WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4996, 7 July 1894, Page 3

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

TO GARDENERS

Kitchen Gabden. — There is but little work practicable here beyond trenching and preparing the ground for planting. Where forcing is carried on daily attention must be given to plants in frames ; water when necessary, and free ventilation to young plants of radishes, carrots, mustard and cress, &c. Fresh successions of aeakale and rhubarb should he put under proper conditions to come in when the first batoh is exhausted.

Flowkb Gabden. — In favourable weather the planting of shrubs and trees should be proceeded with, and if there is any pruning of evergreens to be done it should be attended to. Shrubbery clumps and borders ought now to have their annual thinnin g out, either by tranaplanting or by cutting away Buch irregular branches as are calculated to injure their neighbours. When tbis i_ done loosen the surface to get out noxious weeds, and give a light soil-dressing over the whole. A busy time is approaching, and when outdoor work is suspended by adverse weather a stock of stakes and labels for next season should be worked up. Seeds of slow-growing ornamental foliage plants for use in the flower garden should also be sown in a frame with a brisk bottom heat.

Fbt.it Gabden.— Trenching, draining, where found necessary; the removal of inferior kinds of fruit trees and the substitution of superior sorts should be attended to at once. Young stocks of bush fruits are not now generally raised in gardens, as good healthy plants can be. readily obtained from the nurseries at a cheap rate. Cuttings may, if required, be put in at once, selecting strong, straight growths, cutting them a foot in length and removing all the buds except three at the top. Cuttings of black currants may have all the buds left on, as they mske stronger plants. In pruning young fruit trees uee tbe knife as little as possible on the shoots required for extension, if the growth is straight aad in the required direction. Note whether tbe habit of the tree is upright or spreading, and when a cut has to be made, let it be above an eye pointing outwards or innards, aa required, to correct any tendency to either a drooping or upward habit of growth. Where American blight iB prevalent, a dressing with linseed or rock oil will soon effect a clearance.

Gb.enhouse. ■•— The arrangement of winter flowering plants so as to make the best of them is rarely seen in glas_ houses, and, the amateur often fails by not being able to stage his plants so aa to produce tbe bast effect. A front stage of a temperate house, three feet in width, arranged with the following plants in full bloom, will give an example of grouping. The plants slope from the back to the front of the stage, and a row of flowering mignonette Bet upon inverted pots is dotted along the centre. Tbe back row consists of Marguerite carnations, bouvardias (ecarlet and white), acarlet pelargoniums, followed by eupatoriums, Goldfassia iaophylla, linum trigynum, Libonia floribunda and finished off with cyclamens and scarlet and white primulas. In another house kept at a temperature of SSdeg the following plants arranged in a mass look well :— A creeper, Habrothamnus elegane, overhanging callas in flower has a pretty effect; then come erica melanthera, E. Wilmoreana, epacria ignea, paper white narcissus, richly scented ; cinerarias in different colour-., the front line being composed of Libonia penrhoßiensia and pots of Boman hyacinth alternately. All the plants are obtainable here, and thoae' who want to make their greenhouses look gay during "the present dull period should- procure them and try th? ajrftn^Qm^BLti. .