76 



IRISH GARDENING 



The Month's Work. 

 Midland and Northern Counties. 



By Mr. F. Streetkr, Gardener to B. H. Barton, 



Esq., D.L., Straffan House, Straffan, 



Co. Kildare. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Asparagus. — The permanent beds are now in full 

 bearing. Go over every morning and sever the 

 strongest growths with ii proper Asparagus knife. 

 Keep the beds perfectly clean from weeds, and if 

 dry weather sets in, give thorough soakings of 

 diluted manure water. Young seedlings will now 

 require careful thinning. Should the seed not 

 liave germinated well make another sowing at 

 once. 



Globe Artichokes.— Give the plants a good 

 mulcliing of manure and an occasional soaking of 

 water. Cut the heads before they become too 

 large, otherwise they are too tough for the table. 

 This vegetable is used to perfection l)y the French 

 cooks. 



Brussels Sprouts. — This is one of the most im- 

 portant of winter vegetables, and owing to its great 

 hardiness and the very great returns, every effort 

 should he made to have the bed to perfection. 

 Select an open piece of ground, not too rich, and 

 plant with a good ball 2^ to 3 feet each way. Make 

 each plant very firm, and if slugs are troublesome 

 place a ring of finely-sifted cinders round the collar 

 of the plant, and dust the ground occasionally on 

 a warm evening when the slugs are out. Do not 

 allow the old plants to stay on the ground after 

 they are finished with ; clean them right away 

 and thoroughly manure and deeply dig the 

 ground in readiness for the next crop. Do not 

 allow any ground to stay vacant now. 



JiATE Broccoli. — Where ground is limited and 

 space very valuable all late Broccoli not yet fit for 

 use may lie lifted and stored behind north walls, 

 where they will gradually turn in and also help 1o 

 prolong the season until the early Cauliflowers are 

 ready. 



Beet. — If the main crop was not sown last month, 

 get tlie seed in at the earliest convenience. Thin 

 the young seedlings before they become too large. 

 Run the Dutch hoe between the rows, keeping the 

 ground free from weeds. A good sowing of 

 Spinach Beet should be made this month. This 

 vegetable is most vahuxble where large quantities 

 of Spinach are required every day, and it is also 

 very hardy. It also stands the hot weather well. 



Broad Beans. — As soon as the earliest pods are 

 swelling pinch the tops of the plants out. This will 

 hasten the crop and also help to keep the dreaded 

 black aphis at bay. Should the latter beconie 

 troublesome, spray with Quassia Extract. Give 

 support when required, and place a little soil to 

 the stems of late-sown plants. 



Runner Beans. — Sow the main crop of Runners 

 in drills four inches deep on thoroughly well 

 manured and trenched ground. Sow a little super- 

 phosphate of lime in the bottom of the drills before 

 putting the seed in. Allow 12 inches between the 

 Beans and cover with ?> inches of soil. Allow the 

 distance from row to row the same as the height 

 of the stakes used, certainly not closer than 9 feet. 

 Plants raised in pots and boxes may be planted 

 towards the end of the month, but nuist be care- 

 fully protected in case of frost. 



Dwarf BsANS.^Make the first sowings outside 

 on a warm border; allow the plants 12 inches each 



way, and watch the weather, as tbe slightest fl'Oiit 

 is fatal. I like to sow every ten days throughout 

 the season. Send the Beans into the house in a 

 very yoiuig state. I once lived at an establishment 

 where a famous French chef had charge of the 

 kitchen, and for the dining-room no beans had to 

 exceed ."i inches in length. They were tied in small 

 hundles, cooked, and sent to' tlie table in this 

 manner. I mention this because too often our 

 British cooks leave the vegetables to the poor iri- 

 e.xjjerienced scullery-maid, and the gardener is 

 blamed for something over which he has no con- 

 trol. The Waxi)od or Butter Bean makes a delight- 

 ful change. They require similar treatment to the 

 Dwarf Bean, and a few rows of the climl)ing 

 French Bean should certainly be included. Prin- 

 cess of Wales, Tender and True, and Climbing 

 Waxpod are most excellent varieties, producing a 

 heavy crop of Beans throughout the season. Allow 

 stakes 7 feet in length. 



Early Carrots. — The earliest sowings now re- 

 quire thinning. These also should be sent to the 

 dining-room very small, and they make an excel- 

 lent dish. When the carrot fly {rsila rosx) is 

 troublesome it is better to clear and use one row, 

 finishing it off befor-e starting the second. By this 

 means the crop is often saved. Give the main beds 

 a good dusting of soot and keep the Dutch hoe 

 luisy as often as possible. Watch very carefully 

 for the slightest sign of green fly. Spraying with 

 Quassia Extract will soon clean this pest away. 



Vegetap,le Marrows. — Plant out into frames as 

 soon as they can be spared another set of Marrows. 

 On no account allow the plants to become starved 

 in the 6-inch ])ots. When full of roots give a little 

 artificial manure to keep them going. The earliest 

 batch will now be fruiting, and are highly 

 esteemed. When planting out-of-doors give suffi- 

 cient protection if there is the slightest sign of 

 frost. 



Seakale. — Give the young fresh-planted beds a 

 slight dressing of nitrate of soda to encourage a 

 quick growth. Thin the young growths down to 

 the strongest to form the forcino; crown for next 

 season. Always remember that chemical manures, 

 to do their work, nmst be applied in warm weather. 

 Permanent beds in present use must have good 

 coverings of leaves, with a little litter to keep tliem 

 in position. Cut suflficient, and recover innne- 

 diately, as light is most injurious to good blanching. 



Peas. — Continue to stake all Peas as they become 

 ready and on good ground. Use stakes about a foot 

 longer than the catalogued height. Continue to 

 make weekly sowings of Main Crop Marrowfats. 



Chives. — Cut the chives over regularly to obtain 

 young fresh growtlis in the best possible condition 

 for the salad bowl. Should the stock require to 

 ))e increased divide and replant 12 inches between 

 the rows and 9 inches apart. 



Cucumbers. — Plants in full bearing w:ll require 

 slight top-dressings of warm soil. Keep the 

 growths pinched and thinly trained. Stop at each 

 joint beyond the fruit and cut away all tendrils 

 and coarse leaves. As the fruit ))ecomes large 

 enough cut them and place in troughs of water. 

 Do not touch the fruit with the hands and try to 

 keep the old flower still intact. Send perfectly 

 fresh, quickly-grown fruit into the house, not at 

 all large or coarse. Make one more sowing for late 

 supplies. 



Tomatoes. — Plants for outside will require to be 

 firmly potted into 6-inch pots. Use a compost of 

 three parts loam, one part leaf soil, and one of 

 sand. Warm liefore using, and stake when 

 potting. When established place in frames to 

 harden for planting next month. 



