IRISH GARDENING 



I7S 



spikes and give the beds a general clean up. Many 

 of the varieties will stand a good deal of frost one 

 season, and the next will die right out. So it is 

 advisable to be on the safe side, and propagate 

 new stock every year. 



Lawns.— Push forward any alterations, and give 

 the lawns a weekly clean where possible. En- 

 deavour to top-dress a portion each autumn. By 

 this means they will greatly improve in quality. 

 Do not roll after heavy rains this or next month; 

 but if the weather is fine and the ground fairly 

 dry it will prove beneficial. Keep the grass edges 

 clipped around the paths as long as it continues 

 to grow. 



Aster Border.— The Michaelmas Daisies have 

 again proved their great value by providing the 

 garden with a beautiful display of late autumn 

 flowers. Many of the tall-growing varieties went 

 well over six feet in height. Give them as wide a 

 border as possible. The main border in these 

 gardens is 15 feet wide and 260 feet long. They are 

 planted in groups of fives and sevens at the back, 

 threes and fives in the centre, and the Amellus 

 section at the front in fifteen to twenty-seven. The 

 Ericoides section is run through the whole in 

 groups of three, five and seven. Each plant carries 

 five shoots, which are separately staked and given 

 three ties during the season. The effect can well 

 be imagined. 



The best varieties of the Novae Anglise and N. 

 Belgii or tall section are Mrs. J. F. Raynor, deep 

 red; Mrs. S. T. Wright, rich purple; Precocite, 

 large purple; Archer Hind, soft blue; Climax, large 

 light blue, one of the very best; Beauty of Colwall, 

 lavender; Candida, large white; Daisy Hill, 

 lavender; Delicata, pale flesh; Edna Mercia, clear 

 rose; F. K. Burbidge, rosy blue; Lady Trevelyan, 

 superb white; Maiden's Blush, rosy pink; Perry's 

 Pink, deep pink; St. Egwin, clear pink; T. Smith, 

 beautiful blue; White Spray, cream; Versicolor, 

 white, changing to deep purple; Vimineus, small 

 white. Ericoides Section — Small flowers. Freedom, 

 white; Hon. Edith Gibbs, pale blue; Thora, small 

 white; Grey Dawn, light blue; Grandiflorus, large 

 violet; Keston Blue, deep blue; Ringdove, rose 

 lavender ; Lustre, lilac ; Madame Cacheux, flesh ; 

 Noir d'Anger, deep lilac. Cordifolius Section, three- 

 four feet — Edwin Beckett, soft lavender; Profusus 

 Majus, pale lilac; Ideal, pale mauve; Photograph, 

 rose, and Diffusus Horizontalis, white. Amellus 

 Section, two feet — Stella, pale blue; Bessarabicus, 

 purple blue; Framfieldi, deep blue; Perry's 

 Favourite, bright rose; Roseus, distinct purple; 

 Distinction, mauve; and Cassubicus, violet. The 

 Acris section is better in the mixed borders, as, 

 flowering earlier, they are over before the main 

 display. Albus Dracunculoides, Carnea and 

 Nanus are amongst the best of this section. 



Southern and Western Counties, 



By .J. M.^TTHEws, The Gardens, Turin, 

 Cappoquin, Co. Waterford. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Asparagus. — Wlien the top growth has ripened, cut 

 it down and clear away all weeds and rubbish, 

 making the beds tidy. It is a general practice to 

 mulch the beds at this time, but I believe on heavy 

 ground a nuilch now retains too much moisture 

 about the roots, causing decay. I prefer to apply it 

 just when growth is starting. 



Broccoli. — Early varieties of this winter vege- 

 table, also late Cauliflower may be heeled over to 

 the north, thus protecting the young curds from 

 frost and rain, which discolours them. Cauliflowers 

 that are fit to use are better pulled up and hung 

 head downwards in a cool, dark place where they 

 will keep for a week or so in good condition. 



Broad Beans. — A sowing of these may be got in 

 this month, on a fairly dry and sheltered position. 

 Sowing in lioxes in .lanuary under glass and plant- 

 ing out is, I find, a better plan; also for Peas. 



Cabbage.— Run the grubber through the drills, 

 and draw a little soil up to the stems to steady 

 them. 



Celery.— Finish off the earthing-up of late crops 

 when conditions are suitable, and be on the watch 

 for hard weather; have the covering material at 

 hand. 



Globe Artichokes.— Apply a good dressing of 

 rough stable litter round the plants as a protec- 

 tion from frost. 



Rhubarb and Seakale. — Lift a further batch of 

 roots for forcing, exposing to the weather for a 

 week or two. 



The preparation of the ground for next year's 

 crops should be pushed on now. Deep cultivation 

 is one of the main factors in the production of first- 

 rate vegetables, and, according to the labour at 

 one's disposal, an endeavour should be made to 

 trench a portion of the garden every year. Ground 

 trenched now and thrown up rough will be in good 

 condition for working in the spring apart from the 

 time saved in watering during a dry summer. 



Clean off all decayed leaves from winter crops; 

 these can be put at the bottom of the trenches. 

 Collect and store up tree leaves when dry for 

 making hotbeds later on. 



Any alterations or repairs in the garden can be 

 carried on when the weather is unsuitable for 

 ground work. 



The Fruit Garden. 



Planting. — If the ground was prepared as ad- 

 vised in September notes the planting of all kinds 

 of fruit trees and bushes should he pushed on this 

 montli, providing the soil is in good working con- 

 dition, neither too wet nor too dry. To help on the 

 work it is a good plan to have a quantity of soil 

 prepared and kept under cover for putting about 

 the roots. 



Where stakes will be required, these should be 

 placed in position before planting the trees; to 

 drive stakes down through the roots after planting 

 may destroy the fibrous ones, resulting in a bad 

 start and perhaps a sickly specimen. 



Make the holes wide enough to spread the roots 

 out, and avoid planting too deep, which is a cause 

 of many failures. 



Trees arriving from the nursery, if found dry, 

 should be placed in a tank of water for an hour 

 or two, then trim any broken roots and heel them 

 in at once. 



Pruning. — Push on this work when the weather 

 is open, starting with the wall trees, for the reason 

 that training can be carried out with some com- 

 fort, also the wounds get healed over before hard 

 frost sets 111 



All prunings and rubbish should be raked up as 

 the work proceeds and consigned to the fire. 



Raspberries and Loganberries. — The canes may 

 now be tied up to the wires and the plantation 

 cleared of all weeds, and a dressing of manure 

 applied round the stools. This is the best time to 

 plant young canes, which should be cut down in 



