46 



IRISH GARDENING. 



The Flower Garden. 



By J. G. TONER, Horticultural Instructor, Co. Longford. 



O suit various require- 

 ments hyacinths, tuHps, 

 narcissus, and other bul- 

 bous subjects can now be 

 brought g-entl}into bloom ; 

 they must occupy a nice, 

 light position, and the 

 more slowly they are 

 brought along the sturdier 

 ihc plants will be and the 

 blooms more lasting. The 

 staking of hj-acinth spikes 

 requires particular care, 

 and the lies at all periods 

 should be quite loc>se, else 

 ilisaster may follow. The 

 later batches should be 

 kept quite cool in frames 

 or pits so that a suc- 

 cession of bloom may be 

 secured. 



Repotting and division of various ferns may now be 

 proceeded with, as many kinds, such as adiantuins, 

 pterises, aspleniums, &c. , will be making new growth. 

 When it is not considered advisable to repot, the sur- 

 face soil should be removed with a sharp-pointed stick, 

 and sweet, fresh soil put in its place. The addition of a 

 5/// r/// proportion of somegoodferliliser will atld greatly to 

 the vigour of the new growth. A suitable all-round com- 

 post for ferns would be two parts loam, one of peat, and 

 sufficient clean, sharp sand to keep the whole porous. 

 When the more delicate kinds are being treated some 

 broken charcoal may be added. 



The gorgeous show pelargoniums will now need 

 special attention in regard to staking and training the 

 shoots ; feeding, too, must not be overlooked when fine 

 and large specimens are desired. Small plants that ma)- 

 have been wintered in three or four inch pots may be 

 placed in fives or sixes, and will make handy and showy 

 plants for room decoration. Occasional fumigations 

 will prevent attacks of fly. 



Chrysanthemums will do nicely now in cold frames. 

 Too much air can hardly be given. The majority of them 

 should be in five-inch pots, and the pinching of the shoots 

 must not be forgotten. The final choice of plants and 

 varieties now demands attention, and it will be found 

 more satisfactory to grow a limited number well than 

 to spoil a whole lot. Single chrysanthemums have a 

 special value, and there might with great advantage be 

 a fair proportion of these and the lovely little Pompons 

 grown in every collection. In reference to the pinching 

 or stopping of the shoots, this should never be done im- 

 mediately before or after potting. 



If not seen to already this is a proper time to place 

 dahlia roots in heat to start the growth. When the 

 young shoots' attain a length of about four inches 

 they can be removed from the parent plant and stuck 

 in small pots ; one only should be placed in each 

 pot. .4s an alternative, the old root or stool ma}' be cut 

 into several parts, each having a young shoot or shoots 

 attached ; the former method, however, is the better. 

 There is very often a tendency to have these potted 

 plants too forward, in which case, if the weather is un- 

 favourable at expected planting time, the plants will be 

 seriously checked in growth. 



Hardy annual seeds should be sown now as the 

 weather permits. A golden rule is to sow thinly and 

 thin out the plants afterwards with an unsparing hand. 

 Not every person who sows such seeds takes sufficient 

 pains to thoroughly dig and manure the ground before 

 doing so. A notion appears to be general, that any 

 position or any condition of soil is good enough for them, 



ixnd because they in a general way are so acconunc dating 

 any treatment is supposed to be good enough ; but there 

 is a very considerable difference in size of blooms, last- 

 ing qualities, and general appearance of those plants 

 grown on soil that has been well worked and manured 

 and those struggling for existence on a hard and hungry 

 patch of ground. 



About the middle of the month seeds of asters, stocks, 

 phloxes, marigolds, schizanthus, balsams, petimias, and 

 many others of a kindred nature should be sown in heat ; 

 here again sow thinly, do not over-water, and prick out 

 young plants before they are crowded, and shade after 

 pricking out. 



Herbaceous calceolarias will now require attention. 

 If very large plants are wanted the final shift may now 

 be given, those in six-inch pots going into eights or nines. 

 Grand specimens can be grown in these. If this is not 

 done the plants tnust be fed regularh', and the soil never 

 allowed to get quite dry. Keep them as cool as 

 possible, remove decaying leaves, and see that under 

 no circumstances the green fly is permitted to gain a 

 footing, it being specially destructive to those beautiful 

 plants. 



In the outdoor garden the planting of shrubs, especially 

 deciduous kinds, and roses should now be nearly finished. 

 There is still good time for evergreens. Re-arrangement 

 of herbaceous borders, if not done as advised last month, 

 must be pushed on. Climbing plants on walls, arches 

 and trellises will require more or less pruning ; this may be 

 proceeded with. .Shrubs, too, that are exceeding the 

 space allotted to them may also be dealt with, the knife in 

 all cases being used ; the natural growth and habit of each 

 specimen will suggest to the intelligent mind the best 

 method of pruning. Pansies and violas should be trans- 

 ferred to beds or borders^ and will give a fine d splay 

 later on. Seeds may be sown towards the end of the 

 month. Such plants as Canterbin-y bells and wallflowers 

 can still be moved to fill gaps in beds or in a\ailable 

 space through shrubbery borders ; the balls of soil 

 should be carefully preserved, so that little check may be 

 sustained. Sow swt et peas again to succeed those 

 sown in heat last month. 



Seeds of Hybrid primroses and polyanthus can be sown 

 in boxes at any time now ; they are better value than 

 many plants that get far more attention. A beautiful 

 variety can be obtained from a mixed packet of seeds 

 from a good source, and in rich,lmoist ground they will 

 give flowers on fine, long stalks, and will be found useful 

 and pretty at a season when there is not much choice in 

 hardy flowers, at any rate in colour. Rockeries, rock 

 gardens, fern corners, &c., should now receive a thorough 

 overhauling, and be cleaned and topdressed. Carnations 

 and pinks, if not looked after last month, ought now to 

 receive attention, and be placed in the quarters selected 

 for them. A great deal of other work will suggest 

 itself to lovers of gardens, and in this the busiest month 

 of the year for the gardener plans must be made and 

 thorough preparation, too, if success is to be attained 



5^* i^^ ^^ 



The Vegetable Garden. 



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



CROPPING.— This season, with the month of 

 January and part of February so wet, 

 those who have heavy, retentive soils to 

 cultivate are likely, unless the latter part of 

 F^ebruary is fine, to be late in g-etting- in the 

 several crops. If seeds are sown when the 

 ground is in a cold, wet state, not only is it 

 impossible to do the work well (as walkings about 

 makes the soil pasty), but there is also every 

 chance of the seeds failing to germinate. Better 



