THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

KITCHEN GABDEN.— Asparagus may still be planted out as advised in last issue, and all old beds should have their annual dressing ot decayed manure and be pointed over as soon t possible now and left for the winter. The latest crops of celery should bo kept well heeled or earthed up, or sharp frosts will injure the leaf stalks and cause the plants to decay. AutunS-sown onions will need to be kept ree from weeds, which grow very freely at this time of the year, and if not checked soon cnoke the ( plants. GAEDEN.-Piuning and planting .re the principal things to be attended to for the^aexttwo months— planting especially should foe gone on with whenever the weather and state of the soil permit. In planting apples a rule should be made not to decide upon too many varieties, but to select a few of the •leading sorts and plant largely 01 these. 'Many people ordering trees, say from 12 to 50. frequently r»lant as many varieties, which in the course of a few yeara will be found to be a great mistake, and much, valuable time will be lost. It is no doubt very aesirable to have a considerable variety of fruits ; but the eiror is often made by beginners of selecting too many sorts by way of experimenting upon the merits of various kinds, and ** ln nine cases out of ten many of the outside varieties are, after the lapse of a few years, cut 'down, when the trees should have been producing good crops. Plant largely of such apples as stunner, Cox's orange pippin, Almston, \Dumelow, scarlet pearmain, New York pippin, Crow's egg, stone pippin, Reinette dv Canada, French crab, and in some localities Hawthornden and Cellini. These will be found to include ■the best dessert, cooking, and keeping apples, are always in demand and find ready sale, and are good croppers. Continue to plant out strawberries and raspberries. FLOWER GARDEN.— Work in this depaitment for some time to come will chiefly consist of the annual-cleaning up, manuring, and digging the bordeis and planting, and otherwise preparing for the next season's display. In «niall gardens it 13 very necessary to plant such subjects as will ensure an extended period of flowering as much as possible, instead of having a, great display for a few weeks only. Where a_ light peaty soil is procurable, the best effect can be produced by devoting a rather large bed or border to a collection ot plants, consisting of azaleas of distinct colours, rhodendrons of /the white flowering varieties, with a few of the dark scarlet 3, Boronia megastigrna, elatior, and «ricas of the following varieties . — Hybrida, cavendishii, bowieana, hyemalis, wiJnioreana, e-utumnalis, pyranudalis gracilis, and webbleyB,na, which comprise the best colours and dis(tinct varieties of this useful section of plaut3. IThese, planted a good distance apart, with _ a few varieties of liliums scattered about in clumps, would make a very beautiful display, and one which at no part of the year would be entirely devoid of flower, while at certain seasons they would be extremely gay. These plants, given suitable soil and jvater during the dry season, ara very easy to cultivate, and last a very long time without renewal. Where it is intended to plant out new beds or borders Df violets, this should now be attended to so us to allow of growth being made and some

blcorn produced during the coming spring. Among the singls varieties the Czar and Lee'a OdoratiS3ima are the most useful , and the best doubles for general purposes are Marie Louise, Lady Halme, Campbell, and Neapolitan. If these have to be planted on the same place as the old borders the old soil should be removed for about a foot m depth and width lo allow of some fresh soil being introduced, and small-rooted divisions should then be firmly planted out. The plants of pansies fiom the earliest sowings should now bs stioug enough ■to admit of their being planted out in the bed 3 in which they are to bloom. A sunny position should be afforded them, in light soil, manured with cow manure which has been well decayed. The planting out of new box borders Bhoxild be proceeded with at once, particularly in distucts where water is scarce, as the losses are consideiable among these and many other, plants unless they are planted early. Roses should be planted during the present month if possible, as they then have time to become established before the buds break into leaf. For the supply of large quantities of cut floweis the tea-scented varieties should be largely planted, as they are in bloom for the greater part Df the year. GREENHOUSE, FRAMES, Etc.—Cinerarias and primulas will require caieful watering at this season of the year, particularly if ihe pots are not well filled with root<3. It is better to allow tliein to become quite diy than 10 get them soddened, which decays the young )oots, and iiiey flag and go off suddenly, apparently without cause. Such of these plants a3 Are well established and with pots full of loots ihould have the help of a little weak liquid manure about every second or third watering Petunias for early spring flowering should be potted off singly into 4in pots, and as soon as they show signs of starting the point of each fihoot should be taken off tt induce a dwarf, compact growth to 'form near the pot. They should be allowed abundance of air at all times when the weather is favourable, protecting 'tHem from keen cutting winds and frosts. Pelargoniums of 'the regal and show types should be stopped as soon as they have made a few pairs of leaves. The plants must be placed, in a light and airy part of the greenhouse, kept near the glass; and should any green fly appear they must be immediately fumigated or dipped in some preparation, as green fly t increases at a. very rapid rate and soon injures the growth. Ferns should now be allowed to rest by keeping them, much drier than has been the case during summer and autumn ; no water will need to be thrown about them now in the middle of ihe day. The

fronds, if pioperly matured, . should remain fresh right through the winter. In raising these plants for ..able decoration they should not be kept closed up in a dry warm loom for any length of time together, gas being very destructive to the young and tender fronds. Hyacinths, tulips, &c, which have been potted in order to flower early in pots should, as soon as they are well above the soil, be placed in a front part of the greenhouse with plent}' of light and air to prevent them from becoming drawn up and weak. Verbenas and other summer bedding plants in pots must be kept clean and free from mildew. A slight sprinkling of sulphur will keep the mildew in check. Bouvardias weTe grown in pots during the summer will continue to flower far into the winter if they can be kept in a warm part of the greenhouse, as these plants are particulargely adapted for winter blooming. The flowers are exceedingly beautiful, and, in many varieties, sweetly scented. Calceolarias must be potted off out of the seed pans i>nd store boxes as soon as the young plants show signs of starting to grow freely. The plants must be kept in a cold, shady frame, as they are most impatient of heat, which soon causes them to become infested with green fly.