OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 8

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Kitchen Gabdbn^— Ttie favourable weather we have experienced dm ing the past month has enabled outside work to be pushed ahead, and Bvery advantf-ga should be c.-ntif-ued to be taken of the sUte of the soil and weather to have the general work of the garden well in hand. After the shortest day more wintry weather, with keener frosts, may be looked for, and the soil becomes gradually much wetter towards August. Plants of cabbage and Cauliflower should be kept conbtuutly cultivated, and if a small dressing of fresh soot is dug or hoed in aruund the plants tnty will be kept iv a healthier condition till growth sets in, as it must be rememLered that such cops will make but small progreßß for some time ; indeed, unless a (harp Ick-oufc is kept for slug?, &c , the chances are the plants will become tmaller and smaller. At this season of the year none but strong abd sturdy pUnts ehould be transplanted. Onions which are growing in seed beds or drills from autumn-sown plants will require band-weeding occasionally, or tbe plauts become much drawn and vreak-iucd. As soon as crops of any kind are cleared off all decayed leaves and stumps should be ra moved or dug into the. soil, as this aud similar rubbish favour the increase of slugs to a much greater extent than is generally soppi&ed. On sheltered borders a small sowiig of an early variety of cabbage lettuce may be sown. Either all-the-year round, Tom Thumb, or gram Hammersmith are suited for these earliest sowings Strong pUnts of the Cos varieties should be planted out more freely iiovr, aud should fee plantt d closer togetbet than is necessary later on. Sow broad Windsor or border hero beans and ' little gem ot new queen pees ; also a few early horn cairots. With the near approach of July, early preparation should be roada for the early crops of potatoes, which, however, should at present take the foim of preparing the coil by digging, and tbua bavicg the soil in » dry and friable condit'on for the seed, which, for the present, should be allowed to sprout on the shelf or floor of a ccol shed, as notbi g h gained by planting tco early, but m ich by preparing tbe soil by au exl.ra digging. Fhdit Garden.— Planting should now ba general, as the earlier young t»ees are planted the better chance they have of ranking a good giowth the firnt se«son. The planting of stone fruits of all kinds should be completed firs!;, »8 thess are the earliest to start into growth, and the failure of most people v» bo plant a few trees each year is that they dtfer planting much too late, and by so doing they do not give their trees & fair chinee, especially if succeeded by a dry sea 1 on. The planting out of strawberries and all kinds of bush fruits ehouUl be pushed on with ss early »» possible, ai d the gnural pruning should be kept well in hai,d. Strawberry beds which hnve been bearing Frni-; for a few years and hava ce«Bfd to p-oouce full cro; s, as they frequently do after tbrte or f^ur yp«ra, ehould be def*ho.reJ, and a new bed planted Ifi is a vaste of latouv and material to tty to revive an old plantation) hvalthy, vigorous plants being fcr cheaper, eren if they have to be purchased, as a fair and regular return can be locked for. Flower Garden. — AH feir-js of evergreens find deciduous shrubs should be pruned ar early as possible, except such as flower tarJy in spring. These should be allowed to flower before cutting back, and if this is d'>ne as soon as tbe flowers fade, tho shrubs will produce a good growth the succeeding year. Shrubs of all kinds are too often mutilated with tbe sbe<trs, which may be more expeditious than the knife, but dtstroy all tho natural be&uty and grace of habit, and should not be to'erated except ia a' very few tubjet^ bf yond the usual borders and hedges. Lilies of the lancifolium and auratum tjpfs should now le plauted ou^, as they commence to root early. Thesa should h&va rich coil of good depth, and the bulbs thou'd be planted from 4m to 6'ra deep. If these are grown in pots lar«je i-izes should be given them, as they are siiotig faedi'i-jt a*)d lequ're fctnple toot room. Tbe planting out of all kinds ot pines, deciduous trees, and t-hiuUci should be pushed on rrhen the state of the v?enther admits. A common error which manj- amateurs fall into must be avoided — viz , planting too deep. The plants or trees ehould not bs planted any deeper than th»-y have previously be<n grown, as the toots *re better kept near the surface.