THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN.— A good sowing of onions should now be made tor early winter - xlscj Turnips should be looked over and thinned out; any overcrowding that is permitted will be at the expense of the roots. Carrots may still be sown ; the roots from sowings made, during this and the succeeding months ■will be found most valuable in the early spring ■when, the main crops are exhausted. A- good sowing of turnips should now be made, lightly \ covering the seed. Tomato ' plants, where j grown in tht open in the sunnier districts of the interior, shoufd have all young growth now being made cut clean away, and all leaves and shoots overlying half-growings fruits should »}so be removed in., order to allow the sun. and »ir in/tb" ripen, the fruit. . '} FRUIT. (rARDEN.— Jhe gathering- of dessert jmd< cooking fruits must receive attention from ,/fcime to time, as "they become fit; if they are ' allowed to hang -too jlong after this -stage hasbe«n reacned'tihere' is 'conßiSefable.'risk'of loss' ,'£rom 3amtge by wind and- weather.. Many of " ithe' finest, deisertv pears .at©: often r spoiledr by. allowing them to hang too long. _ They should at all times be carefully handled,' and stored in shallow layers in a cool place till fit for use. Apple, peach, apricot, and pluni trees which

have been 'budded during the past season should now be sufficiently advanced to admit of the ties being finally removed ; if kept tied too long, the swelling growth is much injured. If rain does not occui in sufficient quantity to soak the beds of strawberries which are carry-, ing the young runners for -autumn planting,

they should be well watered, as it is important that they should be kept growing steadily on x until they are large enough to admit of transplanting into their permanent quarters about the end of April. With an early start, they have plenty of time to become properly established in the new soil before the winter set 3 in. Raspberries: It it most important that •11 canes of last season's growth, should be cut away and burnt as soon as all the fruit is picked, as by that means most of the raspberry borers are destroyed ; and all the smaller young canes may be cut at the same time, leaving say 10 or 12 canes for the next year's bearing wood. These will ripen up muoh better if the above-mentioned canes are cut away. ,

FLOWER GARDEN. — Chrysanthemums will now require a. lot of attention in. cutting •way a number of the superfluous shoots that •re so freely produced at this time of the year. Upon the formation of the crown bud, which causes, often eight or ten extra shoots to break; . most' of which must be removed if good bloomß we heeded, the points of the shoot*- must .be carefully hand-picked in search of the caterpillar, or injury to.the*btoom buds may result.* Dahlias may be kept fresh and the 'blooming aeison,' much prolonged if the plants' secure two or three waterings of liquid manure 1 week. Sow seed of antirrhinum, pansy, camp-~ anula, digitalis, brompton, and ' perpetual flowering stocks in shallow boxes or in the shady part of open borders,

." * ■-'"-. -■ - - • I GREENHOUSE, . FRAMES, . Etc.— The ] - early flowering pelargoniums which were cut S ' down should 'soon be ready 'for shakifig oiit , [ and re-potting; .when the young growth is i about lin long is the best time to do this. A ] portion of the long straggling roots should be 1 cut, and «11 the old soil shaken clean away, I and the plants potted into pots two or three sizes less than those they bloomed in, using a compost composed of a. sound fibrous loam, leaf mould, decayed stabje manure, and silver ! sand. The plants should be potted firmly and ' ! placed in a close, cool frame, admitting ajr only at night, until the roots begin to move again, when air should be gradually given, the ; plants being shaded for some time from sun- i shine. Fuchsias that have finished flowering } should be placed outside. The plants must ' be' regularly watered the same as if in full I flower, and the growth will thus be thoroughly j .ripened for another year. Younger plants or others ihdt are still in flower should receive frequent waterings with liquid manure made from cow or sheep droppings. Cuttings of petunias, zonale pelargoniums, phloxes, pent- 1 stemons, etc., will strike freely now if young ' growths- arc inserted in sandy Boilguid kept in ', ! a close frame until rooted. Camellias should j bo now in a somewhat exposed position to ripen i tho wood. The foliage of these plants often | becomes black and otherwise dirty from scale j and other causes. The ieaves should be sponged over with soap and water and then syringed over with, clean water, as allowing them'to remain in a. dir£y condition afiects Ihe genera] health of the jila'nte. • Gloxinias' com- ■ mg into flower must be kept in" the warmest | part of ther house, "and cold winSs must not j be allowed 'to reach them, as they do" not likea sudden, chill, which cause? them to lose their ' fcliage. . Calceolaria seed should be sown now in a. coot and shad y position find kept covered ' with a sheet of jrlass until above the soil