THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2506, 2 April 1902, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

r OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. GARDEN.— The general crops oi potatoes, carrots, peas, French beans, and scarlet runners ' being removed, large plots of (ground .are ready for digging and trenching. ,!The mode in which these operations are carJried out -will be- governed by the character of [the soil. If it is deep and of good quality /throughout, the trenching -can be carried on to a depth of 3ft in the iisual manner; but if fthere is but a fool of good soil resting on a hard subsoil, semi-trenching or double digging Jnvust be resorted to. By this method tho p«bWoil is merely broken up and left at the bottom, the top spit being simply turned over. If vthew> is any material at hand which will improve the quality of the subsoil, it may be ."dncoipprated with it as tho work goe3r on, so )that in course of time a portion may be brought lud to the surfaoc and mixed with the fertile yoii. Where scarletrunners and French beans ore required for seed, they should be gathered at -once, as they are- liable to ba injured oy frost. - , , ,-i . FRUIT GARDEN.— The leinoval of old, badly-blighted, or unsuitable varieties of fruit trees should be determined upon and carried out without delay, supplying their peaces vit'i young trees. A list of good and provcci &o;i= wf fruit trees is subjoined. Culis.-ny a.'V.-s CNcrthern greei. \i%, lie* wick coillin, Di-t^i ani^conno, Lord Siiffieid, il?wil-.or;u'c.i, a:u< Stirling Castle. Those may i i fiiipylemente'l Ay Warner's King, Mare etc .Mer.?«e 1- rench 'crab, Gravenstein, Einpcrc: Alexander, Keiaie'tte dv Canada, etc. Oi ctes=eit kinds there |aie: Early harvest, Irish peach, o'cl Xonpa■mril, Devonshire Quarrenden, Baron Ward, fiiio of pippins, ribstcn l-.poin, and Cox s braDge pippin. Pears: Jaigoncite. Lou;?e Bonne of -Jersey, \Yilliani=s Bon Covct^n, Marie JLouise, Beurre de Capidumoni, Seurrc *iarc..y, fGlou Morceau, Ne Plus Means, Bev.zr? Claireeau Pitmaston, duchess, and Van Mons Lsoti Qo Clefc, tlie finest of "all. Six good plums are ercengage Orleans, Victoria, magnuji boimru, jCoe''s golden drop, and Reine Cbnde de Bavay. r?eaches and 'nectarines are best represented %y Crawf Oid's early, early Gioose, mignonne, 'Stirling Castle, Wn'.bunon adninabie, and •Princess of Wales— the latter is z r.01.1e fruu, nnd seems to succeed anywhere. Violet Hat-vs, felruge, and Pitmaston orange aie tinislworthj Varieties of lieotarines, baihg moderate groweis, ripening their wood well under oidiHr.ry favourable conditions. • FLOWER GARDEN.— AII plants in the .■borders which require protection from frost should bs attended to at ouce. Salvias, iluchsias, and hydrangeas vlnch are not mX.ended to be taken up should have the crowns .(protected by Gin or Siu or diy peat, leaf mould, eand, or sifted ashes. Many of the tea roses .will also require similar -protection, espec.ally '(in the higher localities where frosts are severe «nJ of sonic duration. 1 GREENHOUSE.— Tins structure is now yrobably filled with plants, }lid unavoidable ciowding takes place where there are no cold lram.es, which should always be available as auxiliaries to the glass-house. From row out no plant should leceive nioie water than t s absolutely ncccssaiy, and n is better to keep .plants too dry rather than too wet, which is fatal to a plant in a dormant condition.