IRISH GARDENING. 



6i 



duciug the v/eevil. Burn the soil that wns shaken 

 out of the roots. 



This is the last of the enoniies ^^ e A\ill discuss, 

 and will turn to consider the friends. 



Fio^s are the first. They are indispensable. 

 They do no harm of any kind. They will keep 

 the woodlice in check, and also the \Aornis ; that 

 is their business ; tliey will keep at it day and 

 night, and so beat yoii at it. Get a round 

 dozen of them, and in the late spring add another 

 dozen of small little fellows in their first spring 



go down their throats with certainty, to be 

 follo\^ ed by as many more as present then\selves, 

 till froggie becomes "so helplessly distended that he 

 can scarcely move. It is good, therefore, to 

 catch one in the greenhouse now and then, and 

 let him out in the garden for fresh air. exercise 

 and varied diet • after, in a week or so, when you 

 see one in the garden looking sleek and fat he is 

 again transferred to the greenhouse. In the 

 spring they will revel in and spawn in a pan of 

 water, if it is left for them, at other times they 



PliniUT-A DIXTK ri AT ' 



of youth : they will go for young woodlice and 

 other sniall deer that would be beneath the notice 

 of their more sober elders, besides they are more 

 active, and it is surprising where they will climb. 

 On fine da\ s they may be found perched amongst 

 plants on the liighest part of the back wall. 

 Their environment being so curtailed, and, 

 possibly, their diet being so unvaried, they retain 

 their diminutive size for several years, but arc 

 quite happy. If the drainage hole in the floor is 

 not trapped as recomniended, they will infallibly 

 find, the one ^^■ay out, and rejoice and grow 

 enoruiously fat in the free and varied living to 

 be found in a town garden. Huge lob-worms, 

 that one would not think there was room for, 



do not want it. Toads' would serve an equal 

 purpose, but we have not got them in Ireland. 

 Lizards are an excellent help, but they are rare 

 here and hard to get. They are very lively, 

 attractive, and active hunters. 



These, unless you have weevils, a.re all the pets 

 yoii need accommodate in the fern house. If 

 weevils are present the frogs will take toll of 

 them, but will not be able to keep them dowai. 

 We must again invoke Dame Na.ture to fight 

 Nature. Search the garden, througli every bit 

 of rubbisli, under stones, fallen leaves, cVrc, for 

 the large red centipedes — big fellows about 

 1^ inches long. 



(To he continued). 



