THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2578, 12 August 1903, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

FLOWER GARDEN.— Camellias are now coming rapidly into flower. In gardens where these plants have only recently been planted they should be ;ut veil back so as to causo them lo break out from the old wood. If there are no flower buds showing at the end of th 6 shooU, the plants may bo cut back at -'once. It is surprising the improvement that occurs in the growth of camellias if the knifo is irealy used upon them every season. In the ease of old plants that flower freely each year, these hould be cut back immediately Kfter they nave done flowering. The best manure for these plants is bonedust and old well-decayed cow manure— bonedust is to be preferred. Thi3 should be applied in small quantities at intervals during the winter, whilo the buds are swelling, and during the season of growth it should be scattered on the surfaceEnd lightly covered in with tlie folk, taking c-ire not to injure the roots which nre near the surface. Verbenas, which have been al- * lowed to remain in the borders all the winter should r.ow be .removed, retaining small, wellxooted portions of tho steins, which should be planted out and the old stools destroyed, as young plants produce the finest trusses and oontiuue to flower throughout tho season much better than the old plants SweetwilUam. lianthus, Broinptou /tocks, wallflowers, ,and

sny other 2'lants which were sown in autumn 'ehould now be stiong enough to plant out ■where they ait to flower. If sufficient space is

M the disposal of the grower, these plants pro«uee the bsst effects in beds, keeping each leparate; or, lailing this, a large clump of Mich should be employed instead of plauting EU:g!e plants scattered shout the garden, when Uis effect is lost. Tlie planting out of ros;s

should be finished as soon c.s possible, r.s they are now starting into growth. Polyanthuses vnd primroses should bs divided and leplanted. KITCHEN GARDEN.— As the month advances laigez sowings of ths cariy crops of potatoes mast I>3 made. Where there is a quantity of parsnip, carrot, and beetioot still in the soil of last season's giowth, these aro best lifted now and pitted, covering all well over with soil, a3 in this slato they will keep much longer fit for use. Beirg left in tho drills a large proportion of them would spoil as soon as the warm weather sets m by running to seed. A few drills of early horn carrot <; may be town this month for early use, but tLe main crop should not bo put in until September. Cabbage lettuce should be sown to provide plants for transplanting early. Large Neapolitan Tom Thumb and »11-the-year-ronnd arc varieties that form good firm hearts early. The soil between the winter-planted co 3 lettuce should b& stirred with. the hoe to encourage a rapid growth. As tlie days become longer and more sunny it will ha an easier matter to destroy weeds, which lias been a difficult and tedious task during (he past few months. An examination of the stools of rhubarb which are being forced should be made to prevent overheating; or to add fresh manure when necessary in order to keep up the heat. When, the stalks are long enough to pull they shoufd be kept somewhat cooler than before. A sowing of Walcheren cauliflower should' be made to succeed the earlier varieties, which should now be well up.

FRUIT GARDEN.— Xo time should now be lost in finishing off the whole of the pruning, especially the early fruits, such as gooseberries, peaches, apricots, and plums, as till these are now commencing to burst their buds. The earlier the whole of the fruits are pruned the better, vines included, as if this is defcircd too late they are very much weakened by bleeding. Strawberry plants recently pit out should be frequently hoed and s-houlo be kept free of weeds all the season, as in the event of a dry season beds that aro kopt well cultivated do not suffer so much as others. Raspberry canes planted during the present season should now be cut down tc a uniform height of about 4ft if they aro strong canea, and each blool of canes should be tied securely about lft fioui the top.

GREENHOUSE AND FRAMES.— "Where tcmntoes have been soirn m a v. arm fiame care should be taken to admit fresh air to tho young plants as soon as they are well up, ag if kepi too hot and close the plants beco.no weak and drawn up, which renders them tl.fficult to handle later on. The work of starting into growth plants which have been at, rest diiijng tho past few months should receive attention. AH fuchsias should be pruned and placod on the stages and watered; syringing them overhead during the middle of the day will help' them to break freely. Pelargoniums, cineia.rias, calceolarias, etc., must receive thcit final shift into their flowering pots as tlvey become well rooted. No advantage will be derived from over-potting — lather the reverse, as it is an easy matter to feed a plant that is well filled with foots in a small pot, but it is a difficult matter to keep a plant in good health that has been over-potted, jnd the soil as a coEseque-ncD becomes sour.~ All kinds of ferns in the greenhouse should be repotted as soon as it is seen the young growths of fronds are pushing ap freely The old soil should be much reducbd by shaking Dut, so as to add as much. fre3h soil about the roots in as srca.ll a size of pots as can be safely iised. Loam, sand, lialf-deeayed manure or leaf-soil are the principal ingredient* required) for potting. Excepting the sand, none of them should bo used 'quite fresh. They are best stored a little ■while beforehand. None should bo used it> a wet, sticky condition. This must bo avoided. The sand may bo taken frotr_ji river. It should be clean, gritty, and open Silver sand is the but foi choice plants^ by.. is uot ob-

tainabio in rur.iiy districts. Loam iioni ihe

surface of a pasture field, and stored so long as to kill the gracs on the surface, is tho best for potting. Half-decayed leaves are very valuable, and manure in that condition is also needful. Quantities of eacli should be secured and put under cover io dry for a few weeks. If there are any sign 3of worms in any of the materials, a. little soot should ba mixed in with them to destroy these, as worms in pots always prevent the plant from being in perfect health, and their introduction, should be avoided. A peat soil, too, is good for some kinds of plants, but that 'has generally to be bought, as it is rot found in many parts of the proper quality. Sonio plants oo not require to be repotted every spring, but the majority cf them <to, excepting heaths and azaleas and! plants of that class, and thesa are not grown, to any great extent by amateurs.