IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17058, 1 February 1921, Page 5

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR TllE WEEK.

(specially written foe "the press.'V (By J. T. Sinclair.) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. W.G.—Shallots can bo raised from seed gowti in spring, as for onions, but are best propagated by the cloves, or divisions, of th? bulbs. Do not often flower or seed. A.E.P. —Tho white mould on the gTapes is, po doubt, mildew. It is a fungus, encouraged by faulty ventilation, creating cold draughts, and "by a too humid atmosphere. The remedy is to d\ist with flower of sulphur as eoon as eee<n. In bad attacks the grapes are Spoilt. Ginger Mick.—Place .hollow canes or beaneialks at night where the earwigs are numerous, and empty the contents into hot w:iter in the morning. Half fill flower pots with dry hay and place them inverted on short stalks among your flowering plants. Examine the traps evory morning and destroy any earwigs therein. VEGETABLES. Spring Cabbage. —This is one of the most important crops in the vegetable garden. Two sowings should be made. The first about the end of the first week in February, and "tie second about the end of the month. The bed on which the seeds are sown should be one; which is fully exposed to light and air. so that hard, short-jointed plants may be obtained. When tho soil has been dug and made level, it should be trodden lightly, and siiallow drills drawn one foot apart; the seeds should bo -sown thinly, so that no crowding of the young plants may take place. Favourite varieties are Flower of Spring and Itllam's Early. I/ettuw. —About the middle of the month sow for autumn use. Sow in a sunny sheltered spot. Sow in drills one foot apart, ana very thinly in the drills. All- tlip-Year-round :is among the best and hardiest, and is one of the leading sorts in the cabbage class. Brown Cos and Winter White Cos are the best and hardiest of this class of lettuce.

FRUIT. Grapes.—During hot weather admit plenty of air to tho vinery.' In the case of houses that are none, too well built, it will probably be found difficult to get enough circulation of air, and a" few scorched loaves will result unless the roof is . slightly shaded. Where houses contain, grapes that are now colouring, a fair amount of air may safely be allowed to remain allnight, both at the top and the front ventilators. Afford water to the borders as often as necessary. Attend to the stopping of the laterals before these come into contact with the roof glass. Strawberries. —The strawberry is not such a shallow-rooting subject as many people think. The ground intended for the plant should be deeply ■ dug and well manured. It is useless to try and grow good strawberries on shallow ground. It will be found best to trench two feet deep, and to give a heavy dressing of partially decjayed manure. On fight soils manure from the cowshed is Best. It is well to prepare the ground some time before setting out the plants, so that the soil has a cha®ce to settle down.

FLOWERS. •Chrysanthemums.—The treatment of buds is the very present care of the amateur for the next few weeks; indeed, it is doubtful whether any other flowers can be named which require, during certain seasons, so large an amount of time and attention. To some amateurs the process of "taking the bud" is fraught with mystery, but this should not be the case if once the principle is grasped that the'bud is nrffc really taken at all —on the contrary, it is left. Taking the buci is really quite an easy, and at the same time, an interesting operation. The following simple directions : should make it an easy matter for the novice to carry out himself: The most frequent mistake with most growers is that they are too prone to take the bud-when it is too small. It should not .be taken until the side shoots are long enough to be broken off without difficulty. "When they are half an inch long is a good time, or from seven* to days after the bud has shown. Begin by taking away the shoots nearest the buds, and do not check the plant by removing them all at once, otherwise a blind bud may. he the re--sujt; remove a few at a time'every second day. Some varieties will make their break, i.e., show the flower-bud when the plant is no more than two feet in height, while others will be two yards or more high before it appears. All depends oni the variety, and no rule can be given, although the time of stopping the plants may bo regarded as the governing cau§e; The best time to secure the buds oB •Japanese is from the 15th to the end ofl February, and for incurved from tha February 25th to March lOtlli. If a bud is a few days earlier than desired, it can bo retarded a little by leaving ft few of tho side shoots a week or so •longer,'but it is not safe to leave them on after tlhey are an inch long, ais sometimes they take so much of tne energy away from, the bud that the peduncle gets hardened and will not swell properly. Part of the daily work needed at the present time will consist in going over the plants with a special eye to any additonal tying-up required. The stakes will, of course, be firmly secured, and .all.that will be needed is to train out or tie more securely such shoots as have, made-, additional growth. In making the ties, care should be taken to tie first, and as securely as possible, to the stake itself, and then to loop tne raffia or other tying material more loosely round tJhe shoot itself in such a way as to allow for its further development. Apart from bud management and tying, tho general matters "which require most attention the next few weeks are those of feeding and watering. A' plant on the eve of showing its bud should receive no food until this is "taken" and is swelling freely, when feeding -will recommence as usual. For tlho rest, tho chrysanthemum will require an extra syringing if flagging i 8 noticeable in sultry; weather. Syringing should be done twice daily during February, the second -syringing being given m good time in the afternoon to avoid any danger of mildew., Watering must never be overdone, though there is little danger of this, perhaps; In case of doubt, the rapping test is effective. I , Ireesias. -The main supply of Uhese should now bo potted or boxed np. A | little dried cow dung can be put over the drainage. Plant an inch deep and' two inches apart. When tho pots or [ Loses are placed in position, a good! I soaking, enough to go through the drainage, can be given through a rose. . .'A'" 1 , Cardidum (Madonna lily).—• This lily has a very short resting oeriod, and should be planted soon after it dies a^? r flowering. The most suitable portion for it is one that is slightly shaded, and a light, rich loam is the most suitable soil. The bulbs can be planted eight or ten inches apart, the top of each bulb about a couple of inches below tne surface of the ground. Excessively deep planting is the cause ol many failures. As a preventative against disease, place some sand and balf > Ground, and .over each Cyclamen.—Hie old plants, which nave been kept in a semi-resting condition, should now be repotted into rredh material. Lift as much soil as possible with the roots if the corns have been planted oat, and pot fairly firm into 6-inch pots. - Stand in a cold franw. iOr some time, syringe overhead for a tew weeks, but water moderately until the roots lhave taken to th.6 now soil.