OUR GARDEN CALENDAR.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7152, 1 June 1891, Page 1

OUR GARDEN CALENDAR.

(By Geohge Brownlee.)

June. " The melanoholy d&ya are come, the saddest of the year, Of wailing winda, and naked trees, and meadowa brown and aear, "

Kitchen Garden.— Jane in New Zealand corresponds with December in England, and is the second month of wiDter. With us ihe temperature ia about ten degrees higher than in England. The weather has been dry and unfavorable for gardening. The manure for the coming spring should now be put upon the ground, and all changes in fencing should be speedily executed, and the vacant ground should be dug up and exposed to the frost, everything got ready fot spring work. Make a large sowing of broad beans, and keep the hoe going among the rows of beans jus*" over ground, raking a small portion of earth close to the roots. Several sowings of peai may be put in during the month, and there are many excellent varieties for present sowing, but perhaps William Hurst, Little Gem, and New Queen are among the best. The oniona just overgrouud should be carefully cleaned, and lha soil lightly hoed between the drills. Cabbage and cauliflower seed may ba sown, Early York cabbage and London, Market cauliflower are seasonable varieties! Set out a few ca'bbagea if you can get plants free from worms and blight, and sow winter (prickly) spinach ; it prefers a light, friable loam enriched with well decomposed manure. »Sow a little cabbage lettuce, and some long red radish seed. Plant a few early potatoes in a warm -sheltered position, drawing a loose covering of Btable litter over the rows; among the early varietiea Aah Leaf, Early Rose, and Markland's Early do well here. The new early variety Lord Onelow is said to bs an improvement in kidney potatoes, and will be largely planted during the coming spring. Plant rhubarb in well-manured deeplyworked trenches, and cover over with, stable litter; Victoria and Albert kinds although not the largest varietiea ace the best for North Ofcago. Plant shallots and garlic in rich ground ; these esculents are largely used in the manufacture of home made pickles and sauces, and tbey should find a place in every garden. Plant horse radish ia deeply trenched and well worked soil. Give the eeakale a sprinkling of sale, and remove all decayed leaves. Saw a few aeeds ef Early Horn carrot and some EarJy Whits Stone turnip, and plant out a few hardy herbs, such as mint, sage, thyme aud marjorum ; the aoil % for these should be well pulverised, light but rich. They are useful for seasoning, and are often medicinal, Keep all the cropa free from weeds, and keep the ground well loosened with the Dutch hoe. The present fine weather is favorable for this operation. A tidily kept and well laid out kitchen garden is a pretty sight, but economy in working should never i>e lost sight of for merely ornamental kitchen gardening. There is a rule which applies to all kinds of gardening, but more especial'y to the vegetable quarters. Give plenty room for every plant to develop and reach maturity. Flower Garden. — The work begun in May should be pushed on during the present drv weather, edgings and hedged trimmed, walks cleaned up,

