FARM AND GARDEN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10301, 7 May 1895, Page 4

FARM AND GARDEN.

MAY. [Coriesponds to November in Great Britain.] KirCHUJJ Garden, — Prepare the ground for ear.y'apriug crops by thoroughly diggin?, troDching snd manuring Make plant ition of strawberries ; a few rows of bean.s may b 3 put in, and rh*ibirb plantel out iv good rich soil ; earth up celery, bow radish, and plant out cabbage and cauliflower. Keep dowu all weeds. Orchard.— Get ground in readiness for thu planting of fruit trees a 9 soon 88 the leaves are iif ; coinmonce prun'Dgas sooa as the leaves arj slitd. P ant oac raSjJberry canes ; gather pumpkins and vegetab'e marrows into come dry and airy place, where they will keep for ma-iy months. Flower Garden. -The remarks mae'e j before as regards the kitchen, a^ply eqna'ly to the flower garden Many of the flowering shrubs such as rhododendrons azaleas, fuschias, may now be transplanted the borders should be carefully looked to, »nd all appearance of untidineis removed ; towards the end of the month, plant out early bulba ; propagate pansies. carnations, piccotees, &o, by cutting and laying. The Farm.— This may be considered the first month of wheat sowing. On recently burnished bush land, if the seed is sown early, no chipping of the soil will be required ; if, on the contriry the planting is delayed to a later period, the surface of the soil must be broken uy. In selecting ground for wheat, parts contain ing partially decayed timber, or masses of half rotten fern should be most studiously avoided, as such matters in the soil tend to impart disease to tho wheat, Liter in the month is a good time to cut fern, co that the froata of Juna may destroy the young shoots when they make their appearance ; it is by no me ns a bad aystero.as tho young fetns shoot forth, to turn young stock in upon it. To much paiaa cannot be taken towards destroying the fern ; it is the most exh mating crop that C3n be grown ; it takes from the soil a large amount of organic and inorganic matter which, as the fern will not decompose, remains as much louke 1 up as if a crop of wheat had be n carried off, but the tuisjhief does not even end here ; ns the inteiior oE th- 5 stems contain a starchy snbstanca th t will rot rot l>ut putri'y. Any oue who h s planted potatoes or other tule. s in contact with d- ad fern, may have noticod tho rebult to have been anything but healthy. C ats ani similar seels may be • own for green fo.lder. A 1 waste vegetable matter, with the except! n of fjrn, 6hould bj carried to tho compost heap.