IRISH GARDENING. 



53 



formation of stones (seeds) weakens the plant 

 more than the formation of pulp. 



The colour of berries when ripe will greatly de- 

 pend on the amount of chlorophylle formed in 

 leaves from the period of unfolding buds. Late 

 grapes for keeping are best cut with all the wood 

 that can be --pared, and placed in a cool room 

 with the lower end of wood in a bottle of rain 

 water, in which has been placed a few lumps of 

 charcoal. The biuiches should hang clear from 

 liottles. 



Manuring of Fruit Trees and Bushes. 



The question of manures is one of food— food 

 for plants. On examniation it will be found that 

 plants feed in two principal ways. By means of 

 their roots they take in various necessary sub- 

 stances in dilute solution with water; while 

 through their serial parts they take in air, from 

 which the green parts are able, under the influ- 

 ence of light, to take hold of its contained carbon, 

 and build from it with tlie soil solution previously 



Primula j.^ponic.a. alba. 

 In the Bog Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasneviu. 



Varieties. — Black Hamburg, Bucklancrs Sweet- 

 water, Madresfield Court, Lady Downes, Muscat 

 of Alexandria, &c. 



Enemies to Grape Vh\e. — Mildew, Shanking 

 Root-Rot, Mealy Bug. Red Spider and Thrip:-. 



Bemeclies for Mildew. — Paint the hot-water 

 pipes with sulphur made into a paste with water. 

 Get the pipes hot and shut the house up for a 

 nieht. Avoid cold draughts. 



Shanking — i.e., the shrivelling of the foot-stalks 

 of the berries — is brought about through the roots 

 being in cold subsoil. Keep the roots under 

 control. 



Mealy Bug. — To keep it out wash the canes well 

 in winter with Gishurst Compound. 



Bed Spider. — Dusting the affected parts with 

 flowers of sulishur. 



Thrips. — Fumigate the house lightly. 



Angus Slater. 

 Feb. 15. 1919. 



absorbed, various complex substances, which are 

 afterwards used up or stored in different parts of 

 the plant. On further examination we find that 

 a number of the necessary soil substances are 

 present in most soils in sufficient quantity for 

 garden crops, and that only about three or four 

 of them, at most, need be applied to soils in order 

 to obtain vigorous and fruitful growth. These 

 substances are called nitrogen, phosphorous and 

 potassium respectively, but as they are not 

 found as elements in the soil water, but as com- 

 pounds, they are often referred to as nitrates, 

 phosphates and potash. The fourth substance 

 which is particularly necessary for stone fruits 

 is lime. It may be asked what is the particular 

 function of these various substances in the nutri- 

 tion of plants, a question easier asked than 

 answered. By experiment scientists have proved 

 that if any one of the necessary elements are 

 absent or lacking that growth and development 



