THE GARDEN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1612, 21 January 1903, Page 68 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN

CURRANTS. The currants rank next in importance to gooseberries, and the black and red kinds often prove very profitable when grown for market, though the demand for white currants is very limited. Still, a few bunches of a good variety should be found in every well-kept garden, if only to be used for des<sert purposes, for a dish of well-grown and well-ripened white currants has as pretty an eifect on the dessert table as anything that could be mentioned. Unfortunately, the black currant has in many districts suffered severely from attacks of a minute insect called the currant-bud mite (Phytoptus ribis), for which there appears to be no positive and practical cure, and many a fine plantation has had to be grubbed up and burnt on this account. The insect, however, does not attack either the red or white kinds. Black currants succeed best, as a rule, on a deep, rich, and rather heavy or moist soil, while the red and white kinds prefer a lighter and warmer staple, with good drainage. I have had black currants thrive splendidly on nearly pure clay, though even here they were occasionally attacked by the mite; but the others will do no good on such soil as this, and are not worth planting. None of the kinds are very particular as to position or aspect; succeeding almost as well in haltshaded spots (the black in particular) as when fully exposed to the sun, thougn it is only fair to add that in such situations the fruit is apt to be rather sour. Choice currants deserve a place on an ©ast or west wall, and if netted so as to g revent birds taking the fruit, this may e kept in good condition for a long time.

The best and the finest of the black varieties for general culture are Baldwin's (a great favourite with the Kentish growers), Lee's Prolific, Carter's Champion and a new variety known as Boskoop* Giant, this last being a very vigorous and productive kind, with huge berries, and lia.9 so far resisted, th. 6 attacks of the currant mite. The most desirable of the rather numerous red currants* are Baby Castle (also known as the Haughton Castle, Victor in, etc.), very large and fine, with dark or crimson berries; Groose Versaillaise (syn. Fay's Prolific and La Fertile); Prince Albert, a fine late kind; and American Wonder (Coles), a new variety which is said to be the largest and best of all, and a grand market fruit lhe finest white kinds are the Versailles (or Transparent). Gloireide Salilons. Blanche de Boulonge, and the White. Dutch, or Grape Currant. The red and white kinds should be trained in the opencentred or vase form, and the black as bushes, pruned in the same way as gooseberries. WINDOW GARDENThe summer flowering plants, and even such things as asters and early chrysanthemums. are all over now, and tne outside boxes should be cleaned, emptied, and re-filled with fresh soil, then either planting tliem with, hyacinths other bulbs, etc., or filling them with neat evergreen shrnfos and. /wallflowers, etc., with a few crocuses or snowdrops, etc., along the front. Where a full display of bulbs in the spring is desired it is a good plan to have two sets of boxes. CUCUMBERS. Plants for fruiting during the winter ought to be getting well to work by this time, having been planted some weeks ago, and being now thoroughly established and rapidly nearing the top of the house or trellis. We find it much better to let them grow several feet —4ft to sft at the least—before stopping them. as. if vigorous and strong, they will branch out from the bas© quite naturally. No fruit should ever be allowed to form, or remain, on the main stem, and as a rule it is better not to allow any on the lateral growths either, at least until after these have been stopped. When the little cucumbers can be seen on these secondary growths, take out the point of each of the latter, leaving one leaf beyond the fruit only; this will cause it to swell up, and shortly afterwards the shoot will have “broken" again in one or two places, when the best growth should . be retained and again stopped beyond the fruit in its turn. Always keep the glass clean, especially if there is any smoke from a neign Pouring town or city about, and give a little air (along the roof only, oi course) on an fine and fairly mild clays, but shut up early in tne afternoon belore the sun (when there is any) goes off the house, damping down mouerateiy at the same time. Jveep the roots evenly morse. but not wet, adding an inch or so ot fresh compost as often as the little white roots work through in any numbers on to the surface. Above all, avoid anything like over-cropping, which at this season especially is sure to be followed by a collapse of the plants,, which usually occurs soon after the days begin to lengthen again. Country-grown .plants are usually stronger than those cultivated near London, etc., ands are consequently able to produce rather more during the depth of winter, but even these m-ust have a lot of the young fruit removed, as they cannot possibly carry it all. Speaking generally, the proper treatment of the cucumber differs considerably from that of almost any other plant in cultivation; scarcely anything else could stand the high temperatures and close and saturated atmosphere that appears to be almost indispensable to the production of a good crop of “cu's.," and much less thrive on it. Some authorities have recently been trying to prove that the system described above is wrong, and that the plants ought to be grown in a poorer and more sandy soil, with more air and less moisture, but every market-grower knows that when so treated the plants seldom yield more than half a crop. The chief soourge of the modern, cu-

cumber-grower is the disease known, as club-root, for which there appears to be no real remedy, though personally I have great faith in roasting, if not actually burning, the whole of the soil used. THE AUTUMN SOWING OF PEAS AND BEANS. Choose the warmest and most sheltered site available, protection of some kind on the north and east sides being specially important, the cold winds often experienced from these quarters in the spring frequently doing more harm to the young plants than several degrees of frost, with a calm atmosphere. The ground should be well worked to a depth of 18in or 2ft., adding a good dressing of well-rotted manure, and if the land is known to be at all deficient in either lime or potash, a good sprinkling of superphosphate or basic slag, in the first case, and of kainit, in the second, will probably more .than pay for themselves. « When the ground is ready, choose a fine, mild day (if possible), and get the seed in while it can be done. We always take out wide and rather deep drills the full width of an ordinary spade, and 4in or so in depth; if trodden or caked the bottom is just loosened again, and the seed then sown thinly and evenly all over the space. We then cover with nearly 2in of soil, leaving the rest of the soil taken out in a neat, low ridgo on each side of the trench; this will come in for earthing up presently, and in the meantime acts as a slight protection from wind, etc. The rows should run north and south, if possible, or up and down the slope, though when sowing on a narrow south border with only room for two or three rows, these may run east and west; but sow a tall variety at the back (such as Gradus), and dwarfer kinds in front. The distance between the rows may be 3ft to 4ft if only the very dwarf kinds are sowr, or 4ft to 6ft for any of the taller peas. Except in very warm and sheltered localities, and especially near the sea, autumn sown peas are a somewhat risky crop, and the result depends -almost entirely upon whether a moderately mild or a severe winter is experienced. But when the plants do “pull through"—and they are much hardier than many would credit —the plants prove exceedingly productive and profitable, as well as considerably earlier than these not sown until the spring. We do not. however, advise peas to be sown at this season except when the soil is at any rate moderately light and warm. The treatment of beans is very similar, except that the seed is, of course, sown much more thinly and deeply. GREENHOUSE. As the earlier-flowering chrysanthemums go out of flower the plants should be cut down to a few inches of stem, removing'them to a cool, airy pit or frame, where they can stand close to the glass; as long as the mild weather holds they will be quite as well standing on ashes in some sheltered but fairly sunny spot. Strong cuttings of any of the larged flowering kinds may be taken and inserted now, especially if large plants or extra fine blossoms are desired; . those shoots that are produced at a distance from the main stem make the best cuttings. Bring plants of the later flowering kinds into the greenhouse or conservatory as the buds begin to expand, or show colour —or even before this if sharp frost sets in. Ventilate as freely as possible.