i84 



IRISH GARDENING 





Allotments. 



This is a dull season on the allotments. Any 

 flowers which helped to give a bright appearance 

 have now succumbed to frosts and bad weather. 

 For the majority of plotholders, the only oppor- 

 tunity for visiting the i)lot is a limited period at 

 the end of the week. Such time as is available 

 should be given to digging the ground and making 

 surface drains where required. There is always 

 sometliing which demands attention even on a plot, 

 and the most important matter is to get the ground 

 thoroughly dug up and exposed to the frost. 



The supply of vegetables is now somewhat 

 limited, but every allotment should even now he 

 able to supply Winter Greens, Leeks, Turnijjs and 

 Parsnips to help out the family budget. Potatoes 

 in the store should occasionally be examined, 

 throwing out decayed and diseased tubers. This 

 turning over is very necessary this season, owing 

 to the prevalence of disease. Decayed potatoes 

 soon spread through the heap. Seed potatoes in 

 sacks or boxes can now be spread in single hiyeis, 

 with the eyes on top. Our potatoes are stored in 

 quite a cool place, but already some of the early 

 varieties show signs of beginning to sprout. This, 

 however, does not give occasion for any alarm, 

 because if the tubers are kept in a cool position, 

 with all the light availal)le, practically no growth 

 will take place for some time to come. 



Parsnips and Artichokes keep better when left in 

 the ground. If the ground is liable to become 

 frozen, some dry material, such as bracken, fern, 

 or leaves, will protect the surface, and enable the 

 roots to be dug. Some similar protection may be 

 necessary for the Celery trenches. The ground 

 between the rows of Cabbages should be lightly 

 forked over. This will prevent the soil becoming 

 caked and hard with continual rain. Rhu1)arb is 

 quite easily forced, if a shed is available. The 

 roots can be bedded in soil or leaves to keep them 

 moist, and then covered over with sacking or l)oxes 

 to keep out the light. Another plan is to cover the 

 roots in the groimd with barrels and horse litter 

 to generate heat. In place of barrels stout stakes 

 can be driven in closely together around the roots, 

 and the covering then applied. 



Why are farming and gardening implements so 

 neglected in the way of cleaning and oiling? The 

 extra amount of energy required to dig with a 

 rusty spade is considerable, and good work is 

 almost impossible with it. It is quite a conmion 

 practice on large areas of allotments to have a shed 

 for the combined use of plotholders. When suit- 

 al)le racks and hooks are placed on the walls 

 economy of space is obtained. But practically 



I'very group ot alio! iiicnls has its conglomeration 

 (>t structures devoted to various purposes. Very 

 few indeed, however, have made any arrangement 

 for hanging the tools; these are too often thrown 

 in a corner to rust away, or be missing when next 

 required. Whereas a little oiling and cleaning 

 when the tools are polished with using, would make 

 such a difference, and if hung up out of the way 

 the lif^^ of the tools would be preserved by years. 



The increase in allotments gave place to a corre- 

 s])onding rise in the literature dealing on the sub- 

 ject of plots. Some of the books have evidently 

 l)een written in a hurry, or merely extracts from 

 works on general gardening. Strange to say, the 

 best information is probably found in the small 

 l)amphlets and leaflets distributed gratis or at a 

 nominal price. What requires to be done at the 

 moment can always be foimd in the current weekly 

 and monthly i^eriodicals. But nnich useful infor- 

 mation is contained in t;ie pamphlets referred to. 

 A useful little manual is published by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for 

 Ireland, on ■" The Management of a Cottage 

 Garden." The i)rice is one penny. The Depart- 

 ment also i)ublisli leaflets containing most vahuible 

 information to 1)e obtained gratis. The Royal Hor- 

 ticultural Society, London, have also issued a num- 

 ber of pamphlets relating to allotments and small 

 gardens, which are obtainable for a few pence. 

 These mentioned, and the leaflets issued by the 

 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, will form an 

 allotment holder's library at little cost. Reference 

 has lieen made to these publication because of their 

 soiuid and exact information — a complaint the 

 writer often hears is that it is difficult to get, even 

 now, suital)le books for the small garden, the majo- 

 rity dealing with single subjects. The Ministry of 

 Agriculture have recently issued a leaflet giving 

 suggestions for cultivation, together with a chart 

 showing a plan of cropping the ])lot. 



In this district there has been quite an alarming 

 amount of pilfering vegetables from plots. Notliing 

 disheartens men more than to see their ])roduce 

 disappear after months of labour. Ample protection 

 was given everywhere during the war by regula- 

 tions against tr<\spassers. The causes of the present 

 mischief are perfectly understood, but vmfortu- 

 nately the detection of the cidprits is not so easy. 

 In the early days of the allotment movement here, 

 there were sporadic attempts at pilfering. Even- 

 tuiilly these were completely sujjpressed by prose- 

 cution and subsequent publication of the offences 

 in the local Press. Hundreds of pounds have been 

 spent on fences and locks, and the upkeep is a 

 serioiis item of expenditure. Apart from super- 

 vision, the remedy lies in the hands of the tenants, 

 and it is a difficult one. 



I wonder how many allotment holders keep 

 accounts showing the expenditure and income of 

 the plot. It is both interesting and useful, and the 

 results are often surprising. The area of a plot is, 

 of course, far too small to give a return on the 

 number of hours laboured, but the value of the 

 ])roduce obtained should be considerably in excess 

 of expenses. Figures have been published by en- 

 thusiasts showing quite amazing results, but even 

 on an average plot, which is worked with interest 

 and merit, quite a satisfactory return can be made, 

 to sav nothing of any other benefits obtained. 



G. H. O. 



Erratum, 



In the note on Trinity College Gardens which 

 appeared in our last issue Qiincus mpxirnva 

 should read Qiiercus rihilirrnrci}^^ native of 

 Mexico, 



