December 



The Month's Work 



Midland and Northern Counties. 



By Mr. F. Streeter, Gai'dener to B. H. Barton, 



Esq., D.Jj., Straffan House, Straffan, 



Co. Kildare. 



The Kitchen Gauden. 



Artichokes. — Lift the crop of Jerusalem Artichokes 

 in mild weather and store at the back of north 

 walls. Sort them as soon as the tubers are lifted, 

 placing the ware by themselves for use, and cover- 

 ing with either river sand or ashes. Keep the 

 seed for next season's planting separate and dust 

 over with a little powdered lime before covering 

 up. If the crop is lifted and used. for the kitchen 

 a.s required, a sharp watch must be kept for slugs 

 and worms, which are most troublesome. Burn the 

 stalks, and trench and licavily manure the 

 ground when the crop is lifted. 



Broccoli. — The various vaiieties of Broccoli 

 will require constant watching to have them in 

 good condition and without a break. Continue to 

 place the heads towards the north in the manner 

 reconnnended last month, and have protecting 

 material in readiness for sharp spells of frost. 

 Make notes of any variety that is not giving 

 satisfaction a,nd try another well tried variety over 

 the same season next year. A good number of 

 gardeners get their broccoli too strong in leaf, with 

 the result that frost soon destroys the whole 

 l)atch. Grown on hard ground the stems become 

 more tough and less susceptible to frost. 



Brussels Sprouts. — This is a most hardy vege- 

 table and not likely to suffer from frost. Com- 

 mence picking the mature, hard Sprouts from the 

 l)ase of the plants, leaving the tops of the plants 

 till spring. Still continue to take away all de- 

 cayed and yellow leaves, keeping the plants clean 

 and the ground free from fallen tree leaves and 

 weeds. 



Spring Cabbage. — Should the earliest Cabbage 

 beds on south borders have large trees near, care 

 nuist be taken to keep the fallen leaves cleared 

 aw ay ; in mild weather, when the plants continue 

 glowing, draw a little soil up to the stems occa- 

 sionally. A slight forking between the rows will 

 prove beneficial, and should pigeons i^rove 

 troublesome it is better to net the beds, and a few 

 spruce boughs placed between the earliest plants 

 of Harbinger will hasten their growth. 



Cucumbers. — Preparations should now be made 

 for a sowing of early cucumbers to plant out next 

 month. Sow one seed in a clean, small pot and as 

 many plants as are required to plant the house. 

 J'lunge into a hot bed with a l)ottom heat of about 

 To degrees, placing glass over the pots till the seed- 

 lings appear. A small pit with a plentiful supply 

 of hot water pipes is necessary for this crop, and 

 a temperature of 70 degrees. No air will be re- 

 quired for the first two months, and aim at keeping 

 the atmosphere well charged with moisture. 



Always use warm water the same temperature as 

 the house, and as the roots appear give slight top- 

 dressing of equal parts loam and leaf soil. Keep 

 a sharp look out for insect pests, and cut the fruits 

 a.s they become large enough to use. Improved 

 Telegraph is an excellent variety for this sowing. 



Carrots. — Where one has heated pits for vege- 

 table growing at his command, a sowing of Early 

 Horn Carrots for supplying the dining room with 

 a choice dish early in the season should now be 

 made. Make a slight hot-bed, thoroughly firm, 

 placing nine inches of finely sifted soil on the top 

 of the leaves, arranging for the whole to be about 

 eight inches from the glass; draw shallow drills 

 nine inches apart and sow fairly thick, covering 

 the seed with prepared soil free from stones. &c. 

 Give the whole a slight dusting of lime, and keep 

 close and moist till the seedlings appear, wlien a 

 little air must be cautiously given. Keep a sharp 

 look out for slugs, and also see that green fly is 

 kept down by slight fumigations of X.L. All. 



Parsley. — All Parsley growing in frames and pits 

 nuist have plenty of ventilation when the outside 

 thermometer reaches 38 degrees and above. 

 Keep the soil stirred between the plants. If 

 leaves are to be gathered from outside beds these 

 must have some slight protection from severe 

 weather, and a few hand-lights or spare lights 

 placed over the plants will protect them. 



Spinach. — Eemove all decaying leaves from the 

 various varieties of Siiinach, lightly forking be- 

 tween the rows, as constantly walking up between 

 tlie plants, especially in wet' weather, to pick the 

 leaves causes the soil to become like a road. 



Tomatoes. — Where Tomato seed was sown early 

 last month the young plants will require to be 

 potted off singly and kept in a growing tempera- 

 ture of 55 degrees to GO degrees. Prepare and 

 warm the soil before using, and pot the plants in 

 the house where growing, if possible. It is advis- 

 able, where the potting shed is not connected with 

 the houses, to have a small portable bench made; 

 it can then be carried from house to house 

 wherever it may be Avanted. Water most carefully 

 early in the morning, and with tepid water. Seed 

 .'should be sown now to supply an early crop next 

 spring. Avoid all draughts and pot off as soon as 

 ready. Be on the watch for the dreaded white 

 fly, and fumigate every fortnight as a preventive. 



Potatoes. — Hot beds should be prepared for 

 forcing Potatoes; use three part leaves to one part 

 litter; make thoroughly firm and place about 12 

 inches of fine soil over the whole, then placing 

 the frames and lights in position. Place the trays 

 with the tubers into a warm house to get well 

 sprouted before planting. After planting see that 

 the frames are kept well lined with fermenting 

 material, and covers to put over the lights every 

 night, and in frosty weather. Where one has a 

 good supply of glass, early Potatoes may be 

 trrown either in boxes or pots — small boxes for pre- 



