THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3254, 26 July 1916, Page 8

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.' FLOWER UARBEN.—Every effort must be made to got all the pots 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 be 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 lightlv over or j turning it with the spade if the soil is j light towards the close of every fine sunny j day will tend greatly to warm it by bury- | ing the sun-heated surface, and at the same time aerate and tdry it as well. This also affords a j good opportunity for mixing any light, dry material, such as old potting soil, burnt rubbish, etc., with the staple, should this bo 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 bo the rule, 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. It 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 be 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 is necessary. Lawns which were sown early should be examined, and if bare patches exist a little fresh seed should be sown, and lightly covered with fine soil. As soon as the grass is' long enough to mow it should be 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 firer grasses ar<2 destroyed. Climbing plsnts of all kinds may still be planted. Young healthy plants should be selected instead of old plants which are stunted. The latter are often planted for the sake or immediate effect, which is a great mistake, as before the end of the first season the young plants arc in better condition. In planting pines or any of the conifers care should be taken not to expose the bare roots to the sun or wind even for a short time. If they cannot at once be plr.nted they should be heeled in and well covered at the root Avith soil till each plant ii required. Many valuable plants are killed from exposure before planting. Old stools of polyanthus and primroses should be allowed to flower before dividing. These will transplant now safely and flower freely. Ali such as require it should be broken up in The autumn or immediately they go out of flower. Pittospornm hedges which have been neglected and allowed to become overgrown may be cut hard back now even into the old and leafless wood, when they will break again as the season advances. VEGETABLE HARDEN.—Peas, where already up, should receive a little extra , enre just now. or they may go wrong. The principal points are to secure them from the ravages of slugs, etc.. and to i protect them from cold winds as far as possible The first is easily effected bv scattering some ashes and soot or a little quicklime on each side of the rows occasionally, or if the pests are very troublesome, dusting the plants themselves with snot n;powdered lime. The creatures may also he caught and destroyed by hundreds by merely placing little heaps of bran here and there and examining tho.-.e after nightfall with a lantern. In the way of protection from cold. etc.. there i: j nothing bettor than the old-fpshioned plan of sticking evergreen twig's of some kind rather closely en encf, "ide of the. rows, and setting the' n't ~t'eks put in soon after the plants are Tairlv up and commencing to grow. Now is a good time tr. make a. . second sowinc. Thi- should consist principally of early kinds, bid a few of llie main . crop may 1 ; sown even thus early; they will form a SUCCCSS-ion to the others, and the flavour is so much finer than that of the small round-seeded varieties, i

FRUIT GARDEN.—No time must bo lost now in bringing pruning, training, and planting to an end. In planting care should bo taken not to put in trees too low, particularly in stiff, retentive soils, as the roots which provide nourishment to the fruit buds should be near the surface, and the trees will not bear satisfactorily if this rule is not attended to. Peaches may he pruned, but do not nail them to the walls at present, as this has a tendency to bring forward the buds, too rapidly, and if severe weather should follow they will suffer. Morello cherries* should be pruned where they require it, and afterwards nailed to the wall, for as these are 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 Ift 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.