THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1912, Page 11

THE GARDEN.

CBy HOETtrS.3 [Hortneiie wjlUng to answer any queries. Correspondents "must give their real names ami 1 addresses, though not for 'publication.] TO COSBESPQJTDENTS. JBairares fW.'B-V-^Fowrs. manure Is an excellent garden fertiliser if tept dry nntn usefl, forked "Jβ between tbe rows of growing crops. Eoad grit improves heavy, clayey soils, hot is not wanted on liglit ones. Outdoor vines tie vine in July, leave-main stems-18 inches to two feet apart, either upright or horizontal; cut back lateral shoots from those of current yearns growth to two inches of base. Cuttings, about IS inches long, removed ■when pruning, can be inserted fit oi doors; they will root freely. All bna= must be stripped ott" the cuttoegs below the surface of the .ground, as they woiua produce suckers. Potatoes Sprouting (3.W.).—The eeed tuber? have been kept ill too warm and aaxk a place. It is best to pack seed potatoes close together, broad end. up to shallow boses, and placed in a cool shed, room, or cellar Ldght causes the sprouts to grow slowly and sturdily. If the .spronts are Jong and white, rub them off and treat as above. It wastes the tubers to sprout needlessly. Dig your ground roughly bow. so that the soil may be exposed "to the sun and air. A wee* or so. before you plant the tubers in August, give a good dressing of "islaked lime. After the shoots are above gi°und yon could use one of the quick fertilisers the rows and fork it into the soil before you earth up the plants. EJTCHEN GARDEX Cn li°lit soils and in warm situations, as on a north border with a wall, fence or thick hedge at rear, a 'sowing ot broad beans can be made. An early kind, like Dwarf Green Gem or Ear.y Longpod, should be chosen. A sowing of early .peas, like Cli-elsea Gem, can also be made on sheltered sites. Continue the trenching, ridging, and manuring of vacant ground. Stir the ground between, cabbages and, other spring green crops where it has been beaten down by the rain. The' aeration will do good. Sticks for peas and poles for climbing beans should be obtained, and the ends pointed. The latter are all the better if denuded of bark., TV-ire netting can be used as a. substitute for the former, and coarse, string is often used for the beans. Clear all vacant ground of weeds, and get it dug. It is a good, idea to make a plan of one's vegetable ground drawn roughly to scale, and mark thereon where the next season's crops are to go. It win be a good guide in estimating the quantity of seed required, and ensure a better rotation of crops from year to year. Baled foolscap paper is excellent for drawing the plan upon, allowing the; spaces between the lines to represent one foot. A strip torn lengthwise from a second sheet and mounted on a thin, flat ruler, or piece of cardboard, will form an accurate gauge for marking off distances along the rows. TtTT: FLOWER GARDEN. Freely ventilate frames containing calceolaria, pansy,, and other • cuttings of hardy or nearly hardy plants on every possible occasion. The purpose of the frames is to keep out cold' wind and rain. - Remove with scrupulous car.c all dead and mouldy leaves. If slugs are troublesome, dust soot among the plants, avoiding, the. leave? as much, as possible. Get vacant beds and borders deeply dug and manured. Lawn making and repairing with turves can be proceeded, with.' Hardy ferns of the coarser kin%'.mn'y bo. lifted -aJia .rfie. planted. Rockeries and rooteries may be constructed now, the soil then aaving time to settle before planting in earnest must be done. ISTow that deciduous tree leaves liave fallen, gen--eral clearance, .of all aptunmsl debris should be made. Blooming plants, too tender to stand cold, 'must be dug up and placed in shelter. Herbaceous or hardy border plants, which habitually die down, should be cut to tie and remove all resultant litter to an out-of-the-way corner. Clip edgings neatly, hoe or fork up ground surface, whether amongst border plants or shrubs, and so give all a fresh appearance. Plant roses, shrubs, climbing plants and herbaceous perennials.

THE BEST SOU. FOB. POTATO

A most accommodating plant is the potato, yet it has very decided preferences as regards kind and quality of soil. Beautiful clean tubers can be produced in pure sand, provided it is kept well supplied -with moisture during the growing period,, but only small potatoes result. In the.other extreme of heavy clay land, under hot, dry wea-ther, tubers of enormous size may be produced, but they trill be -coarse alike in Savour and fibre, paety and watery when cooked, white if the weather is continually moist in summer and autumn, they are very subject to disease, and keep badly, no matter how carefully they may be stored in winter. The best quality of soil is something midway between either of these extremes. If it inclines rather to the sandy than clayey side, so much the better will it suit; the produce will be so much .nearer perfection in every way. There is much • diversity of opinion among skilled growers of potatoes oe this matter of manuring for the crop. Much of the diversity arises, no doubt, from difference of experience acquired in dealing with, the crops in diverse districts and soils. The preponderance of opinion, however, is undoubtedly in favour of no manure being applied with the cTop, provided the. land is in good heart as the result of unexhausted manure to a previous crop which has not been potato. It must be understood that this opinion bears only on the quality of the tubers as regards flavour, texture and mealiness when cooked, a,nd their keeping quality when stored after the crop is harvested. It does not take into account t.he question of the comparative weight of crop per given space of the same kind of land treated with manure applied with the view of obtaining the maximum possible of weight per yard or acre. Quality is of more importance to the man who grows his potatoes in his own garden or patcfi for his own use than double the weight if the stuff is unfit to :eat, and won't keep after being harvested. Lean land should certainly be manured, and with a liberal hand. But the usual mode practised of applying crude manure at the time of planting is not good. Much of the trouble experienced in growing good, clean, wholesome potatoes arises from this practice. Farm yard manure, when it is necessary to give it. should be applied in the autumn or winter previous to planting. If this is not done, it is better to resort to some of tbe commercial manures, such as guano, bone meal, nitrate of soda, etc., •which are rseonnnendec for this crop by dealers in manure. Old garden land rich in the residue of previous ma&urings is frequently suitably prepared for the potato by having a dressing of fresh slaked lime applied immediately, before planting. About one shovelful to the square yard would be a suitable quantity to apply.