HINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 116, 17 May 1901, Page 3

HINTS.

Hedges for boundaries or party fences are best planted betimes, weather permitting:. Whether intended to keep out intruders, or as "blinds," it is false economy to place them too thin, as thinly set hedges are much longer in maturing and are seldom effective. Turnips, carrots and parsnips remaining in the open ground should be got up, cleared of their upper growihs and clamped for use. Beside conserving the roots as long as possible, thi.s will set the ground free to be manured and dug ii.v readiness for future crops. Winter onions must be kept quite free from weeds. Where any are infested with the latter, get them out | whilst open weather continues, auf], by hand picking or otherwise, remove them from the bed. If this is not done i the weeds will again take root, arid be very troublesome in-the future. Walk drains should be overhauled once the debris of autumn has been collected and removed. The gratings should be taken off and all silt collected in the dumb wells beneath removed with a trowel. Determine, a I the same time, that the pipes leading from the dumb wells are free of silt and if not, thorotighly clear them. The water from heavy rains will not pass freely if they are but partially stepped; meantime, the evil will b» increased until they become stopped up, necessitating taking up many lengths oi them. Sow dianthns, gaillardias, sweet sultan, salpiglossis, lobelia, goldenleaved pyrethrum, verbena, globe ainaranthus, and similar half hardy annuals!, in instances where convenient warm greenhouses are at hand wherein to germinate the seeds and grow the seedlings on. Clarkia.—This is another splendid annual, the tall - growing varieties growing about two to three feet in height, the dwarf varieties from orie to two feet. These should be sown in a seed pan during May. When largo enough to handle, they should be pricked out into boxes. After they are established, harden off out in Ihe open for a week or so before planting out in the open border. The clarkiaS will make a splendid show early in the summer and should be extensively grown. Candytuft.—Hardy Annual.—This is an old general favourite, and one of the most useful annuals, and should be more extensively grown. There are several varieties, and they all grow from about 8 to about 15 inches in height. Seed of this should be sown in boxes about the middle of May. After the young plants have attained a height of about two inches, the plants should be taken out into the open air. When they are about three inches in height they should be planted out in the borders where they are to grow. Candytuft produces a mass of flowers during the early part of the summer: as the dry weather sets in it soon succumbs. Fallen tree leaves have this autumn been a source of anxiety and additional labour in all instances where lawns, walks, etc., have been maintained tidy and neat. Probably when this appears all will have fallen, so that the work of making a clearance of them once for all can be undertaken. In view of this it will be well to commence at that part of the garden furthest removed from the rubbish neap. sw>eep, collect and drive . all before. Until this is done there will be no immunity from recurrent untidiness atfer all windy periods. Besides this consideration swards and walks will suffer through their decay and the action of worms The fallen leaves stored in a heap, or buried together, will, in about a twelve-month, form useful leaf mould. Grass seeds for making lawns cr renovating old ones are best sown somewhat early than too late, hence t is desirable to do so before possible dry weather. When sown for the latter purpose, the seed should be covered with fine loam, or sandy road scrapings, and rolled. Every precaution must be taken to protect the seed from 'poor lawns, whereon the grass does not thrive, and such as are subject to weeds, will now be benefited if dressed as aforesaid, or with either old decayed manure or fresh stable sweepings Though, whichever is used, they will look unsightly for a time, this soon disappears if the material is occasionally moved with a rake, and ultimately the coarser remains are removed. Hardy Flower Garden.—Alterations and improvements, wherever intended, should be attended to and finished as weather permits as soon as possible. Besides trees, shrubs, turf and gravel moved will require time to re-establish themselves before the probable dry winds of November occur. Where obvious improvements in regard to either can be made at, probably, trifling outlay none should hesitate to undertake them Apart from the actual improvements owners' interest in their surroundings will be permanently favourably enlisted and future satisfaction ami pleasure return compound interest If any shrub has grown too large don t hesitate to move it back, or give it a better site, taking it up with a large ball, and planting it in an excavation of o-oodlv proportions, according to its requirements. Then, well water the root base to settle the j£sened soil firmly about the roots. This will be better than permitting such objects to remain, a source of offence to the senses, or than increasing disngure-

ment by cutting them back. If bed upon swards are too large, or too small. relative to the extent of sward area, now is the time to alter them. Turf is easily and safely moved if relaid firmly upon properly levelled and trodden ground. Gravel walks, again, are not by any means a permanency, as is the abode, except at the owner's discretion. If the space is pegged out where any existing walk would give a bolder sweep, a truer angle, or fit in with surroundings better, the work of transposing the gravel from the old site to the new is not, probably, nearly so great as owners imagine. It is not deep, and a pick and shovel in ready hands will effect much in a few hours. Always keep the roughest gravel at the bottom, both vi shovelling and'levelling, keep the centres well rounded and give a good rolling after the walk is well trodden down and again levelled, leaving the ultimate surface hardening t-o liberal rollings after all subsequent heavy rains—when all will appear as if new.