22 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Vegetable Notes. 



I'ahsxips. 



One of the earliest crops to be sown is usually 

 the Parsnip, and an effort is generally made to 

 get the seed in some time in February. It is 

 doubtless a good practice to sow thus early, 

 providing the weather is favoui'able and tlie so'l 

 in suitable condition. 



However, rather than attempt to sow while 

 the ground is wet, it will be better to delay even 

 into March, and it is a very open question 

 whetlier a March so\\ing is not equal in ever_\' 

 way to a February one even under the best con- 

 ditions. Let the soil be ever so dry, there is 

 very little heat in it so early in the year and 

 germination is slow; also, if bad weather super- 

 venes after sowing, as it often does, a good 

 many blanks will be found in the lines some 

 weeks later. By the first week in March there 

 is considerably more sun heat, and the surface 

 soil wanjis up a good deal during a sunny day. 

 There is moisture enough in the soil at that 

 time, and the seeds invariably germinate more 

 quickly and more evenly than those of the 

 February sowing unless the weather conditions 

 during February have been unusually favourable. 



The Pai-snip requii-es a long growing season, 

 but it will have quite a long enough season if 

 it grows from Maj'ch till October. 



Those who cannot see any prospect of getting 

 the seed in in February need not wori'y, for it 

 will be time enough if sown by the middle of 

 March. A good many allotment holders who 

 have been unable to get on to their plots during 

 the short winter days are getting uneasy about 

 the amount of digging still in front of them, but 

 they will soon work up arrears now, and should 

 begin by preparing the ground required fii'st lor 

 such crops as early Peas and J'arsnips. Fortu- 

 nately, no manure is required for the latter, 

 and, therefore, the digging may proceed at 

 once. The soil should be well tumed to the full 

 depth of the spade, l)roken finely, and then left 

 until sowing time, iicfore sowing liglitl.\ liiui 

 the sui'face l)y treading it closely all over; then 

 with the rake make the su)-face as level and 

 fine as possible. Many failui-es arc ilnc i<, 

 sowing too dee})iy. I'ai-snip seed slionid he 

 covered quite lightly, but after sowing it should 

 be firmed by lightly pressing with tlie back of 

 the spade or even with one's foot. Make the 

 lines at least fifteen inches apart, and sow four 

 or five seeds together at intei-\'als of one foot, 

 thinning out to one when sufficiently advanced 

 to note wliich are the strongest seedlings. As 

 the young plants grow keep the hoe going 

 between the lines as long as possible; this en- 

 courages growtli by keeping the soil moist below 

 and also keeps down weeds. B. 



Early Peas. 



Most people who have a garden or allotment 

 aspiiv tf) have a dish of peas as early as possible, 

 and a fair amount of healthy rivalry exists 

 among plotholders as to who will pick the first 

 dish. 



With Peas, as with any other plant, soil and 

 situation play an important part, and a fairly 

 light, warm soil in a sunny position will pro- 

 duce an earliei- crop than ;i heavy, cold soil with 

 a less favourable aspect. 



The middle of February is looked upon as a 

 suitable time to sow Peas, and foi- long the time- 

 honoured Sangster's No. 1 held the field as a 

 first early, and it is still one of the best owing 

 to its hardiness. 



For this early soM'ing the soil uinst be well 

 dug and, according to whether it be rich or poor, 

 should have a fair dressing of manure. There is 

 not the same need for heavy manuring at this 

 early date as later on. The manure has two 

 uses — viz., to provide food material and to re- 

 tain moisture. Early in the year there is an 

 adequate supply of moisture, but late)- in the 

 summer dry s})ells are frequent, and it is then 

 that the well-manured gi'ound shows up. 

 Before the hot weather arrives our early Peas 

 will be ijearly over, so that excessively heavy 

 luamu-ing is not necessary for the early crop. 

 It is connnon nowadays to advocate opening 

 shallow trenches for Peas, and the practice is a 

 good one for mid-season and late varieties which 

 have to come through the hot days. Trenches 

 allow of a lai'gci' quantity of manure being 

 placed within easy rea(di oT the I'oots, hut foi- 

 the reasons stated abo\c thci'c is not the same 

 u.'cessity for this earlier in the \c-ar. It will he 

 (piite sufficient to dig the manui'e into the 

 ground and draw drills in the iisual way, but 

 fiattening out the bottom so that the seeds 

 wdien sown ina> he scattei'ed and will not all 

 run to the hottoiii (it the dfill. n<iiall\ \'---haped, 

 an<l lie (dose togct hel'. 



The di'ills shonlil he ahinit luui- in(dies deep, 

 and when the soil is IiIKmI in press it geiitlx with 

 the foot and lake le\tl. 



If a vai'iety studi as Sangstei'"s is sown place 

 the stakes in position early. 1 )wai'f varieties 

 need not be staked, hut. as wcdl as the taller 

 ones, should have soiue soil drawn up to them 

 on eacdi side of the row as soon as they aie a 

 (•rai])le of inches high, and a second eai-thing up 

 later will heli) to keep them erect. Varieties 

 are numerous nowadays, and ever\ seedsman 

 has a wide selection. 



Of varieties growing 3 to -i feet high, Sang- 

 ster's No. 1, The Pilot, Gradus, William the 

 First, are good, wliile dwarfs are Excelsior, 15 

 inches, and William Hurst a foot or so. 