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and tender plants protected and secured Continue planting crcoue, hyacinths, narcissus, anemones, tulips, ixias, sparaxiB, lil-es, lily of the valley, v*aanculu8, valottae, freeaias, bab - &na«, jonqals, etc In planting these bulbs the soil should be enriched with old cow manure, and a email quant ty of fresh river sand placed round each bulK These floral beauties are worthy of a place in every garden however Bmall for tbey give a large amount of deliciously perfumed blossom, and that at a time when flowers are rare, and will well repay tbe little f xpeme and extra care bestowed upon them during the winter monthe. Lis; vacant J flower beds that are not yet requiied for sowing seeds. Plant out ornamental shrubs, aud shelter trees and roses. The Lawn — Bue patches may be improved by a sprinkling of Uwn grass seed, slightly covered with fine mould put through a quaifc i-itich sieve Apply the Uwn mower as well ai thp roller frequently. Wi'h a little attention the lawn may bo kpp* "ve^n and tidy during the winter. The tender gre3n of tbe lawn ia NatuiL'rf own compliment to the btillia n cy of its cooopan'on flower beds, " Age cannot wither its infinite variety," Fruit Gakden.— Should favorable ahoweia fall shortly, the pianting of ! fruit tress and fruit bushes may lie proceeded with. The operation of transplanting trees is of more importance and demands gi eater cue than ia generally bestowed upon i'. The ground should be trenched and rmnureJ, or at ail events deeply ploughed and subsoiled, care being taken that; thero is sufficient drainage. The trees should be planted in straight lines from 15 to 20 feet, or even a greater dietapce, «(.art it space will permit, Mike holes fr"ru 18 incV u to two f°efc in diame'er, picking up and well loosening the sub* a- i', throw iu some welt rotted maouie, and cover it Withncme fine foil, p'acing the tree ia Ihecenire, carefully spiead out all the roots, fill in wi h flue mould, heading it firra'y alt round. The tree should not be p'anted deeper than it hae been growing .n the nursery bed. The varieties of applo trees now grown are by far too Micnerous, and planters should make a selection of a few good kinds ra f her than grow too many sorts. Fi r keeping applet the following are good : S one Pippin, French Crab, Redstreak, Winter Greening, Newton Pipp n, and R me Be^u'y ; and for desert kinds Scirlet Nonpar nl, Ri' stvn P>pp\n, Scarlet Pearmuin, Goldeu Russe>, Kerry Pipp'n, and Cox'd Orange. S^me of the largest varieties of apples are : Gloria Mundi, Lady Henmker, Mobb'd Royal, and Beauty of Kent, All the fruit tiees and buebed mty now b9 pruned, using tbe knife sparingly, and work the trees i ,to symetrical form. Keep the centre of the tree as open aa possible, and remove all branches growing cu 1 ". of place Y.ung trees if properly attended to require little pruning ; older Tees require more caie, and much of the old wood should be cut out. After cleaning up when the pruning is over dig between the rows, taking care not to injure the surface roots. Fruit growing is now becoming an industry for home consumption, as well aa for exportation, end a few notes regarding it will be welcome hete* A large dealer eb}'4 that the aj pl©3 beat suited for the markets in New Zealand are : Alexander, Wellington, S'one PippiD, French Ciab, Sturraer Pippin, Golden Harey, and Blenheim Oranpe; aud for the Inndon market : Hawthorden, Alfreston, Ripstone PippD, Hollow Crown, Nonpareil Russett, Bud.cck Nonpareil Crown E.g, Ad^m'ePeurma n, Scarlet Pearmaio, New York pippin, and Bkck Prince, and from a shipment B<^t to Londjn we fin 1 that thr ap, lea rooimanded tbe xnaiket in t 1 e following order : Bleoheim Orang->, ltt ; S.urmer pipp n, 2nd; Scaled Pearmain, 3rd ; and Holland PearmaiD, 4 h. These apples were wrapped once round in tis-.ue pa; er, and packed tghtly in boxes lined with paper (no *traw albwed) and were placed in the cool chamber with en even temperature of from '10 to 15 degrtee. The pears which do boat in .New Zo-ilani maiketa are "Wil iand B ncreiian (very best), Ganst-1's Bargamot, Be*? re Boss, and Wimer Nellie. The Jargonelle for early and Napolean for late sareties general y command fair pi* cea j but pears for the London market have as yet teen more or lees a failure. Plums for the JSew Zealaud market are placed in the following order : Angelina Burdett (very bebt), Blue Belgium (n great favoi), Cherry Plum, Blue Gage, OrieanB, B'ack Diamond, and Green Gage. The black sorts always sell best. After making a 6electiGn of the projer sort of fruit trees, the proper working of the boil is the next point to receive atlent od, and tbe more thoroughly th s oj oration is performed the more profuse will "Pomona" be ehowerir.g her bounties upon the tiller of tbe soil.