THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15551, 7 March 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

A.X no time of the year is the soil in as fit a condition as in the autumn- It is usually dry and derives . greater, benefit and may be brought into the most fertile condition by . deep digging or by trenching to aerate the ground and admit the fertilising properties of the atmosphere. Ventilation is as important for soils as for our dwellings, pure air being a stimulant to the roots of many species"of plants, notably the vegetables in the kitchen garden. In digging or trenching at this season for the renewal and general cultivation of the soil, the surface should be left rough and loose to admit the fertilising gases. The cultivator must use his brains -even in this work, and not pat the surface 'down with his spade in order to make a neat finish, the invariable-practice with the ordinary worker. That eta be done at 'the. time of sowing or planting, by reforking the plot and breaking down all-rough lumps to thoroughly pulverise and make the soil as ! fine as possible and m the fittest condition for the roots of seedlings and other plants. Thorough cultivation liberates the plant foods that the. soil contains, and is the natural • method of providing nourishment for the new crop. • 1

Cultivating the Soil. The bringing in of the sour gum lands North of Auckland, and making them fertile by expelling the obnoxious elements and admitting those favourable .to plant life, is. practical evidence of what can be achieved by thorough cultivation. The same applies in a measure to worn out, plant-sick gardens. Whilst recommending the deep digging and thorough cultivation of •, the land preparatory to planting • there are some species that when' thev have been planted and established must not have ' the soil near their roots disturbed, as these plants produce' a mass of fibrous roots and rootlets near: the surface that , derive nourishment from K the atmosphere. - To this class belong ericas or. heaths, kalmias, azaleas, rhododendrons, and 'quite a number of others, including many of our indigenous trees and shrubs. • To deeply dig around them is fatal' to • their • well-being. For example, take azaleas and rhododendrons that are growing in neglected places and on grassy slopes where tile surface is never disturbed. . See how they flourish, and note their freedom from insect . pests, whereas in cultivated, .borders they lack vigour and during dry periods become infested with thrips and red —clearly showing that conditions are unfavourable, iree ferns form a mat of roots extending over the surface, .according to the size of the plant. To preserve the fern in a flourishing condition those roots must, not be interfered with. The gardener must in every instance use intelligence and study the natural' requirements of' the -various Plants under his care. When this is done success is invariably achieved. •

Routine Garden Work. Routine work in the garden should now consist in keeping the surface soil in the various beds and borders lightly stirred to cultivate the Istnd and to keep down weeds. Spent flowers should be picked off, and as caterpillars are verv numerous and exceedingly destructive the test possible means should be adopted to check their , ravages. Sowing of sweet peas should be made; directions have already been given in previous notes as to the pre paration of the ground previous to sowing the seeds. 3 KITCHEN GALDEN. The dry weather experienced during the last few months has been all that could be desired for breaking up and improving ail spare ground and placing it in the best possible condition for future cropping Cwing to the dry condition of the sod most of the later-sown crops have made but little headway, the exceptions being when the soil has been deeply worked ana manured. To grow summer eroos success fully, particularly during periods of hot, dry weather, deep , digging, or better still' trenching and manuring, is essential. By placing the manure fairly deep in the soil, the roots naturally penetrate more deeply in search of their food, and do not in consequence so quickly feel the effects of the dry weather. This too. applies to all vegetation during the dry season. To provide for this the gardener should early m the season so arrange his crops that the' varieties that mature early are kept together as much as possible, so that when the ground is cleared it can be treated as above stated in readiness for later-sown crops. Such varieties as early-sown peas, beans, lettuce, and -planted potatoes and onions, can generally be harvested in ample time to allow of the ground being trenched in readiness for late sowings. Advantages of Deep Digging. Gardens that have been cropped successively by simply digging the surface year after year at the same depth will not yield satisfactory crops, unless under the most favourable weather conditions, as the soil immediately below where it is broken up becomes a hard crust into which few roots will penetrate. In trenching, it is not always, advisable to bring the subsoil to the surface—unless it lisof a good friable nature—but whatever , ' *

