THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12980, 22 November 1902, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. Kitchen Garden.—With the advent of hot weather, vegetable marrows will soon, be in request, but, as they are frequently not ready until quite the end of the summer, the gardener should do all he can to obtain them as early as possible. Give each plant plenty of room; keep the growths quite clear of each other, by removing any that are not required. Give each plant an abundance of water in dry weather, and a good sprinkle with, the syringe every afternoon. Pinch out the point from each shoot, then laterals will push <sut, and bear fruit some weeks earlier than the main shoots would. If the marrows arc grown in a quarter swept by wind, make the growths firm by pegging them to the ground. A little manure water, or fertiliser, will assist them to swell their fruits. Cucumbers in frames will need constant attention, by timely thinning the laterals, stopping the leading shoots, and re-’ moving all damaged foliage. Close the lights early in the afternoon, and give air early in the morning, a little at a time; water regularly on bright days, .but the foliage should not be damped on dull days. Mould up potatoes a little at a time; they do. better treated this way than when all the soil is drawn up to them at once. Draw a little soil up to growing crops of beans, peas, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. This should be done after rain, if possible. Stake peas before they get largo enough to fall over'.

Hardy Fruits.—Peach, nectarine and apricot trees will need attention. Where ai heavy crop has escaped the sharp frosts, the fruits should be severely thinned. It is a greajj mistake to leave too many fruits' on any tree, but more especially on those varieties that have largo stones, because the tree cannot build up, say, two hundred stones, and put as much pulp round each one as it could on half that number. The gardener should bear in mind that it is the fruit pulp, or flesh, and not the “ stone,” that is eaten ; therefore, where there is a heavy crop, reduce the number, according to the size of each tree. No absolute rule can be laid down as to how many each tree should be allowed to cany. That question can only 1 be decided by observation, practical experience, and a knowledge of the strength of each root system, because the mere size of. a tree is no indication .as to how vigorous its root system is at the present. That is the reason one often sees a heavy crop left on a young vigorous tree, while, on a tree much lai'ger, only the .same number is left to mature. Some gardeners maintain that ston© fruits do not need thinning, because they will do this themselves, by falling off in great numbers just as the fruit begins to swell. But this is a condition of health the gardener should guard against by severe and timely thinning, and so relieve the tree of the great strain that is put on it, by maturing, or building up, such si. large number of stones. Another matter should be kept in view, and that is the value of “ lime rubbish. It may be spread all round each tree, and worked in with the soil when the surface is dug during the winter. The young or new growths will need examination, and if there are more left than is required they should be removed at once. Peaches and nectarines produce their fruit on the preceding season’s growth, and that is why it is necessary to remove at once all that is not required for next season’s crop. Black and green fly will be troublesome—syringe the trees affected on line afternoons with some insecticide. Strawberries are beginning to swell their fruit, - and if a fine sample is to be secured the plants must not want for water. Of course it is a laborious task to carry water for a large bed of strawberries; but the return in the improved size, etc., will amply repay the extra trouble of watering. The best way to water is with the hose. This should) be laid on til© bed and left to run slowly in one place for some time, until the ground is ’thoroughly soaked, then move the hose to another part of the bed. This is a more effective method of watering than that of sprinkling the surface with a little at a time. Early attention should be given to securing a supply of runners, and where strawberries are to be grown and fruited ini pots there is no time to lose. Secure the first plantlet on the runner, then pinch out the plant to prevent any more forming on that runner. It is from this first plantlet that the best fruits are obtained, and the earlier they are established in small pots: the larger and stronger will bo the fruiting crowns for next spring. It it Very important that once the runner is pegged oni the small pot it should not want for water until finally established in the pot the plant is to fruit in. The runners that are to 1 produce plants for the formation of new beds, should be taken away from the old ones as early as possible, and planted in a nursery bed previously prepared by mixing some turfy loam, leaf mould and well-rotted manure with the soil. The young plants should have a little shade for a few days, after transferring them to the nursery bed. Flower Garden.—ln -gardens exposed to the severe frosts experienced during the latter part of October the roses suffered ai considerable amount of daniage, and are now giving evidence of their injury. Many of the outside growths are turning brown, then black; these should be cut back to a point where the wood is healthy, and all injured shoots should be removed at once. A number of flowering shrubs suffered in much the same way as the. tender roses, exoohorda »grandiflora for example, was severely frosted. Many of the outside branches are quite destroyed; all that are in any way damaged should be cut right out at once. Sweet peas that were sown in the autumn have given a good supply of bloom. This should be maintained by promptly removing all seed pods. Annuals that have recently been planted out will require shade rather than too much Water. A few branches of shrubs stuck in the ground will be of more help than a lot of water. Put stakes to all plants in the border that require them; finish planting out any plants that are not yet in their final positions, and take all possible care that the foliage of narcissus, hyacinths, tulips, etc., is not injured until it turns quite brown.