THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

Latkks of carnations and picotees that were put down as recommended during Inst' January or February should now lx* sufficiently well rooted. They can be taken off from the old stools for potting or planting into a bed by themselves and there allowed to grow and establish until the end of the winter, when they shoind again be replanted in the flower beds and borders. If potted they should be placed in a close frame, and freely aired as soon as they hav« become established. Carnations have- again heroine exceedingly popular. They are general favourites and on that account are extensively grown in all gardens. Alter having bloomed for two years the old plants become straggly and exhausted; hence the necessity of keeping up a supply of healthy young plants by annual layering. Alternant iresines, luesembryanthemums, and oilier tender bedding plants that are used during the summer for carpet bedding must now be. taken up and sufficient of them for next season's requirements saved and planted in pots or boxes and placed in the greenhouse or in a frame to propagate from. Cinerarias should now be planted; provision must, however, be made to protect them during frosty nights. Ah empty flowerpot or a. lit tit? dry straw or other litter will answer the purpose; as we seldom have many frosts at this season there is not much trouble in protecting them. Cyclamens are excellent dwarf plants for early spring flowering; they are most useful and showy for near the edges of the beds, and are easily grown and very hardy. The season for transplanting some varieties of trees and shrubs lias again arrived. The removal of those that are needed to complete any alteration or give room where overcrowded, and transplanted into. other and more suitable positions may now be undertaken with safety. In transplanting large trees and shrubs considerable car© must be exercised in taking them up with as many of their young fibrous roots as possible. In stiff soils large plants are more safely taken up than in light, as the earth is not .-<> likely to fall away from the roots and leave them bare. In replanting dig- wide and deep holes, well break up the subsoil to allow the roots to penetrate down as well as give more moisture during dry weather. Fill in well pulverised soil, working it well in amongst the roots; place the tree the same depth in the ground as it originally stood, well-tied and securely staked. At this season of the year the garden and grounds are rendered extremely untidy by fallen leaves, as the various deciduous trees are fast shedding tk-ftir foliage, making it impossible to keep the place tidy. The leaves should, however, he rated and gathered up at least twico every week. KITCHEN GARDEN. Tomatoes are now about over for the season ; pull up the stakes that supported them and store away for future requirements; burn the tomato stems to get rid of any fungoid germs. Pumpkins will all be ready to harvest and to cleat away the haulms. The soil they occupied after being deeply dug will be ready for cabbage am' cauliflower plants. Plant potato onions as recommended in lust week's garden notes. Sow seed of onions in a bed to provide young plants for spring planting. Horse radish may be trenched out of th* ground and laid in to use as required. Make regular sowings of turnips. The planting of suitable varieties of potatoes should also be attended to; and be prepared to syringe those that are showing above ground. The ravages occasioned by potato disease make syringing with fungicides imperative. TRANSPLANTING. Although the time has scarcely arrived for transplanting many varieties of trees the season is so near at hand that intending planters .should at once decide what course they intend to pursue, as the positions the trees are to occupy will need preparing and the soil put in thorough order for planting. In replanting old orchards so much needs to be done before the soil is in a fit condition for planting that the work of preparation cannot Ik started too early. In most old orchards some renovation is necessary, as trees, from various causes, fail to meet the demands of the grower; in fact, it is almost impossible to select: a mixed variety of fruit trees without having some amongst them that prove a failure from some cause or other. After a fair test any unprofitable varieties should be grubbed oijf, root arid branch, and some

more profitable varieties planted in their place I" preparing the soil, dig a large hole, at least two feet deep, and be careful to remove all the old roots. If it is a very old tree that is removed it would be advisable to refill the hole with good fresh soil, as all food material will naturally have been taken from th» soil by tho roots. In reasonably good soil no manure should be applied immediately at the roots ai the time of planting, and if manure is used it should be placed at sufficient distance from the root,- so that they will derive Iho full advantage of it when young roots arc made. In laying out a new orchard—assuming that the instructions already given for preparing the soil, planning out the ground, and selecting sites foi the trees have been carried out—the mode of planting must in a measure be regulated by the nature of the soil and the varieties of the trees to be planted. The lio of the ground, the tendency of the soil to become too sodden in winter or too dry in summer, must he carefully considered : in fact, everything that is likely to be detrimental to healthy growth should be considered before starting to plant, and every means used to preclude the possibility of failure. When planting in a light, deep soil where '.here \: free drainage, the trees are best planted on a level, or even slightly below the surrounding surface; but, on the other hand, when planting on cold, thin soil, with a clay subsoil, or in low, moist situations, the trees should be kept we'll above the surrounding surface, so that when the trees are planted they are raised upon a mound. Ir all cases largo, wide holes should be dug, but if the subsoil be of a stiff clay nature it is best not to be broken up unless there is free outlet for surplus watei. This can always be secured if the land is broken or of undulating character as a drain leading from the hole on the lowest side will allow all surplus water to escape. Hundreds of trees are lost when planted in holes dun in solid clay, as they are simply wells in wheh water accumulates until the roots rot. The advantage of having everything in readiness is that the trees can be planted with despatch when once started, instead of 111 trews being exposed, as they often are for days when the ground is not ready. In every case the trees should be immediately placed in the soil when received and exposed as little as possible when being permanently planted. Kkpos.