IRISH GARDENING 



149 



planted out in the spring, and were beaten hollow 

 by the spring sown ones, as both varieties came 

 in for table use together, the best heads being 

 cut from the spring sown batch. Melons in 

 frames fared only middling, as they did not get 

 the sun-heat which jMelons require, and were 

 also very liable to canker. 



Potatoes in this locality have suffered a good 

 deal with the " blight " this season, and although 

 spraying was carried out on a much more 

 extensive scale than in previous years, the rain 

 almost invariably came on afterwards to Avash 

 away the work for " prevention of disease." 



Before concluding I will hei'e give a few notes 

 of the rainfall and the gales that have occurred 



rain, 1.02 inches fell in half an hour. On May 2nd 

 we had a gale of S.W. to N.W. wind, which 

 wrought much havoc amongst fruit. On 17th, 

 18th and 19th we had violent winds, at 

 times nearly a gale, with heavy rains and hail- 

 stones. 



To come to a close, I may say that those few 

 weather notes will give an explanation to readers 

 why I said in my opening lines, that most fruit 

 rooms will be rather empty this winter, at least 

 in this locality. However, I trust I am not 

 speaking for the whole country in general, for, 

 if I am, it means a blue lookout for the comine 

 .winter. 



.J. J. O' Carroll. 



during the months of March, April, and May this 

 year in this locality. 



Of course, most of your readers may retain 

 Unpleasant memories of the vagaries of the most 

 erratic and unseasonable weather which evidently 

 has been very widely prevalent. All the same, 

 these few notes on the weather may be interesting 

 to readers, and also show the adverse conditions 

 to which fi*uit crops were subjected. 



March rainfall, 4.30 inches on 20 rain days. 

 On 11th a violent gale of S.E. wind. On 12th, 

 a violent N.W. wind. On 13th, rain, hail, and 

 snow and S.E. wind. During the last week of 

 the month much violent S.E. and N.W. winds. 

 Torrential rains and hailstones on three different 

 days. 



April rainfall, 3.55 inches on 21 days. During 

 second week of the month we had uuich violent 

 S.E. and N.W. winds. On the 19th and 20th we 

 had S.E. to N.W. winds blowing nearly a gale, 

 and throughout the whole month we seldom saw 

 the sun. , 



May rainfall, 5.48 inches on 20 days. On two 

 different days in this month over an inch of rain 

 fell ; on the 29th we had 1,17 inches. Of this 



Red Flowering Shrubs during July 

 and August. 



This tolour amongst summer flowering shrubs is 

 rare except in localities such as this, where 

 some of the rarer, and consequently less known, 

 species, and varieties thrive; but where facilities 

 are available for their inclusion every effort should 

 be made to grow them, as in their varying shades 

 they add a brilliant touch of colour to their sur- 

 roundings. 



First and foremost I will mention Fuchsia 

 Biccarfoni, which flourishes here and everywhere 

 round about, forming hedges (if not clipped too 

 severely) of great beauty. As lawn specimens and 

 in the shrubberies they attain to a great size, and 

 with a little judicious pruning they form hand- 

 some specimens, and in the case of very old pieces 

 that have become hare and almost worn out, they 

 may be rejuvenated by cutting down to the ground 

 level, and the ground about them cleaned and a 

 little' new soil in the form of a top-dressing 

 afforded. This is best done in the spring of the 

 year. For clothing walls of houses and cottages 

 they are exceedingly effective, and pruning done 



