Kitchen Garden.

Manawatu Herald, 7 April 1892, Page 3

Kitchen Garden.

The lifting of the winter stock of Carrots, Beet, and other roots now calls for attention. In . wet soils Carrots should, be taken .up as sbon as possible,,- an excess of moisture being very injurious to the roots. Carrots shonld have the top cut. off about an inch from the crown, and the soil cleaned off. They may then be put. into ridges of sand or fine coal ashes in a dry placo in the garden. Pack them in layers with the crowns outwards;, when the ridge is fiuished some straw should be laid over the sides of the ridge,, so as to. keep the soil from touching the roots. Beet is a vegetable which is best liked when it is of a moderate •size,, although a large root ia as good as a small . oije.r " In storing them, select the 'best shaped 1 roots being careful to avcid bruising j choose an out-of-tho-way border, and dig out a trench deep enough to hold the roots in an upright position ; lay them carefully along the trench, leaving an interval of two inches between each root. The soil is then turned over on the roots, and then another trench, if required, opened about a foot from the one first made. The soil should be kept about two inches higher than the top of the roots. The leaves of the plants should not be removed. The seed list of the month is exceedingly limited— small sowing of Brassicas (if required) : Spinach for j spring gathering, in good soil, with the addition of some soot, and, .if obtainable, some wood ashes : gome turnips, for the sake of the tops only; a few rows of early peas, if it be thought worth while to risk half a pint of seed ; aud the usual salading — these exhaust the catalogue. Among tho fruit trees top diessing may be commenced as soon as the trees are cleared of fruit, removing the old soil to a good depth, some of the roots being brought to the top, the tips cut with a knife, and relaid in good soil. The new compost mny be of good loam, bone meal, mortar and burnt earth After this has been placed ever and about the roots, tread it firmly, and give a mulch of strawy manure. All fruit trees will greatly benefit by this proceeding-, and will produce finer fruit iii the following season. In any case, where, the" land is known —by (he small size of the fruits-pr; to be impoverished-, thorough soaking- of the soil with farm-yard drainage or other maiiural aid ia a liquid form will . do much good in strengthening the' buds. If this" be done now, and repeated at intervals of a few weeks, during the winter month's, the trees will be greatly benefited.