OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 8

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Kitchkn Garden.— The main crop of onions in | all early districts will be ready for pullitig up prior to storing. They should be allowed a few days to ripen so that they will clean more readily, after which they should be removed to a dry but cool bhed 01 cellar. Pickle onions should also now be cl ared off the ground where ripe, and the land which has been occupied by these crops should be nianuied and dv?, and held in readiness to plant out with savoy and broccoli plants as soon as the weather will permit. Attention should be paid to the^vateriug of all growing crops, such us kidney beans, vegetable marrows, cucumbers, <£c, which should have thorough soakings. Mere surface waterings do more harm than good. Plants of all the cabbage tribes should have the soil between the rows well stirred and cultivated so as to conserve the moisture already in the soil ana assibt growth at the same time. Towards the middle of this mouth a sowing of peas may be made with a ''air prospect of a • profitable return, a* after they are well up the weather *ill gradually be becoming , cooler, and if supplied with sufficient mois- , ture to keep them growing they crop very ; fairly in late autumn, sufliciently to as to \ make them quite worth the trial. Veitch's ' perfection, pride of the market, or Yorkshire j hero are all suited for this sowing. When late carrots and parsnips have been sown, the plants must be thinned out as soon-as large enough to handle, and the weeds must be kept down between them. Early potatoes which have completed their growth should be dug and stored, as apart from the los* whi v h results from allowing them to occupy the land longer thSin necessary, they are liab'e to injury from second growth should heavy rains occur. I Flower Gardun —Asters will still require [ attention if good results are desired. Thinning out the growths, staking, and watering with manuie water will do much towards im- , proving the quality and size of the flowers. These • flowers iire worthy of extended culture, as they continue in flower a much longer time than most other flowers, especially when in a cut state. A

sowing of sweet peas should now be made where space and water is available. These will come in and supply flowers for cutting right up till cut off by frosts. If not already sown a good patch of pansy seed should be sown at once, as with earlysown plants flower* will be produced in early winter. The seed and young vla-nts when they appear must not be allowed to suffer for want of water, or they will not mr.ke satisfactory plants. Care should be taken not to allow such plants or shrubs which were planted out during last season to become dry at the ball, as these may not yet have become properly established, and unless well supplied with moisture may go off very suddenly. Cannas, where giown, ure now making a fine show, and the newer varieties of these produce larger and brighter coloured flow.ers on much dwarfer plants than the older kinds and with the various rinted leaves are a highly desirable class of plants for either large or small gardens. They are of easy culture, requiring rioh soil with copious supplies of water during dry weather. These plants if procured now iv pots may be planted out at once. Tea roses which are wanted to produce their flowers in late autumn must have an occasional watering of liquid manure to en- ' courage them to break out into growth, as late in the season their beautifully-formed buds, which can be had in almost any tint, are always highly valued. Chrysanthemums will npw lequire , looking over, and if any trace of aphis is ou the points of tbe young growths they should ' receive a dressing of iosecticide. As the period ; for bud-formingr will soou come round, the plants should not be allowed to suffer any check to their growth. A light dressing of fine bonedust or soot is an excellent manure for them at this j season, giving them a good watering mime- : diately after. Greenhouse and Frames. — Pelargoniums which have been cut down must not be kept too wet until they are well broken. The plants should be exposed lo full ligtK, and air till they : are ready for shaking out and repotting. .Fuchsias bhould have frequent waterings of liquid manure to assist them during the flowering season. The latest batch of plants should now be allowed to come into flower, when they should continue in bloom right up till the chrysanthemums come in. Foliage beg.mias are now about at their best, and as a dejorative plant they have few equals if kept moist and shaded ; they add beauty to the greenhouse or fernery that no flower can impart, as their massive leaves of nue rutline ..nd colouring are always admired, and they lequire no pemliar treatment, as they pau be successfully grown by any aaiateur. A few cyclamen bulbs should cow be started into growth— those that show signs of starting into growth should be selected, and all the old soil shaken clean away fr^m the roots, and repotted into a light but rich, fibrous soil. They must not have too much water given them for a few^weeks till they have started into active growth. A cold frame is suited to their growth for some time to come.