THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 36, 11 February 1910, Page 9

THE GARDEN.

(By HOHTTJS.)

(Hortus is wining to answer any queries. Correspondents mnst give their real names and addresses, though not for publication.) NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. Making Asparagus Beds (A.L.). — Asparagus does not thrive well in clay soli, and you can only have good beds by employing large quantities of rough sand, coarse grit, and ashes, also incorporating os much as possible of decayed vegetable refuse, leaves, and manuie with the strong soil of your garden. The best time to make the beds is about April. The soil - should be dug deeply and thrown Into ridges, these ridges being broken and turned frequently during dry weather, . and in the spring level the ground and work in the additions named. The beds in such soil should be raised well above the level of the ground. If they are 4ft wide three rows may be planted in each bed, but beds 3ft wide with two rows in a bed would perhaps be preferable in your case. The planting should be done just as the crowns are commencing growing in the spring, covering the roots with light compost. You can either raise your own plants by sowing seed, or purchase stronger plants; both seed and plants can be had from nurserymen. It is not advisable to crop vine borders, but a few rows of annuals near the margin of the border-might not do any. haim to the vine. New Limi (Lawn Tennis). — This is the best time of the year for making a new lawn, especially where the "level of the ground <;ts to be altered. The made ground has time to settle down pretty solid before it is time to sow the grass seed in the autumn. While levelling th< ground, see that all the drains are put properly iv. You should drain about ISft ai>art; also save ail the good soli for the surface of the lawn. Most people, in makiug new lawns, bury more than hall the good soil, thus throwing away one of the main chances of the lawn being successful. HINTS. Plant houses are best kept airy and somewhat cool during what remains of summer. This is necessary in view of prolonging bloom display to the utmost ' and the better ripening of the wood of climbing plants and such hard-wooded subjects as are to be kept through the ensuing winter. At the same time, should too sudden changes of temperature occur as autumn advances, fresh air should be limited so that cold draughts likely to chill those with tender foliage are avoided. Outdoor vines again require going over. Young shoots forming should be shori. ened back, and such leaves as unduly shade the bunches of fruit be removed. Full exposure to sun and air in this case is essentia] to fruit ripening. Artificial waterings become more and - more necessary as dry weather is prolonged, especially to lettuce, summer , cauliflowers, kidney beans, and the like, , and whenever practicable mammal water- , ings should be given. Whenever stable ; drainings exist in bulk this will not be a , difficult matter; otherwise it entails . labour, but is well worth the outlay. In , all cases avoid too powerful stimulants. For instance, if guano, sulphate of ammonia, or other artificials are used, place no more than from half an ounce to an ounce into each gallon of water. Such aids may be readily applied, however, by slightly sprinkling them in powder form beside tho rows of crops, hoeing it in slightly and then watering. In no case must they be scattered over the plants. ; Copious waterings should always be given, ' and for preference from the spouts of 1 water-pots, between six and seveq a.m., qr as late in the day as possible. £j>tir. the surface of the ground well after such waterings, as soon as it becomes dry enough to work upon. Needless to Say, artificial waterings are far more effective if applied in conjunction with casual showers, such as seem to occur intermittently in some districts, and may be given at any time of the day with cloudy weather prevailing. Storing Fruit.—Storing is hy no means the least important. We sometimes see gardens where fruit trees have been planted well and extensively, and yet no adequate provision made for properly storing the produce, while others provide an elaborate fruit room far beyond the requirements of the garden. The former, at any rate, err greatly in not providing a good fruit room, neither are we in favour of a large half-empty room. [ Apples and pears are too often stowed i away in various unsuitable places, those responsible evidently forgetting that a great chemical change has to take place before the so-called ripe fruit is Teally fit for eating, and that the circumstances under which this change occurs materially affect the quality. When first 5 gathered the fruit is composed largely 1 of starch and acid, and in course of time 1 this, by a natural process which I shall t not attempt to explain, is converted into 3 sugar, much of the water of the juice - being evaporated. Now, the most fa--1 vourable position to assist this conversion 1 is a dry, airy, but not draughty room, - and the worst a close, damp, badly yenI tilated structure. Fruit gathered from - the same tree and placed in two such widely different places will, when in sea- - son, be found as widely different in qual- * ity as two distinct varieties, those in 9 the drier, warmer room being invariably ' richer, sweeter, and brighter in colour. r Evaporation forming part of the process ' of conversion, it is very evident this is 1 not much encouraged in a damp cold * structure; but at the same time rapid •> evaporation caused by either excessive r heat, light, or strong currents of air is harmful, and may result in shrivelling and loss of quality. If we wish to im--3 prove the appearance of either apples or t pears, as well as to hasten the ripening 5 process, these are packed in hay in -boxes, 1 and placed in heat. If near their pro- ■- per time of ripening, apples and pears will - bear a good heat, and ripen iv two or - three days; but if we endeavour to a ripen them out of season the process j must be gradual, or the fruit will ine evitably shrivel. Artificial ripening will f sometimes convert examples thought to D be worthless, which but for the experiment would have remained worthless, into delicious fruit. The commoner sorts, more especially of apples, may be stored in heaps or -thinly on the floors of the " fruit room, while the choicer, varieties „ ought to be disposed thinly in single layers if... possible on the sb.e_ly.es, the , apples stalk downwards, and pears the Z reverse. Each sort should be divided , with strips of wood, and be properly labelled. Apples and pears must be l handled carefully when picked, and at all „ times ii they are expected to keep, and g when tested as to ripeness, should be pressed with the thumb only near the j fotstalk. if not soft' they are not at c their best, and, besides, the slight bruises s do not disfigure" the fruit Or greatly irnl pair its keeping qualities, as would otheri. wise be the case. All should be fre- . quently examined, as a few decaying c fruits will spoil others that are in conr. tact with them. Heaps especially will t 'be greatly benefited by being turned t and sorted, and great care should be g I taken in the first instance not to mix ,f I any bruised or otherwise damaged fruit y with the sound ones, or all may be spoilt, n Fruit with small holes picked in them 80 *:****- _«& jl..