I 



IRISH GARDENING 



The Hardy Fruit (Garden. 



Raspberries and Blackberries. — If the old 

 fruiting canes were cut out after the fruit was 

 gathered, the best of the new canes may now be 

 fastened securely to the wires or stakes, 

 cutting ovit all the weak canes and any that are 

 not required, taking care to avoid overcrowding. 

 When finished pruning 

 and tying the surface of 

 the soil should be lightly 

 pointed over with a 

 fork. Then apply a good 

 mulch of farmyard man- 

 ure. Loganberries may 

 be treated in a similar 

 manner. 



Planting and Root- 

 pruning. — The wet 

 weatherhas delayed this 

 work, but it is neverthe- 

 less desirable to wait for 

 fine weatherrather than 

 plant when the ground 

 is in an unsuitable con- 

 dition. Pruning and 

 training can be attended 

 to in the case of wall 

 trees. Trees arriving 

 from the nursery during 

 wet weather shovdd be 

 heeled in , placing plenty 

 of soil about the roots. 

 If the trees arrive dur- 

 ing very frosty weather 

 it is better not to un- 

 pack them, but place 

 them just as they are in 

 a shed. When the wea- 

 ther becomes mUder 

 they can be heeled 

 in. 



Stakes for securing 

 fruit trees shoidd be pre- 

 pared and the necessary 

 staking done. 



When tying the stems 

 of the tree use a piece 

 of cloth or other soft 

 material round the part 

 where the string is tied ; 

 fasten them securely, so 

 as there will be no dan- 

 ger of the bark being 

 injured. Orchard trees 

 that are in a bad con- 

 dition should have all 

 weak growth cut out, 

 especially in the cen- 

 tre of the trees ; ex- 

 pose every branch if 

 possible to the sun. Grass orchards can be 

 improved by clearing the sod off about 6 feet 

 around the trees, then lightly fork it over, and 

 apply farm yard manure or Basic Slag. 



Strawberries. — The beds should be lightly 

 forked over during favourable weather and made 

 tidy. Estabished beds should be given a good 

 mulch of well-rotted manure, the substance will 



•2nd Lieut. L.viiKLi:, M.C. 

 Son of Mr. A. Barker, Carrigorau 

 (See page 157.) 



l)e washed into the soil by the rains. The Straw- 

 berry is a gross feeder. In the case of beds which 

 were planted last autumn this heavy mvdching 

 will not be required. The present is a suitable 

 time for preparing ground intended for planting 

 Strawberries next year. Trench the soil and work 

 in plenty of manure as the digging proceeds. 

 Leave the surface of the 

 soil in as rough a con- 

 dition as possible, so 

 that it may be exposed 

 to the frost and air. 

 A suitable crop to 

 precede Strawberries is 

 early Potatoes. 

 The Flower Garden. 

 Trenching and Dig- 

 ging. — Any flower beds 

 that are not planted 

 with spring bedding or 

 bulbs should be dug or 

 trenched if the soil needs 

 enriching, afford it a 

 good dressing of man- 

 ure and leaf soil ; let 

 the surface remain as 

 rough as possible. 



Lily of the Valle\% 

 — The present is a good 

 time to make fresh beds 

 of Lily of the Valley. 

 Any that have occupied 

 the same pieceof ground 

 for some years shoidd 

 now be taken up and 

 divided, the ground 

 shoidd be deeply dug 

 andplenty of leaf -mould 

 and manure added to it. 

 In dividing the crowns, 

 select all the largest, 

 those which will produce 

 flowers, and plant them 

 by themselves, plant- 

 ing the smaller ones else- 

 where. A fresh bed 

 should be planted each 

 year where possible. 



Grass Verges. — Any 



worn patches in the 



grass edging by the 



side of paths or drives 



may now be renovated. 



Remove the turf and 



place sufficient fresh soil 



to raise the sod to its 



proper level. If the 



grass is badly worn it is 



better to get fresh sods: 



when doing this see that 



working order. 



— Carnations, Calceolaria 



should be ventilated in 



all drains are in good 

 Cuttings in Frames, 

 and ^Marguerite, &c., 

 nnld weather ; if attended to, this will keep them 

 hardy and enable them to withstand hard weather. 

 Remove all dead foliage and keep them free of 

 weeds ; have ready some covering in case of 

 hard frost, to cover the frames. 



END OF VOLUME XIII. 



