THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 1. KITCHEN GARDEN. Make sowing of onions for main crop. Select an open situation, and one where the ground has been well manured with previous crop. The soil at the time of sowing requires to be dry, and in a good, workable state. The surface should be well trodden previous to sowing seed, as onions succeed best when the ground is firm. Draw shallow drills about a foot apart, and of uniform depth ; scatter the seeds evenly along the drills. A little salt and soot is an excellent material to sow along the drills with the seed ; it acts not only as a manure, but as a preventative against the attacks of slugs and other insects, which often destroy the seedlings, as soon, or before, they appear through the soil. Finally, cover the seed in the drills ; tread and lightly rake the whole surface. A few drills of parsnips may now be sown. The drills should be drawn from 18in to 2Qin apart, rather shallow ; sow seed thinly, but

regularly. Carrots should also be sown in drills from 12in to 18in apart, according to the variety ; the seeds of some of the kinds require to be mixed with, a little dry sand and well rubbed between the hands to separate them; otherwise it is difficult to distribute the seeds evenly along the drills. After sowing, rake the whole ground to make an even surface. Kidney beans: A few rows may now be sown for early cropping. Peas : Continue to sow for succession, according to requirements. The wellknown and tried varieties are she best, namely, American Wonder for dwarf kind, and Yorkshire Hero for a medium-size grower. Stratagen is another splendid variety to grow that does not require staking. Salading: Mustard and cress and radishes sow fortnightly, and put out a few rows of lettuce plants. Complete the planting of rhubarb according to previous directions. Plant cabbage and cauliflower plants in sufficient number to meet requirements. Potatoes may now be planted in greater quantity. Tomato plants raised in frames should be pricked out into boxes, to have them in readiness for transplanting into permanent quarters later on. Keep the whole department as clean and tidy as time will allow at this busy season. Turn down weeds in order to lessen the harbour for slugs and other insects. THE VINERY. Special attention must now be given to the vinery. Most of the varieties of grapes will be now breaking into growth, oucf in some cases, where they have been started early, they will be ready for disbudding, j Nothing, however, is gained by commencing this operation until the buds are well advanced, and the strongest and most promising laterals can be decided upon. In disbudding, one must be guided by the spaces left between the spurs and rods. If there is plenty of space, two shoots can be left, one to carry the bunch and the other to furnish the wires with foliage; but, where the rods are rather close, one shoot from each spur is quite sufficient, as there are always plenty of good bunches to choose from, where the vines are closejointed and healthy. Great care must be taken in ventilating the house ; extremes of heat and cold must be carefully guarded against. The ventilators should be opened early in the morning on all warm, sunny days, and the temperature kept as low as possible during the hottest part of the day. The more regular and genial the temperature during the starting period of the vines the stronger will be the growth. The canes should be well syringed morning and evening with lukewarm water. Syringing plays an important part in the breaking of the vine. The vines break much quicker and more regularly in a nice, moist atmosphere. On hot, sunny days the paths should be frequently damped down. A good method is to place a thick layer of short stable manure in the house. This helps to keep up the night temperature, and, by being frequently turned, keeps up a continuous supply of warm moisture, which renders syringing almost unnecessary. It frequently happens that the buds at the bottom of the cane will not break as freely as the rest. When this is the case, the point of the rod should be bent low down, to check the flow of sap to the upper buds, and be well syringed three or four times during the day with warm water. This will soon start them into growth. On all dull, cold days the house should be kept closed, and the syringe used more sparingly. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. S.G.H. (Helensville): The composition of grafting wax varies greatly, and is made to suit the individual fancy of the operator, each one having his own particular recipe. The chief ingredients are resin, mutton fat, and beeswax; the resin imparts dryness to the composition, the beeswax eives it oiliness, and the mutton fat makes it thinner and more pliable. An excellent and easily-prepared grafting wax may be made by melting beeswax, resin, and mutton fat in equal proportions, by boiling in a vessel over the tire. Break the resin into a fine powder before putting into the pot, as it takes less time to melt. Keep the mixture well stirred until the several ingredients become melted and incorporated together; then add a very small quantity of Stockholm tar. This is not generally used, bub I would advise that it be added, as it prevents slugs or other insects from eating the wax from off the graft, and also makes the composition more pliable. Take the vessel off the fire, and continue to stir until it cools and becomes thick. Proper attention to keeping it well stirred is one of the chief points to be attended to in order to turn out a good article. To hasten the cooling, the pot may be placed in cold water; otherwise it takes a long time. Grafting wax made as directed above will keep for several years. It may be employed for rubbing over cuts where large limbs have been amputated from fruit or other trees, as it prevents the I air from acting upon the sap, and has a I healing tendency. Kepos.