The Garden.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 8, 27 August 1874, Page 4

The Garden.

As the season has now arrived foi active garden operations being carried on, we have no doubt the following table of seasons for sowing vegetables will be useful to. many of Wr readers'. We would suggest that . those who do not file tbe Leader should clip but the table, and give it a place in their scrapbook, for reference throughout the year: Asparagus ... August to September - Beans , May to December „ Kidney, French and Runners... October to January Beetroot . ... August to November Borecole or Greens ... September to Novembei Broccoli ... October to November Brussels Sprouts ... August to October Cabbage .. August to April Cauliflower... August to April Carrot early August to December „-, late... Sept. to .November Celery August, to November Cress ;.. „., August to January Cucumber .... Sept. to November Gourds ... Sept. to November Leek August to October Lettuce ... August to April Mangold ' Wurtzel ... October to November Mustard ... August to November Onion April, Aug; Sept. & Oct Parsley ... August to March Parsnip „r August to October Peas... „ May to January Potatoes early July to November „ late Sept. to November Radish ... All the year round Rhubarb ... August to November < Savoy... ... August to October Sea Kale ... October to November. Spinach ... August to November Turnip, garden sorts . . August to February ,-, field sorts November to January The Nelson Mail mentions that some fine oranges, grown in the open aii near Brook-street Valley, were on view at the shop of a local tradesman. It states that the tree from which they were plucked is of some years' growth, and has now on it several doz.. oranges. A vine, about 40 years old, near Sata Barbara, California, covers a quarter-acre of ground, and yields annually from 10,000 to 12,0001bs grapes. The ' New York Times' states that upwards of 2800. dollars' worth of strawberries were grown by a market gar* dener on two acres .of ground nejjf Lawrence, Massachussets, one sea/ipn, in the following maimer -. — ln the sn/LDg of the year he plants on prepa^&df soil, in hills two feet apart. The Variety chosen is Wilson's Albany. The beds are kept cultivated during that season, and all runners and blossoms are carefully clipped away. The next season the crop is taken, and although the present year" was in many places unfavorable for strawberries, yet on this particular plot, nearly 6000 quarts per acre were gathered. After bearing one year, the beds are ploughed up, and other crops planted. Meanwhile other beds are coming to a bearing condition. How to dissolve bones conveniently on one's garden for fertilizing purposes, without regard to sulphuric acid, is an inquiry frequently asked, and has. more than once been answered in the ' Scientific American.' Place the bones in wood ashes, the pile being moistened with water, is the reply that has been given. A method, said to be in use in Russia, is as follows :— A trench three or four feet deep and to any desired length, is dug in the earth, and filled with alternative layers of ashes and whole bones, each layer abou(i six inches thick. The lowest as welfas the top layers are of ashes ; each layer of ashes is thoroughly saturated with water. At distances of three feet, poles are, jammed down to the bottom of the ditch, and every eight or ten days they are taken out and enough water poured in the holes to saturate the ashes. At the end of two months, the whole heap is thoroughly stirred up with a fork, so as to mix the ashes and the softened bones, which are then left to ferment again, water being added as often as necessary. In about three months more, the heap being worked over twice or three times more, the decomposition will be complete. The German method to grass a bank is as follows : — For each square rod to be planted, *take half a pound of lawngrass seed, and mix intimately and i thoroughly with six cubic feet of good, dry garden loam. This should, be placed in a tub, and liquid manure, diluted with about two-thirds of water added, and well stirred in, so as as to j bring the whole to, the oonsistency of mortar. The slope must be cleaned and made perfectly smooth, and then well watered, after which the paste just mentioned- should, be applied with a trowel and made as even. and thin as possible. Should .it crack from exposure to the air, it must be again watered and smoothed up day by day until the grass makes its appearance, which will be done in from. eight to fourteen days, when the whole declivity will soon be covered' with a close carpet;, of green. '' \ ■ >- ~.) A writer in the : ' London Journal of ■ Horticulture' keeps rats s and mice'away from newly planted peas and beans by ■■ a simple precaution. Xjpori say hklf.a pint of the seed placed in ; a vessel, let fall six or seven drops of.. linseed' bil^ shake round well, then ; sprinklera -few ;■' pinches of dry red; lead* and : shake again until the coating is perfect.* The- seeds is not injured by this treatment even if 1 held over for an entire year.