THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10902, 5 November 1898, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

Everyone is complaining about damage to their gardens from harsh, cold westerly and south winds. For more than a fortnight the weather has been most unseasonable. The night temperature lias been low, and on several occasions colder than at any time during the depth of the winter. The soil, too, is so saturated with frequent rains that it is unfit to work with any degree of satisfaction. The smaller plants, such as annuals and seedlings, are making but little growth and many have succumbed to the severity of the winds. After such an exceptionally fine and mild winter and early spring, those interested in gardening made haste with their planting, expecting a recurrence of a dry period, such as was experienced last and the preceding year. As frequently pointed out in these columns, there is too great a tendency to plant hardy and tender plants indiscriminately The experience of the past month should be a practical lesson to those who persist m planting out tender varieties that should be kept back until the proper season. There are, of course, many warm sheltered spots where the soil is of a light dry volcanic nature, in which the most tender subjects should be planted fully a month 01 six weeks m advance of those in the colder clay soils. During the past week general gardening operations have been sadly interfered with, the weather being so wet and stormy, and the soil unfit to dig or hoe. As soon as a favourable change takes place, active measures will have to be taken to keep down weeds by hoeing and destroying. The whole of the beds and borders will also have to be gone over, and the vacancies caused by & i W or being eaten off with slugs refilled by planting fresh stock. g

kitchen garden. The kitchen garden has suffered as much as the flower garden from the exceptionally va led Th an ? r""* WiDds that ' lave re vailed. The foliage of potatoes, in all but the most sheltered and favoured situation has been sadly injured and disfigured. This is to be deplored, as the crops looked so healthy and well a fortnight ago The damage to the tops will naturally affect the tubers at the roots, and curtail the yield pencil or kidney beans have been uK to make any headway, wind and slugs berag too much for them to fight against Seedling melons of all kinds, and cucumbers' must be protected. A square box placed rSTrTV Panc ° £ gIaSS on the topis the best plan to preserve them until the weather becomes warmer and more settled Losses in tomatoes are considerable Those in expositions have suffered badly 3 what am left alive have a lff'bke looking appearance. They should during such a, season as the present, be protected"® a similar manner as the melons from keen old winds. • Slugs have been most trouble some it being next" to impossible to keen some things from being eaten off. A com*, pondent, writing to the Entrlish n j ing down here and there of a n„™i? y battens of old wood proved the hoT i'WT- Crtttn the batten, and are easilv mllppwi a • day. "By this means he collected and™ 2 stroyed many thousands of slut's and m tt years practically cleared his garden 1 "J™ was previously overrun with slugs Til ' 1 penment is certainly worth a trial.

thinning grapes. o The thinning of grapes, though at all time* a very irksome operation, is particularly * 0 •art <M , t°Sw 3*- *" are crown ami n t uumDer of vines where the'hands to do the' 6 V l riety ' an d ?&&&£*% many of them the work nmsfcL - m until accomplished. To, econoS'the

labour 38 " nch , M to number required should be " du ,if ing to thin the for . the crop M vines some bunches berries. Onit ld 0 f others, and should generally take the lead* When a be thinned 85 so prown the work of thinmixed variety ■ 8 , ag t [ ie grapes come Ding mt times 'The bunches should in at d^ y y ,j r y before starting to always be fr?ptm ll 0 f tie scissors will inthin, or the fr . i lO has watched jure the berne*. 7 .s a once able tie development of » s rfl-ell t. to see which ot tw ™hich will not. then' full size. { wha( . is ca lld Mo vines -those that fail to form Ee SrS imperfect! fertilisation. One seed througji i li; gto remove of the objects of tl c^nnn^g to thin out all faulty ben , < allowing only iff to remain that can develop and form those to reman In many bunches ;V llCe beS require cutting out to every three berue The greatest care must be exone left. ■ f Lini? as the slightest prick exercised m nI . hruise will cause decay, with tliQ with a fork at the end should t «l to hold the bunches in position be used to horn bunches have L: shoulders they should be tied up before thinning commences.

answer to correspondent, "Amateur," Raglan :-Ke HIX2 link the space at your command, although limited, will be ample for your requirements, and under proper management should produce more ton enough to stock s largo con servatory. You need have no 1 difficulty in arranging the slates. An overlap wil prerent soil or sand working through into the water beneath, and the sides enclosing the ton will keep the soil tan working over. By no means use black iron sand. . Some silver sand should be procured to mix with the coarse brown gritty sand you mention Sand mixed with a little leaf mould is the best medium in which to stoke cuttings. Place the compost over the slate bottom to the depth of about three inches. The best degree of temperature for root cuttings of most varieties of greenhouse and bedding plants is 65deg. of bottom heat, the top temperature being 15deg. less. To regulate the top temperature you would requne to shade from the sun. The main secret of success is a somewhat low top with a bottom heat as described abpve. To fully answer vour letter would occupy too much space. Briefly, a suitable border may be made in which to grow almost all plants, including Clematis Jackmanii by providing good drainage with loose rubble and a top filling of from 12 to 18 inches of good compost, consisting of loam leaf mould with a, little sand to keep it free. Bottom as well as top ventilation is desirable in every greenhouse or conservatory. As soon as the cuttings that are struck in a propagating tank are potted, gradually harden off, as the change to a cold outside frame would be too great. The aspect you describe for intended green-house would not be quite suitable. as a fair amount of sun and light are essential during the long winter months. Coal ashes may be suitable in the Old Country for part filling in when forming the border, the quality being different altogether to the residue from the Waikato coal, which contains too much that is positively injurious to plant life. Coarse sand mixed with pumice is excellent material for the purpose. Kefos.