THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 8

THE GARDEN.

. j SHOW DATES. Maicb. 9-10— North Otago Horticultural, Oamaru. Maich 9— Dunedin Hoiticultural Autumn Show. OPERATIONS FOR TFIK WEEK. : Kitchen Garden.—T he clearing away of all old crops, etc., so no to have all the available ' ground prepared io receive the winter crop's is necessary, as a considerable planting out of broccoli, cauliflower*, savoys, and cabbages should take place. To s [ cure the belt results from such cropj the soil should be well manured, notwithstanding the fact that the pievious crop was well manured, as all such vegetables require to be grown as quickly as possible, and to attain this end the soil should be dec-ply worked and well manured All similar crops planted earlier should not be allowed io suffer from want of water. Celery will need constant attention 1 to keep it earthed up as the growth proceeds ; it should never be allowed to suffer from drought, or it will become stringy. As required, continue to sow suecessional supplies of all kinds of salad iog, also a stcall sowing of cabbage, savoy, and late b.occoli. Spiuach frhould now be sown on deeply-prepared beds well enriched with manure for the previous crop. After towing, lake lightly to cover the seed, then cover the whole of the sown surface with a light covering of half decayed maiiiue ; this will prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture and keep the surface soil from becoming caked or set. Kidney beans which are in bearing should have careful picking, as if any pods are peiroitttd io become seedy the further cropping will be interfered with. If seed i 3 lequh'ed, a portion of the bed should be set apart for this puipose, and the whole ciop must not thus be spoiled, as is too often the case. At this beason it frequently happens that more beans are produced during a few Week*, when the plants are in full bearing, than at other time 3, and thus the danger of a continuous supply is interfered with. If not required for use the over supply thould be closely picked. Flower Garden. — Roses that were budded should have the ties loosened so as to prevent them cutting into the bark, and this must be repeated once or twice before they can be finally removed. Roses aie at this time of the year liable to be affected with mildew, and some varieties are very subject to this fungus. The plauta should be lighily sprinkled with water and then well dusted with sulphur, which, if repeated once or twice, will cure the worst cases. It is important tha 1 ; this should be attended to, as unless the foliage is kept healthy the wood for next year's b'ooming willnotbe properlymatured. Allannuals that are past their best should be cleared away, or they give the garden an untidy appearance. Such as are being saved for seed purposes should be gont» over occasionally, as many kinds ripen their seeds very rapidly after paseing a coitain stage, and the seeds are soon lost. Carnations and picotees that were layered a few weeks ago must be kept free from weeds and regulaiJy watered or they will fail to root. Fancies should now be cut back closp, and as the young shoots attain the length of about Sin a few cuttings of each variety that is considered worth keeping should be taken. Insert the cuttings in pot-i of sandy soil, aud keep in a close frame for a few weeks, when they should be struck. Dahlias musfc be kept tied up to their stakes, or much injury will be done to them during windy ■»veathfr. If extra good flowers are ■wanted, tbin the shoots and apply liquid manuie to them twice a week. All tall-growing plants should bo kept securely tied up, or many of the best growths will be damaged during the present windy seasoD. Verbenas should have all old flowers cut away, and some fresh, rich soil introduced among the healthy growths to induce them to push out fresh roots, after whioh a fresh growth will result, flowering up till cut away by frosts. Chrysanthemums will now be producing lateral growths freely, prior to forming flower bud*. If large blooms are preferred te quantity, these bide &hoota should be thinned out, as naturally the chrysanthemum produces many more buds than can be perfected, hence the necessity of thinning out. When top dressing has been delayed it should he at once attended to, dressing with decayed stable manure.

Greenhouse and Frames.— All kinds of pelargoniums, if they have been properly treated, should be ripe enough for cutting by the eecond week in February. Azaleas, if not already turaed outside, should be ready by this time for the change. As it is necessary to expose them to more light and air as boon as then- flower buds are set, they should be placed in a somewhat open position, being shaded fioin the midday sun. They require careful attention in watering, &* if once allowed to become dust dry they will lose their foliage and fall into bad health. Ciner.irias and primulas that were placed two or three in a pot to start should be potted off singly as soon as the roots are running freely round the pots. The beat place for them during the hot weather is in a shady bush house, kept well up near the light. They should have a slight syringing morning and night, and if any green fly appears uion them they should be at once dusced or dipped in some insecticide, as if once damaged by these insects the plants seldom thrive. A further sowirg of these should be made for late blooming plants. A small sowing of calceolaria should be made during this month. It ia advisable to make two sowings of a packet of seed, as often, fiom various causes, the first sowing does not grow patisfacfcorily, and by making tvyo sowings two chances are secured. In sowing ibis seed the pans should be carefully pre-

pared, and upon the top very finely siftsd soil should be used. The pans when filled must be watered with a fine rose watering can, and Ihe seeJ sown must only have a little line sand spriiikled over it, ana the p*ns should be covered with a sheet of brown paper to exclude the light and air until the seedling*! appear above ground, when light and air must be gradually admitted. Jhe p\esent is a good time for taking cuttii g3 of fuchsiis, selecting tbe young shoots that have not flowered A few plant* of tree carnations should be procured and potted up and grown on for winter flowering, for which purpo3e they aie well adapted, and make a fine change from the bouvardias, Zonale geraniums etc , usually emplojed. All varieties of ferns should now be at their best, and will continue to remain so if carefully supplied with moistuje right up to winter.