KITCHEN GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

KITCHEN GARDEN.

The nice drop of rain which wo recoived bowardß the end of lasb week ha. dona an immense deal of good to all classes of vegabatien. Ib washed bhe dusb olf all bhe foliage, and made it assumo a moro healthy appearance. Thero was nob nearly suffieienb to pessetrate the soil to such a depth as bo cause much roob action. Potatoes : All such aa are ripe enough should bo lifted ab once, for if heavy raincome bhe tubers will sfcarb to grow again. After lifting dry in tho sun for a few hourß before aboring past. Celery : Prepare anothor trench for planting about bhe beginning of nexb month. The trench which was lasb planted, water copiously till the plants get well established. Earth uji tho early planted crops as they require ita. Locks : The main crop, if nob already planted, should be pub oub at once. To obbain large plants, planb in branches the samo aa Celery, and as they grow earth up in the same mauner, and while tho plants are growing see thab the soil is kept in a moist condition. Onions : The early crop is now beginnim. to ripen off, and as they ripon they ahould be lifted and dried in the sun for "a few days before storing pa.b. Ripe onions if lefb in the ground would start into growth again if moist weather wa3 to set in. Frewch and tha rut.niag varieties of beans : Sow for succE3_ioi). On the early plants pick oil bho pods as soon as fit for u»o, as this will enable the plants to mature tbe later pods. Intermediate cropa earth up and sbuka tho runniug varieties. Tomatoe. : Continue tho pinching oub of all superfluous shoots and tying up of bhe fruiting ones. Water frequently with liquid manure on poor goils ; on rich soils only give clean wabor. Pumpkins, marrows, cucumbars and piemelons : Cut oub superfluous sbooba and give suificienb water ao as to keop the plants growing freely. Rock melons : Keop rabhor dry, and as bho fruit bogins bo swell raise it np above bhe foliage so thab it may bo fully exposed to.tho sun's rays. Cabbage and cauliflower: Sow a small patch of seed so as to provide plants for early autumn planting. Sow in a cool, shady spot, and keep bho soil moisb till the young plant, are ready for transplanting. VTater and earth up She growing crops. Tho debris ol old crops clear away off the ground to tho rot heap. Attend to tho usual"fortanigbbly towing of musbarol, crass and radishes. Sow in a cool, moi.b, shady position, and water almosb nightly. Lebtuce : Prick out another pmall bad and keep moist co thab they may grow quickly. All vacant pieces of ground should be manured and dug. While digging, each -pit of earth ahould be carofully turned over, so thab tha soil which waa at th. bottom may bo turnod up to the surface Do not break up tho clods of earth ; leave it as rongh as possible, aa bho rourrher it ia left the more of it will bo exposed to tho action of bho sun's rays and the atmosphere. Flower Gae.>.-.n*. ■ During last week we wore favoured with a few nice showers of rain, which did an immense amounb of good to oil flowers, shrub?, etc.. bharo boing sufficionb to thoroughly wash tha plants of all dv.it, with which they woro thickly coatod. Plants, like animals, must have an occasional bath bo kocp them in a healthy conditio--. Tho number of little porosis the; leaves get choked up, and the plants would soon become unhealthy if the dust was not occasionally washed oil them. Ib i* easy for anyone who may possess a good supply iof wabor bo apply it to bhe roots and keep 1 them moisb. Of cob rae, this will do a vast deal of good, but if the water which is applied for roob waterings whs occasionally thrown over the pianb . it would do bhem much greater benefit by washing and keep ing them clean. All late annual . such aa asters, cockscombs, zonia., phlox drummondt, portulaca etc., must receive a good heavy watering at least once a week ao aa to koep them in an active state of growth. It is libtle use in expecting to get a good display of flowers throughoub the autumn months unless a liberal supply of water is given. Bodding plants of all clauses : See that they aro properly attended to in the way of pinching and regulating, also give plenty of water. Where Urge quantities of water cannob bo obtained, mulch with sawdu.t manure, ib will keep the soil cool and moist. Chrysanbhemuma will also require liberal treatment as to watering. Liquid manure ought aIBO to ba given them ub least once a week. The same remarks will apply bo bhe dahlias. In bhe mixed flower borders, many of the mid-summer plants will havo shed their flowers; all such should afc one. bo dealt with. All bhe aponb annuala should at once bo ' cleared away off bho ground to bbc rob heap. Perennials ahould bavo the flowering atalks cut off and othorwiso regulated. As this ia being done other permanent plants ahould be .looked'bo. Straggling or .tromi shooba should be cut out and other branches cub back so as to .keep them; within due bounds. Tho surface soil should then be thoroughly broken up with bha hoo. _ . ~ i Grass edgings should be clipped co as to make them look neab and tidy. Lawns have suffered groatly from bhe drought, except where artificial waterings by hose have been practicable. Where the grass is again growing freely, and more or less patchy, frequent machining.-, will be necessary, which will keep the greener parts in check and nssisb others that are brown, for which reason it in desirable to run tho machine ovor them somewhat frequently and cub bhem somewhab cloao.

Gbeknhocsk,

See thab no insect posts gefc established amongst the plant.. Whenever they make thoir appearance have them eradicated afc once Re-pot all fast-growing planbs as soon aa tbey require more pot room. Continue giving plenty of air and water. Grape vinos generally ripen their fruit better when the young wood shows symp boms of turning brown afc its base in coniunction wifch the colouring of fcho fruit, as is the case thia season. AH fruiting vines, nofc overburdened with weight of crop, will, when the colouring of fche berries begins, require going over lor the purpose of pinching back all prominent young shoots, and this will be the more necessary should cloudy, dull weather follow the bright sunshine experienced. Though under fche latter co-atingency fresh air should bo given abundanfcly, yeb ib must ba in such manner aB to avoid unnecessary draughts. All grapes colour bebfcer wifch liberal supplies of fresh air, but it ia especially necessary where heavy crop 6 exist, and in the latter case nighb air should bo admibted judiciously. Tbia will epread the ripening period over a longer time ; better, however, for cropa to be somewhat late bhan badly coloured. Give to all vines having their roots under glaBS a final good watering.