THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2782, 10 July 1907, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. FLOWER GARDEN.— WheeI manure and fresh soil, jf necessary, on the beds when frost renders the walks sufficiently hard for ihe operation. In favourable weather trench vacant beds, dig or fork spaces between plants, leaving the surface rough. "Plant deciduous trees and shrubs if the ground be not too wet, end' mulch the more tender when planted. Protect half-hardy plants; make gravel walks, lay turf and box edgings; turn old gravel walks, and immediately roll t ithem well, then put over them a coating of fresh gravel. After wet weather roll down "the edges of grass adjoining gravel walks, so 'that when fresh-edged they may not be higher than lin above the gravel. Prune all deciduous plants and climbers, and those against walls should be trained and nailed. Cut hawthorn and other hedges of a deciduous nature; fork over the coil at their loots, taking care to remove all roots or iweeda that would otherwise spring up. A idre»3ing of freah lime at the came time Jivill do good. Plant anemones and vanumculi, if not already planted, forking in well-decayed cow manure if available. Plant also, &t the first opportunity, any bulbs of narcissus that may not Siave been ' got in. Plant roses in ground .well trenched and manured; prune such as lare required to flower early. With regard to freak plants, early pruning will invigorate them, for pruning when the sap is in. rapid Moir tends to weaken the rose tribe, but it xcasions a later development of the flower Ada, and is therefore to be practised when Ibis object if in view. " VEGETABLE GARDEN I.—A1 .— A rnbbish heap in some out-of-the-way coiner i». an, almost Indispensable adjunct to most gardens, and, It irtU mana/jedi • valuable one too, •*

pecially where stable manure or farmyard manure is scarce. It is not advisable to get rid of cabbage stumpß. weeds, and all kinds of refuse by throwing them in a raw state into the jenches when work of this sort is proceeding. It is bad practice. But by removing all such material to a rubbish heap, and letting it lie there for a sufficient time, an often useful supply of decayed vegetable manure is secured that may be advantageously employed in preparing the ground for any rather coarse-growing crop. Green stuff thus rotted' together is, however, very apt to become sour and offensive, and cannot by any means' be considered as first-class manure; indeed, a moderate quantity of fresh lime and common salt should be sprinkled on the heap between every fresh layer, in order as far as possible to sweeten and . purify the whole. But wherever stable or other manure' is plentiful, or if even a good Eupply of decayed tree leaves, spent hops, or- old tan is available, it is a much better plan to burn all the refuse, with any surplus wood, etc., in heaps, with plenty of zough earth tfirown on as soon as-' the heap is burning well through. Such burnt material, though much less in quantity than the raw material, is invaluable, abounding in fertilising principles, and as sweet as a nut. As * topdressing for r^>ot crops in particular it is unequalled. —

FRUIT GARDEN.— The ground for plantations of fruit trees should be prepared in autumn, for these tries are, generally speaking,, best planted immediately after the fall of the leaf; but if circumstances have prevented the preparation of the ground, this should be carried on when the weather permits. If the subsoil is good the ground should be loosened to the depth of 2Jft; it water rises so as to remain for any. considerable length of time within that distance from the surface, me&ns Bhould be adopted for drawing it off. If there Bhould 'be no possibility of doing this for want of fall, then, in trenohing, Eoil, rubbish, atones, etc-i may be put in the bottoms of the trenches, in order to raise the good soil to a higher level. Plant apples, pears, plums, cherries, quinces, apricots, peaches, nectarines, gooseberries, currants, and raspberries. Prune all kinds of trees above-mentioned. Carefully lift all non-bearing trees that are not too large or heavy; prune off all tap roots, and replant in good fresh soil well firmed under and round the roots, taking care' not to plant deeper than before. Give a light dressing of lime on top, and ft mulching of manure if available. Cut back the limbs of old trees intended to be grafted, for if left till the sep is flowing the -bark dies back to a considerable extent below the 1 wound, and canker, kr apt to ensue. Cut on the* heads of stocks— those of the quince ' should be cut off early in the month. Cut : off scions, or grafts, especially those of plums ! and cherries, for if these are not taken off • early they seldom succeed well. After the grafts are cut off, put their ends in soil in » sheltered situation, where neither the sun's rays nor driving winds will directly affect them, till the grafting season arrives. Make cuttings of currants and gooseberries. They may be 9in or lft in length, and all the eves, or buds, should be picked off except three or four at top. Clean and fork lightly the ground bstween the rows of strawberries, and then mulch with long dung, the nourishing principles of which will be carried down to the roots by the ram for the benefit of the crop, whilst^ the waste litter will serve to keep the fruit c.can.