THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 761, 1 October 1886, Page 14

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR OCTOBER The Feuit Garden.

In this part of the garden, as well as elsewhere, everything is busily at work growing and flowering, and so must the gardener be also, if the various subjects are to do their best. Where fruit trees have been previously well managed, it will be a pleasing occupation to constantly supervise their growth as it advances, and break off shoots not needed so as to prevent over-crowding, and to pinch the tops from others to regulate their growth either to duplicate the number of shoots, or to increase the number of fruit spurs. In cases where the trees have been previously mismanaged, and where steps have been taken during the dormant season to improve the shape and fruit bearing capacities of the trees, by thinning out or shortening back branches, a watch must now be kept on the young growths which will in most cases spring from just below the point where the shortening ended, as on these and their management will depend the success of the effort. Select enough of tbe young shoots to form the framework, and rub all the rest off ; pinch the point out of the others when they have grown six or eight inches, and repeat this operation as long as they continue to grow. In choosing the shoots to be left, select those which are best situated for growing in the direction desired. The young shoots ot all trees except standards of large size should be stopped when they have made three perfect leaves. This should be extended to tbe side shoots of gooseberry bushes, but should not be applied to the peach tree or to currant bushes. Where the soil around fruit trees has not been thoroughly enriched with manure, the trees will be greatly benefited by a good soaking of liquid manure just as they are getting their fruit. This should be given on a rainy day, both because it can then be given stronger —thus saving labor in carrying—and because it should never be applied when the soil is in a dry state. Strawberry beds that have not been mulched may have a coat of good half-decayed manure laid between the rows. Look out and destroy all slugs before the fruit begins to form.

The Vinery,—lt sometimes happens from different causes that the roots of vines, which are naturally of the same roving habit as the branches, get too deep in the ground or too far from home, and so not only get out of the reach of the sun, but often into a cold clayey subsoil, when they become more or less inactive, even if they produce no further ill than loss of vigor. Though these wandering roots cannot be brought back home again, it is easy to furnish the border with a good crop of new roots, which will take the place of the stray ones, and then become dormant an 1 perish, leaving their work to be done by the new oues. Vines should now be in active growth ; keep only one shoot to each spur, and let that one be the most convenient for tving down. The house should be kept as warm and dry at night as possible. If there are any number of plants growing under them let them be watered in the morning so that they may dry out, before night. The Kitchen Garden.

Asparagus will now be inactive growth, and should be kept free from weeds. Give a dressing of salt to keep away slugs and other pests, which will otherwise do a lot of mischief ; when cutting the stalks cut level with the soil ; don’t attempt to cut much below the surface, or the plants may be injured with the knife, and young stems coming up be injured. Sow successional crops of turnip, radish, lettuce, carrot, spinach, red beet, parsnip, broad beans. Sow immediately the first crop of French beans. ’Canadian Wonder, and ‘Governor Dennison’ are both good kinds. Sow the usual two fortnightly sowings of peas, and sow scarlet runner beans ; sow cabbage, Veitche’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower, and Veitche’s self-protecting broccoli. The end of the month will be early enough to sow various broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and savoy cabbage for winter and early spring use. Attend the pricking out of celery and tomatoes ; get them well hardened off before putting into the open. Cucumbers and melons that are to be grown either in houses or frames should now be ready for planting. Let the manure for the beds be well turned and sweetened before making it up ; a good lasting bed should be about 3ft 6in in height, or more, and the width about the same. The best soii foi planting is good turfy loam, but this is not always to be had ; but whatever is used it should be well sweetened by turning it over in the air before using it, if there is the slightest suspicion of it being sour. The plants should havo ther tops pinched out when they have made or four rough leaves ; keep the house well damped, and syringe the plant in the evening of fine days. The Flower Gardisn.

