THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK,

KITCHEN GARDEN.— Rhubarb in the open ground is beginning to move, and if it is covered thickly with long litter some fine ■stalks will be rea-dy for use in six weeks. Seakale should be covered with spwduat or burnt refuse, and will be fit to cut about the beginning of October. Sow a few rows of Dr Maclean pea for succession, and as lime is a necesary constituent of the soil for luguruinous ciops give a good dressing of it m the drills; a thick coating of soot on the suiface is a protection against birds, which attack the young shoots as they come through, and it also acts as a fertiliser. Sow radish, lettuce, and the small saiadings m a, warm border.

FLOWER GARDEN.— Many kinds of seeds should now be sown in a frame. Asters, rhodaiithe, ornamental grasses, end mignonette may bo sown for blooming m pots. Iv sowing small seeds like lobelia and begonia the pots or pans should be well drained and the soil bo thoroughly soaked with water before the seed is sown on the surface without f^ny covering of soil. A piece of glass o\er the pots will prevent evaporation, and as all seeds germinate best in the daik the glass should ba covered with brown paper or a piece of slat© untill germination ha 9 taken place. Shade iiom bright sunshine by whitemug the glass, and as the seedlmg3 advance tilt the glass so a3 to admit air. A sudden increase of teinpeiatura will cause moisture to condense on the under surface of the glass, which, collecting in drops, will fall and destroy the young plants. This can be prevented by turning tho glass. Sow lobelias; but where « good strain baa been secured they should be propagated by cuttings, which strike freely in turfy soil with a little sand tinder a propagating glass. Although the planting of evergreens may pioceed during the next mouth or six weeks, it ia time that all deciduous flowering shrubs were transplanted, as growth will soon be active.

GREENHOUSE, Etc.— Conservatory plants that were so dull a few weeks ago are now making an interesting display, as many of the early kmd3 have opened into full bloom since the first of the month. In older to grow good specimens, it is neces3ary to have all glass structures properly arranged so that \entilation can be freoly given at any time from th« sides as well as the roof while the weather will permit At the same time draughts of cold air should never be allowed to circulate, as they check growth an ,j p r£V ent a, full development of the flowers. Cinerarias, cyclamens, and primioses, when showing bloom, should have a. littre liquid manure twice a week. Sulphate of ammonia is perhaps one of the beat and quickest stimulants it is possible to use with all pot-plants; it i=s besides perfectly cleanly and inodorous, but it must at all times be carefully used — about a teaspooniul dissolved in a quart of water is a good average strength for all plants. Continue to repot old or established plants that may have exhausted tho soil in which they have been grown. Others of them that are starting into growth, such a<s pelargoniums, Azaleas, and iuchsiaa* li in, fan-sized jpota.

can be top-dressed. In other -words, the surface soil lin or 2m deep should be removed, and replaced by fiLling up the pot with fresh and much richer soil, which the roots will soon -find. Young camellias should be encouraged to make a free growth rather than a, number of bloom» until the plants attain some size. By removing the bloom from almost any plant, and also by preventing it from ripening seed, it will make much stronger growth and give better satisfaction the following season. Coleus, fuchsia, petunia, begonia, and geranium cuttings and many others should be put into pota of small size^ and kept rather warm until root action begins. Nice useful plants cart be produced from this year's cuttings generally in three or four months if turned into sin or Gin pots as soon as the smaller ones are quite full of roots. This is the best month to start dormant rtmß into growth, such aa musk, miruulus, dielytra, spirea, gloxinia., etc. Ferns being now rather extensively grown under the stages of most glass-houses, it few hints on their management may not be out of place. As a rule ferns, when well established in pots, do not like to be disturbed, and when they are in 6in or Bin pots they should not be repotted for three or four seasons j but if the fronds ara unhealthy in colour and the young growth is coming weak, there is something wrong probably with the drainage, and the plant should be turned out of th© pot and examined. If it ia merely defective drainage by worms having got in, it can be remedied, but if the soil has become consolidated and sour, lepottmg will be necessary. A compost of lumpy loam, peat, and sand suits most ferns, placing the rougher part on the drainage, the finer part being tised near the top. As ferns are beginning to grow now it is a good time to repot, taking car© not to break the growing points bf the root 3. Ferns which have been in the pot one season are much benefited by occasional waterings v.-ith liquid manure made of cowdung and soot.