IRISH GARDENING. 



29 



The Month's Work. 



The Fruit Garden. 



By GEORGE DOOLAN, Instructor in Fruit Culture, Department of 

 Agriculture, 



^ 



J 



N the matter of 

 planting young- fruit 

 trees it is most 

 important to get the 

 work completed 

 during the present 

 month, as the 

 months of March 

 and April are busy 

 times with the 

 farmer and fruit 

 grower. Choose 

 favourable weather 

 and when the soil is in good working condition 

 for the planting. A good system on which to 

 plant is to allow 12 feet between the larger 

 trees, such as apples, pears, or plums, having 

 every alternate tree a half standard or three 

 quarter standard — i.e. : — 

 0x0 



* # * 



X o X (x) Standard Apples or Plums. 



* * * 



0X0 (o) Dwarf Apples, Pears, or Plums. 



* * * 



X o X (*) Currants or Gooseberries. 



* * * 

 0x0 



This system of mixed fruit plantation, as re- 

 commended by the Department of Agriculture, 

 has many advantages. It will be seen that the 

 standards are placed 24 feet apart every way, 

 which permits the bush trees being cut out in 

 the course of years, thus allowing only the stand- 

 ards to remain. The bush apples should be on 

 the Paradise stock, which has a tendency to 

 keep the growth dwarf and fruitful. Small 

 bushes, such as currants and gooseberries, may 

 be planted as indicated on above diagram. Be- 

 tween the lines there will be 1 2 feet of clear space 

 in which cabbage, potatoes, mangles, turnips, or 

 strawberries can be grown ; such space for 

 several years can be cultivated by horse labour. 

 When planting, the soil should be well broken, 

 and, if it has been in tillage for a long time, old 

 mortar-rubbish and road-parings may be added. 

 If it was freshly ploughed the grass sods should 

 be placed beneath the roots of the trees. Place 

 very fine soil between and about the roots, 

 having first cut off any broken pieces of roots. 

 Do not plant deeply — the best and most fruitful 

 fibres are near the surface. Make the soil very 

 firm with the feet, and drive a stake firmly into 

 the ground, to which the trees should be tied ; 

 this is important in cases of newly planted trees. 



A mulch of manure on the surface is also of 

 great advantage, as newly planted fruit trees 

 are very liable to suffer from drought, and 

 manure will help to keep the soil moist about 

 the roots. 



Pruning. — This necessary work should also 

 be carried out without delay. A good rule to 

 follow is — to prune weak trees hard and strong 

 growers moderately, thinning out shoots where 

 too thick, and keeping the centre well open. 

 Weak side growths should be spurred back 

 to 2 inches of their base and leading shoots to 

 one-third of their length. Always cut to an out- 

 ward eye, so that in the following season the 

 growth will be in an outward direction. The 

 great purpose of pruning is to shape the forma- 

 tion af the trees, and if this has been well done 

 the benfits will be manifold — the wood is more 

 matured and better fitted to bear ; sun has a 

 beneficial effect both upon the tree and the 

 fruit. 



Spraying with Caustic Wash. — To keep 

 fruit trees clean and healthy this operation 

 should be carried out. It should not be done 

 later than the present month, as there is a danger 

 of young buds being injured. The mixture is 

 prepared as follows : — 



I lb. caustic soda, i lb. crude potash, ^ lb. 

 soft soap. Dissolve soda carefully, as it is 

 liable to burn the skin if it gets on the hands ; 

 then dissolve the potash in hot water and add to 

 the soda ; lastly, dissolve soft soap in boiling 

 water, and well mix with above ; add water to 

 make 10 gallons of mixture, and spray with 

 potato sprayer. This work should be done in 

 calm weather. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



By WILLIAM TYNDALL, Instructor in Horticulture, Co. Kildare. 



DURING February and March careful atten- 

 tion will require to be especially paid to 

 airing and watering of frames on hotbeds 

 in which such vegetables as potatoes, carrots, 

 radishes, and lettuces are being forced, and 

 small seeds raised, such as cauliflowers, Brussels 

 Sprouts, and the many kinds of half-hardy 

 annual flowers. Always give air on fine, mild 

 days before the temperature has very much in- 

 creased, but do not give full air at once, as care- 

 less cultivators generally do, thereby causing 

 a chill. Give a little air at first, then gradually 

 increase it as the day gets warmer. Close 

 down early so that the stored heat may be 

 longer retained in the frames during the night. 

 If the glass is well covered with mats it will in- 

 crease the protection. Attend to the singling 

 out of plants such as onions, leeks, and lettuce 

 raised from seed sown last month, and then 

 re-planting in other boxes and pots. Use the 

 same kind of compost as before, with the 



