GARDENING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3312, 5 September 1917, Page 8

GARDENING NOTES.

Tir D. Tannock. WORK I'Oll THE WlffiK. .V'UGKTABLK GAKDJSX. Preparation aiiould be made for the first rowings of peas, broad beans, early carrots, eariy ttirnifvs- lettuce, radish, early bfiot, and summer epinaeh. The soil, when being prepared for sowing {huso vegetables, should first of ail bo foiKed, or broken up v."'*h. a hock to a depth of three or four inches, levelled, and the surface made smooth and fine with the rake. Mark with sticks the positions of each row, and sot trie garden line. l«'or the sake of appearances, as well as economy of space, it is desirable to draw the lines straight. The outside row" snould be a row of broad '.•cans, for they 6tand for some time, and '.ur::i an excellent wind-break. Further, the effect of distributing ti:e tali growing crops through the lowgrowing is that they get more light and air, and better crops are the result. As i shall be dealing with beans in another part of my notes, I shall there mention the methods of sowing.

Next to the beans sow a row of All the Year Round cabbage lettuce, the row being 12in from the beans. Lettuce seeds are very fine, and do not require, much covering—a drili half an inrb deep will do. Sow the seed thinly, for it is usually good, and germinates well; cover with fine soil, and firm with the foot or rue head of tiie rake. As the soil is often wet and sticky at this f.eason, and not suitable for covering fine seeds, it is advisable to prepare a heap and to keep it dry. Old potting soil or the soil

from seed or cutting boxes will do; but. failing these, a mixture of two parts loan: or good garden soil, one part leaf-mould and half a part sand, with a dusting of bone meal at the rate of one-eighth-inch potful to each barrow load, will be satisfactory. Pass this mixture through the half-inch sieve. At 15 inches from the lettuce sow a row of early turnips, such as Early Snowball or Early White Stone. Draw' the drill an inch deep, thinly cover, and make firm. As <t- protection against birds, coat the seeds of turnips, radishes, and peas with red lead. Fifteen inches from the row of turnips sow a row of Early French Horn carrot, the same depth as the turnips; and at another 15in sow a row of Egyptian turniprooted beet. The beet seeds are larger than turnips or carrots, and have to be sown a little deeper and far thinner. Next to the beet, and 12in from it, sow a row of round-leaved or summer spinach. Its seeds are treated like the turnips, and sown thinly. Twelve inches from the spinach sow a row of peas, but as I shall be dealing with them later on I shall not give the details of sowing now. Twelve inches frori the peas sow another row of spinach. This is a most important vegetable in early summer. It matures in such a short time, and can be cleared out, leaving plenty of room for the peas when they require it. The radishes pass so quickly .that to keep up a constant" supply a little seed should be sown once a fortnight, and this is better done on a special border or some odd corner in the vegetable garden. Where the soil is heavy and sticky it is often to put down boards to walk on when mowing and planting the early crops. This prevents it from becoming a puddle with the necessary tramping. I would not recommend sowing large quantities of vegetables yet. It is too soon for main crops. Those mentioned are early sorts which mature in a short time, but do not provide anything like the crops which slower-developing kinds do. PEAS AND BEANS. Peas and beans in their many forms provide a very important jfsction of our gardon vegetables. In some cases we use the pods, in others tho green seeds, and in others the ripe seeds. They are all much appreciated, and, iL careful arrangements are rnudo, supplies can be had nearly ail the year round. Broad and long-pod beans are very hardy, and much esteemed aa a vegetable. Sowings can bo made now and frt intervals of a mouth to maintain supplies. Alter breaking up tho soil with tho fork, take out a drill 2in deep and 6in or &in wide, and in this plant two rows of seeds, the boans being 6in apart in the rows and f>in between the rows in tho drill. Cover and tramp firmly, unless the soil is wet and sticky. The seeds germinate evenly, and all the alter cultivation they require is to keep the surface soil stirred with tho scuffle hoe to keep down weeds, and conserve tho moisture in the soil. When they are about 3ft high pinch out tho top of each plant, and as soon as the pods are set give applications of liquid manure once a fortnight. To destroy tho black aphis, which often attacks beans, spray with warm soapy water. In a windy position tho plants should bo supported by driving in stotit stakes at intervals along both sides and stretching two rows of binder twine or strong string. There aro two types of bean, the broad Windsor and the Longpod. The broad is

usually considered to have the finer flavour, but it does not give so many 'beans per i>od as the longpod. The latter has been much improved during recent years, and some of its varieties have as fine a flavour da the Windsor type. Varieties suitable are iiarlington Windsor and Sutton's Giant Windsor, Shiel's Border Hero and Sutton's Exhibition Longpod. French beans, butter beans, and runner beans are all grown for their pods, which are eaten when in a young state, before the seeds develop. They are all far more delicate,than broad beans, and aro cut down by the first frosts in autumn. In the south it is not advisable to make any sowing before September, and further sowing can be made up to the beginning of January. They like heavy, rich soil, and tho dwarf kinds should be given a warm, sheltered position

