IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20426, 22 December 1931, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN.

V- , . f WORK FOR THE WEEK. (srxauxT wkittxk ton litis fbbss.) [By J. T. Bxnclatb.J ANSWERS TO CORRESPONbENTS Mum—-Chf jr southern urns to carry large btbofflii should not fcfct any manure applied to til# surfaco toil in (lie pbtk before the bftli of tsoil in woll filled with roota. Ottu'tiding iStisfes toft growth, nfld "soft growth ddts not fcHwhieo good btaoms. Strlvte to c«t hard, isltbH-joliited growth, l«lt do übl trjr tu get this by d dryislt condition of thb toll. Wdicr tfbMi it i« liicutf. '"E.O.-—•Sitfe# fcreit UAa ioireilil ihlukifca, sttcii i'a whit# caHfd Iwisl third, iearole bisbt. or Jjwiii chord, silvery fieakele befct. Th«»# are ill varieties • of silver befet, SwUa chord and silvery Swiss chord are the boat. The latter is specially fine; when well grown the'mid-ribs are about four inches across. yonfiaii idw * ed i elo vor in your garden, but be sure you dig it in before it fottnt seeds. Was pleased to hear that digging in the oats was a Hneeeit. Owing tb tR* of stUblS iMauM, green ito&ntiring will hato to be dpnit Inore in tnA futuro than it hulk beeti in the palt. , vegetables. If young carrots are wanted m autumn, a Bttipip vurifety Should U6 sdtii at once. If sown thinly, little or nd thinningneed be done. SaVbjte the sowing made iii the middlb of October are now fit to plant out. Plant at least twenty, inches apart. TtMftitbMj grafting jfa sheltered ridsi* tt&fii ttu sttikiit against fehbfes am doing wjsll, and the inaih stetn should U ilfed securely as it grows, tii prevent damage from 'winds. Cucumber plants under glass must have the growths regulated ahd Btbpbed frequently. CUt the fruit bff tvhen about three prirta grown. . FBUJT. ' Strawberries—After strawberries hi ire cropped for thtee or foUr soa§oti3, the plants become more or less exhausted, and art: better discarded. Tllfe layetMg of Strawberries is aii opeHU * tion that should bt performed yearly; It tntist be remembered that the plantations are taost ttfofltiible dtfring their second and third years, and that four years is theoiaximtim number a heel should remain undisturbed. By good grower* three years is fegarded as the limit. The fcroj* mi large; old plants may be good in bulk, but the size Of the berries is pboir against the. prodice of young, vigorous plants of the earn* variety. In order to keep up a succession of plants in their ptime, it is essential that a third or fourth of their number he destroyed , annuullv, and » like number of footed ru'nhfefs planted. If this is done, each season, w« obtain a crop from mature plants, and we ensure others following ns they wear out. The work of layering should be undertaken as soon as the ritnners so freely produced by the strrtWberi-y plant* put in an appearance.. The earlier the plants Are teaWMM the stronger they become, arid the greater the chance of gathering; a reasonable amoant of fruit in their firot 'seasott. Everv grower of a (ttfawhefrjr plant, wi'i hive noticed how it' produces , uumerotw Jotog, thin stenb, tetiieU,

runners, upon which at interval! the young plants are .borne. It will also be notice 3 that itie first formed plantlet is always ,the - each suc> ceetlinte one beectoiinfe efich snttillfei" than its predecessor. It is best, therefore, to secure the first plantlet, and if four are taken off. each parent plant there will probably be enough for the grower's ptirttbae. If thb rSntibrs ?re lbft-alone, they will root into the ground where they are, and some use this rough-and-readv digging the plautlets up when wanteds But this system is not to be commended; inflsniuch as the ground they root in i 8 usuaHv hard and. Solid. and # they cannot easily /be lifted with good bolts of soil to their rbots, to Say nothing of the tfttt&le ihef ftiiike;. cfbsSiilg dtbpf in all dirteetiiihS..' . The practice usually followed is lightly to fork up the Soil nrotind tlie did plilnts and peg the ftinners down By ineaiiS pi Sihall pegfe, stifcli, ai vtomen's hairpins, A Second fthu bet l tter method is to Idyer into poti?. JVtji three inches in diameter shbuld be filled \Htli a sah.dy loam - and stink nearly to the rim. tress into the Soil the J-oting; plantlet and hold it. there by means br a peg or pih: " If the weather is dry, the young plants must be ifre«iuently watered, li roots are not freely emitted in dry |b»The runners not required for layejrihP drid the toritintiatlori of the growth 01 the plantlet lifiyeired shtiiild pi tut tiffin about six weeks the i'dutie plfthts should Be tlieely rboted ttnd. tlieii may he severed from the parent plant. pLdWiKS. finks.—QaKten UtiVfe been extittorditiarily beatitiful thiß year—a riot of rose blossom everywhere. Pinks fldwered well and it is how tiiM tb plant the plpihgs of the stiine. It counts for a good deal to have strbhg plants to establish whieh itijjiMti I cornea, theitsfore shbuld be as early as possible to give a letigtHy pefiod of growth. , The point is tb strike : thbiii, itnd tither things too, ill u 1 Rood rooting modiiim. Somfethihg iwofe inviting than the otdjiiary. garden inould is ftdvisnble. Add leaf thoUld, licit frhttlly decayed, ahd sharp sand. This c-aii Be lightly forked ih, tfoddfehj Watered, left ibf a few liotirs, dhd the buttings put into it. The site selected should not get a great deal of sunfehine. Select clean, healthy growths, abddt : fiitlr inches" ibitig" at thfe bdsd bt the flower stem, denude them of their lower leaves, and dibble them in about ah inch and a half deep. The only attention until the autumn transplanting is the mattei- of weeding and watering; ' The last is very essential if Strong, Well-ripened growth is to be made. If it could he managed, it would lie an advantage to have tneni in a cold frame or glass-coyered boS, as air and moisture can be better regulated therein. Spring Flowering PldtttS.—tn" the midst of so maiiy duties that ciidwd upon the gardener at this time ib connexion with wintfer eirops, Sprltigplants are apt to be overlooked and forgotten. Then, when we. do remeihbbr, it is too late to brihg them into strong specimens, no matter how much we Way regret btif '^s?lfebt. It seems natural to make idy for the Spring display in the and tor the summfer display in spring. However,, ode 1% to Ibok milch fufther ahead, and; if pieiiii to have gocid plants of' 4 s iVallflower, fbfget-me3ibt, arabieV aubrietiaj polyanthus, and so then ihusfc prepare for tlifijh qof-' In . good toil thftt bai £®eft 4tiiWy.;flug.bill• dot Mafidfed, And again trodden firm before 'sowing. In every case the seed should lie sown very thiiily so that the plants may stnrfc lifb v.'ith ample i-ootn in Which they may liavc übUudant, ligfct and air.

Very small lots will suffice for the deeds of small gardens. ~When the tiny seedlings can be .handled tliey should be tranftplaiited ; ott to further fine soil some Six inches tipart, and they will then make coin pact little plants by the autumn. To obtain good results, the soil should never be allowed to remain dry for many, days after the Seed has been sbwn, blit in giving water while the seedlings have not made their appearance above ground care must be taken to tise only a light rbse on the hose or wateringcan.. If, Sowing has been dotte tod thickly, thin the plants sin inch of so apart While very Srtitill; the soil should Be',ln a dsiliip cbhaltferi while thibiilhg is taking plate. Keep weeds, in. siibjbetidn by the* frfequent use of the hoe; If .ktitfifc fay . pWitk dttrife broadcast, haftu-weeuirig tdiisfc be rfisoHed to.