Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 699, 27 October 1909, Page 2

Farm and Garden.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES. (All Rights Reserved.) FORAE CROPS. Any time after the end of the month when the fields are ready, early cow cabbage may be drilled in fields, or plants be transplanted from seed beds. The setting- fields out with strong autumn-sown plants is the better plan of the two, as they will better withstand any checks than such as come peeping through the surface from newly planted seed in the unprotected fields. For this crop to do well land must be in high condition. A deep soil dressed with 25 tons of good yard dung per acre, is only fairly capable of growing a good crop. In sowing seed in the field direct, about 4lbs. should be used per acre. If the plants set out are of an average large sort, they should be set in rows ,33 inches apart, and 24. inches between the rows. Thus really heavy and valuable crops should be grown. Prickly Comfrey. a comparatively little known farm crop, may also be set out any time next month. It is very hardy, and may he grown on any kind of land with staple and heart in it. Moderately manure the ground, plough, and put the sets in on the furrows when there is a little loose mould. The sets may be obtained by separating old plants. The rows may be made 30 inches apart, and the plants be 20 inches apart along the rows. Soil should be pressed firmly to the roots in planting, and now and again the foot should make firm any that are raised by frost or upheaval of soil. Weeding occasionally is »U the further culture needed.

CHRYSANTHEMUM CUTTINGS. The cuttings to select, and which invariably give the best results, are those which push their way through the soil some distance from the old stem. These should not be too long. Neither should they be of too sappy a growth. Cuttings from i\ inches to 3 inches in length are the best, providing they are stiff and sturdy. Those with' buds at the apex of their growth should be avoided, except, of course, the very shy and scarce sorts. The cuttings, when selected, should be cut straight, across with a sharp knife immediately below a joint and the bottom leaf also removed. As each variety is selected, it should be tied carefully to a label. Deep thumb pots are the best for propagating, as the roots are never seriously interfered with

! r/hen repotting takes place, and no check of a serious nature takes place. Cuttings may also be inserted arouud the edge of a three-inch pot, in such cases i'oui' cuttings are quite enough. When a large quantity of plants are needed, boxes not more than two inches deep are used, and these are filled in rows about two inches apart and the same between each cutting. A , very suitable compost for striking cuttings is nice light loam, one part, well decomposed, leaf-mould, one part, and sufficient coarse silver sand to make the whole quite porous. Well drain the pots, cover the crocks with some of the rougher portion of the compost, and fill nearly to the edge of the pot, making alll firm. 'Place a layer of sand over the surface soil and dibble the cuttings in, making 1 each firm. Fig. I. is an ordinary cutting, prepared for potting; 11, is a cutting with suckers drawn from root-stock. AN EASILY-MADE BROODER. As the chicken season will soon be upon us such a useful little article as that shown in the sketch will be found very handy by those who go in for chicken hatching. The apparatus is easily made and may be used by "any one very successfully. Procure a good sound box, free from all holes and cracks, one 2 feet square by 18 inches in diameter, and pass a tin tube through, so that the ends of the tube project about 4 inches from each side of the box. On one end of the pipe fix a tin elbow, this will ensure a good draught, and on the other end fix a rather broad shaped fsnnel, as sbovvn in the diagram. The cover should J"»t

be a "fixture, but laid on quite loose, so as to allow of it being lifted a little for the purpose of ventilation. Next procure six feather dusters, and bore

a few gimlet-holes through the handles, and bore six holes across the centre of the cover, just large enough 10 allow of the feather duster handles passing through easily. A piece of wire passed through the holes in the duster handles will allow of them being raised or lowered according to the size of the chicks. A lighted lamp placed under the funnel end of the pipe will keep the inside of the brooder warm and comfortable. By placing the feather dusters in the centre, an open space is left all round outside for the chicks. The brooder in question is capable of holding twenty-five birds.

EARLY POTATOES. There are very few people indeed who are not fond of new potatoes, and to have them as early as possible is the desire of the majority. There are, however, a few essentials which must be attended to ensure success. In the first place, a fair sample of seed tubers must be procured, and these should be stood in a light, warm place that a robust growth may be made prior to planting. Next, a light fertile soil to plant them in must be pro vided, and, if the se*;s are to be forced, a steady rather dry heat must be maintained, ranging from 55 to 70 deg. Those who have. to purchase seed should secure it at least a fortnight before being required. Tubers of the most even size should be selected, and these being stood with their broad end uppermost in racks similar to that shown in the illustration, or in shallow boxes, should be placed in a warm light place, and they may make a strong .sprout, it is seldom that more than one shoot will push, and this from the main eye, but if others should start, rub them off, leaving only the centre one. Very good tubers may be grown in hot-beds, provided care be taken in keeping up the necessary heat. The beds ought to be of a sufficient thickness to hold the heat

till the crop is lifted, which will usually be in about three months. Early crops may also be grown in tomato houses. If two feet between the rows be allowed, tomato plants may be put in without interfering- with each other, and by the time the potatoes are lifted, the other plants will be well establishlished.