VEGETABLE CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20560, 10 May 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

VEGETABLE CROPS.

SEASONABLE SOWINGS,

Every effort should be made by sowing and planting to restock the garden with as many varieties of seasonable crops as possible, for although the long dry spell has given ample opportunity for working and preparing the ground for cropping, the sowing and planting had in many instances to bo deferred on account of insufficient moisture to ensure germination of the seed. The success attained with the earlier sown crops will depend largely upon the treatment. If kept liberally supplied with moisture and the ground frequently and deeply stirred, reasonably good growth may have been maintained. Sow such crops as turnips, carrots, onions, spinach, beets, lettuce, cabbage, and similar autumn and winter crops in the warmest and driest parts of the garden. It is for this reason that raised beds are preferable for the crops 1110,11'tioned as they provide more ready drainage and izreater warmth during the wet season.

The planting out of cabbage and cauliflower should be done at once. Plants are now obtainable that are practically free from aphis, or at any rate, are sufficiently free to bo safe for planting. For late autumn and winter use few vegetables are more in demand than wellgrown cabbages, but to grow them to the best advantage the ground requires to be "well enriched with manure. If possible arrange to plant in ground in which cabbage and other colworts have not been recently grown. With cauliflower greater success is a : • tained when the plants are grown with as little check as possible from the time the plants are raised until thoroughly established. As soon as the seedlings arc sufficiently advanced prick out the strongest and most promising plants, into a bed and allow them to grow until strong, hardy plants are formed. They should then* be carefully lifted and transplanted with the roots practically intact. ONIONS AND SHALLOTS. A sowing; can still be made on a raised bed of onions to provide plants for transplanting for the early crops. The planting out of potato onions should have attention this month. The advantage of this crop is that useable sized bulbs are produced and arc ready for use earlier than the ordinary varieties of onions. Being of easy cultivation they may be successfully grown in any good garden soil that has been well worked and manured for a, previous crop. In planting arrange in rows 20in. to 2ft. apart, and the sets in the rows lOin. to 12in. apart. Subsequent treatment will consist in hoeing and keeping the ground free from woeds between the plants. Shallots can lie planted any time up to the end of the present' month. This, too. is a very useful croo to grow as it comes into use early. Plant in rows 12in. to 15in. apart and. the sets from : Bin. to 9in. anart in the rows. Good, crops can be obtained from a comparatively small space of ground. When planting press the bulbs into tin; soil until they are about three parts buried. Like the potato onion tliev succeed best planted in soil that has been well worked and manured for previous crops. t BROAD BEANS. HUMBLE BEES' RAVAGES. Sowing of broad beans can be made from tins month until the early spring. Owing to the difficulty often experienced in obtaining anything like good crops, however, particularly with spring and summer sowings, these beans are not as wicl civ grown, as they merit. When gathered and used before they are allowed to become too old they are one of most wholesome and delicious of vegetables. Autumn sown crops of these invariably succeed better than the spring and summer sowing, as they flower and set "men of their fruit befoie the humble bee—which is the chief cause of failure—becomes sufficiently numerous to destroy the blossoms. This pest, finding that it cannot enter the flower to extract the food it. seeks, eats through the flower, so that its fertilising properties are destroyed. Unfortunately its ravages are not confined to this crop, as large numbers of the flowers of runner beans and similar plants, as well as (he flowers of numerous ornamental flowering plants are punctured and rendered unsightly by this insect. Another advantage of autumn raised plants is that they set ami develop iniich of their crop before the black aphis attacks the plants. As the winter season approaches with its decreasing en.pißratme ,11 sowings and plantings should be g pen every assistance that will in any way help to promote more rapid germination of seed and growth ol plants. MAIDENHAIR TREE. REMARKABLE FOLIAGE. Cinko Bilobn (two-lobed), or Salisbury Adiantifolin, is the maidenhair tree ol China. This exceedingly handsome and interesting hardy, deciduous _ tree, of symmetrical pyramidal growth is remaik. alile for its distinct foliage, wind) changes late in the autumn to a beautiful golden yellow, giving the tree a most conapwu. L.us appearance. It is well worth g> cuing, if only on account of Us « foli-x"c It is dioecious, the male and female'flowers being produced ou two chffercnt trees. It is propagated by seeds and thrives well in our climate. Hue are a few fine local specimens of this handsome tree, which attains .1 g of from 60ft. to 80ft. - There are other forms of ginkos one of a weeping habit and another with vailetted foliage. It is a monotypic genus, bcloiK'in.' to the coniforae order, and is n The trees that should be repre- ° ■ ..la Miwl private shrubberies, smitcd m parks ami it succeeds in any ordinary garden soils, prefers a fairly moist, loamy soil, where it may bo grown to pei lection.