September 



The Month's Work 



Southern and Western Counties. 



By T. E. ToMALiN, Gaideiier to the Eight Hon. 

 The Earl of Bessborough, K.P., Bess- 

 borough, County Kilkenny. 



The Flower Garden. 



The Dahlias, Heleniums, Michaelmas Daisies, and 

 other autunni-flowering plants will now be making 

 a good display in the" herbaceous border. These 

 subjects continue to grow until late autumn. And 

 they should be attended to in the matter of staking 

 and tying occasionally, to enable them to withstand 

 the autunni gales. 



The Heleniums are amongst the showiest and 

 most useful of autumn-flowering plants. The best 

 varieties are H. autumnale superbum. tall, bright 

 yellow; Riverton Gem, bronzy red; Eiverton 

 Beauty, very fine yellow flowers with dark centre, 

 striatum, striped crimson and gold. These are all 

 four and a half to five feet high, whilst Bolanderi 

 and pinnihnn are very fine dwarf kinds. 



The jjropagation of all bedding plants for next 

 season should be completed during this month, 

 commencing with the more ten'^er kinds, such as 

 Geraniums, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, &c., that will 

 require greenhouse acconnuodation. Other kinds, 

 such as Calceolarias, Marguerites, Salvias, Pent- 

 stemons, and Violas can be rooted easily in cold 

 frames, in which they will also pass the winter 

 safely. The frames shotdd be prepared by putting 

 three inches of half-rotted leaves in the bottom for 

 drainage, and on this about three or four inches of 

 sifted sandy soil. A thin layer of sand on the top, 

 a little of which will fall into each hole, for the 

 base of the cutting to rest on, will assist the rooting 

 process. 



The frames should be kept close, and the 

 cuttings sprinkled and shaded on bright days, until 

 they are rooted, after which the lights may l)e 

 gradually removed until frosty nights render pro- 

 tection necessary again. 



The present is the best time to plant Violets into 

 cold frames for winter and spring flowering. Good 

 drainage is essential to success with these. A good 

 layer of long litter mixed with leaves will provide 

 this, or, failing these, a layer of spruce boughs will 

 answer. On this place the rougher portions of the 

 soil, which must be light, and should contain plenty 

 of leaf soil. The rest of the soil may be added as 

 planting proceeds. The plants should be lifted with 

 a good ball of soil, and so planted that the leaves 

 will just clear the glass. The frames may be kept 

 close for a few days until the plants are rooting 

 freely, after which they should never be shut tight 

 unless it is freezing. 



If hardy annuals are required for an early 

 summer display next year, the present is a suitable 



time to sow such as the following : — Candytuft, 

 LarksiJurs, Lupins, Clarkia, Godetia, Cornflower, 

 &c. 



The Fruit G.\rden. 



Apples, Pears, and late Plums will now require 

 constant watchfulness, so that each kind may be 

 gathered as it becomes fit. It is a connnon mistake 

 to pick late Apples and Pears too soon because, 

 perhaps, a few have been blown down. It is better to 

 lose a few in this way than to spoil the whole crop 

 by over-hasty picking, as, when this is done, the 

 fruits shrivel and soon become worthless. Late 

 Dessert Apples, such as Cox's Orange, Blenheim 

 Pippin, Lord Hindlip, Barnack Beauty, and Allen's 

 Everlasting shotild not be picked until October. 

 The last-named variety usually hangs until Novem- 

 ber. The actual date varies, of course, in different 

 seasons, but if the fruit comes away readily, or if 

 several fall in the absence of wind, it is then time 

 to gather the crop. This applies equally to late 

 cooking varieties, such as Bramley's Seedling, 

 Lane's Prince Albert, Alfriston, and Wellington. 



It is always advisable to wait until the fruit is 

 quite dry before picking, for not only will the fruit 

 then keep longer, but it will be nuicli brighter in 

 aprjearance than if handled when it is damp. 



Peach and Nectarine trees from which the crops 

 have been gathered should be primed without 

 delay. Remove all the old fruiting wood that is not 

 required for extension and train in the young 

 growths evenly and thinly over the wall space, so 

 that they may become well ripened before winter. 



After the bad attack of caterpillar experienced 

 last spring, it will be advisable to greaseband 

 standard fruit trees in good time this autumn, in 

 order to trap the wingless females of the winter 

 moth as they ascend the trees to commence egg- 

 laying. 



Late rimners should be removed from Straw- 

 berry plants as they appear, and the hoe used 

 between the plants whenever the ground is suitalaly 

 dry. It is not too late to make new plantations for 

 next season, provided that well-rooted plants are 

 obtainable, and that the ground has been well pre- 

 pared as advised in a former article. 



Preparations should now be made for the plant- 

 ing, lifting, or transplanting of fruit trees and 

 bushes where much of this w'ork is to be done this 

 autumn. It is too early to begin yet, but much may 

 be done to expedite matters by having the ground 

 w^ell prepared for new pltmtations, and by having 

 soil and stakes prepared in readiness for lifting and 

 transplanting. 



The Veget.\ble Garden. 

 The main crop of Onions should now be pulled 

 and laid out to dry. If wet weather prevails they 

 should be left only a few days on the ground, and 

 then placed on hurdles or in an open shed or vinery 

 to finish ripening before being stored for the 

 winter. 



