Kitchen Garden.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 4

Kitchen Garden.

As tho different crops como off tho ground liiivo manure wheeled ull over it in heaps, then commonco either trenching or digging it in so as to have tho ground ready for tho autumn crops. This is tho best timo of tho year for trenching new ground or retrenching. Tho soil is dry, and tho buii and air getting about it swootens it, and it sooner gets into a good 6tato for cultivation. If tho garden is undrained, now is tho best timo to havo it dono. Two and a-half to three feet deep is a good depth to put tho tilos. After taking out the trench, let it bo opon for as long v period as possible, so that the air will open fissures down the sides of the trench. Those will novor properly close again, giving free access of superlluous wator to the tiles. Make another sowing of beans ;if in a good situation you will be able to pick the crop before tho winter. The main crop of broccoli and kale should now be planted out. Cabbage and cauliflowor : Plant out a fow moro ; givo a good drenching of water when you plant; sow a good broadth of tho aboTO for planting out later in tho autumn; earth up those that are growing. Tomatoes— Tio up and pinch back ; thin Buch leaves as intorfero with the freo passago of MlO huh'h rays to the fruit. Continue thinning iwd pincVing out all superfluous shoots of cucumbers, molonn, marrows, pumpkins, otc. Celery continuo watering, tie and earth up the ourly mop. Make anothor trench for planting tho lato crop. Water should now bo used frequently to almost ovory crop; in fact, tho supply of vegetables must now bo regulated by tho wator supplied to the growing crops. Have nil decayed haulm and vegetub 0 refuse taken to the rot-heap. Ko opportunity should bo lost in increasing tho quantity of munuro, and all vegetable matter makes capital manure when rotted. Mind, the quantity and quality of the kitchen garden produce dopends in a great measure on the quantity of manure applied to tho ground. Flowor Garden.

Plenty of water will now bo required to keop tho different flowers up to tho mark, Whot) applying water don't spray it over plants in flower — only apply it to the roots. Water sprayed ovar plants in bloom simply hastens tho decay %l the flowers. Also fjivo plonty, so that it may penotrate deeply into thu noil. A slight watering does moro hnrm than good, simply inducing the small fibrous rootß to como to tho surfaco, where they got scorched by tho sun. Dahlias : Pinch and tio to stakes, wator freoly, adding .1 little liquid manure occasionally. Continue tho pinching and tying up of all tall growing plants, regulating tho growth of a(l plants that aro showing too much wood. In most bordor plants it is for their flowers thoy aro crown, and in cutting anything out try to promote tho growth of flowering ehoota; carnations, pinks, and picoteos should now bolayered. i'utalittlesandround each plant in a mound, and layer them in this. Common gladiola bulbs which aro ripo, lift, dry in tho sun for a fow weeks, and replant. They will flower during tho winter and early spring. Cockscombs, balsams, and othor strong-feeding plants require frequent waterings so as to bring thorn to perfection. Have all the dobris of annuals cloarod away ah hooii as thoy flowor. All dsad or decayed flowerstalks should bo cut oiT and taken iiwuy, hb they somotimos mar tho appearance of tho othor plants in tho borders, Keep tho grass on tho lawns short. If water can bo procured, apply it heavily, and roll frequently.

Greenhouse. GWo plenty of air and ehudo during tho day, and wutor freely OTory overling. Seodi of cinerarias, calceolarias, and primula should now bo sown in shallow pans, All hardy plants done lloworing should bo placed out of doors in n nico, cool, shady situation. Thoy will givo le*.-< trouble in watering tho next throo months if thus dealt with, nl<o lonring moro room for the othor plants. Begonias cut and ro-pot. Uco liquid manuro frequently, especially to plants in amull pots. Budding.

As tho eeaeon is now on for budding all tho different fruifc trees and roses, etc., I would advice those who have a few that require tho abovo oporation enly to obtain scions from sound healthy troea. Scions taken from diseased or unhealthy trees are sure to roproduco tho disoases of tho parent troo. Insoctpostß are more likely to attack urdioalthy treos. Discard any stock which is unhoalthy or diseased. The sap in an unhealthy stock is not properly manufactured by tho roots. T'io laboratory bolow has not tho right kind of material to work up healthy sapso as to produce a sound healthy fruit-bearing tree. No matter whether in budding or grafting, stock and Bcion should be healthy, and the scion ought always to bo taken from trees in full bearing and tho b.uds woll developed. In brooding from animals, tho honlthiost and best formed is always chosen so as to obtain a healthy progeny. If the same laws were obsorTed in the vegetable kingdom, a groat number of diseases attached to plants would bp modified With everything budded and grafted, no othor but tho healthiest stock and scions should be used.

Insects and HUdew. in Orchards.

Tho following is a good wanh for keeping inßOcta and mildew from fruit trees ;—Take of quick or unslaked lime four parts, and of common flour of sulphur one part—four pounds of sulphur to ono pock of lime : break up the lime in small bits, then mix tho sulphur with it in tight vessels (iron is best); pour on enough of boiling water to slake the limo to powder; cover in the vessels close as soon as the water 19 poured on. This niakes also an. oxcollent whito wash for orchard trees, and ia very useful as a preventive of blight on pear trees, to cover the wounds in the form of a paste when cutting away diseased parts; also for coating the trees in tho spring. It' may bo considered a3 tho best specific for noxious insects and mildew in tho orchard and nursery. I.ta materials should always be ready at hand ; it should be used quito fresh, as it would in time become sulphate of lime, and so loso its potency. Whereover dusting of lime is spoken of this should be used. This preparation should bo sprinkled over the young plant as soon as or before any trouble from aphides, thrips or mildew occurs, early in tho morning while the dew is on tho trees. This lime and sulphur combination is destructive to tlieso pests in this way: First, by giving off sulphuric acid gas, which is deadl/poison to minute life, both animal and fungold, and tho limo destroys by contact tiio same things; besidos, its presence is noxious to them j neither ia it injurious to common vogotablo life, except, perhaps, to tho foliage of evergreens,