THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 8

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE AVEEK. KITCHEN"- GARDEN.— The occurrence, of enarp fro3lis has given a seasonable check to vegetation at the turn of the year, and renders it necessary to place protective coverings upon any plants in a young and growing state. The lifting influence of frost will be observable in autumn-sown onions, iinless the soil is very, light, and where the bulbs, have been loosened , they should be firmly pressed into the ground. ! If rhubarb and seakale are forced in the open ground, pots or* casks, should be placed over the crowns a week before, they are covered up "with a mixture of leaves and* stable manure. An effort should now be macle to bring up all arrears of ground work, such as trenching and digging, before the rainy period sets in, render- j ing such operations impracticable. On warm '• borders sow beans, early cabbage,' early horn carrots", dwarf peas, radishes and white silverskinned' onions. Early cauliflower and celery ' may al'jp be sown in a frame where there is a little heat. ' SLOWER GARDEN.— No delay should take ' place in procuring and planting shrubs, her- ! ,l>aceous plants,- and roses. Trees or shrubs .which are likely to be broken by the wind should be supported by three stakes placed like a tripod to the stem of the tree, where the ends can be- secured, a good packing of hay being . put next the bark to prevent chafing. During ' irosty weather the shrubberies xnay be gone Over, and any of the commoner shrubs which , are , encroaching on others may be cut away , \so as to leave the" permanent shrubs clear. In | ,the formation of new shrubberies the haphazard , system of planting is too often followed; where-"a-i it should be arranged and planted with '. the permanent'shru-bs first, being filled up with 'any common material such as laurels or'laures"tina afterwards. These can be removed when the principal shrubs have attained suitable .' dimensions, and there is no necessity for any -j -reartrangenient or disturbance of them. In , tfruriing - deciduous trees" and -shrubs the branches may be thinned where they are crowded • or intersect each other, and the cut should be 1 made close to a bud or shoot to prevent any I dying back. The open parts of shrubberies , near the walks may be filled up with daffodils, crocuses, hya&inths, primroses, aubrietias, or wallflowers." ' GREENHOUSE.— When the thermonxenter registers 4deg or sdeg of frost it is akuost im- ( possible to keep the cold out of a cool house without resorting to some artificial mode of raising the temperature, j Perhaps the . simplest and most economical plan is to place a couple of large j kerosene lamps on .the floor during the night. J These will not allow the temperature to fall be- j ' low 32deg, unless the frost is unusually severe. » Look "over camellias, and .if they are infested ; with scale, let them be brushed over with Gis- j hurst compound at once. This is the best ; period of the year to eradicate these pests, as j 310 injury can be done whilst the wood and ; leaves are hard, what is of more import- ; ance, every insect destroyed now prevents- the appearance of thousands in summer. Large camellias which have grown thin and straggling may, either be headed back or the branches may be tied down. The. latter is the safer plan, as it induces the plant to break back, and there , ds no check upon root action, which, if it hap- , - pened to" be weak when the plant is headed ( "bSek, would take some years to recover. ( FRUIT GARDEN.— Now is the time to take ( steps~to destroy American blight as well as •' other .'pests of hardy fruit trees. 'Apple trees jthat are or have been affected should be dressed with, the following preparation: — Dissolve Jib , of soft soap in half a gallon of boiling water, add one pint of petroleum, and mix by working - it up well witH a syringe. Paint all the aflecfted branches throughly with the above, but avoid the buds as much as possible. For scale, a mixture of soft soap, sulphur, soot, and claj r , '' in nearly equal quantities, with sufficient water ! to bring it- into a workable condition, is an admirable application. Apply it, like the last, jyith a brush.