OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2242, 18 February 1897, Page 8

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Fruit Garden — Efforts should be made to clear off all weeds and rubbish from the beds of strawberries. All dead leaves and runners should bo cut clean off and burned, lightly pointing over the surface with a foik; where iunners are being saved for planting they should be kept growing, by watering us required. The ties of all buds which have baen insoited should be examined, and, if required, they should be loosened. This thould, however, be done gradually, as, if removed all at once, there is great risk of killing the bud, and if left tied tightly the swelling of the stock is interfered with and the bud is thus injured. Young apple trees should be again gone orer with a view of destroying the American blight. This i« fur too often left until winter, with a considerable amount of damage to the young shoots, which can be prevented if the parts alfected are now touched uxj or painted with a strong keiosene emulsion. Flower Garben. — Asters, which should now be <oming well on into flower, should have an ample supply of water at the root, and if given in the form of liquid manure, a considerable improvement in the size of flowers will be noticed. The tall-growing kinds should have a light suppo.t; as the flowers expand they become very top-heavy. The late-sown plants of these flower* should be kept gt owing freely, and the soil kept free and tnoht about them, sa they will produce a valuable late Bupply of flowers which will help to fill up the scarce timo which always occurs in the autumn months until the chrysanthemums come into bloom. Verbenas, chrysanthemums, jmd roEes will require a duttiug of sulphur all over their foliage in order to keep down the attacks of mildew, which, if allowed to increase unchecked, rapidly destroys the foliage, and if this is impaired tbe plants must suffer. Chrysanthemums will now require considerable attention if the best results are desired ; many of them will now be setting their flower buds, and in the case of the late-flowering varieties these buds should now be secured by removing all other buds and Bide growths on the khoot. They will not be at their best before the end of April, and unless this is assured the danger of injury from frosts has to be reckoned with. As soou as the buds are well formed and swelling frealy, liquid manure should bs given at least twice a week. The plants ehould be looker! over twice a week until all have beeu disbudded, as they grow very quickly now, and if the growths are encumbered with too many sliootß the flower buds lose much of their support. Shrubs of all kinds should have an occasional watering during tbe continuance of dry -weather. Kitchen Garden.— Two of the principal points to observe are to keep the soil well cultivated and it good supply of water at the roots and, if possible, over head ; thi°, with an occasional spraying with soap suds to which has been added a small quantity of kerosene, will keep cabbage, &c, in a clean coadition. A further sowing of spinach seed should be made on well manured land ; this, if well watered, come 3in very quickly, and in seasons like the present forms a valuable supply for the table. Late beans should h» Rtakect as soon as they are fit and kept well wat red or they will turn yellow and prove unprofitable. Grekmiouse, 4c— The supply of ornamental foliage plants should be added to by taking cuttings and by divisions without dclav, in order that they vrill be well established this season. Choice foliage begonias are easily grown from single leaves, it cut from the laiger plants ; each leaf should have at least an inch or more of the foot-stalk left. This should be inserted in the soil, and the leaf be pegged down cloiely to the surface. If the veins or ribs of the leaf be slightly scored or cut it has the peculiar faculty of Bending out roots and making a number of plants from a iingle leaf ; this will be found an easy and interesting way of propagating these beautiful plants. Old pots of adiantum or maidenhair fern, and also selaginella or mosa of various kinds, are increased by divisions should a stock of young plants be required. Well-drained, medium-sized poU produce better plants than pots of large size, using a compost or soil composed mainly of v sandy loam, and a little chairoal should, if po-sible, be mixed with the drainage and soil at the bottom of the pot. Greenhouse annual plants, Bitch as cineraria, calceolaria, and Chinese primula, bhould be very carefully raised from seeds sown iv seed pans or pots ; the seed pan is preferable to an ordinary pot, as it affords rcure perfect drainage, at the same time giving a larger surface. Pelareoniunip, azaleas, camellias, and other shrubs that have passed their flowering season should be placed in a sheltered situation out of doors until required. Cuttings of these should be kept rather dry and close until they strike root, after yyhich they are quite easily managed.