WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 4

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Kitchen Garden. — When the soil is dry enough to work freely, early varieties of potatoes may be planted, although we do not advocate planting extensively for about another fortnight or so yet, as the risk of losses from spriDg frosts are too great to plant too many thus early, especially so in gardens at all exposed. In planting now, a few rows medium size sets should be selected, planting them whole, as when " cuts" are planted thua early, many are lost. The particular kind of plants

for early crops depends very much upon the grower's choice, as nearly every amateur has some particular kind to which he pins his faith for the earliest dish of potatoes. The sorts that are recommended for early use are early rose, ashleaf, kidney, silver skins, white elephant, snowflake, early Vermont, and Brownell's beauty. In planting use manure half decayed, in preference to that fully rotted down. Broad beans and peas which were sown early must be kept free from weeds by the frequent use of the hoe in keeping the surface moved. Slugs are becoming very troublesome. Rows cf pess, cauliflower, lettuce, and cabbage which are subject to their attacks should be dusted with fresh slaked lime after dark, as it is of little use putting the lime on during the day, as after it has been lying upon the damp soil for a few hours slugs can crawl over it without danger. To be of any use it must be dusted on the plants while the slugs are feediDg. Onions and parsnips which are up must be weeded and thinned out as soon as large enough to handle, as many crops are spoiled by neglecting to thin out in time. Planting out of cabbage and cauliflower should be continued, selecting a warm sunny border for the latter or the growth will be slow. Continue to renew rhubarb beds which have ceased to grow vigorously. It is much better to plant out a fresh bed by dividing some of the old crowns than to waste manure and labour upon old worn-out bads which fail to produce good stout stalks. Asparagus beds may still be planted out ; some of the principal growers for market prefer to plant quite late in the winter or early spring just as the young growths are pushing, but in our favoured climate we have never known any failures to occur through early planting, as is so often the case in Europe. In making an asparagus bed the work should be done thoroughly well from the start to the finish, as, if properly made, an asparagus bed should last for very many years. Vrvit Gahden. — Where planting out of young trees is contemplated, no time should be lost to get the work well forward during July, as in the event of a dry season late planted

trees are a s u-ce of much labour in watering, &c, to keep them going. The prospect of a market beinp obtained for apples in the English market shouni induce many landowners to increase their number of trees of varieties suitable for export very considerably, as this trade is sure to assume large proportions in the course of a few years, particularly when the bebt system of packing and forwarding is understood. Only the best keeping kinds should be planted. In the formation of new orchards care should be taken, if possible, to secure a permanent supply of water that could be brought on to the ground by gravitation, or by the aid of a small windmill, as although water is not absolutely necessary in moat seasons to bring a crop of apples or pears to maturity, it is quite certain that a supply of water applied once or twice during the summer would add very much to the value of the crop, both in bulk and quality, as generally the weather is very dry at the time these fruits are finishing off, and this causes them to set and stop swelling prematurely.