THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 12

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. FLOWER GARDEN—Every effort must be made to got all the plots and beds intended for the reception of various seeds next month into good condition as regards the surface soil. A nice, fine, dry, and ■warm seed-bed is invaluable, and no pains should bo spared to secure it. There are exceptions, but, as a rule, the more frequently the surface is worked the better just now. Forking a. bed lightly over or turning it with the spade if the soil is light towards the close of every fine sunny day will tend greatly to warm it by burying the sun-heated surface, and at the same time aerate and dry it as well. This also affords a good opportunity for mixing any light dry material, such as old potting soil, burnt rubbish, etc., with the staple, should this be rather too heavy. Preparations should be made for sowing many of the hardier varieties of annuals in the early part of next month. Small sowings, however. should he the •ado, as the risk of failure is much greater early in the season than later on, when the soil is warmer and the weather more favourable to germination. 1? is a good plan to sow a few of the earlier kinds in boxes, and give them a slight protection from heavy rains and frosts until the plants are well advanced. These will again be succeeded by later sowings of the same varieties in the open ground. Roses should bo finished planting and pruning now as early as possible; also all kinds of shrubs and edges or borders should have what cutting hack or replanting fe necessary. Lawns which were sown early should bo examined, and if hare patches exist a little fresh seed should bo sown, and lightly covered with fine soil. As soon as the grass is long enough to mow it should bo cut, and kept quite short so as to encourage a spreading growth; if neglected in the earlier stages sown lawns rarely make a good sward, as most of the finer grasses are destroyed. Climbing plants of all kinds may still be planted. Young healthy plants should bo selected instead of old plants which are stunted. The latter are often planted for the snko’of immediate effect, which is a great mistake, as before the end of the first season the young plants are in bettor condition. In planting pines or any of the conifers care should be taken not to expose the bare roots to the Bttn or wind even for a short time. If they cannot at once be planted they should bo heeled in and well covered at the root with soil till each plant is required. Many valuable plants are killed before planting from exjiosuro. Old stools of polyanthus and primroses should bo allowed to (lower before dividing. These will transplant now eaieiy and flower freely. All such as require it should be broken up in the autumn or immediately they go out of flower. Pittosporum hedges which have been nog'ectod and allowed to become over-

grown may be out hard back now even into the old and leafless wood, when, they will break again as the season advances. VEGETABLE GARDEN. —Peas, where already up, should receive a little extra care just now, or they may go wrong. The principal points are to secure them from the ravages of slugs, etc., and to protect them from cold winds as far as possible. The lirst is easily effected by scattering some ashes and soot or a little quicklime on each side of To rows occasionally, or, if the pests are very troublesome, dusting the plants themselves with soot or powdered lime. The creatures may also be caught and destroyed by hundreds by' merely placing little heaps of bran here and there and examining these after nightfall with a lantern. In the way of protection from cold. etc., there is nothing better than the old-fashioned plan of sticking evergreen twigs of some kind rather closely on each side of the rows, and getting the permanent sticks put in soon after the plants are fairly up and commencing to grow. Now is a good time to make a second sowing. This should consist principally of early kinds, but a few of the main crop may even be sown thus early; they will form a succession to the others, and the flavour is so much finer than that of the small round-seeded varieties. FRUIT GARDEN.-—No time must be lost now in bringing pruning, training, and planting to an end. In planting care should be taken not to put in trees too low, particularly in sh'ff retentive soils, as the roots which provide nourishment to the fruit buds should be nrai the surface, and the trees will not bear satisfactorily if this rule is not attended to. Peaches may bo pruned, but rlo not nail them to the walls at present, as this has a tendency to bring forward the buds tco rapidly, and if severe weather should follow they will suffer. Morello ehcrncs should be pruned where they require it, and afterwards nailed to the wall, for as these arc usually grown on a southern aspect the sun has not such a tendency to excite the sap and bring the buds forward as it has on trees facing the north. Insert cuttings of gooseberries and currants, using straight and well-ripened shoots ]ft to 18in long. Remove with the point of a knife all the.buds from the lower two-thirds of the cuttings. Get all manure applied to the ground without further delay. Mulch with manure all newly-planted and other fruit, trees. , GREENHOUSE.—Stock plants of fuchsias, heliotropes, petunias, and other plants for bedding out must now be subjected to a moderate warmth, in order to afford cuttings for insertion in the course of a few weeks." Keep them rather dry at the root, but use the syringe among them freely on bright mornings.