WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 10

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

KITCHEN G-ABDEN.— Sucosssional sowings Df M'Lean's little gem and the queen peas ehould be- made upon dry borders ; also broad lieans, onions", parsnips, and radishes in weliiprepared soil. Plant early kidney potatoes in a •warm border. Protection from fiosta may be avoided by spreading branches over the ground. A sowing of early York cabbage and London market cauliflower seed may be made. Khufljarb beds should be cleared off and dug without delay, as the crowns are liable to be damaged an the diging if pub too late until they commence to grow. New beds may be planted out. Asparagus beds should be cleaned tip and toparessed. Every effort should be made to keep the growing crops moving by constantly keeping the surface moved when dry, and add artificial manures if the soil is at all poor. FRUIT GARDEN.— Planting is now the most seasonable woik here, and a little trouble or expense in duly preparing the ground and r careful selection^ the varieties to be planted j are abundantly repaid by after results. In connection with the list given last week, a correspondent sends ike following as a good selection of apples : —Ha wthornden, Alfriston, JPeasgood'a nonsuch, Emperor Alexander. Keeping varieties : Stone pippin, French crab, winter greening, Newton pippin, red streak, and Rome jitoeautyk Dessert: Scarlet nonpareil, ribston j pippin, scarlet permain, golden russet, Keriy ' roippin, and Cox's"orange. i , FLOWER GARDEN. — Turn up all exposed j surfaces to the ameliorating influence of frost | •and rain. Finish up the planting of spring- ; [flowering iiulbs such as hyacinths, crocuses, ; narcissi, tulips, jonquils, etc. Keep down weeds \ •of all kinds, as they continue to make slow 'growth during winter, and do irreparable mis- ■ '«hief in casting their seeds in spring. j It is generally supposed ] Jfrhat in order to force bulbs, such as hyacinths, i [tote, lilies of the valley, and even such hardy tor half-hardy shrubs as aro frequently employed !Soi this purpose, and get them in early in a [satisfactory manner, bottom heafc is essential, »nd a forcing house is not considered complete ■ irwithout one or more hotbeds. There are a few : exceptions, but, generally sneaking, it will be j >£ound -hat even, in ea.rly forcing operations .■bottom-heat is not of nearly so much importance as many imagine, and that, as a lule, it may be entirely dispensed with altogether, and yet equally good results he obtained. To apply *ottom-heat to anything that flowers naturally j in the spring is against Nature, and therefore | unnecessary, if not actually wrong— that is, i •where the plants are already well furnished j with roots. The warmth that causes hyacinths, j tulips, dielytras, or, indeed any kind of spring- : Cowering root or bulb to burst into gTowth and , blossom comes to them from above, not from j -beneath, and imquestionably the average tern- | perature of the surface of the ground in the ; spring time and early summer is some degiees ' higher than, tliat of the soil 6in or lft below. ,