IRISH GARDENING 



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liouse at a tempfrature of 55 degrees, and when 

 tlie heat is turned on damp the paths, &e., with 

 manure water alwut 9 a.m. The beds in l)earing 

 must not he allowed to l)ei'ome the least dry, 

 neither must they have too much water. Use 

 water at a temperatiu'e of 7U degrees. When pick- 

 ing tiie Mushrooms, give them a sharj) twist, not 

 cutting them on the bed, otherwise the stems left 

 in soon decay and cause the bed to stop l)earing. 



Potatoes. — Watch the Potatoes for diseased 

 tubers, and dust them wo! I with powdered lime. 

 See that they are stored quite frost proof. Go over 

 the seed occasionally to make sure they are keep- 

 ing well. Get the earliest set up in sprouting trays 

 ready for early forcing on hot beds. 



Cabbage. — Keep a sharp look out for pests on the 

 Spring Cabbage bed; dust with lime, if slugs are 

 troublesome, on a mild morning or evening when 

 they are out feeding. Make good any vacancies 

 from the seed bed, and draw some soil up to the 

 collars of the yovuig plants. As the Coleworts, 

 Savoys, &c., are used, pull up the stems and get 

 the ground trenched. 



liEEKS.^Give the final earthing to the late plant- 

 ings. Use up the earliest rows first, levelling the 

 soil as the plants are lifted. 



Turnips. — Lift sufficient Turnips for use in 

 severe weather and store in sand in the vegetable 

 shed. Keejj the latest sowings free from weeds. 



Mustard and Cress. — Make weekly sowings of 

 Mustard and Cress according to requirements. 

 Water Cress from a clear, running stream forms a 

 delightful salad at this season, using the fresh, 

 young leaves. 



Rhubarb. — Lift and expose to the air the first set 

 of Rhubarb crowns, for some two or three weeks, 

 before taking into the forcing house. Owing to the 

 sliortage of fruit this year rather more than usual 

 should be forced. Make siu-e the soil does not 

 become dry in which the crowns are placed, other- 

 wise it will be very poor stringy stuff. Do not 

 attempt to force outside too soon. 



General Work. — Continue to trench and till all 

 vacant plots to allow the frost to get M'ell hold of it, 

 besides killing slugs and vermin. Keep the green 

 crops clean of decaying leaves. All tree leaves 

 should be swept up and stored for hot beds, or leaf 

 soil. In hard, frosty weather wheel manure on to 

 the ground. All iron work will greatly benefit 

 from a coat of black paint, and in I'ough weather 

 prepare labels, grind tools, and help forward the 

 work for next season. 



The Hardy Fruit Garden. 



Notes on Planting, &c. — Up to the present this 

 season has been most favourable for planting of all 

 descriptions. It is generally the beginning of this 

 month when the nurserymen begin to execute their 

 orders. On the arrivah of the trees unpack them 

 at once and plant permanently if possible. 

 Should the ends of the roots be at all jagged and 

 l>ruised, these parts nuist be cut away. If long and 

 straggling cut them well back with a sharp knife. 

 Do not get the holes dug out before you are ready 

 to plant, otherwise the rain will soak the soil and 

 make it quite unworkal)le. Arrange the stations 

 for the new trees and mark with a stake. When 

 planting have a barrow load at least of new soil to 

 shake in between the roots. Get the right depth 

 (viz., the same as in the nursery). Lay the roots 

 out thinly in the layers in which they have been 

 growing. Finish off and make thoroughly firm. 

 Standards and Half Standards are best planted to 



a stout stake. Secinely fasten, using a piece of 

 sacking to prevent rubbing the bark, then add a 

 layer of long litter. In orchards do not allow the 

 grass right up to the stems, leaving a good circle, 

 and keep this well hoed during the spring and 

 summer months. If, on the arrival of the trees, 

 the weather is unsuitable, they must be laid 

 into soil ready for planting the first oppor- 

 tunity; in case of heavy frosts during the transit 

 and arrival they should be kept in a shed or 

 cellar until the frost has gone. Label the trees with 

 permanent labels and a keep a record of all the 

 trees planted, in a book. For private gardeners who; 

 have to maintain a supply of fruit the whole year 

 round I find it is absolutely essential to grow a 

 large number of varieties. I know a good many 

 people will not agree with this statement; but after 

 thirty years' experience gained in our leading 

 British gardens I am more than convinced that 

 this is so. The present season, for instance, is a 

 proof of this. Many popular varieties liave not 

 fruited at all, whilst less known varieties are carry- 

 ing average crops. 



List of Satisfactory Apples. — Dessert — Irish 

 Peach, Beauty of Bath, Worcester Pearmain, Lady 

 Siidely, James Grieve, Rival, Wealthy, St. Everard, 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, ('harles Ross, Egreniont Rus- 

 set, Boston Russet, Allington Pippin, Ribston Pip- 

 l)in, Paraquet, Adam's Pearmain, Blenheim Orange 

 Pippin, William Chump, Cockle Pippin, Sturmer 

 Pippin and I.,ord Hindlip. Culinary Varieties — 

 Royal Jubilee, jjoddington, Stirling Castle, Ecklin- 

 ville Seedling (thin skinned). Grenadier, Norfolk 

 Beauty, Emperor Alexander, The Queen, Bramley's 

 Seedling, Tower of Glamis, Hambling's Seed- 

 ling, Gloria Mmidi. Wellington, Striped Beaufin, 

 Jjacly Henniker, Haiiwell Souring, Sandringham, 

 and Newton Pippin. Waltham Abbey Seedling is 

 one of the best flavoured cooking Apples. Welling- 

 ton is especially good for mince meat at Christmas. 

 Annie Elizabeth keeps well into May. 



Peaches and Nectarines. — Should these trees 

 have made too rank a growth it would be advisable 

 to lift them and sever any strong roots, adding 

 plenty of mortar rubble when replanting. See 

 that trees growing on the walls do not become at 

 all dry at the root. More failures are caused 

 through drought than anything else with these, 

 most luscious fruits. Untie the branches as soon 

 as the leaves fall naturally, and tie several of them 

 together to strong stakes inserted in the border 

 away from the walls. The following varieties may 

 be relied on to give excellent results, both in 

 health and flavour : — Early Peaches — Rivers Early, 

 Early Alfred, Hale's Early, and Early Alexander, 

 Second Early— Duke of York, Peregrine, 

 Dyniond, Barrington, Bellegarde, Violette Hative, 

 Lcite, Sea Eagle, jjate Devonian, W\ E. Gladstone, 

 and Golden Eagle. Nectarines — Early Rivers, Lord 

 Napier, Elruge, Pine Apple, Milton, Spencer, and 

 Humboldt. 



North Walls. — Make use of all space on the 

 north walls for such fruit trees as Gooseberries, 

 Red Currants, PUnns, Loganberries, the various 

 forms of Blackberries, Late Duke, and Morello 

 Cherries. South walls for Vines, Sweet Cherries, 

 Pears, Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines, Figs 

 and Choice Dessert Pluujs. West walls for Plums, 

 Pears, Apples. East walls for Plums and Pears. 



MoRELLO Cherries. — As soon as the leaves fall 

 naturally get these Cherries pruned and trained in 

 thinly not closer than six inches. Securely fasten 

 the leacling branches evenly over the wall space. 

 When the trees are finished clean up and burn all 



