OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK,

Otago Witness, Issue 2275, 7 October 1897, Page 8

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK,

ITLOWKRGARnE.v.— Those who have been raising tender annuals for the pnrprse of planting out when the temperature becomes genial enough should in the meantime see that they do not Inecome drawn up weakly by being ciowded or too closely confined. Where there is danger or likelihooi of this it will be advisable to prick them out into nuisery beds for a while in some situation where they can be attended to and protected. Stocks, aster?, wallflowers, and similar spring and early summer flowering annual snd biennial plants should now be get out, as the season for planting them is advancing : if planted late they oegin to flower before ihey have grown into good plant', consequently they are likely to be poor. Phlox drummondii and globe and coloured leaved amaranthes should be town in pots or boxes for plautiDg out later on.

Fruit Garden-.— Stra wben y plants are again making growth. Nj forking, digging 1 , or cl!s-urh-ingthe rcots should take place after this time. If there is any rur^lus manure-water about the atabl<», cowshed, or elsewhere, a soaking of it would prove highly beneficial. Strong and free growth should be encouraged now. If a quantity of thin layer* of littery manure is spread round the plants at d close up to the collars, it will do them much good. The rain will wa>-li the virtues from the manure to the roots, and cause an unusual luxuriance of blossom. Where a bed is old «nd a complete mat of plants, the fiuit that is produced from them will not be large. In a case of that kind, wbich is not good practice, I should be inclined to dig up the plants here and there to about tbe width of a spade to get 9in of clear ground md double that width of pl.mts. Where it was impossible to plant last autumn the young plants may be put out now. They will not fruit with any degree of profit this season ; indeed, the best treatment is to remove the flowers the first year, and allow the plants to gain strength to bear a full crop next year. This only applies to plants transplanted now.

Vegetable Garden. — The beetroot is not one of the most useful of vegetables. It does not rank with potatoes, cabbages, peas, and such like in this respect, but it is a valuable accompaniment to various kinds of food, and as a salad or relish is -esteemed. It is as easily grown as a turnip. The latter part of this month is the best time to sow the seed. 1 1 should be put in rows lft apart, and in rather loose, not over-rich soil, as mediumsized roots are the most desirable. Two or three rows a few yards in length will give a small supply for a considerable time.

-Greenhouse — Calceolarias that are making good growth should not be allowed to become potbound, but should have a shift into a size larger as soon as the present pots become filled with roots, and care will be requisite in the watering, as the foliage usually covers the surface of the soil, thereby concealing its condition until the flagging of the : leaveß discloses the fact of mischief being done. As an excess of dryness or moisture is very injurious to this class of plants, an equable condition should be maintained ; they should therefore be protected from drying winds and scorching sun. A robust growth is the best preventive against the green aphis, to which they are very liable, especially when the above conditions are neglected,