THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2404, 29 March 1900, Page 8

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

FLOWER GARDEN.— The planting of trees and shrubs should now be proceeded with, giving them a thoroiigh soaking with water — in fact, puddling the roots in. All improvements and alterations should be got under way at once; the work can be done better now, and twice a& much ot it can be got thiough than if it is deferred till spring. The lifting and Lousing of tender plants must not be delayed, and their places can be tilled with, small plants — Cupressus erecta viridis, Betinos-porapisi-fera aurea, R. ericoides, R. plumosa, golden yews, and variegated hollies. The soil" need aiot be much disturbed in planting these, and "by raking the surface the beds will need no further attention during the winter. Attend to the propagation of calceolarias, violai, enonyxnus, Eadicas variegata, Japanese honeysuckle, and golden thyme ; cuttings pin in row will be nt for planting in spiing. Echeverias will ■winter safely on raised banks with a northern exposure.

FBTJIT GARDEN.— AII land in which it is intended to plant fruit trees should be prepared by trenching and draining, as required, in order to have the work well in hand as the planting season approaches. Preparatory work is too often delayed until late in the season, and remains to be done when planting should have l)een completed. All who have no knowledge of the best time to plant should endeavour to commence (and finish without deloy) as soon as the leaves are off the tjsees, as all planted thus early, before the land becomes wet and cold, quickly re-establish themselves. BUSH FRUlTS.— Having regard to the ease with which gooseberries and currants can be propagated from cuttings, it is a matter for surprise that &o many old and useless bushes are seen in gardens. Probably there are no iruits that pay better, when well established and cared for, than bush fruits. Provided cuttings are properly made, there is no difficulty in keeping bushes to single stems, a few inches at least from the ground, for many years. Suckers come up chiefly when thr older branches become somewhat exhausted ; ; but when such evidence of decay is manifested, it is certainly better to have other young bushes to take the places of the old ones. Before putting out p permanent plantation of bush -fruits, the ground should be well trenched and manured. The ground should also be very free from weeds, especially those of a perennial nature.

It may well become a question of importance whether it is better to plant bushes in gardens in lines neai the walks, or in quarters, or in rows at intervals across the quarters. The former admits of easy access to the bushes, but obstructs the working o£ the vegetable quarters. - The second is best where birds give trouble, as the entire plantation can be netted over or other wise protected, but if not netted, then far more cover for birds is afforded than is desirable. When bushes are planted at intervals across the garden quarters they get more light and eir, and the fruit more sunshine, the roots are better fed from the cultivate-l vegetable soil, there is less cover for birds, and single rows may, too, be very easily netted over if needed. Too often branches are allowed to come close to the ground. That brings the fruit near the soil, and it is soon splashed with dirt; the branches give birds cover - and materially hinder mulching with manure (a good practice, especially if put on towards the spring after the bushes -hive been •.pruned and the trimmings cleared off). Many '-of our market growers mulch the bushes heavily in winter. - If the manure is put on at the close 'of the winter, it will serve to feed the roots just at the moment of spring activity, will later on check splasliliig, and further serves to prevent evaporation oi moisture. "Where gooseberries and currants are grown as single cordons, to stakes or fpnecs, or trained to wire trellises, mulching is much more easily performed, and is perhaps, bscause there is less shading of the soil, even more efficacious. There can be no doubt that the best and largest fruit is always obtained from bushes grown as cordons. Where gooseberries are required late in the year, a stretch of wall covered with cordon will be found useful, as ihe fruit can easily bs protected from birds.

KITCHEN GARDEN.— The formation of asparagus beds is one of the items which can be proceeded with at this season. "Where the situation is warm and well drained and the soil light the plants can be put in, but if the soil is heavy and coM the roots should not be planted till the spring. The loots of the asparagus are semi-tuberous, and- unless the conditions are favourable they will have a tendency to lot if planted befoie spring. The situation of the bed is of some importance— free drainage is essential, and it should not be near the shade of trees. Four feet is wide enough for the bed, and its length must depend upon circumstances. The land must be deeply •trenched, keeping the subsoil at the bottom, otherwise the plants would have nothing but dead earth to grow in for some time. In turning over the subsoil at the bottom let it be Iheavily manured, and if any gritty material Kan be worked in to keep it porous so much the jfoetter. If sea sand is obtainable, a barrowful £o each trench may be worked in with the surface soil. To obtain fine heads the plant must Jiave plenty of room — 2ft from plant to £>lanfc Vill give them space to develop without starving one another. ' If the planting is undertaken ?it once, let the strongest two-year-oid crowns flbe selected, and in lifting with a fork the roots should not be bruised. Make holes aa wide as the circumference of the roots, raise the Boil slightly in the centre and place the crown ■upon it, spreading out the roots, and by covering them with sand before drawing over the Soil the success of the operation is enpurod.

G-REENHOUSE.— Hyacinths should be planted deeply in the pots, and placed beneath the benches until they have made some growth. Cyclamen cornis ought to be only half buried in the 'soil, which should be light, and rich

with leal mould. Cyclamens grow naturally in fore&t glades, and require the kind of soil that is found in such places. Give but 1 itle j water to achimenes, gesneras, gloxinias, tyJ daeas, etc., which are now going to rest. Pace the pots in a warm dry place. Azeleas, camd- , lias, ericas, and other hard-wooded shrubs should be repotted in good mould well mixed with leaf mould. Never use manure Tor haid- ; wooded shrubs. As soon as primulas und ! cinerarias are large enough to handle, pol them i out into the smallest sized pots, and shift them j inco the next larger sizes when the loots reach the sides of the pots — about every 14 days. They want rich light toil s>nd a fair amount of water. A common error is the usp -f ptis of ! too large a size in repotting. A striking object le=>son is afforded by the small pets in v.'hich the florist produces the splendid plants, I laden with bloom, to be seen n th? ainl ! public markets. Compare with these the poor . results often obtained by the amateur in po's ,of perhaps twice the size. A small potful of ] rich compost is nearly always preferable to a J large miss of poor stuff, aii-rl the greatest | ro- ! fusion of bloom is obtained by feeding plants approaching a "pot-bound" condition with some suitable liquid manure. This is how the best i results of the nurseiymen are produced. Foi liage plants may be given more frequent and larger shifts than flowering plants ; but even ; here the novice generally errs on the side of too big pots.