Midland and Northern Counties. 



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



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



Co. Kildare. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Asparagus Beds. — As soon as the stems and foliage 

 turn yellow they should be cut down close to the 

 ground, the beds cleaned, and all the rubbish 

 liurnt on the smother fire, l^ightly fork over the 

 beds and add several inches of good, short manure, 

 cut down the edges of the beds true to the corner 

 posts, and place the soil on the top of the manure, 

 leaving the beds neat and trim for the winter 

 months. Where forcing is carried out, it is best to 

 use an entire bed if possible, making young ])eds 

 to take their place each season. 



.\TtTrcHOKES. Gi-OBE. — Tlic stcuis wiU require pro- 

 tection from severe frosts; either bracken or long 

 litter will answer well. Place up close to the stems 

 the straw, and mulch the whole bed. In very 

 damp and cold gardens it is advisable to pot up 

 sufficient crowns each winter, making a new bed 

 in the spring. The Jerusalem varieties will winter 

 well where they are grown. In the event of hard 

 weather, sufficient supplies should be taken up 

 and stored in the vegetable shed. 



Broad Beans. — Some gardeners find it advan- 

 tageous to sow the first crop of Broad Beans during 

 November. Where this is possible, a very warm, 

 sheltered position is necessary, covering the 

 Beans with sand. I^se the long-podded varieties, 

 but, unless one has a good site, I would advise 

 waiting till January, sowing then in boxes and 

 raising in cold frames. 



Ghicgry.— Lift the Chicory, and store under a 

 north wall in ashes. Introduce the required 

 niunber of crowns to the forcing house according 

 to the demand; when forcing see that the soil in 

 which the crowns are growing never approaches 

 anything like dryness; otherwise the young, 

 blanched leaves will prove bitter and tough. 

 Always keep the forcing house dark, and when 

 working inside use a lamp, shutting the door as 

 quickly as possible. 



Celery.— Give the final earthing on fine days 

 early in the month. If severe frost sets in, it will 

 prove a good plan to cover the rows with straw or 

 long litter, but this nnist be removed as soon as the 

 frost lias gone. When digging the plants, level the 

 ground each morning. 



Onions. — Hoe between the rows of autumn sown 

 Onions, keeping the l)eds free from weeds and the 

 ground in good condition. Keep a sharp look-out 

 for diseased bulbs in the Onion store. On wet days 

 continue to rope them together and hang them 

 from the beams of a dry, airy shed. Use the 

 largest bulbs first. Shallots and Potato Onions 

 will require constant watching for diseased bull)S. 

 removing them on the slightest sign of decay. 



Salsify and Scorzonera. — Lift both these crops 

 carefully without damaging the long roots, -store 

 them under a north wall in a bed of sand, and keep 

 protected from frost. 



Broccoli. — In cold districts one must be pre- 

 pared to go to some trouble to keep up a good 

 succession. The plants are much more likely to 

 come through a rough season if they have been 

 grown thinly on hard ground and not too sappy. 

 In the event of sharp frosts the plants should be 

 buried up to the leaves, facing the north. Take 

 out a trench at the northern end of the bed. place 

 the spade behind the plant, and lever it bodily into 

 the trench. In very severe weather cover the 

 plants with long litter, removing it immediately 

 the frost has gone. Any of the late autumn Cauli- 

 flower just turning in should be lifted and placed 

 closely together in cold frames. Young Cauliflower 

 plants pricked out in frames must have the lights 

 removed on all favourable occasions. Keep free 

 from weeds and the soil constantly stirred; a dust- 

 ing of lime will prove beneficial. 



Seakale. — The strongest crowns should now he 

 lifted and prepared, in wet weather, for forcing. 

 Trim off all small roots, selecting the longest pieces 

 for making fresh crowns. Cut them in 6-inch 

 lengths. The bottom cut should be made slanting 

 and the tops straight. Tie in bundles of 25 and 

 plunge in a bed of ashes. Strong crowns may be 

 forced any time now in the forcing house, with a 

 temperature of 60 degrees. For forcing permanent 

 beds, pots should be placed over the crowns, and 

 fresh leaves and litter placed over the whole. 

 When using fresh leaves be careful not to use too 

 large a quantity at once, as they liecome too liot 

 when gathered fresh. Dust with lime to ward off 

 slugs. 



French Beans. — Where one has the convenience 

 for forcing P>ench Beans a start should be made 

 at once, placing six or seven Beans in a 8-inch pot, 

 half filled with the following compost : — 2 parts 

 loam, 1 part mushroom dung, 1 part sand, with a 

 5-inch pot of soot i)er barrow load. Use in a fairly 

 dry state. Allow a temperature of 60 degrees at 

 night, rising with sun heat during the day time. 

 On no account must the plants suffer from want of 

 water, and syringe twice daily in fine weather with 

 tepid water. Never use cold water, and damp 

 down with manure water. This will keep away 

 red spider. When the plants are large enough 

 give them a good top-dressing, and place some 

 twigs from old brooms around tliie outside of the 

 pot for support. Extra Early Forcing is the best 

 variety for this sowing. 



Mushrooms.— Continue to collect manure for 

 making fresh beds. It will require turning more 

 frequently at this season to get it dry enough to 

 make the bed go together well. The earlier 

 spawned beds are throwing a goodly quantity of 

 buttons and without the aid of fire heat. Keep the 



