October 



The Month's Work. 



Southern and Western Counties. 



By T. E. ToJiALix, Gardeuer to the Eight Hon. 

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

 borough, County Kilkenny. 



The Flower Garden. 



Before frost puts an end to the display of flowers, 

 notes should be taken of any improvements or 

 alterations that may be desirable for next season. 

 The most pleasing effet-ts in colour blending, or 

 contrast, should l)e noted with a view to their 

 future employment, whilst combinations that have 

 not proved happy should be avoided in future. 



This month and November are most suitable, 

 should weather permit, for altering or re-planting 

 herbaceous borders, and the earlier it is done now 

 the better, so that new roots may be formed before 

 the soil becomes too cold. Most of the hardy her- 

 baceous plants may safely be planted in autunm, 

 but such as the choicer Phloxes and perennial 

 Lobelias are best left alone until spring. In re- 

 planting Michaehnas Daisies, Heleniinns, and the 

 like, it is best to make use of quite small pieces de- 

 tached from the outside of the old stools, the worn- 

 out middle portions of which should be thrown 

 out. 



In the formal flower garden all tender plants tliat 

 are wanted for next season should now be taken 

 up and' potted. Begonias should be taken up and 

 stored in sand in a frost-proof shed, and Gladioli 

 should l)e tied up in bundles of each variety, which 

 nuist be hung up in an airy shed until the tops 

 have withered, when the corms may be detached 

 and stored in boxes for the winter. 



There is still time to put in cuttings of Violas, 

 Calceolarias, and Pentstemons in cold frames as 

 advised last month. 



As soon as the flower beds are cleared they 

 should be dug over and re-planted with Wall- 

 flowers, Polyanthus, Myosotis, Alyssum, and buUxs 

 for the spring display. Afterwards the lawn should 

 be mown finally and edges trimmed, making all 

 neat and tidy for the winter. A seleciion of shrubs 

 planted for their autunm foliage effect adds greatly 

 to the interest of the October garden. Many of the 

 Japanese Maples, besides being very lovely in the 

 spring, may at this season be compared with 

 masses of scarlet flowers, their colouring is so 

 brilliant. To name a few others, Euonymus 

 alatus, Berberis Thunl)ergii, Pyrus arbutifolius, 

 Spirsea prunifolia and Liquidambar are all beau- 

 tiful at this season. Particularly gorgeous at this 

 season is the Scarlet Dogwood planted at the edge 

 of pond or lake, where its bare red shoots will main- 

 tain a pleasing effect all winter. 



The Fruit Garden. 

 The late-keeping Apples and Pears are fast ap- 

 proaching maturity, and must be closely watched 



with a view to gathering them at the right time. 

 Seldom have we experienced a season giving such 

 a uniformly good crop of all varieties as this year, 

 exceptions here being Hambling's Seedling and 

 Grenadier — usually two of the most reliable varie- 

 ties. Cox's Orange Pippin is unusually fine, both 

 in quantity and quality, and Allington Pippin is 

 equally good. Amongst cooking varieties Tower of 

 Glamis, The Queen, and Warner's King are \\n- 

 usually good. 



Bush fruits may now be transplanted. These 

 usually occupy the same ground for some years, 

 and as they are gross feeders, the site for them 

 should l)e well prepared by trenching or deep 

 digging, and enriched with some good manure. 

 These should be planted with a view to being able 

 to protect them from birds, and to ensure this it is 

 best to plant them in squares by themselves rather 

 than dotted about amongst orchard or standard 

 trees. They should be placed at least six feet apart 

 each way, and made firm in the soil. 



Wall trees that have made excessive growth 

 during the past season may now be either root- 

 pruned, or lifted and replanted, according to age 

 and size. In root-priniing, a trench is taken OTit 

 in a half-circle at three feet distant from the trimk. 

 All strong roots outside this radius are severed with 

 a sharp knife as the work proceeds, and the exca- 

 vated soil is afterwards replaced and trodden firmly 

 into position again. Any moving that has to be 

 done amongst wall trees should be carried out 

 before the leaves turn yellow and fall, because if 

 the foliage can be retained for a week or two after 

 replanting, new roots will quickly form, and the 

 trees may be expected to carry a fair crop the 

 following season. To do this successfully great 

 care nuist be taken to preserve all the fibrous roots, 

 and to replace these at their proper level when re- 

 planting. A little good soil containing leaf mould 

 may be placed in immediate contact with these 

 roots to encourage root activity; but it is not ad- 

 visable to add too nuich rich material except in the 

 case of older trees that have exhausted the soil. 



Newly-planted Strawberry beds should be hoed 

 over at intervals, and all runners removed. Older 

 beds should have been cleaned of all rubbish and 

 withered leaves to enable the crowns to become 

 well ripened. There is still time to plant new beds, 

 but unless these are got in under exceptionally 

 favourable conditions they must not be expected 

 to fruit well next season. They will, however, pro- 

 vide an early supply of runners, and will in this 

 way well repay good treatment. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



The main crops of Beet and Carrot may now be 

 lifted and stored in sand for the winter. Great care 

 must be exercised in the case of Beetroot, as if the 

 roots are injured they will " bleed " and become 

 worthless. 



