Gareen Calendar for April.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5908, 2 April 1894, Page 4

Gareen Calendar for April.

CONSERVATORY AND FLOWER. FRUIT, AND VEGETABLE GAKDENS. [Br Adam Forstth-1 In many place*, but more especially in this district, the girdener is sorely taxed at this season to ft rid room for many good things that, he desires to nrorecr from the •arty frosts likely to be experienced if the course of the month. As we have already been warned, this is a work that cannot be loug deferred wirhout incurring great risk. Alt tender plants should be got under cover without delay, and the best use must be made of such resources as are available. Where special glass structures are not at command it is not an uncommon thing to see flowering and other plants arranged in vineries. Wheie recourse is had t<> this means of providing shelter for delicate plants, it is necessary to shorten lack the vines, so as to admit as much light as possible, and when the leaves drop the vines may be properly pruned. Show and fancy pel%rgon>r«^ 3 thut were Bhook out and re-p r jjted will be growing. and f,jf'pt arot | near to the glass to prevent their being drawn into a lons, spindly, and unshapely form. As the days shorten less water will he required. Recently struck cuttings oE the zonal section of pelargoniums should he shifted into fresh pots and trown on. They will he very effective in the greenhouse through the winter. To secure a succession of bloom cyclamens, cinerarias, and primulas will be found very useful, and those that were sown earty and grown on as directed in previous notes will now he coming into flower. The chief point in managing these things is to keep them as near to the glass as possible and water them carefully to avoid them damping off at the collar, and to admit air on all favorable occasions If not already done, pot hyacinths, narcissus, tulips, and other bulba to flower early. They should be placed outside on some hard substance to prevent worms ge.tting into the place, and they should be covered with two or three inches of loose material, which will keep the bulbs in their place. If this is not attended to, when they begin to grow the strong roots of hyacinths will force the bolbs out of the pots. Hyacinths in glasses should be placed in the dark till they have filled the glasses with roots, when they may be gradually exposed to the light. In the flower garden the season has not been favorable. Many things planted early, owing to snails and of her pests, never made any progress. Even dahlias had a struggle to make headway, although they have overcome that and now look fairly well If the dead flowers are cut off and the shoots looped up to prevent them being broken by the wind they will make the borders look gay should the frost keep otf, as • they will be the first affected by the frost. It Is necessary t»> go over them when in flower and see they are correctly 1.-shelled. The various bedding plants are now making growth. and cuttings of calceolarias verbenas,_ penstemons, etc. may" be pat tn flow. either in pots or shallow boxes. If placed in a cold frame and kept shaded they will readily root in a short time. No time should be lost, in taking ui> and potting any tender plant to preserve it through the winter. So far chrysanthemums are looking fairty well, and if the conditions continue favorable there should be a fine display in the course of a month, more especially when they have been thinned and disbudded. Those tn pots wilt require a liberal supply of liquid manure. T>> admirers of the noble flowers additional interest will be given to the display by the fact that many new varieties from the Old Country and America will be seen in flower for the first time in this part of the district. In the kitchen garden the recent rains have interfered with planting and sowing of seed. When the ground is in conditionv if not already done, the sowing of onions should be attended to. Cabbage and cauliflower plants put in now will prove useful in the spring. Continue to earth up celery when the mould is dry. care being taken to prevent the soil from getting into the heart of the plant. A little mustard, cress, and radish seed may be sown in a warm corner of the garden. Thin out growing crops of spinach and turnip. Rhubarb planted this month will give a return in the spring. The ground intended for this should be trenched and have a liberal supply of well-ratted manure. When the weather is fine the garden should be cleared of exhausted crop;.* and weeds, manure should be wheeled on to vacant spots, and the ground turned up roughly so that it may receive the benefit of the frost and be put in good heart for future crops. All the rubbish may be wheeled to some ont-of-the-way corner, and there allowed to rot.

The preparation of ground fur planting fruit, forest, and shatter trees shook! be proceeded with dnring the course of this month. The abundant rains that wc havn had of late have put the ground in fine condition for working, and if it be now cither dag or ploughed deeply, it will be in a fine state for receiving trees nest month. There is considerable advantage in autumn planting ; the tree* get a good hold of the ground and have a longer season of growth, than when spring planting is adopted, and in the ewe oE fruit trees of many varieti*-*, autumn planting means a crop of frnit the that season. The planting of gooseberry and currant bashes shoalJ also be proceeded with this' month so a.* to secure a return in the way of fruit next season. T>* amateurs it may ho specialty mentioned tfnt of these homely fruits, when making plantation* it pays better to get good sorts. the difference in the cost-of pood and bad kinds is but trilling, and asthe labor is the same in both cases it is wise to get the best at the outset. Kt» delay should take place in forming new strawberry hods if the work has not already been done. After the planting a good plan is tt> mulch the ground with littery manure. The rains wf winter carry down t,j the roots the mamtriat properties of this, thus helping the growth of the plants, while a covering of clean straw; is left to protect the fruit from -ontact with the soil, as Well as to eheeft the growth of weeds.