62 



IRISH GARDENING. 



around the edges of small pots. There are many beautiful 

 kinds, being- quite on a level with the sweet peas as 

 regards range of colour. Where a temperature of 

 55 degrees can be kept up these may be had in bloom 

 all the }-ear round. 



Azaleas now require great attention, as many will be 

 in bloom or near that stage ; they must be carefully 

 watered, kept perfectly clean, and those that are in 

 flower shaded from the sunshine, that may at least be 

 expected. Plants of .-J. inoUis that have flowered early 

 will make good growth now if placed in a brisk, moist 

 heat. 



Bedding geraniums should be stood in pits or cold 

 frames. Do not give over much water until they are 

 accustomed to the new conditions. Let them have as 

 much air as possible during favourable weather; sturdy, 

 strong, and floriferous plants will result. 



Begonias of the Gloire de Lorraine type may be pro- 

 pagated by cuttings, sometimes by leaves ; the former 

 method, however, is the better. If necessary some 

 plants should be cut back for the purpose of producing 

 a crop of cuttings ; when selecting plants for this 

 purpose the strongest and best should be picked for 

 propagating, not, as sometimes happens, the weakest 

 and worst. 



Prick out seedling of tuberous begonias, pot o\\ 

 plants as may be found necessary, plant in five then into 

 seven-inch pots, and so on. The flowering period may 

 be controlled very largely according to the treatment 

 given the plants. If early flowering is desirable, pot 

 rather a little on the loose, and keep in a comfortable 

 temperature ; if late flowering is preferred, or if plants in 

 full bloom are wished for on a certain dale, pot firmly ; 

 keep as cool as is compatible with their welfare, and pick 

 off flower buds until about six weeks from selected date. 



Give Arum lilies plenty of water and regular feeding 

 with liquid manure, varied occasionally by application 

 of any good fertiliser ; they are gluttons for food and 

 water in their growing season. The yellow variety, 

 C. elHot/iaiia, will do well with somewhat less liberal 

 treatment ; it is a very pretty kind, but, like many other 

 beauties, somewhat fastidious. What a pity it is that 

 the charming Little Gem variety is not more generally 

 known ; it only grows about 12 or 15 inches high, and is 

 a dainty little plant for house decoration. Prick out as 

 becomes necessary all tender and half-hardy plants, 

 taking care to shade for a little while afterwards. 



Strike cuttings of fuchsias ; and re-pot, if not done 

 already, plants started some time since in heat. Attend 

 well to watering and feeding show pelargoniums. Get 

 up a good stock of ivy-leaved geraniums, petunias, 

 traihng lobelias, and other plants of same habit for 

 furnishing hanging baskets, brackets, window boxes, 

 &c. A lot of the French Marguerite or Paris Daisy will 

 be found useful throughout the season. 



Prune roses, sow more hardy annuals, plant gladioli, 

 plant evergreens, sow pansies, protect sweet peas with 

 nets from birds, dust with lime or soot, or both, to keep 

 off slugs, make new plantation of violets. 



^5^ i^^ ^5* 

 The Nasturtium or Tropceobim is an ornamental 

 plant, and of great use in garden decoration. The seed 

 should be sown on the first favourable opportunity in 

 May in drills about one-and-a-half inches deep, and 

 covered with finely broken soil. The seeds should be 

 sown against walls, over which the plants may be trained 

 to hide unsightly objects. The dark flowering kinds 

 produce fruit very plentifull)'. The young seed vessels 

 when pickled resemble capers, and may be used for a 

 similar purpose. If not used by the grower himself he 

 will find a ready sale for them in markets. The young 

 points of the side-shoots may be also used (with 

 mustard and cress) as a salad. The dwarf varieties 

 are more suitable in cottage gardens, and are worthy 

 of a place in a window or flow^er border. X. 



How to Grow Carrots 

 for Exhibition. 



By WILLIAM JOHNSTON, Instructor in Horticulture, Co. Longford. 



SOIL. — Carrots do best in deeply-worked, calcareous 

 or rich sandy loams, which should be reduced to a 

 fine tilth before sowing the seed. The soil should 

 be deeply dug in the autumn, and in the following 

 spring it should be well pulverised, as the seedlings of 

 carrots are delicate. 



Manuring. — Carrots do best after a crop that has 

 been well manured the previous year. I find that carrots 

 succeed best after a crop of celery, as the soil would 

 then be rich in plant food for their use. If the soil is 

 rather poor it would be well to dig in some well-decayed 

 dung during autumn operations. This allows time for the 

 decomposition of the manure, and also enables it to be 

 thoroughly mixed with the soil ; but under no considera- 

 tion should fresh farmyard manure be applied 

 immediately before sowing the seed, as it makes the 

 crop susceptible to the attacks of rust, and also helps to 

 produce a large percentage of "foi ked" and coarse roots. 

 Sowing. — After the ground is thoroughly prepared, 

 open holes to the depth of 18 inches or 2 feet, the holes being 

 about 4 inches in diameter at top. The distance between 

 the holes in the rows should be 12 inches and the dis- 

 tance between the rows 15 inches. These holes should 

 be made with a dibble, shaped like a perfect carrot. 

 Fill these holes firmly with a compost consisting of a 

 mixture of sifted loam, sand, leaf-mould, wood-ashes, 

 and a little soot. It is certainly advantageous and very 

 necessary to good results to have the compost used for 

 filling the holes made quite firm, at least about the same 

 firmness as the other soil of the bed. Sow 5 or 6 seeds 

 in each hole about the beginning of April, and cover 

 them lightly to about half an inch with soil of a similar 

 nature as that used in filling the holes. 



After Cultivation. — Thin out the young seedlings 

 to the strongest plant near the centre of each hole. 

 When the young' plants have grown to a fair size it is 

 wise to give a mulching of leaf-soil or spent manure 

 from a hot-bed, as this will prevent the tops of the roots 

 from becoming green. Success with this crop will de- 

 pend largely on the after cultivation of the surface til- 

 lage so as to keep the soil loose and free from weeds. 



Best Varieties for Exhibition. — For early shows 

 the best variety is Mackey's Early Premier; it grows 

 about seven or eight inches long ; of great breadth ; of 

 a deep scarlet colour ; splendid for summer use, and 

 good for market purposes. 



Paragon. — A grand variety of main-crop carrot ; roots 

 of good length ; shape symmetrical ; colour rich scarlet ; 

 smooth skin ; splendid for exhibition. It is a heavy crop- 

 per and of excellent flavour 



New Red Intermediate. — A superb type of the Inter- 

 mediate carrot ; matures earlier, and grows about twice 

 the size ; core small ; flesh close in texture and of bright 

 colour. As an exhibition variety it is unsurpassed. 



St. Valery. — A first class carrot; medium long; rich 

 red colour ; of handsome tapering form ; good variety 

 for autumn and winter exhibitions. 



Scarlet Intermediate (James ). — A useful variety; ex- 

 cellent keeper ; fine in appearance ; good for main crop ; 

 fine late variety for exhibition. 



The roots of carrots intended for exhibition purposes 

 should be clean, smooth, straight, of imiform size and 

 highly coloured. They should be lifted carefully and 

 washed with a soft cloth only. 



A good artificial fertiliser for carrots is a compost made 

 up of 3 lbs. common salt,'l)'^ lbs. superphosphate, i j^ lbs. 

 nitrate of soda and 1 lb. kainit per square yard, half the 

 foregoing quantities to be mixed with the compost pre- 

 pared for filling the holes and the remainder to be 

 applied when the plants are thinned. 



