OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 10

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. FI/OWER GARDEN.— Many of the more lardy annuals may be sown in tlie open ground towards the end of this month. Should, however, the weather set in wet or frosty it is •■better to exercise g, little patience, or failure will' result. Nothing is gained by sowing too early, as the growth of young seedlings is always more satisfactory when the soil is warm and dry. Dutch bulbs are now beginning to •throw up their flower spikes, and careful at- | Mention must be paid to traps for slugs, as they ' are particularly "fond of. hyacinths and soon spoil a number in the young state. Divide and replant borders of violets, choosing young, wellxooted runners for the purpose. All box borders should be finished at once, and where any are to be planted now it will be necessary to water I i frequently, during'the summer, a3 they will not i ■T>& before the <3ry weather sets in. . {Late-planted roses should, be pruned, cutting back to within a few'eyes of the last season's .growth. Amateurs often fail in not pruning hard-enough, but if 'fine blooms are needed you must cut low. Those fine decorative plants — camellias — should be more freely planted out jthan.js the case. Most of the varieties do far"better" planted out in 'the borders than they generally do if kept in pots. They are perfectly hardy, and apart from their lovely blooms, the plant* themselves as shrubs are Very ornamental, as they grow so much more Vigorously than under pot culture. They can j fclso'be cut back freely and kept to any size, and if strong-established plants are procured mow and planted out during the preseat or (Succeeding month they will soon become estab- . lished. j

KITCHEN" GARDEN.— A hot bed should be .made up with 'some fresh stable manure, and after allowing it to stand for a few days so that part of the -strong heat can pass off, a few prepared boxes should be filled with a light soil (in which a sowing of celery or tomato jhould be made) and placed upon the top of the bed. A little finely-sifted soil should cover the seed and a glazed sash to cover over the whole. If the latter is not available a covering of palings placed close together will be found to answer the purpose equally as well, providing that these are removed as soon as the seeds appear above ground, when they should ba uncovered all day, but must be protected at night for some time to come. Earlynown tomatoed must be pricked cut into boxes or pots, allowing each plant plenty of room to develop, as all the advantage of sowing these peeds eariy is lost if the plants are crowded together. After pricking_out they will require to be kept warm for a few days, after which they should be fully exposed to the sun and «ir during warm days, covering up again at night. Herbs of all kinds may be planted out during the present month. Wh^re old plante are gTowing they should be taken up and divided, as young and vigorous plants give the best results. Parsley, sage, and marjoram are *«8t raised from seed at this time of the year. Potato-planting should now be general in the garden, for if planted now the potatoes should xun. sc%rcely any risk from being damaged by

spring frosts unletis they continue very late. Lettuces, onions, radish, etc., should be sown in succession for ralading. The first-named should be planted out in prepared beds at regular intervals iv order to keep up the supply, -planting a few at each planting gather than planting out a iarge number at longer intervals, in which case a great number are often spoiled by runn? ig to seed before they can be used. Cabbage a,nd cauliflower, as soon as large enough, should be heeled up. They should be kept advancing by keeping the surface soil free from weeds and loose, so as to admit the air and vvrmth of the sun to the roots.

FKUIT GARDEN— Planting for the season of all kinds of fruit should be completed as ■quickly as possible now, for with the month of September the growth of all kinds of trees, except, perhaps, apples, is quite active, and when planted thus lats in the season, in the event of a dry season the trees cannot be expected to make a satisfactory growth, unless mulching and watering ar« resorted to. Trees which have been planted a few weeks should now have a slight cutting back. Any small fruits not yet pruned shou'd reoeive immediate attention, and the border* or beds in which are growing should, be cleaned off, manure given, and> properly dug without injury to the [ roots. Strawberry beds should be kept peri fectly free from weeds, and the hoe frequently used between the rows to keep the soil in an open, healthy condition. Grafting of stone 1 fruits should receive the first attention, as these start into growth early. The grafts should be straight, healthy, clean-grown shoots of last year. They may be from six to 10 inches long. There are many ways for grafting, but two of them are more easify done than some of ths other ways. One of these is termed "saddle grafting." If the stock and graft — or, more appropriately speaking, the scion — are of the same thickness, cut the top of the stock in the farm of a V. Put this down like a cap over A. Let the bark of each fit as closely together as possible, bind the two closely with worsted, tVn cover them up with a piece of two-parts clay and one of cow manure well mixed' together. Press and squeeze this on till it adheres firmly, as it must retain the moisture about the cut parts, and ,this should remain on till growth has com--menced, when it may be left till it falls off. Do not let any shoots- grow on the stem, and if the weather is very dry before growth begins, moisten the .. clay. This form of grafting is very suitable for young seedling trees. When the trees are large with many branches, cut all these off to' six -or eight inches- from the main stem, them graft on "to each of the stems. The kind of grafting to practise in this c&so is called crown or rind grafting. Cut the lower end of the graft in a sloping direction. Slit down the old bark on tbe cut stem 2in of so from the top. Open it a little on: each side. Insert the thin end of the graft, and bandage and clay it over. If the stems are large, two or three grafts may be put on. each ; four ar© often intaodiiced. This form of grafting is much practised in orchards. Everything should' be done with a v&ry sharp knife. The lower buds should be carefully cut from each graft so far as the clay will cover. From the end of August is a sxiitable time for grafting, as the sap is rising and the bark in a. condition to faciMtate uniting. GREENHOUSE AND FRAMES. —As growth extends more room 1 must be given to all soft-wooded plants to admit of a free circulation of air about them. Pelargoniums must be stopped, as the shoots extend, to keep the plants dwarf and bushy. Plants of cineraria and 1 calceolaria, when the pots of the early flowering batch are becoming lull of roots, should be supplied with liquid manure every other watering. Petunias, heliotrope, etc., should now be gradually hardened off to fit *hem for planting out during September. Ventilation will need careful attention, as no hard and fast rule can be laid down during th© next few months, but on all favourable days admit air freely. THE VINERY. — If not already done, all vines should be pruned at once. When the pruning is left until the sap begins to move, the vines suffer severely from bleeding.