put the frame on, and under each light put a 

 bucket full of good loam; tilt up the lights an inch 

 rtr two until the rank heat has gone off, then sow 

 a couple oJi seeds on each hiUock: if lioth seeds 

 germinate one must, be pulled out. 



GeJneral, Work. — Keep tlie Dutch hoe going 

 between growing crops the objectf being as much 

 to keep a nice open surface (which is neeesaaj'y 

 to ttre well being of all plant life) as to destroy 

 weeds. If sirfi&eicnt ])ea stakes have not already 

 been prepared any ocFcT hmu: can be very profitably 

 utilised preparing some more. 



Fruit Garden. 



If tht^ weather is dry w-ater newly planted fruit 

 trees. Prune apple trees that were planted last 

 month. Grafting is not much practised now out- 

 side the nurseries, those who intend doing so must 

 begin at once. Pears, Plums and Peaches will 

 now be in flower and must be protected by hanging 

 nets or other protecting material over them on 

 frosty nights, drawing them up during the day 

 time to allow free access to bees. 



Clean Strawberry plots and give a mulch of 

 strawy litter, a shower or two will soon wash this 

 clean for berries to ripen on. Disbudding is an 

 important matter and must be done gradually, 

 first going over the tree and taking off all mi.s- 

 placed shoots, then leave for a few days befoi'C 

 going over them a second time. I usually give 

 a third or final thinning. The number of shoots 

 or new growths to be left on a tree nuist be 

 determined by the amount of space to be filled, 

 always avoid overcrowding of Peach and Nectarine 

 trees. If the greenfly is troublesome syrijige with 

 quassia or a weak solution of Gishurst's compound 

 early in the afternoon of a fine day, the trees must 

 not be syringed until after the fruit has set. 

 Fi^w^ER, Garden. 



Plant out Sweet Peas that have been sown in 

 pots, dust them over with lime and soot mixed, to 

 ward off slugs; place some bushy twigs to them as 

 a first support; they will also help to protect them 

 from cold winds and late frost's. Sow hardy 

 annuals when the ground is dry, tread over the 

 ground and rake fine, scatter the seed thinly, and 

 cover with a little finely sifted soil, prick out 



