Farm, Garden and Orchard Notes.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 1 October 1915, Page 1

Farm, Garden and Orchard Notes.

OCTOBER. KITCHEN GARDEN. Most vegetables mentioned last month can still be sown but time is now getting short. Peas > and beans (french, scarlet runner etc)., sow now regularly at fortnightly intervals. Cucumbers, melons, pumpkins. vegetable marrows and tomatoes may now be sown, in the early part of the month under glass, but sowings in the open air may be risked towards the end of the month. ; A good rich bed is the main thing with the two former, as to be successful they must receive no check. A good plan to sow

rue seen is as Toilows.—make a a number of paper cylinders as near as possible the same size and fit them into an old box (a kerosene or oil case does well) until it is packed tightly, then with a trowel fill each cylinder with a good rich compost and put a seed in each. When the time comes for planting out each cylinder will come out of the box intact and may go into the ground with the plant as the j paper will soon rot.- Celery : prepare trenches for planting out next month. Earth up and stake early sown peas. Towards the end of the month get in the main crop of potatoes, continue to wage war on slugs ana weeds.

FARM. Finish planting main crop of potatoes, if not already done, leaving three feet between the’ rows to allow room for the scarifier. The great secret with potatoes is to keep the plants clean; therefore harrow and scarify as long as it is possible without injury to the young roots. Swede turnips should now be got in, in land that lias been deeply worked and is in good heart, drill in with fine bonedust or bonedust and blood to give them a good start. Mangolds and carrots may still be sown as also maize. This is another crop which, to be successful, must be kept clear of weeds. Best manure for this is: 4 parts superhosphate, 3 parts bonedust, 1 part muriate

of potash.j4 part sulphate of iron. ORCHARD. Keep your trees clean, cut off all shoots from the main stem, head off all shoots on your peach trees, never allow a peach tree to have any dead wood on it. spray your plums, cherries and pears with hellebore, and destroy all insects, nip your vines and remove suckers from every kind of fruit tree. FLOWER GARDEN. Shorten all strong shoots in roses and cut away' all weak ones, continue sowing hardy annuals ; do not sow to deep, if you just cover the seed it is

sufficient, keep plenty of quick lime handy to kill sings. It is as well to continue planting gladioli bulbs so as to keep up a continual supply of these beautiful flowers, mow your lawn at least once a week, keep down weeds in the beds and on the piths. A circular rim of tin or zinc about 2 inches above the ground placed around young seedlings will very often keep slugs away, and another good method is to put bran on the paths in a small heap and after dark you will find slugs collected on ; t in large quantities when I you can destroy them.