NOTES FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 1645, 2 June 1883, Page 7

NOTES FOR THE WEEK.

There is now no lack of work, for weeds will grow rapidly if not kept under by constant attention. Lawns will require mowing frequently. All new ground work, or any alterations, should be pushed on as fast as circumstances will permit,and no time must now be lost in planting evergreen trees and shrubs. Any vacancies in the borders should bo filled up at once from the reserve stock, if not already done. This is also avery good time foi" replacing any old or worn out soft-wooded plants with younger ones. All the various spring-flowering bulbs should be planted without further delay, using plenty of wellrotted manure, especially if the ground is poor, but if the [ground is in good heart, less will be required. Dahlias, before they have done blooming, should be carefully labelled with their names or colourß, so as to avoid any mistake in planting them next season. Aa soon a 8 the plants begin to get shabby the stems may be cut away eight or nine inches above the ground, and the roots had better be lifted. The roots must be stored away in some coal, dry place, or otherwise they will be in danger of rotting. It is some times in this country, quite possible to keep the roots of dahlias safely in a dry border under a tree_ or evergreen shrub, covered out of sight during the winter. In this country the dahlias are apt to deteriorate, owing to the mildness of the climate causing a very long growing season. The plants do not get nearly the same amount of rest as in England, where the flowering season is not more than half as long as in New Zealand ; and consequently, the plants do not degenerate to the Barae extent there as here. I also believe they do not get the same care in their propagation as in England. The evil is a rather difficult one to deal with, but if the plant receive the same attention in the propagating, one remedy will be to lenghten the period of rest by artificial means, which, as a rule, Ido not think will be successful ; besides I think we ought to enjoy our full period of bloom. The remedy, I believe, would be found if the plants were propagated from the wood in the early summer, when the plants generally require thinning, and only from the branches where the best bloom shows. It is common enogh to find a very much finer bloom on one branch of a dahlia than you will find on another branch of the same plant. So take your cuttings from the best, and you will improve the plants. This is a very good season for pruning any evergreen shrubs that may require it. In the case of young specimens careful pruning is often necessary to regulate the growth and direct it into certain channels, so as to ensure rapid and perfect development. No precise rule can be laid down for pruning evergreens, as each plant must be treated according to its special requirements. As a general rule, however, when the branches are too much crowded they should receive any necessary thinning out, and, especially in young plants, any misplaced shoot should be removed, or over-luxuriant branch shortened back, in order to keep the plants well balanced and shapely._ Too frequently they are allowed to grow without care in this respect, when a little judicious pruning from time to time would greatly improve the appearance of many trees and shrubs. The weather lately has been all that could be desired by the cultivator of vegetables, and the crops are making a very satisfactory growth as a general rule. There is ( an ample supply of moisture in the soil to stimulate growth. No time should be loßt in preparing for seasonable crops, and old ones that have served their purposes ought to be cleared away and the ground well stirred up and manured. Attention must be paid to advancing crops, and the operations of thinning out, weeding, and earthing-up should be performed before growth is too far advanced. Celery should only be earthed up in fine weather when the plants are dry ; this should be done as soon as the plants are sufficiently advanced in growth, taking care in the earthing-up not to cover up too much of the leaves nor let the soil get into the hearts of the plants, as when this is done the stalks are liable to rot.

Rhubarb beds should be well trenched, giving them a good dressing of well-decomposed manure ; the plants should be from two to three feet apart, with from three to four feet between the rows. Old-established beds will be greatly benefited by digging in a liberal supply of well-rotted manure round the reots. Rhubarb is a very strong feeder, and in order to grow it to the highest degree of perfection manure must be used liberally. If the ground be of a wettish nature, it will be advisable to defer planting till later in the season ; but if it be moderately dry, the sooner the planting is done the better.

Culinary herbs of all kinds should be taken up, divided, and replanted if necessary, avoiding very rich ground or the use of strong manures for those kinds of plants that are valued for their aromatic properties. All beds of asparagus should now I c cleared off, if not already done, and a good mulching of manure, or of seaweed and manure, given, to the depth of from two to three inches : this will serve the double purpose of keeping down the weeds and enriching the bed. If you wish to renovate an old bed, clear away the soil till the crowns are reached, and any decayed roots may then be removed and good plants put in their place, covering over the whole with a good mixture of fresh soil and manure, then over this laying a good mulching of manure, or manure and seaweed as described above. It should be borne in mi.id that the natural habitat of the asparagus is along the sea-coast, and therefore it must receive a fair amount of moisture, combined with free drainage. In choosing a place for the plant, the ground cannot be too rich, but the drainage must be good, and the ground well trenched to the depth of from twenty to twenty-four incheß, and the more manure that can be dug in during the process of trenching the better. The ground may then be laid off in beds (five feet is a very convenient width), and the plants placed in rows, taking care not to plant too close, for when this precaution is neglected the plants are drawn up weakly and are not suited for the table.

Cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, Bavoys, and Brussels sprouts should now be planted out if this has not already been done, and small sowings of each may be made for successive crops. In well-sheltered neoks with a somewhat dryish soil, a sowing of peas might still be tried ; broad beans may also be put in if required. Any crops ought to receive all necessary thinning out as soon as they are large enough to handle, and all weeds should be kept dowu — these should never be allowed to raako headway. Onions should now be thinned out, and us when transplanted they yield as good a crop as when allowed to remain where sown, it will be as well, if gro\md is available for the purpose, to utilise tho thinnings. It will be as well to thin out carrots, parsnips, red beet, and similar crops, if the plants will pull without breaking. Globe artichokes .should now be divided and planted out at once, working the ground well and using plenty of well- rotted manure. Seakale may also be planted oiit yrljere tfie ground is moderately dry ; but v

the ground is liable to be saturated with watou it will be better not to plant till Jater in tha season.