GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 144, 19 June 1915, Page 13

GARDENING NOTES

(By "Experience.") THE VINERY. Vines under gia.-= ai-e non leady for pruning. Young vines that have not yet iillsd their allotted spnee require treatment somowhal in accordance with the quality of the growth they have made, rs well as the lime Ihev have been planted. In some ro-pect? I am rather oid-fas>hioned in my beliefs, insofar as 1 do not believe in abandoning old ways just because they -are old I still believe that it is befit to cut back the firri season's growth +o near the starting point. ]| the vines have niado exceptionally good growth^ it may not b« necessary, but in this matter an inexperienced person is apt to think ducks are swans, and that long spindly growth is good. On that, account, and becauso the reciprocal growth is good, I advi<=e that the procedure with the first f-eason's. growth be as above In succeeding years the amount of young giowth to be left mu&t bo determined by the- strength of growth. In a general way it should take four years to cover a 16ft rafter. Remember thai the lower part of the vine always weakens; that is to say, the bunches on the lower part become smaller when the full length of the rod is bearing fruit. This weakcuing will be more marked if the rods are run up in a hurrj. Bearing rods are to have all the side growths — lateralcut back to spurs; take care to leave one prominent bud on each spur, and the nearer to the rod this is the better, for no other reason, than that it is best keep the spurs ab short as possi'^'e There is, so far a* I know, only oix^.-riety of grape that should be pruned differently to the above, and it is not always necessary to alter the plan for that even. Duke of Buccleugh, a very line white variety, very often is shy "bearing. In that case, it should be pruned to what arc called long spurs, which means that, instead of cutting back to the lowest bud, it should be pruned to a very prominent one, which will usually bo found to bo the first bud on the lateral beyond tho&e at its base, where the cut is usually made. In these cases provision must be made to renew the lateral by working up an extra one, or the spurs will soon bo of an unwieldy length. Cleaning tho Rods: Some growers peel off all the old bark they can. using the point of a knife to lift it, and leaving the rods smooth. This is contrary to nature, and is not the practice of groat grow ers m -the Old Country It is asserted by the highest authorities that the practice prevents the proper thickening of the rods My own experience, points that way. If the vines arc free from mealy bug most of the bark should be left on, merely removing those pieces that hang loose If mealy bug is prevalent, more must be taken off, 'because the bugs harbour beneath it, but even then, any that is firmly attached to tho rod should be left, if for no other reason than that the rods can be washed with greater safety. As a dressing use Gishurst's compound, obtainable from the seedsmen. Before washing tho rods the house should be cleared of all tho prunings, dead leaves, and rubbish of every kind. Cleanliness should be the watchword in the vinery, as mealy bug comes with a state of uncleanliness an well as being imported on plants. Plants infested ' with the bug should bo burned. To Expel Mealy Bug: Once mealy bug gets a good hold in a vinery, its expulsion is a. tedious and difficult matter. A plan which I have adopted with good effect in a, vinery badly affected I recommend to others First, clear away all rubbish and plants of every description. If there is an inside border, remove about two inches of tho top soil, because somo bugs are sure to fall on it. Clean the floor space as thoroughly as possible. Then forcibly syringe the vrhole interior of the house, glass, and walls, with kerosene emulsion, 1 in 12. Kerosene emulsion is made by boiling half a pound of common sonp in one gallon of water till tho soap is dissolved; then take it from the fire and add two gallon* of keroseno; churn with a syringe for about five minutes. Use one part of emulsion to twelve in water. A smaller quantity can be made in the same proportion. Thore aro many recommendations as to preparations to apply to the rods, but it is admitted that they all fall short of offecting a. complete clearance of the bugs. My plan is to wash the rods with a little hot water and a little common soap, using a. sponge and making a good lathor, than immediately wash again with clean water. A Caution : Vine rods aro very porous, and such parts as are not protected by the old bark readily absoTb anything of a penetrating nature. Hence a brush should not be used or anything very strong. I havo known vines to be killed outright by too much zeal in this way. THE VECETABLE GARDEN. Old rhubarb beds that require renovating should now be attended to. At this time all that is necessary ia to lift the old stools and stack them in a convenient place in the open ; they do not require cover- j ing, as a few degrees of frost will not hurt them. Later on, when thoy show signs ' of starting to grow, the clumps should bo ' divided with a spade or tomahawk. For replanting, take, for each wanted, a pieco ' from the outer parts of the old clumps with two or three good crowns; from the outer part because that is the young portion. In the meantime, prepare new ! quarters for thorn by trenching if possible. ' In any case, well manure a suitable pieco ', of ground, and leave it to settle and ' sweeten till wanted. Winter rhubarb is j now producing well. This is provided I either by sowing seed in summer or by planting young plants or divided plants, now. Rich ground is essential, as rhubarb cannot be over-manured. This is j not to say that it should be extravagantly I manured, for though that would not hurt ! it, there is a limit to the economic urp of manure. If plants are ready, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce may be planted. In tho case of the first two mentioned, bo sure not to use plants from seed sown prior to the last week in March, or there will most likely be a large percentage bolt to seed. Cover aeakalo for forcing Rhubarb may be forced in a similar manner to seakale, and forced rhubarb is a remarkably pretty dish. The stalks come out a lovely pink colour, the skin ie very thin, and the pink colour is more or less retained when oooked. I suppose there will be very little forced rhubarb now we have the evergreen varieties, which produce all winter in out mild climate. Seed sowing is usually suspended during this month, for, as a rule, there would bo vory little progress made, and when that is the case, tho seed it, better out of the ground. Anyone intending to grow cucumbers on hotbeds should now proceed with the preparation of the manure To make a i lasting bed all the the manure necessary ! should be assembled at one time. It should be turned over, all knots shaken out, and be thrown into a heap with a top like the hip of a roof, so as to throw off rain. The most strawy parts of the manure should be thrown into the centre of tho heap, whero it will heat most. If any of it is dry it should be watered. After laying a few da^ys it will begin to steam, and when this process is pronounced it should be turned again By no means allow it to ferment long, or it will result either in burning — that is, the strawy part getting very dry and musty — or it will become too wet. The duration of heat in a bod depends on the caro taken in the preparation of the manure It takes at least two weeks to prepare the manure. THE FLOWER GARDEN. There need bo no suspension of planting ; -en the contrary, it should proceed at all limes, when the soil is fit for working This ih a matter largely affected by local conditions. In, the low-lying parts of the Manawatu, where thore is a clay subsoil, planting at this time is likely to bo attended by many losses. September is a better time for tree planting, but in all places whore water does not lie in the soil early planting is best, because it enables the roots to get hold, and the young trees or plants inuke a spring growth, which is. lost in the former case. Spring flowering bulbs of all kinds should be planted everywhere without loss of time.

Big prices were realised for bullocks at a. recent Sydney sale. One vendoi sold 18 for an average price of £21 8?. Another 27 At an average of £10 19s Bd, nud * third SO-avoragiOff £18 Qs &d