OTAGO GARDENERS' CALENDAR FOR APRIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 801, 6 April 1867, Page 17

OTAGO GARDENERS' CALENDAR FOR APRIL.

This month corresponds with September in Great Britain, and is tne last month of Autumn. In the kitchen garden this will be the best time for sowing onions. They are said to attain, usually, greater perfection when sown in April, than if the work is left until Spring. Plant out cabbages and cauliflowers for early Spring use. Sow in a sheltered spot, Sanger's No. 1 pea", long scarlet radishes, mustard, cre*s, lettuce, and spinach. Clear away decaying crops, and subsoil, dig, ?nd trench, ground as it becomes vacant.

In the fruit garden, fasten trained trees, untie budded trees, and prune currants and raspberries when they have shed their leaves. Attend to drainage, and dig and trench ground. Complete the gathering and storing of fruit. Plant fruit stones and pips for stocks. Plant strawberries from the best rooted young runcers of the

current season's growth. Twelve inches from plant to plant ia the row, and twentyfour inches between the rows, are fair

distances.

In the flower garden, seedlings, such as polyanthuses, canterbury bells, sweetwilliam^, and all the biennials and perennials, may be planted out, if hardy, and potted if tender, if it has not been done, Hardy annuals of all kinds may be sown, and if they are well up and established before the wiater sets in, many will stand •well. Transplant your cuttings, layers, or pipings of pinks now, if not done last

month. Transplant most kinds of flower- • ing and evergreen shrubs : water them immediately after planting. Sow the seeds of bulbous -rooted plants. Plant roses and rose-cuttings. Cut down the stems of herbaceous plants which have done blowing, and pull up dead animals. Geraniums, petunias, and other tender plants required

for propagation, should be potted up and

got into houses, or frames, or pits, and preparations made for frost. Part perennials which are out of bloom. Before you take plants to the greenhouse, tie up any which require it, and cut off or shorten any straggling or useless shoots. Place the smallest m front, and the largest at the back. Water them, gentty, and give them water when they begiu to get dry. _ Let them have air on fine days. Cuttings of greenhouse plants not well rooted, should be put into a frame, where you can give them a gentle heat. The conservatory should be supplied with plants in flower from all available sources, and preparations made for .forcing .various plants to keep up the brilliancy of the Bouse.