THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 266, 10 November 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

(BtfHoRTPS.)

is willing to

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ttgKgii Efer to withstand ™c oiy tfa your soil 19 , hare to look to, istno ut- cj)se t WSBm Se/tfrom the soil, asit takes^ I^l-oistforarcra chlontcr P. summer crop . toftak nt moiKod for the plants, pfcj ««»fflc7 l TREKS (A.8.)-» is too XX1""} jjrtSe Seroised and they attached. U cf™ rarc fully, woll watered, X r DSfteUoredli-oi/the sun and kept U ut.' wc? h ?gutt liner, the transplanting LdOliig lh°-fullv effected; tut this -would W"ldte^ Cf,nd trouble. I think you had till next season, as it ■'*** IL, mm. R.l-Your seed will Cr^ El. Sf£not pluck it till the pod shews i S»ao«».Jffi. it is possible for you to o germinate in the open if you ytttlicseeatoo u.Q a warra p i ace . tvn il in-svou would need to keep the soil A£tor sow" g^uj. ghaded f rom thfi Slln . g Pf^'ThA best time to sow is as soon as »^iKrUie seed is ripe, about two or possSH* ffif el .it i 3 taken from the plant. three *eewH., rour Bee d in a pot and ottC?V»w the window, where it would k^P.^te and grow quicker than if sown out

• The Balsam. The balsam is* or should be, one of the most extensive annuals grown here. It w ill succeed in almost any soils, but likes a (ten'rich one, well manured. The balsam Seen much improved within the last few wars When the seed is obtained from a Ld "strain the greater proportion of the Lvers will come double. The colours also hare a good range, from a pure white to a brilliant) purple. Our climate is wonderderfully adapted to the growth of balsam, and with a good rich soil and a moderate amount of care, plants and flowers of the greatest excellence can be produced. Alt that is required is to sow two or ohree seeds in the place where the plants are to grow ; these", if sown now, will soon germinate. Afterwards thin out to one plant; the young plants thinned out can bs transplanted to another situation, where they fill succeed equally as well as the sown plant. The balsam can be pruned into any form, growing one, two or more shoots a3 the grower may desire.- Some fancy growers in Britain only grow one ihoofc, and only a few flowei-s on this,_ so that the flowers attain a very large size. Bat I prefer to allow tha balsam to assume its natural shape, leaving it r.npruned, being better satisfied with" a large number of flowers on each, plant than a few choice ones.: n Roses. The rose is one of the most popular flowers grown here, and in some cases a large amount of care and trouble is bestowed upon the plants in order to obtain fine large flowers. Where large flowers are wanted there must be a sacrifice made k the number of flowers allowed to bow on the plants. Large specimens cm only be obtained by thinning the Ms on the strong shoots, which alone are capable of producing them. On these ehoots" only a few buds should bo allowed to grow, and it the plants be strong and healthy they ought to produce large fullysleveloped flowers. To assist the late blooms' and also to promote the growth of new wood and thus prolong the flowering period, the first blooms immediately they decay should have the seed vessels removed; this would greatly promote a lateral growth. The result obtained through the above system will reward the cultivator better than the much larger number of flowers which the plants would naturally give if left to themselves, During the growing and flowering period the plants should be frequently watered with strong liquid manure, which, where pos-ible, should be made from cow manure. Where such can be obtained in quantities it is beat to mulch with the manure1 and water with only clear water. Liquid Manure. In all soils in which there is a deficiency of plant food, crop 3to succeed must be fed in some manner or another. There are two modes of supplying food. The easiest and cheapest method is to incorporate or dip; in manure in a solid state while preparing the ground for the crepe. Where thissystem is followed plenty 6f plant food is placed where the roots of the plants can easily reach it; but the food matter will require water or moisture to dissolve it, and thus enable the plants to ab?orb it. Another plan that is frequently adopted where Mops are grown during the 0y summer .months is to mix up wich. the water «ome matter highly charged with plant fed. This is called liquid manure. Manure in this liquid state is much more rapid in its effects than manure applied in any other form while the plants are growing strOntrly. The only time that liquid: manure should be applied to any plant is after they have become established and are growing strongly, or are maturing flowers, seed, or fruit. There is no better tone to apply it than when there is a conjoint rigorous extension of the roots to absorb and shoots to assimilate it. A few shovelfuls of either cow or horse droppings to a barrel of water makes a splendid mixture to Use, if allowed to stand for about Mo days, then strained off and applied to the roots pf the plants.

Tliinntag Fruit.

Some of the best' fruifc#r<swers in Wesfc* 8m New York—a famous fruit country "-make a regular practice of thinning foe fruit on° the trees when a heavy is promised. Here is what a Jfell-kiunvn grower writes: "We practlss ; thinning Our plums, pears and quinces, and ate well-Satisfied that mere is nothing more important in ft«it-culture than thinning the fruit on the tree when we have a full crop. Many.^farmers who havo not tried this winkit requires too much time, and that ™c benefits are not pronounced enough to pay for the time. Thoso who practice wanning- that is, the removal of small ?nd poor fruit—say it pays as well as prun« j^g- For example, A. S. Dyckman, one of tne best known peach "rowers of Michigan, writes thus about it : ' I*. certainly f ays in the Michigan peach belt ™ thin peaches. We are now in the tal«sfc of thinning. The following is a good r«le for thinning: For a twig of last year s six inches long, leave one peach; J°r a twig ten inches long.leave two peaches; lor a twig gf ceen i nc h es long, leave three Peaches;' Most people wait until near the P«;hardening period, when the full effect «insect injury can be easily determined. Aninning promotes longevity in the tree, ■wsures greater size, uniformity and' better flavour to the fruit."• ihe above is .quite correct, and all fruit Cultivators who have not yet tried thinning lne fruit of their -trees should do so at this season. All stone fruits Should be left "ntnihned until the small fruit has stoned Wat is, the stone has been formed). Large numbers naturally fall off the trees during J«s process., and it is therefore safer to defer winning till after this is over. I have seen splendid prospects of large crops of peaches, a number of treea this season giving pro-

mise that the disease that has almost ruined the peach crop for the last twelve years will soon become a thing of the past, There is no fruit that can bo so much improved as the peach if judicious thinning takes place. Tho apple is also much improved by thinning when the crop is heavy, and it will pay cultivators for market to thin extensively so as to get better prices for the increased quality of the fruit.