THE AMATEUR GARDENER

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 193, 19 September 1914, Page 5

THE AMATEUR GARDENER

THE CARE OF GARDEN TOOLS. To keep tools bright and clean is one means, and an important one, to minimise the accompanying "backache" that waits upon many who are not accustomed to garden work, and even to those who are. To have clean, bright tools to work with reduces the labour by .half, and instead of it being drud; gery, makes it a pleasure. We find the notice on mowing machines and suchlike tools where there is any friction to "oil often," and although the friction is of a different character it is just as pronounced, and just as hard to push against, when working with spade, fork, or hoe. With the latter two the best means of keeping them in goo.d condition is continuous use, as, by so doing, weeds are reduced to the vanishing point, and the soil kept in the best possible condition.

Keep Tools Bright. Amateurs, and often gardeners, who nave only a limited time to get through with a piece of work, are inclined to keep on to the limit, and not leave sufficient time to clean the tools when finished, putting them away in a dirty condition or leaving them stuck in the ground until wanted again. If gardening is to be trie pleasure and recreation it should be, this is not the way to attain that end. To keep tools bright and clean they 'should not be left, even for an hour,- without having the soil -cleaned from them. Every tool should have, its place, in the tool shed or wherever it is kept when not in use. If a place can be given in a shed, as it should be and generally is, nails or hooks should be put up so that every tool can be hung' up clear of the ground. A good practice, too, is to nail up on the jwall or stud a tin containing a little oil or soft. grease, with a good-sized piece .of soft hessian or rough cloth "beside-it. Wipe the tools thoroughly dry, and then, if an old paint-brush is kept in the tin, they should be rubbed over with a little oil or grease, which will keep them in good condition until the next time they are wanted. A Wooden Rake. Where garden ground is kept in good

condition with, the fork and the hoe, the garden rake is not very much wanted, but at times it is an indispensable tool; But, if the teeth are corroded and clogged up witli dirt, it is a weariness to the flesh to use. It is a tool that is often neglected —thrown down anywhere and seldom well cleaned between the teeth. A very useful tool in the garden is a wooden rake, made on the same lines as a hay rake, but having the teeth set closer together. In faking the ground over before sowing seed, and after the seed is sown, it is a better implement than the iron rake, as the soil passes more readily between the teeth, and does not ridge the ground up.

DAFFODILS. Daffodils are now making the garden bright and gay. The nice warm rain we had a fortnight ago, with a genial shower - since, has quite altered the character of the growth and given promise of larger flowers and more abundant blooming. The season is generally a little late, but the fine weather we are experiencing at present is helping to make up the leeway fast. There is great promise of an exceptionally fine show at the spring fixture of th,e Canterbury Horticultural Society, which will be held on Wednesday and. Thursday of the coming week. As the executive of the society is making an effort to assist the - Patriotic Fund by the sale of flowers, etc., at a stall set up for the purpose, and? also such exhibits as may be given for the purj>ose at the close of the show, flowerlovers will no doubt make a point of assuring that the function shall be a sue-" cess, and that the-fund will benefit by a substantial sum. New Zealanders are well in the front rank of daffodil enthusiasts as well as in patriotism, and of the large number of new varieties, some a great advance of older varieties, _ and some otherwise, a very large number find their way into Christchurch gardens, and as there is every probability of a considerable number of these being in evidence at the coming show, there will be an opportunity of visitors making a comparison for themselves.

(By "AOTEA.")

SEASONABLE WORK. Work in the garden at present is largely a follow-on policy of what has been recommended in previous notes. Keep the hoe going on all favourable occasions amongst growing crops, keeping a surface tilth two or three inches deep, shallow among small seedlings, and a little deeper as their roots strike down into the soil. Thin out all seedling crops, as beet, carrots, lettuce, onions, and such like plants, as early as it is possible to handle them. The earliest crops should not be thinned out as severely as the main crops, as it is best to thin them out finally as they get of sufficient size for use. Unless onions are specially wanted of large size, and the ground is in good heart and condition, it is well to leave them fairly thick, as they will harden up, ripen better, and keep longer than their larger and more sappy confreres. Where possible, and stakes are obtainable, garden peas pay well for staking, giving an increase in crop and finer pods. Most Useful Peas. If it is not intended to stake the peas, varieties that do not exceed 2 feet or 2 feet 6 inches should be sown in preference to taller sorts, and it is well to earth them up more heavily on the side •from which the prevailing wind comes, so as to prevent the wind from blowing them about, as the haulms are very easily wrenched, which will diminish the crop considerably, and give 'it a much shorter season. As before said, do not sow a quantity beyond the need of the table at one time, but keep up a. succession by sowing more seed as soon as the last sown is well: above the ground. Asparagus. Asparagus is now beginning to push up its heads, which should be cut as soon as fit; every inch they are allowed to grow longer than necessary takes so much out of the crown, and retards the other buds from development. A very great many stalks are lost by faulty and careless cutting. In cutting asparagus the knife should be put straight down by the side of the shoot to be cut, and when at the right depth turned at right angles toward the stalk,"" which

should be just cut through. and the knife lifted straight up again; if the cut is carried past the stalk it is most probable a promising bud alongside will be cut off too and. a good stalk lost. Some growers recommend leaving the weak stalks to grow, but I do not advise that practice, as it checks the development of buds that would give good heads, and does not help the plants much. If the bed is in condition for cutting it is best to cut everything up to the end of the first week in December, and then to assist the plants to make as much strong growth as possible. If a bed has got into a poor condition through cutting over too long a season, it would be an advantage to the plants to give the bed a year's rest by refraining from cutting any .of the stalks, giving a good mulching of manure and a plentiful supply of water. Clear Away Refuse.

Ground that has. been occupied by winter crops, such as broccoli, leeks, cabbage, or celery, should have the refuse cleared away and the ground deeply dug. T)o not bury the stumps of any of the cabbage tribe, as they: take too long to decay and keep the ground hollow, preventing the subsoil moisture rising toward the surface. Ground that has been occupied with these crops has usually been heavily manured the preceding season, and, a thorough cultivation will be all that is necessary to bring it into good condition for other crops. It-will be useful for sowing the later peas and beans while the celery ground will grow excellent leeks and cabbages. DAFFODIL YEAR BOOK FOR 1914. I notice in the Home gardening papers that the second annual Daffodil Year Book was published by the Royal Horticultural Society on August 1. As the edition is. not likely to be a large one daffodilists who have not already ordered copies should lose no time, in doing so. The .book is much larger than the 1913 issue, and deals in< a much more comprehensive manner with the doings of daffodildom throughout the two hemispheres, and is considered to be good value for its price, 2/6, London. ,-