SHOWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2398, 15 February 1900, Page 8

SHOWS.

Dunedin Horticultural Society— Maveh 7. I'&ieri Horticultural Society— Maren 10. • • OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN.— Asparagus which is'xipeniag off a heavy crop ot seeds exhausts ",e considerably. So all the seed-bearing stalks should b e cut ,way while the seeds aie green, taking care, however, not to cv. all the Stplks fvom one plant, or injure those that Slave no seeds. And it is a good plan to give the beds two or three good soarings with liquid manure bafore growth has ceased. Earth up celery as the plants advance, and when they are dry hold the leaves together 10 prevent the soil getting in between. Ihe decay of the foliage indicating that the fculbs aie matured, onions should be taken lip at once and spread out to become thorougnly dry. it is important to do this before rain comes, as it would have the effect of starting them into gi-owth, thus destioying their keeping qua Hoy. SLOWER GARDEN.— The propagation of the various sorts of plants which are generally kept in boxes and pots during the winter must ■738 attended to. The most ceitain way to strike pelargoniums is to take cuttings ot ripe wood and nut them in a partially sheltered border in the open ground, giving them no water. It is the half-dry condition whicn causes cuttings to become black and lot, especially if the shoots taken are full of sap. Cutti n? s of heliotrope, ageratum, cuphea, salvia, verbena, iresene, and coleus should be put iv boxes of light sandy soil, and placed m a. close frame, with a slight bottom heat. Choice hollyhocks should be propagated by cuttings, which can be treated in a similar way. Cailiations and picotees which were layered early may be separated from the parent, but they must not be lifted for potting or planting oiu ior a week. Pipings or pinks may ba planted out as soon as their growth shows that they are xooled. GREENHOUSE.— AII hard-wooded greenhouse plants cannot have too niuch air to 2-ipen up their growth, as a good deal 01 their flowering depends iipon this. In placing t.iem out of doors it is advisable to pliuige the pots, placing a piece of slate below them to prevent tli? escape of the roots. It is always difficult at this season of the year to keep pot plants in a pioper state of moisture, and by plunging this object is attained ai the least expenditure of trouble. Azaleas have a tendency to become crowded with young wood. Thin out the ■weakly one 3, which will tend to assist in lipening those left, and enable the flower beds to beccme fully developed. The loose pyramidal form is the best, and whatever training is necessary to bring the plant ii:to shape should be clone at once. THE WINDOW GARDEN.— Now that the days are drawing in, window-gardeners, as well a3 the owners of greenhouses, should see that their plants get all the light possible. In towns especially this is an important matter. Foi delicate-rooted subjects to be grown in rooms allow plenty of drainage — in fact all kind 3of plants grown in rooms should be jinvply provided for in this respect. Nothing can be more injurious than stoppage of die drainage, and each plant should be examined at the commencement of the winter and fresh drainage given, if found necessary, using some good clean potsheids or broken charcoal for that purpose. Viis'EßY. — The vines should be carefully ■waiched, . and all young growth pinched off that otherwise would be robbing the bunches, ■while the latter should be looked over, and all small, split, or otherwise damaged and misplaced berries cut away.