THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15056, 27 July 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

Coktintb the pruning of roses,-and remove all suckers that may have started from the stocks; dig out any that have become old and exhausted, or that are inferior in . quality, and replace them with fresh, healthy young plants. One revision is always necessary- After the pruning is completed," and when th© weather is suitable, manure and dig over 'the ground, leaving the surface rough, to allow the sun and air to penetrate and sweeten. After remaining in the rough for a few weeks, it should again be lightly dug or forked over to break the lumps and pulverise the soil, and produce a nice, even surface. In'-addition' to the. pruning of roses all of the deciduous shrubs and some of the evergreens require to bo ; gone "over ; and v more or less pruned. Remove all dead and decaying wood, arid have some of the-long, straggling shoots shortened back and others thinned out to - give the bushes a more symmetrical appearance and to encourage new, vigorous growths. The borer, is very destructive upon some of the deciduous shrubs and climbers, particularly wisteria. The plants should be carefully examined, and where practical cut off the affected shoots or ranches and burn them, to preevnt the insects from escaping and doing further damage. Evergreen shrubs should also have any necessary pruning done at- once, as the sap will again soon be on the move for the production of .the new spring growths. Many of the varieties are greatly benefited by the thinning out of branches that crowd the hushes; and those that have become stationary and lanky may be refurnished by rigorous pruning. . ■", Kitchen .Gardes.'-•.;;,■''■".'■

Operations in this department must. again be proceeded with, provided conditions are suitable. Up to the present, owing to wet weather and the uncongenial state of the land, very little has been done in the war of preparing ground for. cropping. But with the. near approach of August, and prospect of finer and more settled weather sowing and planting must be attended to. The planting of potatoes is of the first Importance. Selecting a nicely-sheltered and fairly dry situation, obtain good, sound sets.of medium size, and plant them whole about 4in deep and 12in between the sets m the rows, and. 2ft between tho " rows .Next sow a few rows of peas, early dwarf varieties. Draw shallow, drills. ,4in wide and 2m deep. Sow fairly thick, and scatter a little soot and lime along the drills preparatory to sowing the seeds. Cover with wellpulverised soil. Transplant cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce plants. Sow a: small bed or a few rows with turnips, also a pinch of lettuce seed, and mustard, cress and radishes. Transplant a few rows of autumn-sown onions for early crop. Weed amongst crowns of asparagus, and lightly dig or fork between the rows, taking every care not *°.interfere with the roots. The rhubarb beds must, also receive attention Thoroughly manure and dig the ground* taking care not to cut the crowns or roots of the plants with the spade in the dig dug In making fresh plantations of rhubarb off tain young, healthy roots, those ™t£-Jmrte crowns preferred, and in planting "not insert the crowns too deep below the -sur face; place the- crown one inch below "£ surface, not more. men oeiow - ne

Pruning.

My remarks on pruning hitherto W-a been chiefly confined to orchard L and bush fruits; hut where, other trees w shrubs are grown, whether they are decWu ous or evergreen, a certain amount of nrun* ing is necessary to maintain symmetry of habit, and to obtain the best results from tho flowering varieties r D ,~ * onuus , m of varieties, pirtSrly tfoweiin,, 0 and Shrubs, tLt if.a«TSwta v impruncd soon become an eyeso?e "„st«s I of giving pleasure to 'grower Tho ; ] method of pruning depends -.r tul i lO ft ass- . For instance, Si^ I ing scrubs such as weiffolia* deutzitS . er * j drangeas, Viburnum ofS and fX y " Mtamarix, primus, exochordias Ha plicata .' , other deciduous plants? S«?„-„ mai V : somewhat similar I fr„'itilg° fft' 3 - green trees and shrubs; too, often K,- ' i misshaped and tinsightlv for til * i no ',! little attention a pruning fe WaUfc - of a 'do not mean close cropping^jSW 8 ' l 1 regardless of their haTuWLbift - fe freouently happens with even £L *%t>3 ■ ing trees that two loaders™ toS'oSTi - allowed to grow- unchecked ■ wilS'Sffl' ; he same applies to the Trances *fe sometimes happens that the W«,L " ' one side of the trees will o„f„ r «I! ♦. - on ; the opposite side. This C X *!° on i ii tree, at all crowdedSftt bfelS

have not room to devoid K , ' & ««* bark or remoi ing fe b™* *? ilw^< At fully done bo that the " "'**' '-'S-B visible, a shapely Vri =, ***«*>'&** it evergreen flowering slnK" 41 - 3*2 I? gin amount of .Pn,nb ? Üb 4»« ft |-< larly such varieties as K&SSnfc. PftryT fr * fr? a&sS td?««i other f«-rflo«a nng - shrubs -n li3 »*r* J, - ■ should consist -in shorter-,, b !>*«&?' H irregular shoots with ,£*& 3 a natural vot compact form. ftJti?***- B the shrubs are kent furnuhM*^"' k ■ shapely branches, and » Wi>*?.' iff amount of flower produced. Kcil «W«5 B Answer* to Ooirespond I ; Re Passion Fruit: ou , "|lr .'''tit quite correct; it is much ijfj o '**!!**; fc ■ plantmg those until late {** to d2 £1 when there » warmth in tuJ*M, M ber is quite early enough, so ffii Nfcta HE are in pots or fees a nd 3^'J with roots. WeU-decompoS M 33 *£%. best material to mix™» i*^' I ' W.L., Mount Eden: Xearb^^■ I and treated to semi-annnal Vw*** 1 * tf4 § keeping the hedge 6ft i- hdritSS* "* 1 mg in light volcanic soil, wit? j*>*i»».-R | rocks near the roots, is a Vvt , taa * wi Hi . hedge .of Olearia traverjlT*"C ii the conditions become exhausted if.*** I replacing with son* other vs^^'l writer knows of break™". £££■ A* B variety growing in strong 'cti*sVb W ' are over 20ft in height and neaW fof § : old that are perfectly -toaltWtSy *ft I fiisms of deterioration." Thev te!™s» M allowed to grow naturally, a „ d J?; *'W 1 trimmed on the sides. Dvuiir » ii usuallv denotes the presence' of V-il ?**o» ' II , M.E.G.. Epsom: L^Jc?*** 1 the best all-round potatoes tor.' ," > V-'Hi and practically blight-nrcof. ft -, , *** 'HE able for early planting ' u **»# R ; ■•■■,.;"■'- |»