Dwarf French and butter beans are sown in drills 2in deep, with ]Bin to 2ft between tho rows. Tho seeds are planted about 2in apart, and when the seedlings come up they ire thinned out to 6in apart. When the plants are about 6in high the soil is drawn up on each side to steady them, and later, when full-grown, they aro the better of a string tied to stakes along each side to prevent the plants from falling over and breaking off at the neck. Beans' require plenty of water during dry weather, and should receive, an application of liquid manure once a week. Picking should commence early, and be done regularly, to prevent tho pods from becoming tough and stringy. If there are more than aro required for immediate use, they can be preserved for the winter. Butter beans, if allowed to rinon, can be dried and the seeds used in tho dry state during the winter. Runner- beans are moro productive than dwarf French or butter beans, but they have not such a fine flavour. They can t>e grown on fences, wind-breaks, or anywhere, and aro ornamental as well as useful. When grown among other vegetables they are planted in double rows 3in deep and Bin apart, and tho seeds aro planted 6in apart in tho rows. They require tall stakes, at- least 6ft high and should receive th.i same regular supplies of liquid manure that are recommended for the French beans. The pods should bo picked regularly, before they become tough and tho seeds develop too far, and any surplus can be preserved along with the French beans.

Green peas are probably more appreciated than any other garden crop, and all wellmanaged gardens should be ablo to maintain the supply for several months. The ed'ble podded peas are not so much grown here as in some countries. They provide another variety in the garden, and [ire easily grown, their cultivation being the samo as tho ordinary pea. Ground for peas should be well cultivated and heavily manured, and. in addition to stable manure, a good dressing of basic slap; should be worked in during tho winter and a dressing of superphosphate applied during the soil preparation'in spring. It. is far more satisfactory to grow peas which require staking than the dwarf kinds, which sprawl on the ground; the crops are heavier and the pods develop better.

Peaa should he distributed among the other vegetables. They form shelter belts and. if vegetables such as lettuce and spinach are grown on the shady side of the rows, they can bo made to serve a useful purpose, besides fully utilising tho

fresh air and sunlight. In preparing the soil for peas first fork the site of the row and break up all lumps, then with a hoe open a. flat drill about four inches wide and two deep. In this sow the peas thinly—one seed for every two inches; push in the soil with the feet and firm well; rake off clods and stones and leave the surface so;! smooth and finp. It is a good idea to cover newly-sown seeds with some pieces of manuka scrub or any kind of branches. This keeps the soil moist, shelters the young seedlings from cold winds, and keeps away birds. When the young pea plants are about six inches high they can be earthed up and staked. Provide stakes at least a foot taller than the height given on the seed packet. Water regularly during dry weather and give liquid manure once a week. Commence to pick the pods as soon as the> are full, and do not let them become white end old. Good varieties of peas are English Wonder. Sutton's Dwarf Defiance, Duke of Albany, and Yorkshire Hero. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "A. M. P." (Lovell's Flat).— Climbing roses are not pruned hard; thin out all weak wood and shorten back the young strong shoots a little —about one-third of their length. As a cabbage for the main crop Winningstadt or Enfield Market is recommended. "A. H."—Romneya coluteri should be planted in a warm, rich, deep soil, and it is propagated by root cuttings and suckers. Sow broccoli in November, and plant out in December and January. Sow and plant winter cabbage at same time. "W. L." —Walnuts will grow on loam overlying clay, and will form a shelter belt except whero exposed to the cold S.W. winds. The nuts will ripen in Dunedin. Our climate, from a gardening point of view, is similar to that of Cornwall and Devon. "Matron." —The native clematis is coming into flower, and should not be pruned '} ust now. If growing straggly, shorten back after flowering. You should not have potted your heliotrope so soon, unless you have a. heated greenhouse. It will come away all right, and can be planted outside durincr the summer.