THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 13949, 4 January 1906, Page 5

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR TEDS WEEK. Kitchen , Garden.—Cabbages shwurf be sown in quantity .during this month. Carefully prepare the seed bed,.and sow the seed sparingly. A few short rows of carrots should be sown in some sheltered spot, in order to keep up a supply of tender roots for the. kitchen. Sow endive according to requirements. Beans, both dwarf and runner, may be sown to maintain a constant supply lata in the autumn. Sow parsley -for winter use. Peas should be sown in the same way as suggested last month. Use a liberal quantify of manure when preparing the trenenes, and put this late sowing on the best ground available. Spinach for winter use should be rOwn about the ©nd of the month, using the prickly-seeded variety. Thoroughly rsparo the ground by digging it t trice, and use a liberal dressing of lima and soot in equal quantities, but no other manure. Turnips for wiilter should receive attention. Put these.on clean land, as it is rather troublesome to destroy many weeds in the lata autumn. , Celery, should be planted out as fast as room is made for the trenches. These should bo prepared carefully; keep all the good soil in t-ha trench, and throw out the subsoil only'. Frequently, when trenches for celery are being prepared, all the good top soil is thrown out and the plants pub ’’ a the crude subsoil, yet the gardener wonders why the plants do not _ get away fast at once. Cueumbers—Ridga varieties receive much benefit if they have a good soaking about onoe a week. They do not need it oftener than this. Garlic and shallots will need lifting some time this month. Carefully ripen the roots before storing them away. Lay them on a hard,’ dry bottom; an. open shed is about; as good a place a* any. Leeks should- bo kept growing; water them, if necessary, during dry weather. Potatoes should bo carefully watched, and lifted directly they are ripe. Carefully separate any diseased tubers from the sound ones. Keep ■ the hoe going, and thin any seedling crop* that are large enough to handle. Flower Garden.—Many of the subjects ip. the herbaceous border are going past their best. Pyrethrums, delphiniums, etc., are nearly over; but if all the old flower heads are .removed i and the plants well watered there will bo quite a respectable second crop of flowers. Perennial campanulas are not grown in such numbers as their merits warrant. When well .grown there are few other plants that give such a. grand effect in the-border, p t beds. Seed may be during _thi< month in t-he open, and, with butlittl* protection, the plants will flower • ness ' summer. ■ They give the best result* when planted in fairly lightsoil, within easy reach of water. / Antirrhinum is another old-fashioned plant that ban been much improved during late yeare. The newer strains are dwarf, of -bril* liant shades of colour, and very effeo ■ tive. Some seed should he sown eaoi January to keep up a supply .of fresi plants, as they tend to .got 1 rathef straggly if kept several seasons. Stak« all varieties of lilies before the spike< are damaged by wind. Dahlias should bo thinned anil tied regularly. Stake border chrysanthemums, and run a loose string, round each clump. Aster* and other autumn flowering plants should be encouraged by manure water or several dustings with fertiliser. Keep old blossoms removed; these not only look untidy themselves, hut tend- to spoil the fresh flowers that arejust opening. A lai'ge number may be removed in. a few minutes with a pair of garden' secateurs. Keep the surface soil disturbed with the hoe, even if there are no weeds to be seen; the plants will grow more vigorously if th« surface soil is kept open. , Greenhouse. —Seeds to sow during - this month: Calceolaria should b« grown On gradually, without any -at* tempt at forcing. The seed germinate* well, therefor© nse_ it sparingly—* crowded seed bed is detrimental .to robust plants. All ■ varieties of primula may now bo sown. It is a good plan to make several sowings, in order to have a succession of' flowering plant* for several months. Anether_sowing O) cinerarias may be put in. These, list calceolaria, need a slow xnodo of cub ture. A constant, although cool, tern* peraturo suits these plants best. "With this treatment, few, if any, insect pest* will trouble the plants. Cyolame* should be re-potted. Old plants should have as much soil shaken from them as possible without breaking the roots, and be put in good fresh soil and clean pots. Young plants should have a liberal shift; the more root room thes« have the greater number of, flowere they will form. Keep the drainage of each pot open, for water-logged soil will soon make the _ plants sick, witl consequent loss of foliage and flowers.