THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 9

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR i'HE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN— The fine growing weather we have experienced this month has cent vegetables of all k.n-ds ahead with n rusli, ai:<J dnrnvediaie attention to thinning out is required Lettuce plants should be transplanted in sufficient quantities as' to maintain an unbroken supply of crisp heads throughout the summer ; mere size should liot b3 so much the aim of the gTOwer as a tender and moderately-firm heart, io obtain which manure and water are absolutely necessery as tho dry and hot weather approaches. A large sowing of kidney bean* may how be sown in an open position. Successional sowings of turnips may be sown throughout the month; such sorts as white atone, American strap leaf, and early Milan are suitable. Carrots, either intermediate or; shorthorn, may be sown In very many cases the earliest sowings of carrots are a failure, unless in gardens shye a- good outlook- is kept up for slugs. As the drier wuaiher is near at hand tbero do not now give so much trouble to seedlings, and full crop.? may now be secured with less labour thwi with very early Howing. The new c&ulifiower, Snowball, which is likely to become a favourite for home growing, is rather too small for market purposes, but for table the medium-sized, firm, and pure white heads are all . that could be desiared. The work of thinning out drills of carrots, parsnips, •turnips, etc., should be attended to as soon as the plants are large enough to Handle, «tnd any further delay only results in loss, as an amount of useless growth is made. Bow long ridge cucumber in the open ground, end transplant plants raised under shelter of frames to their open quarters as soon as tha plants have been hardened off. THE VlNEßY.— Attend to tbe training of VU2S3, also the stopping oi the shoois as Gfion as the bunches of fruit a.re viaible at ©dp or two inches above tho bunch FRUIT GARDEN.— At present the prospects of a fruitful season are very favourable. Stone fruits lave set well — in fact, far too many plums, peaches, and apricots appear to bo swelling, so much co thai thinning cut •will have to be resorted to in order 1« obtain well-developed fruits. The proces* of tuinning, however, should not be done until the frtaits have passed the stoning stagr, and are about to commence to Bwell asrair>. Trees which have been grafted phouid be occasionally looked over, and any buds which start to grow below the scion should be rubbed out and all the strenglh allowed to afo to the scion. Care will be neeeis&ry in working among tbe errowinr scions until they are firmly established, sis they are so easily broken off. Any scions whic',l have failed to prow should be removdd, and the stock allowed to rnnke one stronsr shoot, which should be budded during tbe smnm<?' wilh a lnici of the desirrd variety, and thus a saving of iime be effected. FLOWER GARDEN'.— Amat-urs bav,-diffif-ulty ofier> in striking cuttings fr'-m hardwooded plants, such as swept-Fcented verbena, but ndne out of ten cuttings wll! strike i! the parent p!anf be fin=t. kepi in a FnuiM glass frame, almost cark * ard very warm. *ay inside a vinery or p-ree;i-house. It w iH tien grow goft. cvmdlv shoots which, when broken off end inVe'>d in dair. i) soii in th-c sama box, will strike in three or four days SOME HIXTS. Growlno- mignonette by scattering a ninch of seed h-erc and the-e. both in th-a flower and vegetable garden, is recommended. They w>l! prcw and flo-war and K*rm'-'Tiis>a with evervtbi-??. end cVlight with their fracrrancD by night aad day There shoird he mreV a sowing of parslfy eeeo. as after mid'ur-.mer the o'd plants wil! have loFt their value. The ptirpin scrontiMg broccoli is highly t»pok?-n of as a utility ye?o J .able of the first o>-r'er. giving a supply of vegetables in the foil* wine »t>rine It arrows pbou.fr 3ft v high has a "bushy head, and ir sirring qi'ite a bouqi\"'-'ik« f>~r/l cf occurs, <<s every « in<<=ncs 1: to a purple ».• r and the-> 7 a'<? a rtar approach io asparrsv.^ in excp!'?rst flavour CuH'inT TDara-rus is now Ihe nn't deHerhtfu! of all work in the vegfetab'» eariea. Each asparagus root or crown pro- t

j duces a number of shoots. These vary in I numbers, according to the strength of the roots. Their thickness, also, depends on ! that, and they do not all grow up together. A stem or two peeps »nd comes forth to ! start with, then there is a succession, I and from first to last a bed will furnish .' cuttings for three or four weeks. This ia I intensely gratifying, and what all should strive for, but the succession may easily bs ! spoiled by careless cutting. Take a sharp j knife, and qlip it in under the shoot that ' is to be cut about "two inches below the j surface, or, if the heads are large, cut them level with the surface, but on no account let the knifo touch one of those not yet showing. Do not get on any of them with the feet, and handle all as if dealing in breakables. The shoots grew about the rate of one inch per day. All should be cut when from eight to ten inches long. Do not leave them till they branch out in the top, as they are then getting touffh, and iite ofiener the early heads are cut the quicker the others come on.