THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Kitchen Garden. — The work in this department is merely a repetition of that of previous week?, and as an opportunity fcr detailed remarks seldom happens within the limits of these notes, something may ba eaid about trenchiog and manuring. Theobjectof trenching is to change the surface soil and to obtain depth. If the snrtace soil is no more than one spit, the snbsoil should be broken up and left at the bottom of the trencb, where it will improve in condition during a season, bo as to allow a portion being brought up and mixed with the surface soil &t a future time. In light ssLcly scils the surface can be left rough with advantage so that the air can readily pr netrate, but in stiff, tenacious soils the n,ore it is broken the better, and if the ground is tiob wan'cd for immediate cropping it shcu elbe •if'gf-u' tn ctmble air, frost, aid moitture to pnh'i rs? it. If more of this kind of cultivation were pr&c' ised blight would not be bo prevaleit, as the pest is mtinly owing to the check pknta receive from want of dtpth and a Bour condition of the subsoil. In the application of manure to long standing crops fuch as asparagus, rhubarb, and sealale, ib should be well mixed with the subsoil ; more can be incorporated °.ith the gurfitca soil at the timo of planting. I'\ r tubi;:o'aß-rootcd crops— as beet, parsnips, and carrots — the joaaanrd should

always te placed in the lower strata ; for these croj.s the poorer the surface soil is the better. Flowkr Garden — The formation of beds of perennials will now engage the attention of those who prefer the attractioos of a clacs of plan s which can be left alone for years rather than the ephemeral beauty of the gaudy bedders. The following extract from Robinson's book on " Hardy Flowers " gives concise instruolions on the subject:— "First, then, for a noble circular bed in an isolated place, say on some little glade of grass where there is a recess in a shrubbery j and where you perhaps never thought of putting anything. Have a bed thorougbly well prepared in the first instance, say, Bft, 10ft, or 12tt wide, according to the size of your place, or the nook in which you plant. Wbat I mean by well prepared is that thH soil should be rich, free, well drained, and 3ft deep, if possible. Place a good plant of the very tall and late flowering Tritoma graudif, and then around it a citcle of the excellent and somewhat smaller T. glancescen9. Follow that with a ring of tin beautiful white anemone, honorine, jobort, and the showy and splendid rudbtckia Newmanni, mixfd plant for plant; and outside of that again place a circle of the fine herbaceous Sednm 6pectabile. This nedum will form a grand edge to the bed, and flowers like his oinpaniocs, finely in autumn ; while immediately outside of it> and between it and the gra-<c, might be planted a Hue of snowdrops or Scilla bifolia, or both mixed. These would flower, ripen their leaves, and perish before the stronger margins started up. Toe above would form a grand autumn ted and a noble object from any point of view — its aspect all through the sptii'g and early summer being fresb, healthy, and in every way unobjectionable." Fhcit Garden — The planting season n now Uf on us, and those intending to extend their orchards should lose no time in getting in their «ew trees as early ss possible. For small gardens there is no apple to equal the Cf-li^ni, and in 1' calities »uitible for the Hawtheradcn it is equally good, and being an earlier apple the two nick in to each other. Other good aorta are Emperor Alexander, golden pippin, Frfuch crab, Blenheim orange, eturmer pippin, scarlet I permain, Black Prince, &c. ; of pears, Burre dill, Bergamotte, jargonelle, winter nellis, Williams's Bon Crctian, Marie Louise. Cherries— black heart, may duke, bigarean, black eagle, &c ; plums — Angelina Burdett, Cce's go'dea drop, blue Belgium, diamond, Galiah, cherry plums, &c. Greenhouse.— The tropaeolums, which make their growth now, should be trained carefully from the firs 1 -, as they soon get unmanageable if left to themselves. The young shoots of Mandevillea suaveolens can now be pruned, but the long branches should be left till spring. As the plants in the house are generally much crowded togeth- r, every precaution must be taken against damp by free ventilation and by careful atentiou to watering. Primulas, cinerama, cyclamens, and calceolarias should have the lightest position that may be selected for them, keeping them close to the glass. Ai these are all extremely li *ble to »t tacks of greenfly, a cateful wa'ch should be kept for the first indications of that post, and prompt means taken to def-tioy it. Ericas and epaiciee3, particularly the former, mas': ba kept cool and airy. Cold, frost-laden vsiud t-hould be kept from blowing upon them. A temperature of from 40cUg to 50dig will suit these well, although the Ust-uamed will betr a little more warmth, provided pit iity of air reaches thun. Azilcas will brar a higher temperature than most other greenluuse shrub-s ; IV cy may, in frtcb, be subjected to a heat of f: o v 55^eg to 70deg without injury, if there i-i &n abundance of atnios- } h'-ric n oi-ture mainttinrd at the same time. Avoid cvtT-waterinj camellias; it would lead to their dropping tb.de flower buds, Oa thq

other hand, the same result will occur from too little water being given. If the drainage is good the r'lßk of disas'er from the first; extreme c.iv hardly occur, because; superfluous water will nofc lodge in the soil, so that ever drynesß is more likely to be the cause of the dropping of buds in that ca?e. Hj acintbs, tulips, and other bulbs in pots, for the purpose of winter and spring flowering, should be examined from time to time to prevent their being injured by rem»iniug too long under the covering material in which they were placed after being potted. Wbca they begin to show their leaf buds baldly lot them be pub in a cold frame in which they may have protection from frost. From bheae quarters they may be drawn as they are wanted and placed ia warmth, to be pushed on into early flowering. Tin: Vinkhy. — When tho fruit is all cv%, the vines should be formed and cleaned, the house washed — that is, the glass and woodwo k, and the walls whitewashed with lime, the border top-dressed with turfy Boil and cow duug or horse droppings. In this condition it will be in good order for receiving whatever stock of plai/ts it m^y be d-w-i-able to store in it for the winter. Nothing requiring more heat than will just prevent frosb from doing damage should be admitted with vines, as the latter should have » low temperature in order bo enjoy a thorough rest.