32 



IRISH GARDENING. 



These usually carry heavy crop? and manure is 

 necessary every second year, alternating this with 

 a good dressing of lime or superphosphate. 



It will be expedient before the end of the month 

 to have some covering in position for the protec- 

 tion of Apricots from fronts. Any light canvas or 

 similar material that can be removed in Ihe day 

 time will answer the purpose. The biid.s are 

 ah-cady showing white here (Jan. 22nd), and look 

 like being even earlier in flower than last season, 

 wlien the trees were in full bloom by the end of 

 February. This involved a long period of niglitly 

 covering' up, but the result fully repaid the extra 

 trouble, as the trees perfected heavy crops in a 

 season of scarcity in spite of several heavy frosts 

 durin? fhp flowering period. 



Midland and Northern Counties. 



By W. Roberts, Gardtqu'r to Lady Emily Bury 

 Charleville Forest, Tiillamore, King's County. 



FOJKINU HousKS, kc. 

 Attend carefully to iirevious sowings in heat for 

 early sui)plies, and i)ut in more Cucunil)er and 

 Melon for succession. Also Tomato, Cauliflower, 

 and Forcing Carrot. A few of the earliest Peas 

 nuiy also be sown in sods or boxes, and attend to 

 the slaking of those already requiring same either 

 ixnder cover or in the open. Asparagus, Seakale, 

 and Rhul)arl) may be put in for succession, also 

 Onions in boxes for planting out later. Those so 

 treated seem to withstand the attacks of mildew 

 and mite better than the old orthodox sowings out 

 of doors in March. Sweet Peas should also be sown 

 in sods, boxes, or pots for transfer to the open 

 later on, care being taken to avoid anything in the 

 nature of coddling. Move them to a cool, airy 

 house or frame as soon as they are well up. 

 Sowing may be made of such things as Begonia, 

 Gloxinia, Dahlia, r.,obelia. Pansy, Golden Featlier, 

 and innumerable other subjects, according to indi- 

 vidual taste or fant y. 



Attr-nri carrfuily to disbudding of early Peaches 

 and Vines, and where the former are in flower 

 maintain a conifortal)le atmosphere, and on dry, 

 suiniy periods, if the prominent flowers are gone 

 over with a camel hair brush or a ralibit's tail — 

 " the latter T And the best " — it will help the ferti- 

 lisation of the flowers most required. The same 

 remarks apjjjy to early Grajx's, though in some 

 places like this it is not necessary, care being 

 taken in l)oth cases to have both flowers pollen and 

 brush ])erfectly dry. 



Thk K itch km (Jaruen. 



Parsnips. — This is probably the best month to 

 sow main crops of this very desirable vegetiiblr. 

 It succeeds best in a deep, sandy soil or light loam 

 in good heat; but on no accomit jhould the 

 ground be manured iiiuuediately in advance of 

 sowing as the majority of the roots will be 

 forked and useless. Tlie essential point is to |)ve- 

 T)are the ground by deep digging or trenching in 

 autumn, allowing the surface to remain rough 

 during the winter and break it down to a flue 

 tilth before sowing. The difficulty, of course, is 

 to get tbe ground sufficiently dry. but advantage 

 must be taken of the first favourable oi)i)ortunity 

 to get the seed in, as they require a loni: season 

 of growth to bring them to perfection. Where rust 



is troublesome a liberal dressing of soot raked in 

 at .sowing is the best preventative I know of. Sow 

 in shallow drills, 18 inches apart, dropping the 

 seeds in twos or threes at a distance of 6 inches 

 apart. Cover lightly, and if the soil is too rough 

 or inclined to be sticky a little sifted old potting 

 soil makes an excellent covering. As soon as the 

 plants are well visible, thin to prevent crowding, 

 finally thinning to about one foot apart ain-ording 

 to size of roots desired, and keep thoroughly clean 

 while growing by the use of the hoe. Good roots 

 may be grown in the worst forms of clay or stony 

 ground by boring holes and filling them with fine 

 sandy soil and sowing a few seeds in each. Pars- 

 ni])s keep and retain their flavour better in the 

 ground than out of it. 



Autumn and Early Winter Broccoli may be sown 

 now both in cold frame and the open groimd, and 

 Cabbage should be planted out plentifully to 

 follow those put in last autunni. " A good plan is 

 to transplant those left in seed beds from .July and 

 August sowings in nursery beds or rows on a 

 sheltered border as they make excellent plants to 

 put into permanent quarters at this time as well 

 as those raised in heat or potted as suggested in 

 .lanuary Notes, and I find in cold localities the 

 former give the best results." Brussels Sprouts 

 Cal)l)ages, liCttuce, Turnips for succession may be 

 sown on a warm border; also Broad Beans, Parsley, 

 Radish, and Round Spinach, but where such a 

 Ijorder is not available better defer until next 

 month. The same remark applies to Shallots, 

 Potato Onions, and Early Potatoes. There is no 

 hurry rr the latter for outdoor cultivatioiY. if 

 pro])erly s])routed. There used to be considerable 

 difference of opinion and prejudice in some places 

 as to the advantages of sprouting, but I notice that 

 it has become almost universal round here — i.e., 

 for early sowings, and than which there is no 

 better proof of its beneficial effects. 



General Remarks. — Complete without delay all 

 work that, throiigh weather conditions or other- 

 wise, has had to be left over from last month in 

 all departments, for as the season advances it will 

 be found that there will be more than sufficient to 

 attend to in tlie way of seasonable work without 

 having always to be '" ])ulling a. ceitain gentleman 

 by the tail." 



Rainfall in 1918. 



42.94 



Sliowing a total fall of 12.91 inches and 23' 

 days on which rain fell. 



.T. Ar.\'i'Tiii:\vs, 



TDUiiii, 

 Ca|iii(iquin, W'atorford. 



