CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 10

CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK.

As soon as the ground is in a workable condition much may now be done. Among vegetables to be sowu are peas, beans, early carrots, parsnips, York cabbage, and coleworts i where there is such a convenience as partly spent hotbeds, it is as well to sow the. seeds on these ; where there is not this convenience, however, warm, sheltered, sloping borders, with northern aspect, should be selected, and protection should be afforded the young oropa in the eVenfof frost. In the event of frost, too, those vegetable crops that were sown in the autumn should receive some slight protection, such as that afforded by dry litter, mats, or anything similar. In damp, mild weather, slugs and snails will probably be found destroying many young seedlings, and preventive measures cannot be taken too soon. Lime, soot, or even wood ashes scattered liberally round the plants to be preserved from these pest will be found beneficial. Rhubarb may be very easily forced by covering the crown of the plant with any old box or basket, or even a framework of sticks, and spreading round and over this a lot of litter and manure. Rhubarb is one of the moit easily forced occupants of the kitchen garden. Many of the small saladiugs may be sown towards the end of the month on a warm border or underhand glasses. Among these are mustard, cress, and radishes ; lettuces, too, may be sown in the same circumstances as the small saladings, Strawberries that are wanted to bear fruit early should be planted now on a moderate hot bed, but should not be kept too tender; strawberry beds that have not already received a dressing of good fresh earth, should now have it. Fruit trees may stiil be planted during open weather. It should be remembered in planting treos that moderate - sized ones should be selected | in the words of an old writer on the subject : " Choose rather to plant small trees than those of a large si2o ; a few years will reward your wisdom in so doing ; for where trees have stood long enough in one soil to become large and stately, they are hardly to be reconciled to any other, though they could be transplanted without any loss of their roots." Vineries.— ln starting these, after washing the vines and glass, the woodwork and everything else about the house, should be painted, if found necessary. If not already secured, the outside border should be attended tc ' immediately, before the vines are started. Unless the roots extend into the centre of the house, the border should be covered with 18in of stable litter and leaves in an advanced state of decay, so as to produce a gentle warmth in the soil before the temperature is raised inside higher than 50deg. Before laying on ths litter all loofce or exhausted soil should be scraped off the border as far as the roots, and replaced by a top-dressing of charred turf, crushed bones and freth horse droppings, to which may be added a little charcoal. The exhausted boil should also be removed from the inside border, and topdressed with a similar mixture. Commence with a gentle heat of from 45deg to 50deg night temperature, and froai 50deg to 60deg in the daytime. The amount of moisture should be moderate at first, and gradually increassd as the plants advance in growth. Syringe freely in fine weather, taking care to employ clean, soft water of the same temperature as the house.