The Garden.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 21

The Garden.

THE FRUIT GARDEN. Strawberry rnonera that were treated as previously advised, viz., plantea out in ternporary beds of rich soil, to strengthen before being permanently planted out, should now be tine plants, with one or more well-de. velopod crowns to each, and, now that the ground is getting moist, will be the tiito to prepare the quarters for their reception. Whether new ground Is being broken up or old plots re-worked, it should bo well trenched to a depth of not less than eighteen inches, another six inches or even twelve inches would bo better, but this must to come extent dapend on the character of the sub. soil. It would bo useless to trench down into steep clay or hard rook. As each trench is thrown out a good layer of manure of some kind should bo placed on the bottom beforq beginning to refill from tbo next trench. This may either be stable, oow manure, or garden rubbish. If the latter is used a good layer should be thrown in and trodden down. As the trench is in process of being filled up with soil some rich, half-decayed manure should be forked into it. When the whole plot is finished a top dressing of ashes from a rubbish fire (the more wood ash the better) would be valuable, a moderate dressing of superphosphate of lime and blood manure would also be a good investment. ground should now lay as it is nntii it has had a good heavy fall of rain upon it to settle it down. The plants may then be carefully lifted with a small fork, eaoh with a good ball of earth attaohed, aud be firmly planted in rows, two feet apart, and the plants eighteen inches apart in the rows. After planting scratch over tho surface of the bed with a sharp rake, oue with sir teeth will be found handiest, and keep the Dutch hoe going afterwards to keep down weeds.

THE KITCHEN GARDEN. Planting celery should be completed now. The early planted will be ready for earthing up for blanching. If slugs or snails are plentiful it will be well to give a sprinkling of lime through the plants the day before, for if the vermin are enclosed in the hearts of the plauts they will spoil them. When earthing care must be taken to keep the soil from the centre of the plants. First break off all side sprouts and decayed leaves, then gather the plant up tight with one hand, and the other armed with a trowel, force enough soil round it to hold it firm until a row is completed in this way, thon finish with a spade. Get out the last batch of ‘Autumn Gia. t Cauliflower.’ The ground must be wellmanured. Also finish planting the different kinds of broccoli. It is now late to plant cabbages and savoys, still, if the supply is likely to be short more may be planted, but they wili not make good heads. Sow at once turnip and spinach seed for the winter supply. We like fca sow both the white and yellow kinds for winter use, it makes a variety, and the yellow kinds are of good flavour in winter. The best kinds are * white stone,’ ‘American red top white stone,’ and ‘yellow Maltese,’ or ‘Golden Ball.’ Ho not sow the seed too thick or the plants get drawn before they can be thinned. Do not delay thinning a day longer than can be helped ; many a bed of turnips is spoiled by delaying the thinning. Now is the time to sow * early London cauliflower,’ and * Nonpareil ’ or ‘Early York,’ and ‘ Enfield market,’ Cabbage—As soon as the plants are large enough to handle they should be pricked oat about six inches apart in rich soil. They will be ready for the final plant* ing by the middle or end of Juae, and should be fit for use by the beginning of November. Lettuce seed should be sown for tho early spring supply, also ‘ short horn ’ carrot.

THE SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE. The science of horticulture is many sided and sometimes ill-defined. The better part of it may be expressed in the phrase, ‘ Variation of plants under culture and selection.’ In many casos tho effects of the simplest operations of culture are not well understood. Tho mere accident of variation in soil may bo found to modify plants, sometimes profoundly. Sandy soil tends to produce high colours and high flavours, in consequence of the greater warmth. Peaches are nearly always richer in colour and flavour on such soils than on wetter and stronger soils, other things being equal. Squashes often show remarkable differences when grown upon different soils, and these differences can sometimes be perpetuated for a time by seeds. The writer has produced from the same parent Squashes so dissimilar through tho simple agency of a change of soil in one season that they might bo taken for distinct varieties. Peas are known to vary in the same manner. The ends of a row of peas, sown of the same kind, last year gave the writer marked variations due to differences in soil. Many well-known varieties are less distinct than were the two extremes of this planting. Light soilß also tend to shorten the period of growth. Upon such, soils plants mature earlier, and are consequently hardier. This is one of the earliest lessons which the fruit-grower masters. It is not known if this character, attained from soil, is transmissible to offspring. Light soils tend to make most plants smaller. Pea growers characterise soils as * good ’ and ‘ viney.’ Upon the latter sort the plants run to vine at the expense of fruit, and their offspring, for two or three generations have the same tendency. Light soils decrease the tendency to vary. Of many plants seedsmen secure best seeds from such soils. These seeds are more likely than others to * come true,’ to reproduce their parents closely. Upon heavy and rioh soil varieties tend to * break,’ or to assume various forms; and this * breaking ’ is the inception of new varieties. Our general knowledge of the influence of soilß upon plants, of which these illustrations are trifling examples, is wholly fragmentary. Change of latitude often work? great change

