THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14983, 1 May 1909, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN. Many complaints are made that broccoli and cauliflowers are turning in before their usual time. This is a serious loss to both private and market gardeners. There is but one way to check it, and that is by carefully lifting the plants with a spade, thus stopping the luxuriant growth and retarding the flower. Diseased Potatoes.—in some districts there are large quantities of tubers more or less diseased. These are generally used as pig food, but before giving them to the pigs the potatoes should lie boiled to destroy the micro-organisms. Mr H. T. Gussow, a member of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society (England), who is u great authority on plant diseases, when reporting on some experiments of feeding pigs with diseased tubers that were carried out in, Germany in 1907, states that while small quantities of raw or boiled diseased tubers had no injurious effect, large quantities were distinctly injurious. The extent of the disturbance of the digestive organs largely depended on how much the tubers were diseased, and in some cases the effects were very serious. He further points out that the parasitic mode of lite of these micro-organisms considerably reduces the nutritive value of the tubers, and suggests that the diseased portions of the tubers should be cut away before they are cooked, while badly diseased tubers should not on any account be used. Readers have frequently been advised to collect wind-fallen fruits and diseased potatoes and destroy them, as a means of reducing the ravages of these pests. Anyone riding round the suburbs of Christchurch will see.quantitiee of diseased potatoes lying on the ground, and it is to be regretted! that there is not some authority with power to compel owners to immediately collect and destroy all diseased tubers and moth-infested fruits. This suggestion may seem somewhat drastic, but it would be in the interests of both tire general community and the owners of orchards and gardens. HARDY FRUITS. Too little attention is given to items of detail when pi anting fruit-trees, especially where largo numbers are planted. But' the secret of success lies therein. Last week’s notes dealt with preparing the ground for planting trees, and now a few remarks on planting and pruning should he acceptable. There is no great art or difficulty in planting fruit-trees; but it is not fair to put the roots into a hole more adapted for a gatepost. Take out a hole much larger iu diameter than the roots of the tree measure; see that the lower roots rest on soft soil, not on the hard unbroken snbsoil, while, should the land be on the rough side, colleot enough good soil to put against the roots. The young trees will requiro stakes to keep them from swaying about during windy weather—drive a strong stake well into the subsoil, and tie the tree thereto loosely just above a branch, not below. After the trees are planted and staked they should bo pruned rather hard. It has been proved over and over again that severe pruning immediately after planting is necessary to obtain a well-balanced tree.' Plant good trees. Perhaps the best test is the growth it has made during the past summer—this should bo robust, and each loading shoot should have grown from two to four feet in length. Thousands of scrubby trees are offered for sale every winter which have not made an average of four inches of growth per shoot during the previous season, and, should the buyer call attention to this condition, the teller replies that the tree lias made fruit-bude instead of ' wood-growth during the previous season. Such trees are dear even if offered at a few pence each, and when purchasing it is well to keep this' fact in mind. VINERY. The early vinery is often used for chrysanthemums and other plants during April aud May, but if there is room for these plants in other houses they should be transferred as soon as possible, so that pruning may be finished, the borders attended to and the inside of the house thoroughly cleaned ready for starting the vines. When pruning it is well to leave an extra bud on many of the laterals in order that when the bunches of buds are formed the best can. be selected and tho others rubbed off. It is well to tomomber, that it is not the size of wood alone fhat tells in grape-growing; hard, well ripened, medium-eized wood, with hut little pith, gives the nest bunches of grapes. If the roots are inside the house, all the loose soil on the surface should bo taken away, and should be replaced by an inch or two of good soil from a grass paddock. Where tho roots are outside, a quantity of fresh manure should be firepared as for a hotbed, and be placed on the border when the vinee aro started. Grapes in late houses need some artificial heat to finish them. The temperature at night should not fall below oodeg. with a rise to 75deg during the day. If the foliage is very dense, a few leaves should he removed to admit more light; this will also tend to raise the temperature. . GREENHOUSE.

With the advent of May it is well to remember that “rest" is required in plant life, much the same as in human or animal life. Although different kinds of plants ,l rest ” at different pcriods of the year, with all outside plants Nature'asserts a period of rest by the falling of the leaves, etc., consequently with plants grown under glass a. period of rest, for the purpose of recuperation, w also needed. The successful plant-grower must have some knowledge of the growth and conditions that obtain in the native homes of his plants, their seasons of growth and rent. To bring the plants gradually to a resting condition, give less heat and less water; but great care must be given to hard-wooded plants, or they may suffer from excessive dryness, which will cause shrivelling or drying up of the wood tissue. Bulbous plants, such as begonias, gloxinias, achimines and caladiunis are very different from hardwooded plants, and after their leaves have ripened and fallen off the bulbs may bo stored in any warm corner; if their leaves are still green they should not bo put away from the sunshine, but be allowed to ripen gradually. Spring flowering bulbs that were potted some time since and plunged in ashes should be examined, and all that have made a good start can be removed to a cold frame. Narcissus, hyacinths and tulips soon begin to draw up if left under the ashes long after they have made a quantity of root. Fuchsias that were put outside to ripen should be brought inside. , FLOWER GARDEN.

The severe frost on April 26 destroyed dahlias and all tender plants in beds aiid. borders. The frosted foliage is not very pretty, but it should not be cut away too soon ; in fact., all herbaceous plants should, be loft as long as possible before their growth is cut away, and when it is there should be about twelve or fifteen inches of each stem left on tho plants. The remains of annuals should be cleared away at once, also the haulm of sweet peas. Burn this as soon as possible with other garden rubbish. Finish planting out spring flowering wallflowers, primroses, etc; these will move well after the late rains. Evergreen shrubs may be transplanted, but deciduous trees and shrubs should be left until their leaves have fallens.