THE GARDEN. OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 8

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Flower Garden.— In all- gardens there will t>a a considerable amount «f cleaning up requiring attention. , All kinds of annual*, dahlias, etc., ahould be cut down and the borders cleaned up.' The spaces between the permanent shrubs sh«uld hare a dressing of manure dug in between "*t this season of the year. Pruninp *t all kinds of shrubs should now be pushed oh with, using tha knifwas . much as possible in preference to the jhaara. Tha growth of all "kinds of climbers should be jeguUtecL In dealing with the climbing roses as inuch'of the old wood as possible should be cut out, leaving the long, well-ripened growths of the past season. These will, if shortened in, produce more" and, at the same time, far finer flowers than are produced upon the older growths which have be*n cut hard back from'time to time. The "be»t climber for covering a large space in a short otlnfe 'is the' -eiimbing Soy- de- Malniaison. The amount, of grow'tfi made in one season Is surprisißg', and being a sprout from the -well-ka'own dwarf variety" of the same name, it •will doubtless prove a valuable autumn rose. Other good climbing roses to . plant are Marochal mi*\, Key. T. O. Cole, William Allen Richardson, -Gleire^de Dijon, Heine Marie Henriette, Mona. Desire", Eamarque, Mad&m Berard, and Fortune's Yellow. These give the most distinct colours and ■vigorous growers. , The finest of the yellows, "jttarechal Niel, still appears difficult, to grow in some gardens, while in others it is one of the xaoti satisfactory growers. A little extra care - should be taken in-planting where it is found difficult to. establish and fresh, turfy soil added to encourage an active root actioß, as if the roots -can be firmly established in the clay, better results may be looked for. The early narcissi are now pushing through the soil. . They should ba liepfc free from weeds, and where slugs are 'numerous traps for their destruction should be set, or many of the choicer bulb 3 will be eaten off as soon as they,appear above the soil. The final planting of the spring-floweringbulbs should now "be made.

Kitchen Garden.— The work of sowing and jplaating of the eariy spring crops should now be pushed on. In, regulating the position of the varidtu crops a distinct change should be given to ■the land each year, as growing the same crop on the same'land year after year does not tend to> •wards the best results. Plant rhubaib in wellanamured trenches and cover over with stable litter. Give seakale a sprinkling of salt and remove all decayed leaves. Plant a few early potatoes in a warm sheltered position, drawing a loose covering of stable litter over the rows. Ash- • leaf, early Vermont*, Beauty of Hebron, white elephant (true— i «., pinky ekin) Chapman's early, N ana eaily rose do well here. , Sow a few seeds of «arly horn carrots, some early white stone turnips, and plant out a few bardy herbs, such as mint, ecge, thyiiie, aad marjoram. Keep all the grow-ing-crops free of weeds, and keep the ground well loosened with th& Dutch* hoe in dry weather. Autumn-sown onions should be examined at least once a week. To. keep down all weeds the hoe ehould be freely used between the drills on dry days.- Continue the' planting out of asparagus and rhuba)b. Stott'a monaich is a variety of the latter which attained- celebrity in a short time, it being of large sizs and superior fl*To«r. A few stool's of Topp's winter should be included in each bed, as thia is nosy in full growth. and» producing a good supply of well-coloured stalks, which give a desirable change for the table at this season. Herbs of all kinds should be planttd or divided at this season ; old etools should be discarded in favour of young plants. Parsley seed should now be sown on clean soil, as it generally takes some weeks to come uv». Unless sown on clean lantt much labour is incurred in keeping it ciSan. Beds of cauliflower and cabbage should have an occasional dressing of fresh slacked iirne, which should always be applied lute at night, as it is almost •worthless in so far us killing the slugs h conmerited unl?ss brought in contact with them T^hile fresh and dry.

I"iiuiT Garden,— The planting of all kinds of bush fruits should now be pushed on with. Instead of allowing old worn-out bushes of gooseberries to take up time in pruning and cultiyatIng and yielding small crops of fruit, young two-year-old plants should be planted out, which will gire more satisfactory results In every way and -with less labour. In pruning these ft good supp y of young wood should bo r retained. The older growths devoid of vigorous spurs should be cut clean out. Red currants pioduce their fruit from spura which form tipon the older wood, Most of the stopping or cutting back should ba done on these and the white varieties during the summer time, when buds are fotmed in clusters where pinched off. After the trees have attained their full size the •whole of the regulation of their growth should he done during the summer. Black currants require -quits the opposite treatment to the red and white, bb they produce the best fruit upon the young - wood. The best black varieties are Lee'a prolific and Garter's champion. In planting nil bush fruits the Boil should be deeply worked and well manured, so as to induce a vigorous growth from the first season, as the ultimate success greatly depends upon a good start. The old beds of strawberries should be cleared of all rubbish and old dead leaves or runners, and where the beds ■were mulched last fruiting season, the plants should now be lightly dug in without injury to the crowns or roots. The space between the .rows of plants should be kept in a good state of cultivation by the frequent use of the lute, .plants may now be lifted, And.

planted, and old beds should be dressed end cleaned and tied up, cutting out all the old cane 3 and thinning out the new ones, leaving five or six shoots to each Btool. These should be shortened back after tying. Greenhouse. — Cinerarias, cyclamens, and primulas are now very effective, and keep up the blight appearance. They should ba carefully attended to and watereii, for if allowed to become too dry the foliage will get curly and have a yellow tinge ; but care must be exercised in this, for the watering may be overdone, and where tha plants are made too wet tho effect will be very much the same. The true test is to tap the sic?e of the pot, and if too dry it will sound hollow. If this should bs the case the plants should have sufficient water to moisten the mould and go right through the pot. A full knowledge of when to water may be acquired by tho exercife of a little attention. Camellias ore now showing jiower buds, and if allowed Jo become too dry the buds, will drop, off at»d a choice display of these lovely flowers be thus spoiled. Bedding and othev plants in frames should be looked over and all dead, leaves removed. Be sparing with the waterpot, aad give air on all favourable occasions.