THE COTTAGE GARDEN

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 17, 19 July 1918, Page 8

THE COTTAGE GARDEN

SOME PRACTICAL HINTS.

Before a gathering of the Wadestown Cottage Garden Society last evening, Mr. C. Craigie, of the Agricultural Department, gave a practical demonstration of the method of pruning fruit trees in order to obtain the beet results. Taking a number of young apple trees, as procured from the nursery, Mr. Cra-igie cut them so as to leave the required number of leaders at each stage o£ growth—one, two, and three years—to ensure strong growth and correct shape, and at the same time pointed out errors that had been made in pruning the subjects operated on, giving reasons in each cs6<=. The demonstration was most inter isting, and was followed by the member-- \<ith close attention.

After the pruning demonstration, Mr. Craigie favoured ' his audience >rith a number of "Don'ts" in connection with garden work and plante in pots, which may be briefly summarised as follow: — Don't plant seedlings and cuttings in the centre of a pot—put them ck-ss to the 6ide; don't pot loosely in shifting a flower to a larger-sized pot; don't p)a:iS cauliflowers, cabbages, * etc., .without, throwing away the "blind" ones; don't 6ow seeds too thickly; don't pllow birds to devour half your seeds; d'^n't sow seeds broadcast where it can be avoided; don't neglect surface cultivation; don't expect good root crt-ps from lumpy ground; don't h ive the d'gging of your garden till the spring; don't plant or bow onions oh loose soil-r^anc! other errors the amateur girderier is likely.to commit. Convincing reasons .were given in each, instance s^ to tr-s mistakes, and the best methods to adopt. The best fertilisers to use for different crops were mentioned, but the lecturer gave preference to stabio manure where it was obtainable.

A number of questions' were answered. Mr. Oaigie was given, a hearty vote of thanks. Mr. E. J. Wiffin presided.

In the course of his address Mr. Craigie elated that the Department had granted permission, for demonstraticue to be given yearly to members of tbu society, to encourage fruit-gTowiny ra the suburb. The Department would the plants to a member or memoers having the proper ground space, wwK spray their trees at the proper time, ~nd would prune them, the only corr vtioa !.*eing that the owner of the ground shovld provide shelter, and rllow members* of the society to attend the pruning demonstrations for the purpose of inetrvict.on. Mr. Cfaigie's announcement was received with applause.