THE GARDEN. WORK FOR THE WEEK

Otago Witness, Issue 1602, 5 August 1882, Page 8

THE GARDEN. WORK FOR THE WEEK-

Kitchen Garden.— -Another sowing of midseason varieties of peas should be now made to keep up a successional supply. The strong growing sorts should be selected, as they stand the heat of summer better than the more delicate early varieties. Veitcb.es' perfection is probably the best pea for this climate, as it is a sturdy grower and crops well. Laxton's supreme and telephone are also good sorts for main crop. Successional sowings of broad beans, such as Seville or monarch long pods, and Taylor's broad Windsor, may also be made in rows two feet apart, in soil of a retentive character. Lettuce, radish, and other small saladings in frames or on warm borders will need protection from slugs which are very destructive to these plants when in the young state. If the surface drainage is defective it may be remedied by noting the places where water lodges in wet weather. In gardens where clay predominates it should be improved by the addition of sand, ashes, lime, rubbish, charcoal, &c. Flower Garden.— Begin to prune roses. A portion only should be done at this pruning, another portion a month hence, and the remainder in six weeks. This will extend the blooming season considerably. In pruning, cut out all hard brown wood, leaving last season's growth if possible. Keep the main stems equidistant from each other and the centre open. Cut back strong shoots one third to an outside bud, weak shoots can be pruned to the lowest plump bud. Tea roses, noisettes, and mosses require very little pruning ; if the tree is crowded it may be thinned out. No time should be lost, in planting ranunculus when the Weather is favourable. The ranunculus being closely allied to bog plants likes a cool subsoil, and to grow them well a damp situation should be selected for the bed. The best compost is a mixture of peat and fibrous loam, a good layer of cow dung manure being placed below it. Greenhouse. — The preparation of compost for potting and sowing seeds is a work which should be done now, so that the various soils may be kept under cover in readiness for use. Charcoal, peat, loam, leaf mould, sand, and welM'otted manure are the necessary ingredients, and a supply should be at hand when wanted. Camellias are now at the stage when occasional waterings with clear soot water will assist them to open thoir blooms. Frequent watering is to be avoided, one thorough soaking once a week is much better than dribblets every day or two. In making new borders in the greenhouse, let the fibrous loam and peat be used in a rough state, when by the addition of sharp sand and a few bushels of broken charcoal and bones, the border will not require renewal for years, climbers merely receiving an annual top dressing. Give more air to the house, and endeavour to keep the plants from growing too fast.