FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume XV, 22 May 1931, Page 1

FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD NOTES.

may. —— ■ vat i KITCHEN GARDEN. As recommended last month, if not already done, plant out strawberries on a well manured plot of ground. Select plot of ground intended for carrots, onions, and parsnips; manure, trench up, and allow to remain in rough state until time to sow seed. Sow cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and a little red cabbage to have plants in readiness for planting in spring. A small bed of leeks may also be sown for early planting. Broad beans, sow for succession; also earliest variety of peas in a warm, dry, locality. Plant early potatoes in a warm sheltered situation. Keep the earth well stirred around potatoes, onions and shallots; hoe, weed and mould up all crops that require it, destroy slugs with frequent dusting of lime. Wheel manure on to vacant ground, clear away all rubbish, dig and trench. As you dig leave the surface soil in as rough state as possible. FARM. * I Fence off turnips as required for stocks. Let the young cattle and stores clean up breaks. Be careful not to put stock on a fresh break towards evening as it will be injurious for them to eat too many turnips if frosted. Young horses will winter well on swedes. Plant breaks of shelter trees; lawsoniana and macroeapa do well for this purpose. The former though, always gives shelter close to the ground. The latter will always be worth growing as they make good posts, also good firewood. ORCHARD. This month prune the trees and gooseberries. It is also usual to prune vines as soqn as the leaf falls but on this subject there are different opinions. It is also usual to advocate manuring, to which the same remarks apply. Fruit trees should now be planted, for which purpose choose dry weather. It is bad to plant in sloppy ground. Plant shallow, not more than one or two inches deeper than that tree was before, if fhdt. Dig the land fine first and spread the roots very carefully out s equally round the trees. Cover with weff-erumbled earth and press lightly- do\tn, securing with at least one stake. Prune down the branches but be careful to preserve the roots (unless injured), and if you purchase your trees from a nurseryman see that he does not prune down the roots, which is too apt to be the case. Apples are the hardiest and do with the least shelter. They are also the latest to plant. Gooseberries and currants should be pruned and planted this month. Pay strict attention to their pruning. Remove suckers, and hunt insects. Keep land dry and well drained for winter. Plant strawberries.