IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18457, 11 August 1925, Page 4

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. (SHOXUUCT WJU'HJUI MB "581 mss.") (Bt J. T. Smcuis.) VEGETABLES. Lettuce". —TMfl is perhaps the most esteemed of all salads, and to grow it well the ground most be in first-class condition. A dusting of superphosphates can be given the ground before, the drills are drawn. The rows should not be closer than twelve inches, and ample room must be allowed between each plant. To get the leaves crisp, rapid growth is essential, and the frequent use of the Dutch hoe is a great Help to all plants of this class. Carrots. —It is rather early for these, but in mild districts a row or two may be tried on a warm border, where the soil is in a suitable condition. If they fail, no great harm will be done, while if they succeed they will be ready a week or two before the next sown. Early Nantes is about the best sort for early work.

Potatoes. —A few sets can be put in on a warm border, and the variety should be an early one. Needless to say, it would be courting disaster to make a plantation so early in tho season in cold, heavy soil, but where the ground is light and warm some tubers can be put in now with every prospect of success. Of course, protection must be afforded when late frosts abound. Turnips.—For early use a few drills of a strap-leaved sort can be sown. The tilth should be made as fine as possible, and the seed distributed thinly. Early Milan is one of the best for present sowing.

Artichokes, —The tubers of the Jerusalem artiohoke may be planted now. The rows should be 3ft apart, the sets 18in apart in the row, and 6in deep. The white-seeded Bort is a good cropper. After planting in any sort of soil—a medium loam moderately manured being the best—the Jerusalem artiohoke will look after itself, though It pays to hoe the ground once or twice during the growing period, and earth up the plants when they require it. Not everyone likes this vegetable, any more than everyone likes the tomato, but many more would appreciate it than do if they knew how savoury a dish it makes when well grown, well cooked, and nicely served. As the plants grow tall they can be made to form a breakwind to other vegetable of a lesß hardy nature.

FRUIT. Spraying.—Stone fruit and pear trees are now on the move, and all spraying should be finished as soon as possible after this date. Apple trees that were attacked by powdery mildew last summer should be well sprayed with some lime-sulphur or copper solution. Peach and nectarine trees should be pruned before being sprayed.

Vines.—Cool vineries can now be closed down, that is, if ripe fruit is desired in February. Vines are always easiest managed when allowed to grow and break naturally, but when this is done the fruit is not ripe until autumn. To make a humid atmosphere the floor and walls should be damped down in the morning, and again early in the afternoon. A little top ventilation can be put on during the hottest part of the day. If not already done, the borders should get a dressing of some approved fertiliser. This should be lightly forked in, and in a few weeks' time a mulch of stable manure can be put on all outside' borders. Should, however, the border- contain a lot of fibrous roots near the surface a dressing of good loam passed through a coarse sieve wUI be helpful. The top soil should be loosened up with a fork before the loam is put on. If roots are not seen near the surface, some of the old soil can be removed altogether before putting on fresh. A dusting of bonedust can be applied at tho same time as the soil.

FLOWERS. Priming. Eoses.—One of the most common mistakes made by amateurs is in pruning too early. Early pruning does not mean early flowering, as the young growths are liable to fall victime to the cruel frosts of early October. Even with late pruning, the buds sometimes suffer badly by late frostß, but by prunirjg late there is a chance of tho buds escaping the late frosts. For exhibition blooms prune hard; for decorative blooms prune rather loss severely. Cut out all dead wood down to the base of the plant. Sound wood should have white or .cream-coloured pith. In thinning out, cut back tho shoot to the base of the plant, or to its starting point on the old stem from which it springs. The shoots which are to be left should be shortened back to some eight or nine eyes, or what are known as dormant buds, as it is from these dormant buds that growths, for the succeeding season are to be evolved. We are quite aware that many roßegrowers would take exception to retaining so much of the growths, but for creating a free display of dainty decorative roseß this method of pruning will give satisfactory results."

The cuts should be made in an upward direction. Always see that the cut is made so that the dormant bud is left on the outside of the growth. This is important, in view of the shapely plant we desire to bring into effect and in order that light and air may get well into the centre of the plant. Not •only should the more promising growths be cut back, but the old, sappy, and twiggy growths should be cut out. It is astonishing what a lot of old, useless growth may be cut out in this way; in fact, it is quite possible to alter the character of the dwarf rose when this method of pruning is adopted. Should the grower desire to produce blooms of first-class quality a more drastic system of pruning must necessarily t> e adopted. Standard roses aTe pruned in the same manner as are dwarfs Newly-planted roses, the roots of which have not yet got a good hold of the soil should be pruned hard back, this is, to' two or three eyes on each stem. Climbers should have their growths thinned, and regulated when necessary and the unripened ends of the shoots removed, and be securely fastened to their supports, whatever these may be Violas and Pansies. —Plants raised from cuttings struck in the autumn which have been standing in boxes all the winter, should now be planted out in the flower border. Where it is desired to keep up a continuous display of nan sies, another sowing ought to be made in a box at once.

Sweet Peas.—Growers who did not put in a sowing last autumn can do so now. In this column an article was given on how to prepare the ground so it is unnecessary to go into detail, again. The seed should be sown thinlt and covered with fine soil to the a«»A? of three inches. aepth