THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 12

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. '■■ KITCHEN GARDEN.—In making out the seed list for next season those sorts of vegetables which have done* = best in the soil and locality should be ordered. Where a particular kind of pea, for instance has yielded good results it should be adhered to. - iso as to prevent disappointment. Many new varieties annually offered to the public are practically worthless here, and should.never be depended upon until they have been proved. Broad beans may be sown now where the soil is light and the situation warm; also a few rows of peas can be put in of "the first early varieties, suoh as short litter, should be got ready; soils or om clay lands anywhere it will be waste of seed and labour to do so. In ex posrd situations some protecting materia.!, rueh as a short litter, should be got ready;, a few pea sticks form a good foundation on which to- place the litter for sheltering lettuce, celery, etc., from the frost. Trenching ought to be begun, or, better still, continued, wherever the state of tihe soil allows of such work being performed in a satisfactory manner. Leave - the surface as rough as possible to atmospheric influences during the winter, and take care not to bring up a heavy or sour subsoil to the too in any quantity, but leave each layer jvhoro it was before. Now is the time to prepare bods for parsnips, carrots, and other deeply-penetrating root crops, for manure worked in now will not only be well decayed a.nd mellowed by the spring, but pretty well incorporated with the bulk of the soil also, v Ground to be cropped With potatoes will also be far better dug and manured now than at planting time. FLOWER GARDEN.—The lifting and storing of dahlia roots should be pro coeded with, especially of choice varieites. Many of the strong 'growers are fire quently left in the ground, and they veoape the frost without risk. In the higher altitudes it is, however, necessary to place a little mulching, material over the crowns. The names of the dahlias must' be secured to the stem with lead wire, and the tubers should be plunged in sand in a dry place, secure from frost. ■ Complete dryness is not advisable, as it will cause the smaller tubers to shrivel up and lose all vitality. The aubrietias, arabis, and pansies for spring blooming must be planted without delay, so as to enable-them to get established before the cold .weather sets'in. Severe frosts may be expected -now at any time, and unless plants can get sufficient roothold th-ev. will be ■ lifted out of the ground by the action of frost. Winter aconites, crocuses, snowdrops, turbans, and otJheir and Spanish and English iris, should be planted at once to enable them to start whilst there is warmth in the soil.

GREENHOUSE.—Where root climbers are grown it will.ba necessary to thin out superfluous growth, find any shoots which can be cut away altogether, to give as much light as possible to the plants on the stages. _Th*- tuberous-rooted eection of begonias is I'.ow going to rest, but should not be dried off too rapidly,* as the leaves and stems aire still doing work in ma,turin<? the tuber. A dry shelf is * perhaps the worst place thev could be put on.' A cold frame where frost can be excluded will keep tihern in iuet ,the state of dampness they require. They will also winter fairly if the pots fire placed on their sides under the stages. Lilies which have been repotted should be plunged in a Led of Jea.ves or old tan' vo prevent the soil beeomiriig too dry. Look over calceola--;as in frames frequently to see that the fly has Dot got hold of them ; to keep these plants clean it is necessary to fumigate them once a week and give all \he air possible.