the nature of the subsoil it should be tier ■' oughly broken up and manure well incat!pasted. with the soil before the eurfaigyl soil is returned. II ground is not already I prepared, it should at once be got teadW. and be in readiness for sowing after wM first good rainfall of such varieties as • carrots, turnios, rninach, lettuce, leeks'and other suitable winter crops;' while, cabbage and cut. I mower snould on planted as soon as suitable conditions will allow" Celery plants are now well advanced, par' ticularly if they have been well supplied' v.ith moisture. There are lew plants crown tha are more useful or more tii-hlv prized than celery. In the green slat* it is frequently cooked and usea at a vt;o«. table, and tor flavouring soup it i s one°o{" the most agreeable ingredients. But it • is when bleached and used as a salad that it is most highly prized. * Blanching Celery. If the plants have been planted in trenches as directed at the proper season the early plants will .-ion i>; at a stare to allow o! earthing in*. Opinions. l lrn y. ' ever, differ as to the best stage to coaii -f-n.e this operation. sum* cum mence to earth up as soon as the plants .. 1. ox nine in-.he.-, and again as the nlanta increase in ijeiyht. ~, >th this method, however, there "is often' the ' risk of the centre or heart of the plaats rotting, particularly if very wet weather is experienced. 'llic safest- method i £ allow the plants to attain nearlv their fall ' size; or, at- any rate, not until'the pla'nta are about eighteen inches high, before the ' hist earthing is done. In earthing up the greatest, care must- be exercised—takin» care that the hearts of the olatitf are kept, clear .of the soil. The earthiii" an ' should always be done when the soil £ fairly dry. A good plan is to place a '■ tie around each plant before starting toearth up, then pack the soil with the Sand around each plant, raising the tie upward ' as the packing proceeds. The tie should ~ be removed, however, when the earth ha« been firmly packed around the plants. •#!'

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ? "Old Settler," Devon port: Trees of I Japanese plums tbat arc old are not worth removing and transplan'.ing. Yon had : much better purchase healthy young trees. You must have given Red Asirmuu appl a trees too strong a dose of Bordeaux mix- ' ture. . It would not injure the trees' in the winter when the leaves are off. but I in spring when the new foliage is tender | too 6trong a solution will burn them. Apricots are shy croppers within our city and suburbs. At the Thames they bear I profusely. Hard pruning will not bring them into fruiting; allow the trees to - grow naturally. " Inquirer " : Oleander twiggs are badly attacked or infested with the "round black olive scale. Well syringe with kerosene - emulsion or MeDouga IT insecticide. A parasitic fungus often attacks and controls ' this scale. Escallonia floribunda, also.; - known as " Mcmtedidensis" is the name of the white flowered variety that - is' flowering so profusely at the present time; ' " Arbor," Epsom : In the forests of Japan, Retinospora- obtusa attains to a height of from 50ft to 70ft, and Cryp- .. tomeria japponica from 100 ft to lSOft'.in • height, - with 'stems oft& seven feet in* - diameter. In the forests of Nikko, mag-; 5 **• nificent specimens of these two species are. >•: to be, seen. Approaching the shrines is ; the famous avenue of these tree 6 thirty, • . miles in length. Pinus thunbergii , ; ig'># :■£ largely planted in Japan. They grow to about 70ft high. Saris septolepis, the: Japanese larch, is extensively planted for - i; its timber. ,As the above kinds succeed -. admirably in our climate ■ they should be extensively, planted both, for timber and ornament. . v "Curious '* : The cypress obtains its t ,-s name from the island of Cyprus, where V : the Cupressus semcervirens grows in great ;'; ' abundance. Of this species- there are two J;' . varieties, the upright and the spreading. , ■ The Romans and also'the Moors planted'V . cypresses for ornament around their pal- . >*. aces and villas. Cypress timber is very ' hard 'and durable. , . ♦ Repos.