IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16162, 16 March 1918, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN.

* . (specially written ion "the tress.") (Bt J. T. Sinclair.) answer to correspondents. Kotonia.—You ran plant cabb;:p;~ and Cauliflower ill!:! SUV pen.; :in:l broad brans in M.iy. and, m'th the exceptinn of tho ln-ft-namod the produce will bo ready in November. piovidinir, of course, thai diiiinc your sis months' abjure the. birds do not out yen;- pe;:* unrl your pl:mts arc not smothered with woods. WORK FOR THE WEEK. Sow —Cabbage. cauliflower, lettuce, mustrird and cress. VEGETABLES. Leeks.--The.se should be Kept well earthed lip, or there will not be much edible portion. The final earthing i-.p ol : plants in trenches • should not, of course, be given vet, but ii soil (or paper collars) be added as growth proj coeds, the edible portion will be much ! longer than if the plants are allowed to .make their full growth before being earthed up at all. Beans.—Runner and dwarf beans are often neglected at this time of the year. So abundantly do they '.Top that one gets a little tired of thorn, and so the pods arc leit to hang on the plants. This is a mistake, i'or seed is formed, and the plants stop bearing. If you have, no means <•( disposing of the surplus beans, null them off and salt them down for winter. Whether you salt them or not, still pull them off, and the plants will go on bearing until cut down by frosts. Celery.—lf not already done the early batch of celery should be earthed up, but the final earthing of late lots should not take place for another month or six weeks. The plants will grow much yet if we get a favourable autumn, and a final earthing up would have a. tendency to stop this later growth. In dry weather the ' plants will respond to liberal waterings with liquid manure once a week. If ' a little salt is added to the .manure water it will impart a "nutty" flavour, Current Work.—The principal work of the month in the vegetable garden consists of harvesting onions and potatoes. There are, however, several sowings to be made, such as cabbage and cauliflower on n warm border outdoors, and in a cold frame towards the end of the month. A sowing of 1-t----tuec for a spring supply should also be made. In lifting potatoes keep a sharp look-out for those attacked t<y disease, and remove and burn any foliage found to be diseased. Young spinach and turnips should be thinned out as soon as they can bp handled conveniently. .Lettuce thinnings can be transplanted if a large supply is in demand, but plenty of water must be given until the roots take io the now soil. As asparagus will soon finish its growth for the season, a final watering with nitrate of soda can be applied ; the effects of this will not show on the top, but it will strengthen t»e crowns considerably and cause them to give a better return next season. FRUIT. Fruit-gathering.—lt is not too much to say that many tons of fruit . are spoilt annually through being left i n the trees too long, indeed, in many cases they are left until they drop in the natural way. Many 'tons are also lost tin ough being gathered before they are ripe, and consequently their keeping qualities are much impaired. It is not too much to say that 'ate varieties of apples and pears shouid be as fresh, or nearly so L in late winter as they are to-day. ~ When cue of these apples, or a pear, is gathered at the pioper time it has gathered intQ itself all the properties it needs, ;.nd thereafter remains in a dormant condition. When, however, it becomes over-ripe, and falls from the tree, the place where it received the bruise in falling opens up the way for disease, and its life is thereafter a short one. On the other hand, if it is gathered before it is ripe, co-operation is more or less rapid, and it shrinks up. until it is scarcely fit for use. There is no jet time when to gather. Much depends upon the position and condition of the trees. Therefore the exact time ior gathering the different kinds must be left in the grower's hands. There are, however, certain indications of ripeness which even the inexperienced may notice. When the .fruit on a certain Tee approaches ripeness an odd one hoie and there will fall to the ground. This may be due to disease, or insect pest, and the fruit should be examined, and cut open. If it is a perfectly sound fruit, and has not be blown down or fallen through disease or insects.. then one can take it for granted that the fiuit on the tree is near a condition for gathering. A further test should be given, and this is done hv lifting a few fruits here and there on the tree, into an upright position. If this movement parts the fruit from its branch, then it is ripe. But if a portion of the branch comes away with the fruit, then it is not ripo. and should be left for a time. "Whether the fruit is going to be stored on shelves or in cases, great care should be exercised so that none of it is damaged in handling, cr decay will set in and sound fruit next the damaged will start to docay also. FLOVTERS. Chrysanthemums.—By the end of this month plants which are to make a display in May should all bo housed, so that it will be well now to think where they are to go. Often the question ot finding room for the pots is a difficulty, but they should never be overcrowded, for a ie\y good plants will be better than a number of indifferent ones. Before the pots are taken indoors the weeds sliould bo re-

moved from the surface of the soil, and U auv snow signs of mildew the under sides of tho leaves must be dusted with lowers of sulphur. Any brown aua decaving leaves should bo carefully picked off. The liouse should bo dry. and plenty of ventilation day ana night must be given the plants ior some weeks to come. If tile plants are to remain out of doors a light piece of canvas erected ovef them will often be sufficient to protect the blossoms from early irosts, and these plants can be cut from freely tor table decoration. The <-■ reeniiouse. —So lons as the weather remains mild, keep the,greenhouse well ventilated, but be careful to exclude cold draughts, and prevent sudden falls in temperature. 11 climbers ot any kind are growing on the root' thev "should be thinnod so that they may not exclude light unduly from plants on the slaves. If they at all inteited with insects or mil-lew let tJion) be thoroughly cleaned with one or other of tho many insecticides and fungicides, now so numerous to choose from. The most effective way to accomplish this is to clear the stage of plants under the climber to h? 'dealt with, then unfix the latter from the roof, and bring it to fiie floor, where, alter cutting away superfluous shoots, which should he burned immediately if infested with any pest, it can their be more conveniently dealt with. Lawns.—Xev lawns can he sown down this month. The ground should be made perfectly level, trodden firmly, and well raked to get a fine tilth. If is well to lie generous with the seed, in order to get a good sward. Choo.-o a calm day for sowing, lightly rake the seed in. and finally roll with a moderately heavy roller. A little dry reel lead mixed with the seed will keep the birdj c.T.