IRISH GARDENING. 



Ill 



The Month's Work. 

 Southern and Western Counties. 



By W. Campbell., Head Gardener to Lord 

 Castletown, Donerailc Court, Co. Cork. 



Vegetable Garden. 



KiDNEi' Beans.— About the first or second week 

 (if tlie month make a final sowing of Kidney Beans. 

 If a narrow border is avaihible it would l)e a good 

 plan to sow a few rows on it when a temporary 

 frame could be placed over them in the autumn 

 before early frost gets them. 



Plant out Broccoli, Savoy and Borecole. If the 

 ground is dry at the time of planting water must 

 be given until the plants have started to grow. 

 Look over Cauliflowers and any that are hearting 

 break a leaf or two over them to prevent them 

 from getting discoloured by the sun. Complete 

 the planting out of Leeks and Celery as advised 

 last month. 



Cabbage. — About the 20th of the month make a 

 first sowing of Cabbage seed for spring cutting; 

 Flower of Spring, April Queen and Ellam's Early 

 are good varieties to sow now as they are not 

 liable to rim to seed. If sown in drills water 

 well with a rose-can before covering in the seed; 

 this will ensure rapid germination. Birds are not 

 so troublesome at this time of year as they are in 

 the spring, still it is as well to be prepared for 

 them by placing a net over the seeds. 



Tomatoes that have been planted out-door will 

 now require some attention. Keep all side growths 

 Ijulled off, pinch out the point of the nuxin stem 

 above the fourth or fifth truss of flower ; feed the 

 plants liberally as soon as one or two trusses have 

 set their fruit. 



Turnips. — Make a sowing of Orange Jelly and 

 also some more of the wdiite varieties; dust the 

 seedlings as they come over ground with a mix- 

 ture of soot and lime to ward off attacks of Turnip 

 fly. Sow Lettuce and Endive for winter; use also 

 a little more Chicory. 



Spinach Beet. — This is a most useful vegetable, 

 especially in the spring when green vegetables are 

 scarce. Prepare a piece of ground by deep digging 

 and em-ich with some good manure ; sow thinly in 

 drills fifteen inches apart, afterwards thinning the 

 seedlings out to six inches apart; the thinning 

 can be transplanted if required. 



Peas. — A nmlch of manure laid along the rows 

 of Peas will greatly benefit them by keeping tlie 

 ground moist and cool about the roots, also act- 

 ing as a stimulant after a shower of rain or when 

 water is given. 



The Fruit Garden. 



STitAWBEHRiES.— The layering of Strawberries 

 should begin now. Those required for forcing 

 i^hould be pegged down in small pots, choosing the 

 best runners for making new plantations out-door; 

 clean and hoe between every second row, first care- 

 fully turning back the runners so as not to get 

 trampled on. Scatter an inch or two of old potting 

 .soil or any other suitable compost over the ground 

 just cleaned; then peg down all good runners from 

 the rows of plants each side; cut clean away all 

 bad or inferior runners. The plants that are in 

 pots can also be stood in the same row; this will 

 be a great convenience for watering, having so 



many plants together and every second row 

 vacant to walk in. 



The Apple crop has not fulfilled my expectations 

 when writing last month. Young trees have set 

 their fruit fairly well, but older trees are in most 

 cases carrying only half a crop. Newly planted 

 trees have had a most trying time during the long 

 spell of hot, dry weather that we have just ex- 

 perienced. Give a final thinning to Peaches and 

 Nectarines on walls. They should by now have 

 finished stoning and a good watering of liquid 

 manure will greatly benefit them. Syringe 

 frequently to keep down greenfly and other pests. 

 The rather severe wind storm we experienced on 

 June the 8th and 9tli did a good deal of damage 

 to fruit trees, some Apple trees being almost torn 

 up by the roots. These had, of course, to have 

 fresh stakes put to them and the soil pressed back 

 firmly about the roots. 



The Flower Garden. 



Herbaceous plants have done remarkably well 

 this year. Delphiniums, Paeonies, and a host of 

 other herbaceous plants flowering most profusely. 

 Keep an eye to tall growing plants to see that none 

 of the ties get loose; if they happen to get broken 

 down their beauty is spoiled for the season. 



Owing to the long spell of dry and very warm 

 weather annuals and other sunnner bedding plants 

 have had a rather bad time of it, especially on 

 light, sandy soils. The use of the watering pot 

 has had to be resorted to pretty freely, and this 

 takes up a lot of time when there is so nnicli other 

 important work on hand. 



reg Clown Verbenas. Ivy Geraniums and other 

 trailing plants; pick off all dead leaves and flower 

 stems, and keep the beds free from weeds. Towards 

 the end of the month start layering Carnations. 

 Use a mixture of loam, leaf-mould and sand to 

 root the layers in. 



If mildew makes its appearance on Roses spray 

 with sulphide of potassium; dissolve one ounce in 

 three gallons of water and spray all the affected 

 parts. Root pipings of Pinks under a frame in 

 some shady spot. Keep flowers pulled regularly 

 o! Sweet t'eas Mud water the plants occasionallv 

 with weak liquid manure. Keep a sharp look out 

 for Red Spider on Violets, If the ground is dry 

 water well at the roots and syringe the foliage. 

 Keep all runners pulled off as they appear. 



Midland and Northern Counties. 



I5y E. RuTHEEFonD, Late Gardener to C. W. 

 DuNBAii BuLLER, Esq., D.L., Wobuni, 

 Donaghadee. 



Kitchen Garden 



Cauliflowers.— Early Cauliflowers that are 

 coming to nuiturity require some protection. Bend 

 some of the leaves over those not quite ready for 

 use to protect the heads. Plants with fully de- 

 veloped heads that are not required for present 

 use should be pulled up by the roots and placed 

 in a cool shed. Cauliflowers develop rapidly at 

 this season. Caterpillars should be destroyed by 

 hand picking; // neglected they will du a lot of 

 damage. 



Spring Cabbages.— Make a small sowing of 

 Cabbage to obtain plants for an early supply. 

 Choose an open situation where the ground is not 

 too rich, and sow the seeds thinly in drills four- 