Filling up beds and borders with their summer flowers will form a large portion of the gardener’s work during the present month. The hardier plants cannot be planted out too soon; but those raised in hotbeds under glass will require to be put out in the open with caution, as, unless they have been previously inured to the weather, there aro considerable chances that many of them will come to grief from a too sudden exposure. In order to harden the young plants thus raised, gradually admit more air to the frames by tilting up the .lights, taking them off altogether on fine days,

and when all danger of frost is past, dispense with them altogether. When the plants have been been thus exposed day and night for a week or so, planting out may safely be proceeded with. The middle of October is usually the best time to begin bedding out such tilings as antirrhinums, stocks, dianthus, verbenas, petunias, and phlox drummondii. Later on, the more tender spring raised kinds wili be placed in their quarters ; but usually the first and second weeks in November are early enough for balsams, zinnias, sunflowers, asters, and such like. At that time these can also be raised in the open, sown similar to hardy annuals, and afterwards thinned out to the requisite distances apart. They will, however, be later in coming into flower. Planting operations should be conducted as much as possible during calm, cloudy weather, and when the soil is in a friable condition. Success will be more certainif the plants can be got tot in with balls of soil adhering to the roots in the course of transplanting. Stocks and 6ome others suffer severely from the effects of transplanting, and should be covered with small flower pots for a few day 3 while the sun is strong on them. Young tender plants do not readily take to stiff, heavy soils, iu which case it is always advisable to place some light mould round the roots in order to give the plants a good start. Asters, balsams, verbenas, sunflowers, dahlias, and some others, require very rich soil for the production of their flowers in high condition. Petunias, geraniums, and nasturtiums, however, are more floriferouß when planted on comparatively poor ground. Portulacas, and most other succulent plants do best on rather dry, sunny banks and borders. Stocks, zinnias, African marigolds, and dwarf lobelias require moderately rich soil to grow them well. Plant out gladiolus, anemone japonica, crassulas, echeverias, sedums, and other such herbaceous plants. Now is a good time to divide, and replant in a sunny position, the useful winter flowering roebea falcata. Make fresh plantations of violets on well-manured ground, allowing from nine inches to a foot apart between the plants. Use young runners in preference to divisions of the old stems. Divide, and replant primroses and polyanthus. Recently planted shrubs should be heaviiy mulched before the ground with its moisture, otherwise it will be necessary to apply water rather liberally before laying on the manure Camellia, rhododendron, rose beds, and indeed all shrubs likely to suffer from drought during the season should receive a good manurial surface dressing. Mowing must now be in weekly operation to maintain the lawns in nice condition. The Greenhouse.

Increase of ventilation should go hand in hand with the increasing rise in temperature. The top ventilator may now well remain open day and night, regulating the bottom ones in accordance with the daily state of the weather. Air freely, but avoid admitting cold cutting air currents. Use the syringe freely on evenings of fine days. After enduring the heat of the day, ferns, foliage, and young growing plants are particularly grateful for tbe ever.ing bath. Its frequent use frees both tba atmosphere of the house and the foliage of the plants from dust particles, besides always conveying a certain amount of nutriment relishable to the plants. Attend to the wants of tuberous begonias, which are now in rapid growth. All such quick growing plants, throughout tbeir early stages, should always be shifted and potted in the nick of time. If during this period they are allowed to become pot.-bound they wid be sure to put on a look of stunted maturity Water pot roses two or three times a week with manure water to ensure the development of fine blooms. Show pelargoniums and calceolarias showing for flower will benefit from similar treatment. Greenfly will soon spoil the beauty of these if they gain a footing on the plant?. Cured, but unmanufactured tobacco leaves, are the liandiest and best for fumigating to get rid of the fly, being more gentle in action on delicate plants, and which any one can grow and cure, who can devote a pitch of ground for its culture. Prune libonias requiring to be reduced to a more shapely habit, and in two or three weeks afterwards shake off from the roots the greater part of the old soil, and repot afresh. Such flowering plants as sericographis, justicia, eranthemum, and thyrsacanthus, should be struck from cuttings every year, as old plants of these are !e s satisfactory than young ones. Make a further sowing of Chinese primulas, celofla?, and balsams. Transplant, and pot off those previously sown. Continue the propagation of bouvardias, fuchsias, salvias, and others for autumn and winter decoration. Increase fine foliaged begonias from leaves placed in a warm, moist position. In doing this cut away the outer part of the leaf until only a few inches remain attached to the leafstalk. Sever the midribs of this witli the knife in two or three places, and then peg it down to the soil and keep moi-:t till rooted.