IRISH GARDENING. 



147 



to the plants with a hoe. If the leeks have been planted 

 in deep holes, as advised in July issue, blanched stems 

 long' enoug-h for ordinary use will be got without 

 earthing' up. 



Winter Spinach. — Another sowing may be made 

 during the month to follow that sown last month. This 

 sowing' often comes into use just as the early one 

 runs to seed and at a time in the spring when vegetables 

 are scarce. In thinning spinach, unless crowded, do it 

 gradually till the plants are fully six inches apart in the 

 lines, the rows being fifteen inches apart. 



Vegetables for Spring. 



By JAMES BRACKEN. 



THE supply of vegetables often runs scanty during 

 spring and early summer. A want of forethoug-ht 

 is generally the cause of this. In spring vege- 

 tables are especially welcome. Somehow, after the longf 

 winter, we relish such food more than at any other 

 time. It may be that our systems naturally require it at 

 that season. There is no doubt that vegetables at that 

 time are scarcer, and consequently of more value than at 

 other times, and wheti well grown for sale early vege- 

 tables are invariably profitable. But why should there 

 be a scarcity? As has been said already, it is principally 

 a want of forethought. Certainly in some cases it may 

 be that people have not enough g'round available to 

 give a constant supply ; in other cases it is a want of 

 knowledg-e. A few words to the latter may be useful. 



During spring we ought at least to have a supply of 

 cabbages, broccoli, onions, lettuce, spinach, parsley and 

 other herbs from the open ground, as well as rhubarb, 

 seakale and asparagus from permanent plantations. 

 The mistakes oftenest made in the cultivation of cab- 

 bage for early cutting are - sowing varieties not suited to 

 that time, planting' out too late, and putting out plants 

 already spoiled in the seed bed either from sowing them 

 too thickly or from the planting being left off too long. 

 Cabbage to turn in quite early oug'ht to be well estab- 

 lished and the leaves largely developed before Christmas. 

 It will disappoiiit if we expect a variety like Enfield 

 Market to turn in early no matter how we manage it ; 

 it may be into July before this is fully grown. 



It is not wise either to trust to Early York or to Larg-e 

 York, because a large percentag'e of these will bolt to 

 flower ; but if we plant out in September such kinds as 

 ICUam's Early, Early Offenham, Mein's No. i, or Flower 

 of Spring from sowings made in the end of Jul}' and the 

 beginning of Aug-ust, we may reasonably expect a 

 plentiful succession of early cabbages. 



The mistake is often made of planting- out broccoli 

 when it is too late, and again when the stems of the 

 plants have become quite woody, after which we never get 

 the same vigour. Broccoli planted out after July seldom 

 gives satisfactory results. For full development each 

 head requires more space than is sometimes allowed. 

 For varieties to cut during spring and early summer 

 two and a half feet every way, in good soil, is not too 

 much. 



The autumn sowing- of oriions is often made too early, 

 with the result that many of them start to flower before 

 forming a bulb. In most seasons sowings made in the 

 middle of August and towards the end of that month 

 are safe, either made in lines where they are to remain 

 or in beds sown broadcast, to be transplanted in 

 February. 



Winter spinach ought to be more gfrown. It often 

 fails from being sown too late and in cold situations. 

 July and early August is late enough to sow, and select 

 a sunny, dry position in friable ground. 



During the middle and end of August sowings of 

 hardy lettuce, such as Hammersmith Hardy Green and 



All the Year Round, ought to be thinly made. The 

 first sowing should be transplanted during September 

 for a first supply, the later sowing to remain in the 

 seed beds till spring to form a succession. In every 

 case the situation chosen for lettuce to stand the winter 

 ought to be the sunniest and most sheltered at command. 



The same condition must be observed when sowing 

 cauliflower seed for the same purpose. Sowings of a 

 variety of cauliflower, like Early London, can be made 

 at the same time as the lettuce. Cauliflower plants 

 require the protection of some overhead cover as a 

 light, or mats, spruce boughs, &c., during severe frost. 



It is seasonable to remind farmers and cottagers that 

 the sale of autumn sown plants of cabbages, cauliflowers, 

 onions, &c., is a very profitable speculation, and as well 

 as bringing to themselves a good profit they also greatly 

 benefit their neighbours. It is a decided gain to a 

 district when good plants can be locally obtained at 

 reasonable prices. 



Bee-keeping. 



By T. MAGUIRE, The Orchard, Enniskillen. 



BEE-KEEPERS had a pleasant surprise early last 

 month when the delightful spell of hot weather 

 came, in defiance of the old legend about St. 

 Swithin, and put full steam on all the hives once more. 

 The clover was past, but the blackberries were in full 

 bloom, and, I think, the greater portion of the honey 

 gathered during those days was from that source. It 

 seems to be somewhat thinner than clover honey and 

 lighter in colour, but the flavour is excellent. The roar 

 of the large stocks during those evenings, in fanning 

 out the moisture, was something to be lemembered. It 

 was a splendid time for getting sections completed, and 

 those who removed the full sections as finished, and 

 crowded the bees on those remaining, will have few 

 unfinished sections to bother with this season. 



It is now time to prepare for winter. Where the 

 honey flow is over — that is, in localities where there is 

 no heather or blue-button within reach —stocks should 

 be fed up at once, so that the stores may be properly 

 sealed before the cold weather arrives. For the average 

 amateur it is pretty safe to say that the best time to 

 start spring stimulation is in the autumn. Old hands 

 can do a good deal at forcing the pace in April, but the 

 majority of amateurs do a great deal more harm than 

 good. Over and over again I have found that the 

 stocks which were well provisioned in autumn and left 

 to their own devices until May come out much stronger 

 than those treated to the so-called "stimulation " process 

 in April. Anyone who wants the maximum of result 

 with the minimum of labour had bettei- give his bees 

 30 lbs. of stores now, and leave them alone after their 

 winter packing until May next. 



Before packing up for winter, go over each stock, and 

 see that the queen is right. It does not pay to keep 

 queens more than two years, and it is a safe rule, where 

 practicable, to re-queen each stock every year, as even 

 two-year-old queens sometimes get played out just at 

 the time their services are most required. If any stock 

 is found queenless, of course a queen must be provided 

 at once. Young mated queens can be got cheap from 

 the breeders in the autumn. Sometimes it is difficult to 

 know whether a queen be present— there may be no 

 eggs or larvcB, and still the queen may be there. If 

 there be any doubt, get a frame of eggs or very young 

 larvfE from another hi\e, and if queen cells be started 

 in three or four days, that is a pretty sure sign of 

 queenlessness. Remove such cells before introducing 

 the new queen. Where an old or inferior queen is to be 

 deposed, she should be found and removed. Next 

 evening her successor can be introduced by the direct 

 method — that is, she is confined alone in a match box 



