THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

Much-seeded anil welcome rain has freshened up the garden and afforded a splendid opportunity for the sowing of seeds and for the planting of annuals and other plants that are necessary to provide for the Slimmer and autumn display. The present is the proper time to bed out the different varieties of plants that are used-for carpetbedding, including alternantheras, iresines, echeverias, dwarf variegated geraniums, sedunis, mesembryantbemums, coleus, lobelias, and other suitable sorts. Although not an advocate of this style of gardening on an extensive .scale, on account of its formal appearance and the amount of work that is entailed in working up the large number of plants that are necessary to produce a desirable effect,-yet a few beds tastefully designed and planted contrast well with the surrounding arrangements and produce a good effect during hot, dry weather, when there is a scarcity of bloom. In addition to the labour of propagating, constant attention is required after planting in weeding and pinching back growth and watering, as it is quite impossible to grow these plants successfully without artificial waterings during dry weather, In addition to annuals there are a, large number of other plants to make the garden attractive during the .summer season, notably chrysanthemums, dahlias, pelargoniums, fuchsias, and salvias; these are all excellent subjects to fill vacancies. Carinas, too, make a magnificent display when planted here and there throughout the mixed border and on the outskirts of .shrubberies. The improved varieties are remarkable for their large flowers, much resembling the gladiolus in size and appearance, and for the dwarf, compact habit of growth and broad, handsome, richly-coloured foliage. The planting of chrysanthemums should be attended to and completed early this month. The early-flowering varieties of daffodils may be taken up and'stored, and the. ground manured and deeply dug, and after laying for a few days replant with Phlox Drummondii or other suitable annuals for summer flowering. Daffodils should be taken up every second year. Amongst plants in bloom the different varieties of Spanish iris are worthy of note. The flowers are exceedingly attractive and bright, and range from yellows to pure whites, with many different shades of blue. The garden is at present gay with a great variety of spring-flowering shrubs and other plants, notably guelderoses, weigelias, Philadelphia, deutzias, abutilons, and laburnums. Roses are also in bloom, particularly the climbing sorts. THE KITCHEN GARDEN*. Tomatoes, should be about ready for staking. The uest system is a single stake to each plant, or training with one stem—that is, allowing only one leader to grow. By this means the best results are obtained, also a free circulation of air: the fruits are better exposed to the sun, and greater facilities are afforded for syringing and cultivating. Sweet corn is but little grown in our gardens. It is much esteemed for the table, especially in America. This is the proper month to sow. Draw drills 3ft apart, and about 2in deep: scatter the seeds thinly along each. The main requirement at this season is to keep a full supply of vegetables and regular succession of leading sorts, chiefly peas, beans, salads. Thorough cultivation of the soil by frequent forkings and hoeings is necessary to bring about best result-. TOMATO CULTURE. ! - A few hints ou the cultivation of this popular and wholesome fruit may be useful to those who are unacquainted with the best method of culture, so as to obtain the greatest quantity of fruits from the plants grown.' For, although the tomato will grow luxuriantly in almost any soil or situation under ordinary treatment, there is no comparison in the amount- of large, • well- *

ripened fruit that is produced when tho plants receive proper treatment, and it is surprising the amount of large, well developed fruit that can be obtained from a very limited space. Any garden soil that has been worked for vegetable crops will grow tomatoes successfully without the aid of extra manure at the time of planting. Too hoavv manuring at the time of planting greatly adds to the labour. in stopping and removing superfluous shoot", without adding- to the quantity of fruit. After growing the tomato in many kinds of soil and under different methods of treatment I am convinced the best method is to train the plants on one stem only, removing all Bide shoots from time to time as they start to grow. If not too heavily forced with manure the plants will be short-jointed, and should produce bunches of fruit not more than from eight to ten inches apart all tip the stem. When the fruit begins to set and swell the plants naturally require plenty of food to enable them to develop the large quantitv of fruit they carry, and it is then the plants require abundance of assistance in the shape of liquid manure. 1 It. the variety grown is a good fruiting and settine kind, from 15 to 20 and even 30 large fruits "may be taken from each bunch. • Ihe single stalk system of training IS a high pressure of culture, as the whole energy of the plants is concentrated to the production and development of the fruit, while four times the amount of well-grown and ripened fruit can be taken from a limited area that, would be produced from plants that are allowed to grow at will. When planted in rows much labour is saved by forming a rough trellis on which the plants can be trained to the heights required. The plants need not be planted more than .two feet apart in the rows and three feet front row to row or, if convenient, may be planted close to the dividing fences running round the garden: but, wherever planted, the single stem system of culture should be adopted. As soon as the plants have made fair headway should bo mulched with stable manure" or other material that will assist to keep the soil moist, as the roots are produced near the surface, and soon suffer if allowed to become dry: in fact, plenty of moisture is an important factor in cultivation of the tomato. . Kepos.