THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2481, 2 October 1901, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

•> cnKBBATKfNS J£QR JT-HE "WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN.—" Itrfs Seldom Jha'fc the ~ laad. ha.s been "in* such- good condition for seed sowing, or indeed for all operations- connected -with- vegetable culture. Early aneksecond- early (potatoes should be planted in drills 6m. deep? placing -the sets' on the manure in the oldfashioned way. The condition and quality of the manure is an important consideration. It should be neither too dry nor too wet. If it is green the chances are that in light lands it will remain unchanged during the season, and ,wlll act as a drain to thrive the setß of moisjiture; if too wet and grea«y it will rot the set. j •iFor potato culture the sou cannot be too fine, j and there should- be plenty of depth to enable „the tuber to 1 resist the effects of dry weather ■' in November arid December. Moderate-sized sets, not exceeding 2in in diameter, yield Jjettejr , results than those which Jiave^been cut. As' '■to- varieties, the sasfrfltnowii as kidney 3 are '•hard 'to' beat fop^ne earliest crop. To sueJceed thfi3B Schoolmaster, hue-White Elephant J(i.fi., a strip^a pink and,white potato), and- true TiMsrgmjjitt-Boaunt are about the best — the latter ibeing one of the > most satisfactory potatoes grown, .being very- prolific am}, one-, of the best : for cooking. . Where -the soil is -light the main crop of late potatoes-should also" be planted in . order^to catch' the first growing, weather while ■ .there is. moisture in the ground, as such lands j <drys.up quickly in November., Sow caivots for ana'in crop; ,also' a small breadth of turnips, as *he slightest touch of frost is sufficient to cause them fa bolt. FLO WEE GARDEN.— The general, work coexists of hedge -cutting, shrub pruning," edging- v walks, mowing" lawns,- and 'the destruction - of weeds, which 'are easily, destroyed in Hie '.«eedijg£.s|age. Asn occasional fro?ts* and sharp 7 eou'-wSsfers-'inSy/be expected, ,it- Is nebessasyO Tto .protect ,"aify plant which^s"- mo-re 'than usually ! ■^tender- in- thfe growth"." If any beds ate vaca&t, | - «md the" suimner-arrftngeme'nts have been determined, •th.e-ground,wd,23J and which are ■usually,, composed of Kardy .-plants, may. be' got Qivt. -The- ceyastiwns, ' erysiiarariis) -sednms, themes, • viorasy-jpanjjies, • and" Semppr virums' eiiould. be planted m their*" allotted positions within the next 10 days. Cuttings which arebeing- crainpe.d in potsjshould[ be potted offi, - and as ic-;re»sad, space is required, for the protection of these s and tender seedlings, everything which will' stand a' few degrees of frost should be placed "in. turf pots or sheltered spots. Calceolarias, verbenas, and lobelias are, after a few days.'" hardening, quite' safe at the foot of north walls. -Solanums, daturas, and single tiahliaa should- be reacty to pot off. The castor oil plant should be sowji singly iri pots, as the lopta are very brittle and the plants- are difficult -fo-tep'ot without injury when many lire grown together. - . GKEENHOUSE.— TKe 'soft^wo6ded winter flowering heaths, if cut back after flowering, •will rum- be ready to pot. The. ball should 'not^ be disturbed, and the.new compost should be laninied hard round-nt, ot the water will pass through the ne,w"soil at the sides of the pot, leaving the ball dry. It is a good plan to soak the ball. in water before repotting. The plants should' for two or Lhree weeks be stood "in a" close "pit, with a little air at the'ljack till the loots begin to move in the new compost. The free-growing heaths of the Ventricosa section should- be potted in peat, which contains ar^ large proportion of vegetable fibre and sand. Itis time that most of the hard-wooded greenhouse -plants,' such, as baron ias, eriostemons, .&c, were potted, but it sTiould'he 1 * borne in mind that .they will not bear, shaking oat of the- old »oil ',like a- fuchsia. Vallotas are now making' growth, andthey should b&put-into larger pots rr i wten i>eceasary v These" bulos, «nd all theaina-i'-alHas- generally", should' jtofc bfe" over-potted) as . "^iiiS*bas,a tendency to prevent their blooming.