THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10629, 18 December 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

To enable plants to better withstand drought, deep cultivation of the soil is essential ; this, together with keeping the surface loose, and occasionally mulched with short manure, will bring up sufficient moisture to nourish the roots and produce healthy growth for a considerable period, even without artificial waterings, For some weeks the garden has been sadly in need of a good soaking,with rain. Evidences of dry weather are"everywhere apparent. The planting of dahlias, late annuals, and other subjects that should be undertaken during the early part of this month, could not be done without first well soaking the soil with water. And those who have difficulty in obtaining water have had to postpone their planting, and still await a favourable ohango. To Keep tho garden in the best possible condition, and maintain the floral display during such weather as we are having watering must be done extensively, otherwise annuals and other shallow rooting plants would soon fail. lam nob an advocate of artificial watering, and prefer to put it off as long as possible, bub still there are many plants that cannot exist for any length of time without moisture, for instance, Japanese Irises, liliums, dahlias, and others, should have liberal supplies at regular intervals. Watering when once commenced must be continued, otherwise more harm than good will be. done. As stated above, well mulching and occasionally stirring the surface soil greatly benefits the plants during very dry weather. Carpet bedding plants, such as coleus, alternantheras, iresines, and the various other varieties that are used for the purpose cannot be successfully grown without being regularly and well-watered, Chrysanthemums that are being grown for the production of show blooms will require constant attention from the present stage until the blooms begin to develop. Where the beds had been thoroughly prepared previous to planting the plants are making good progress, and present a healthy and flourishing appearance, and aro ready to have the stakes attached. The main requirement at the present time will bo to keep the side shoots removed, and in cases where what is termed the first break has taken place, produced by the formation of a bud at the apex of the shoot, thus arresting the sap and causing side growths to appear immediately below the bud, three of the strongest of the shoots should be reserved to grow on, as on those the flowors are ultiately produced, the remainder must be kept cub or pinched off as well as any suckers that appear from the roots. Some varieties are liable to produce flower buds prematurely all over the plants. The only plan is to pick them all off as soon us they show. In some instances the production of flower buds is so persistant that ib is better to await for an healthy sucker from the root and train ib up to take the place of the original top, which should be cub off. Tho plants should be mulched with short manure or grass clippings to keep the surface soil around them cool and moist. Artificial manurings should not be applied for some time. Routine work in the flower garden will simply consist in keeping the surface occasionally hoed to kill seedling weeds and to stir the soil, Attend to picking off spent flowers. This improves the appearance of the plants, and materially aids the undeveloped flower buds.

THE ORCHARD. • ". Thisdepartmentlikemanyotherpartsofthe garden, is now sadly in need of a good soaking of rain— soil having now become so. dry and parched as to greatly, retard the development of the fruit.' The weather, too, is so favourable to the increase and spread of insect pests thab growers will have some difficulty in checking tho ravages of these terrible enemies to the orchardisb. The season ' bhroughoub has been a most unfavourable one to the fruitgrowers,' and I regret : that on the eve of the old year that I cannob congratulate 'them ; on their prospects of an abundant harvest. Early in the season from the splendid show of blossom one was led to anticipate a good all-round crop,' bub ' the severe winds that blew almost incessantly for weeks not only destroyed the blossoms of most of the' stone fruits,' but in very many instances 'stripped the trees of their foliage./.' This wag specially | noticeable ! with peaches and many varieties of early plums.-.';; Seasons such as we- have jusb experienced, although, happily, ; \ of : '; rare ;: occurrence, '-'?: proves conclusively"> .that '■■'_ the',- more tender fruits cannob be - grown with any degree

of certainty: unless ■; thoroughly sheltered from the cold south or southwesterly winds. Peaches.this season (unless in very favourable situations) are almosb'n failure, and I much question if the supply will be anything like equal to the increasing 'demaud. Plums, too, on the whole are a light crop, even the Japanese varieties, the most prolific of all plums, are far. below their usual averafe. Apples, owing to their lateness of flowering are carrying very fair crops, and should, if protected from the ravages of the codlin moth, give satisfactory returns. Pears on the whole have seb fairly well, while many varieties are carrying heavy crops. Gooseberries appear to have done fairly well, at any rate the markets have been well supplied, and there has been an increased demand, and the prices have ruled higher than at other seasons. Strawberries, owing to the high winds and prolonged drought, has been a light crop, and scarcely sufficient to meet the demand. Prices, too, have ruled high. Stringent measures must now be taken to keep all orchard pests in check. The codlin moth, brown beetle, and leech are now in full swing, and will need severe measures to be taken to keep them under. I know many are opposed to syringing with any arsenical solutions for the destruction of any of these pests, yet I know of no other effectual' means at present of keeping under the two firstnamed but by its use. It is true the codlin moth can be trapped in great numbers by bandaging, but this is only after they have done their destructive work. But the beetle cannot be well trapped, and can only be kept in check by spraying the trees with an arsenical poison. I feel sure (until some natural enemy is found) if spraying and bandaging, as well as every other known means of checking these pests were persistently carried out, they could soon be kept within bounds, and very little loss would accrue. The leech is now very bad upon the plum, pear, quince, and other trees and shrubs. This destructive little pest soon destroys the foliage and checks the growth of the trees. To destroy this the trees should be syringed with Hellebore powder, using one tablespoonful to a pail of water. The powder iB best mixed in a little water and allowed to soak for a night before using. Kepos.