THE GARDEN.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3385, 4 May 1920, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

WHEN THE WEATHER BREAKS. As soon as the weather breaks a good deal of work may be commenced in both vegetable and flower garden. During the next few weeks the following work may be carried out: Sow broad beans, plant out potato onions at the end of April or early in May. Plant out a bed of strawberries, and in doing so see that the soil is pressing hard about the roots of the young plants. Remember previous instructions and see that you have a new bed of strawberry plants each year, and dig in the plants that are three years old and over. During the next week or two, if rain should come, divide and plant out polyanthus and primroses. Hardy seedlings, many of which will be self-sown, may be lifted after a downpour of rain and transplanted to their permanent quarters. Spring bulbs may still be planted out, although April is very late for this work. As soon as the foliage of gladioli turns brown it may be cut down and the corms lifted and stored in a dry and airy place. If you have any choice varieties that you wish to increase, be sure and keep any small bulblets that may be found attached to the parent corm. It is these bulblets that will ensure the variety being kept pure. There is an impression abroad in some quarters that the parent ensures purity while the bulblets tend to degeneracy. The reverse is the case. It will also be found that some varieties produce more bulblets than others, and the choicer the variety the less they stem to produce; so if the variety is good the bulblet should be treasured. Gladioli seed sown this month will produce a quantity of flowers, about this time next year, whereas if the seed is sown in the spring you will have to wait till the second year before blooms will reward you for your labour. Cut back all plants that have done flowering, and thus give your garden plot a tidy appearance. A little later on in the month, that is, Easter week, you might plant out most herbaceous varieties, such as pentstemons, scabious, perennial phlox, etc. Carnations that have been layered can, about the same time, be separated from the parent plant and put out into their permanent quarters. As soon as dahlias have done flowering—not before—or have been cut down by frost, they may be lifted out and, like gladioli 1. ulbs, stored in a dry and airy place away from frost. Towards the end of the month you should commence the planting out of roses. In the meantime get the beds and holes ready to receive the plants. To make light soil really suitable for roses will require some little trouble. After the hole has been made, fill the nottom with clay, or, failing clay, with sods. This will assist in preventing the good contained in the manure put in the hole from being washed away. Then fill the hole with manure (well decayed) and vegetation. This will ensure a good crop of bloom for one season at any rate. Later on in the year the bush may be helped by periodic applications of liquid manure. There are many good kinds of roses suitable for light soils. The following dozen are strongly recommended by Bees, Ltd.. nurserymen, of Liverpool:—Betty, ruddy, coppery gold; Captain Hayward, crimson scarlet; Madam Abel Chatenay, pale salmon pink; La Tosca, silvery pink; Caroline Testout, rosy satin pink; Hugh Dickson, fine rich crimson; Madam Ravary, pale orange; Frau Karl Druschki, white; Richmond, rich red scarlet; Mrs. Paul, blush white; Dr. O'Donel Browne, a deep carmine rose. To these I would add Lady Roberts. Dorothy Page Roberts, Mildred Grant, Victor Hugo, Mrs. David M'Kee, and Mrs. Peter Blair. You will be wise to begin at once to get your ground ready if you intend to plant any fruit trees. Not many trees are required in a small garden, and perhaps my assortment would suit most small gardens. Two years ago I planted two Gold Mine nectarine, one Wiggins peach, four apple trees, one each of Cox's orange pippin, Irish peach, Lord Suffield, and Adam's Pearmain, and I also put out a dozen gooseberry bushes. This year I have collected a very fair amount of fruit, and with due attention to spraying, manuring and pruning, hope to reap a harvest next season.