THE SMALL FRUITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 3

THE SMALL FRUITS.

SEASONABLE ATTENTION, The mowing of Cape» gooseberries ami the preparation of the ground in readiness for the young plants is a matter that should require attention at the present time. The Cape gooseberry is a fairly popular small fruit, and is useful, as/a dessert fruit* Or for making conserve. Where one requires only a few plants itmay not bo worth while raising them if they can be conveniently obtained'from a seedsman; but if one.,jyishes to. plant a fair number of Cape gooseberries 'it will prove cheaper to raise one's own seedlings. Now is*the time to sow. the seed. A sced-tray should be used for the purpose." As the seed usually germinates freely it should be sown thinly and just covered with finely-sifted soil. When large enough to handle, the' seedlings should be pricked off in the usual manner and grown on until large enough to bo planted. In the meanwhile the ground may be prepared. Too loose a soil does not produce the best results, eo one should not cultivate a light soil to any great extent. A heavy soil may be dug more thoroughly* It is not desirable to promote a vigorous growth in the plants, so one' sliould refrain from incorporating compost or manure. The food to enable the plants to produce a crop is provided by means of artificial fertilisers. Just before planting, the best time for whiqh is toward the end of October, an application of superphosphate may be made at the rate of ;IJ[OZ. per square , yard. - , Similarly, one should now bo preparing the soil for planting passion fruit in two or three weeks' time. The plants should not be placed closer than 6ft. apart, and for preference should be allowed 10ft. The soil at each spot where a plant is to be jp-own should be prepared within •a radius of 2ft. In this case, however, it is desirable to encourage rapid growth during the first two or three "seasons in order that the plants may / be' profitable as soon as possible. Some composth may be worked in, or stable manure may be used. A fair quantity of this' material should be used, as the passionfruit will appreciate it. In lieu of the compost, etc., one may use blood arid bone at the rate of 2oz. per square yard. Another matter in connection with the culture of passionfruit that may be attended to at the present time concerns the manuring of established vines. A mixture consisting of equal parts of sulphate of ammonia and superphosphate may bo used for this purpose. The rate of application will depend on the age and size of the vines, and will vary from ' loz, to 3oz. qer square yard. The fertiliser should be scattered within a radius of 4ft. and stirred into the surface. The application may be repeated later on when the fruit is developing. Gooseberries, raspberries, etc., might also bei benefited by an application of fertiliser at the present time. A mixture containing two parts superphosphate: and one part each of sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of potash may be applied at the rate oil IjOz. per square yard. This should be dusted on to the ground within a foot of the plants and stirred in with a hand-fork. THE FRUIT SECTION, • ' ' * CURRENT ORCHARD WORK. { Many of the trees in the orchard are now in full bloom and others show signs of breaking out very soon. The spraying programme should, be watched closely and the applications made at th« correct time. The trees should also be watched carefully, so that;any Rafting can be performed at the right . momenta Considering the state of the trees, the dressing of mauure mentioned in these columns a short while ago may be applied any time now. In the case of the less forward trees it should be withheld for a week or two until the trees become a little more active, but there is no desperate hurry in the case of forward trees even. Little growth is made for the first few weeks after a tree becomes- active, so the manure is not really needed for a while. " It is time that the orchard was .tidied up after the winter. Nothing will give it a better appearance than digging it over. During this operation any cover crop may be turned under. The spade may be used between the trefes, but ; the fork must bo substituted when working close iin. The tillage will aerate-'..'the soil and be of benefit to the surface-feed-ing roots, causing them to form-an even greater mass. A provision of food will then be all that is required for the trees to do their best. . PUMPKINS AND MARROWS. PREPARING THE GROUND. It is time that one was proceeding with the preparation of the ground for marrows and pumpkins. In a small garden there is not always room to spare, for even one of these crops, let alone • both, but one should see if there is not a place where the vines could be trained over a wall, or' some similar object. In the; case oli the marrow in a small garden one can sa.ve considerable space by growing the bush type which requires less room. This variety does not trail over the ground tetany extent like the ordinary marrotf, but keeps within a limited area. The marrows on the bushy plants do not grow as big; as the others, but with a small household this does not matter.

Fqr ordinary garden culture the bestmethod of preparing for pumpkins or marrows is ,to form a mound. This is done by digging a hole about three-feet in diameter and about one spit deep at-each site. Where more than one mound is boing prepared ono should allow at least Bft. from centro to centre and a greater distance if space permits.' For the bush marrow 6ft. will suffice between the mounds. The bottom'of each hole should be forked Up to aerate the subsoil, after which the hole may be halffilled with rotting material such as stable manure, compost, etc. A little of the same material should be worked into the soil that was removed from the hole and this slbould then be} replaced in. the form of a mound. ;. '

Tho incorporation of a large quantity of organic material with the soil in the mound is not desirable, as- the aim is to keep the main source of the food supply avrav from the plants until they are well under way. This is accomplished by burying it in the bottom of the hole so that the roots do not reach it until the plant has made a certain amount iof growth. 'While the mounds are. being prepared 0110 may sow the seed in pots so that tho plants will bo in good time. One seed to a four-inch pot will bo There will bo no need to fear disturbing tho plants when putting them out in tho ground as thoy will tip out of the pots quite readily. Getting , theso crops in in good time is most desirable as they should be growing well- by the time the dry weather is beginning to make itself felt. With succulent plants of this nature water is one of the chief essentials and the effect of dry weather is to check their growth. ' There is no need to.sow in four-ini?h pots, however, if one is willing to wait until the mounds have been prepared. If this is so, the seed .should be sown to a mound in the form of a triangle with sides Jin. long. Should more than one plant arise, the best, should be selected : where they are coming into their, second proper leaf and the other .removed, in» seeds should be. pressed into the sides of tho mound to a depth of 'about:-an in, . ~nd n half. ; ; ■ ■■ ' ' ' ■ ana a nan.