in cultivated plants, and yet the change is so obscure as to lead good observers to declare that acclimatisation does not exist. The most apparent effect of removal through degrees of latitude, appears in the stature of Ihe plant. Northward, plants are smaller, dwarfer than southward. As a rule, dwarf plants are relatively more productive than large ones, and as more plants can be grown upon a given area, it follows that they give greater total yields in field culture. But there must be a point beyond which dwarfing is unprofitable, as diminutive plants can produce little. In other words, there must be for each species a most profitable ratio of size of plant to quantity of fruit. Experiments can determine this ratio, and must then seek to produce it. In general, transfer in latitude seems to be tho readiest means to accomplish this object. When the latitude of most profitable production is determined for each species, the plant can there be propagated elsewhere for dissemination elsewhere. Variation in reference to latitude is apparent in many directions. Colour, flavour, habit of plant, and even variability itself, all are modified in many ways through laws of latitude, altitude, and climate which we cannot yet announce. Plants respond in a wonderful manner to man’s care through direct selection. ‘ Like produces like,’ is to the gardener a law of circumstances and conditions. If the phrase were strictly true we should expect no improvement in varieties. We should still know only the old Cherry Tomato and the single white or pink' petunia. When once a species begins to vary, is * broken,’ man’s power over it is marvellous. In a score of ways it responds to his touch. Yet, Btrangely enough, there are few oxplicitlaws known concerning plant breeding by simple selection. It is tolerably well known that the character of offspring is determined by the character of the parent as a whole, rather than by that of any individual part which we may desire to improve. Small tubers of potatoes from large or productive hills give larger yields than, large tubers from small hills. An experimenter laboured in vain for many years in the endeavour to improve the tomato by selecting seeds from best fruits, but when ho began to select seeds from fruits of best plants success caine rapidly. So it appears that even so simple a matter as * selecting the best ’ may result in poor practice.—Extracts fiom an art icle in the American Garden, by Professor Bailey.

The Hungarian Government is going to try ) a very interesting experiment in vine culture. As it. has been found that the phylloxera does not attack vines growing in a sandy soil, it has been decided to plant with vines tho so-called Delliblat sand region between Delliblat and the Danube, and to establish there 3000 families of vine dressers. Huts will be constructed. for these colonists at Government expense, and each family will receive an allowance of 140 florins a year until the vine products become remunerative. A railway will also be constructed from the vineyards to Yerschitz, where the cellars of the Delliblat vines are to be kept. The new colony is to bo called Fejerfalva, in honour of M. Fcjer, the Secretary of State, with whom the idea of this enterprise originated. District horticultural shows in England do not occasion loss to the societies under whose auspices they are held. On the contrary, they are managed so that they return a profit, and in some instances the societies employ the capital thus acquired in effecting improvements in local parks and gardens. The York gala, which is invariably a success, is mentioned in all recent garden files. The Wolverhampton Society has also done well. At a recent meetiug of the committee of that society it was announced that the profits of last Show amounted to £SBB 15s 7d, of which it was determined to invest £SOO as a reserve fund, the balance to be expended in improvements in the park. The committee have now £9OO invested as the result of their first two shows. The next f6te is to be held from July 14 to 16 inclusive.