THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 12

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK

FRUIT GARDEN.—Pruning of every variety of trees and bushes should be finished early this month, especially gooseberry bushrs and stone fruits. All beds containing fruit trees' shon.d be dug between the trees, leaving the soil rather rough so as to expose it to the action of the sun and air. Grafting should be commenced. When any largo healthy trees exist of sorts that are not suitable to the locality, they should be headed down to five or six of the leading branches, and grafts of other -varieties that have proved themselves suitable should be worked upon them. Finish off all planting before the end of tiro present month. Raspberry canes should be securely tied up together. The surface of the bod should have a dressing of decayed manure spread over as a mulch. KITCHEN GARDEN.—FuII crops of turnips and carrots may be sown during the present month. The soil to receive these should ho well enriched with thoroughlydecayed manure, as long green manure causes them to run forky and unshapely. The best turnips to sow now are Early Milan. Early Strapleaf. Jersey Lily, and White Stone, the first-named being the earliest turnip in cultivation. A late sowing of onions should be made towards the end of the month, also a sowing of the variety known as silver pickling be made thickly upon clean soil, or much trouble is given in weeding. General attention must be paid to the thinning out and cleaning of early sowings of onions, parsnips, anti carrots, as overcrowding in a young state frequently is the cause of the failure of the crop at a later -stage in their growth. A sowing of the main erop of peas should now take place. A late crop of broad Windsor beans should he sown upon stiff soil. Attention should lie paid to all glowing crops of cabbages, cauliflowers, peas, beans, and onions in keeping the surface free front weeds. The formation of asparagus beds dionhl be finished during this month. Case should he taken hi planting this veir table to ~ee that the -nil is worked lip to the depth of at least ißin. with plenty of manure added as the work proceeds.

FLOWKR GARDEN.— Continue to prune roses and anv evergreen or flowering shrubs that are still unfinished; also box edgings should be left neat and trim for the season. The planting out of gladioli should new be commenced; where these are largely grown they should be planted in succession, as by thi’o means they may he had in flower for a much longer period. There have been great improvements made in those flowers of late years, and all who value a rich variety of colour and effect in late summer and early autumn should procure a few of the many bundled varieties of this popular bulb, which e-e to be bad at a very moderate price The bulb* should be planted about 4in to 6 n deep in rich sod. and each bulb or chib should be mark'd w>th a stout •"take,, "vs often take a long time to

come up. Mignonette may be sown now, and a few of such annuals as cornflowers, Virginian stock, and one or two of the very hardiest things that will bloom early. Lawns that require any attention should now receive it; any recently formed that require any more seed, as is frequently the case, should have seed sown upon the bare places and a little fine soil scattered over it. Young grass should bo rolled frequently, and as soon as it is long enough to cut, should be mown with the scythe to induce a dwarf, compact growth. New lawns may be sown down during the present month with success, as the seed at this time of the year germinates freely. The surface soil should be made firm and raked down fine prior to sowing.

GREENHOUSE AND FRAMES—There are many lovers of flowers who, while not possessing either of these conveniences, still grow a few pot plants successfully. This is the season of the year that demands attention to the repotting of almost all kinds of plants. Repotting is too often taken by amateurs to mean potting on into largersized pots than they occupy at present, and as a consequence their plants often are found in much too large-sized pots. In almost all cases the pots they occupy at this season of the year are really too largo, as the ball of old soil should be very much reduced, except in the case of hard-wooded plants; but as these arc not much grown by amateurs they need not be referred to here. Fuchsias, petunias, fibrous and foliage begonias. fe>ns, palms, etc., should have the balls reduced by shaking away as much of old soil as will come without damage to the roots. The roots may have a slight cutting back, when they should be potted into clean, well drained pots just large enough to admit of a few inches of fresh soil being worked in firmly about the roots, allowing for a further shift into larger pots later on. A very important item in growing plants in pots is to secure ample drainage, which is best effected by the use of broken crocks with a large piece placed over the hole at the bottom. The quantity of crocks used must bo gauged by the size of pots us:d; the larger the pots the more drainage is required. On the top of the crocks or broken bricks a layer of fresh moss or fibrous soil of some sort should be used so as 10 exclude all soil from the drainage. which otherwise soon becomes clogged up and useless. The bad health of many plants is directly traceable to inefficient drainage; care should always be taken to use only clean pots. Although this apparently is a trifling matter, it often plays an important part between success and failure. The soil should be pressed in evenly and firmly all over the pot, and space should be loft to allow of holding enough water to soak the whole mass of soil. After repotting. careful watering is required, as if kept too wot the soil is apt to become sour and soddened, and in tins condition the roots will not, take fieely to it; enough water should bo given at each watering to soak the whole, and then no more should be given until actually required. Each plant should be separately examined, as some may take water every day and others once or twice a week only; indiscriminate watering must not be indulged in at any part of the season, more especially at the early part Where it is not possible to repot ' large plants they should have a good top-dressing by removing as much of the old soil as can be removed without damage to the roots, replacing with fresh soil, which, for top-dressing purposes, should be made richer than required for ordinary potring. Frequent* syringing overhead should be resorted to, as this tends to keep down the various insect and ai the same time maintains a healthy and more vigorous growth. Plants should have abundance of light and air. «o as to favour a firm and .short-jointed growth.