THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 14

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. FLOWER GARDEN.—Whore chrysanthemums have to be grown upon the same piece of soil year after year, a supply of young plants should ho secured or an old stool ° of each variety taken and replanted on spare soil until required for propagating purposes m the spring. All old roots should then be dug out, and the soil well dug and left quite rough upon the surface for the winter months. Where the extent of soil will admit, a change of site will prove beneficial every two or three years, as unless very great care is taken the soil becomes sick of one continuous crop. Whore change of site is impossible, this recommendation should bo carried out as early after the flowering season as possible, and the surface kept free of weeds by turning over occasionally until required for replanting again in spring. In many localities this season the flowering season 'is not over yet. Lawns which were sown down in April or May should be examined, and if any bare places are showing the soil should be broken up and a little fresh seed sown thereon. If a roller is used from, time to time the young grass will bo much improved; edges should bo clearly defined by cutting sharply off, and any' grass overhanging cut closely in by the shears, as attention to these details gives a finish to the whole work. Old lawns which show an unhealthy appearance should have a top-dressing of well-decayed manure spread evenly over the surface, or fine bonedust should be used if there is a difficulty in obtaining well-decayed or clean manure,

] sowing fresh seed where required, and rak- . ing the surface well over, thereby encouraging the young roots to start into the topdressing. Pruning of all kinds of trees and i shrubs should be proceeded with, j FRUIT GARDEN—Where planting out of young trees is contemplated, no time j should be lost to get the work well forward | during June, as in the event of a dry season | late-planted trees are a source of much I labour in watering, etc., to keep them I going. In the formation of now orchards j .care should be taken, if possible, to secure ; a permanent supply of water that could bo brought on to the ground by gravitation or by the aid of a small windmill, as, nlj though water is not absolutely necessary in i most seasons to bring a crop of apples or pears to maturity, it is quite certain that a supply applied once or twice during the summer would add very much to the value | of the crop, both in bulk and quality, as I generally the weather is very dry at the , time these fruits are finishing off, and this ■ causes them to set out and stop swelling prematurely. Planting should be pushed on i with where small fruits arc required and ' sjiace is limited. These may bo planted j with advantage at short intervals along each : side of the- pathway. Gooseberries and currants thrive very well in such positions, as they generally receive most attention when planted thus. Strawberries make an efficient border to beds or walks in the fruit and kitchen garden, and the most is thus made of the space available, and these should all be planted during the next few weeks. KITCHEN GARDEN—When the soil is dry enough to work freely early of potatoes may be planted, although we do not advocate planting extensively for about another fortnight or so yet, as the risk of losses from spring frosts is top great to plant too many thus early, especially so in gardens at all exposed. In planting now a few rows of medium-sized sets should be selected, planting them whole, as when “cuts” are planted thus early many are lost. The particular kind of plants for early crops depends very much upon the grower's choice, as nearly every amateur has some particular kind to which ho pins his faith for the earliest dish of potatoes. The sorts that arc recommended for early use are Early Rose. Ashleaf Kidney, Silver Skins, White Elephant, Snowflake, Early Vermont, ! and Brownell’s Beauty. In planting use I manure half decayed in preference to that | fully rotted down. Broad beans and peas j which were sown early must bo kept free from weeds by the frequent use of the hoe in keeping the surface moved. Slugs are becoming very troublesome. Peas, cauliflower, lettuce, and cabbage, which are sub--1 jeet to their attacks, should be dusted with fresh slaked lime after dark, as it is of little use putting the lime on during the day, as after it has been lying upon the | damp soil for a few hours slugs can crawl j over it without danger. To bo of any use i it must bo dusted on the plants while the 1 slugs are feeding. Onions and parsnips which are up must bo weeded and thinned out as soon as large enough to handle, as many crops are spoiled by neglecting to thin out in time. Planting out of cabbage and cauliflower should bo continued, sclccti ing a warm, sunny border for the latter, ■ or the growth will be slow. Continue to renew rhubarb -beds which have ceased to grow vigorously. It is much better to plant out a fresh bod by dividing some of the old crowns than to waste manure and labour upon old, worn-out bods which fail to produce good stout stalks. Asparagus beds may still be planted out; some of the principal growers for market prefer to plant quite late in the winter or early spring, just as the young growths are pushing; but in our favoured climate wo have never known any failures to occur through early planting, as is so often the case in Europe. THE VINERY. —Juno and July are the principal vine-pruning months, and as all but late vineries are now cleared' of the fruit, the wood ripe, and their leaves gone, much pruning may bo done just now. Amateurs are often not sure when to begin. So long as a leaf remains they think the sap is flowing, and to. prune would bo injurious; but when the leaves are quite yellow and the wood hard no harm will follow cutting, especially at this season. As spring advances there is plenty of other work, and if the vines are loft unpnmcd until then they may have to bo done hurriedly and very imperfectly; but now there can be no excuse for failing to do thorn properly. There is no time when vines in a cool atmosphere arc more at rest than at present. As the days lengthen the sap soohs begin moving, and then it may flow and run out as the vinos commence growing;. If pruning is done when the vines are quite at rest the wood soon heals. In pruning strong, healthy vines, every one of the side shoots may bo cut into two eyes or buds from the old wood. When perfectly dormant these buds are very small and not easily injured, but when growth has begun and they have swelled a little they arc very easily rubbed off, and the utmost care must bo taken that they are not removed. Young canes which are being left a considerable length should have the small side

growths cut from them and the small or unripe tops as well. Very old vines with weak shoots should not bo hard pruned; if they are, and only one or two eyes are left on each spur, the shoots which come from those will often be quite sterile, and those with old and weak vines may lose a crop in this way, whereas had they left the shoots longer in pruning—that ■ is, four or five buds —many branches would he produced. 'this long spur system will soon cause the spurs to become long, but it is belter to do this for a year or two, and let tho vines gain strength and bear fruit than have no crop. There are some vines, such as the Duke of Buecleu.gh, Golden Champion, and Gros Guillaume, which fruit much more freely on Jong spurs and young wood than when closely pruned. Indeed, this is tho only way to ensure a crop on these varieties. When young, rods have been taken up during the summer to supersede old ones, those latter should be cut off before any of the real pruning begins. They may be sawn off, then dress the cut part with a sharp knife. When parts of tho stem have become bare of brandies the shoot next to this vacancy may be left long enough to till tho space; but rods which have the spurs and buds clustered on one part and none for seme distance again aro neither sightly nor profitable, and tho sooner a young rod is taken up from the base and the old one cut tho better. Vines recently transplanted should not be hardly dealt with in pruning until they have become established again. Close pruning only agrees with robust vines, and this should never be forgotten. Some use pruning scissors, but as the wood is softer than that of many fruit trees, and very liable to bo bruised by tho scissors, a sharp knife is preferable.