WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7232, 19 October 1901, Page 2

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

To Gardeners. Kitchen Garden. — Cabbage and cauliflowers should be moulded up a little, which will assist them to finish their growth. Celery must not be allowed to suffer for want of attention. If tiho first batch of seedlings has 'b2com# crowded, tMa out and re-plant them in rich soil, with plenty of root space. Make a sowing in the open •border. This will give a good supply of plants later on. Early potatoes should be moulded up— a little and often is the best practice. No time should be lost in getting in all' potatoes. Planted now, they cover the ground with haulm before the hot dry winds arrive. Planting potatoes requires some attention as to the quantity of haulm each variety makes. Those with long haulm should have more space -between the rows ; three feet is none too much for many of the varieties that have strong haulm. Peas that are several inches high should be staked; it is not necessary to , pub the long stakes to them now — short stakes about eighteen inches high will be ■ large enough. The longer on*s can be put along the rows later on. Early varieties coming into blo-am should have a mulch ■ of manure about four inches deep put along ■ lihe tows. Seedlings that are large enough to handle should be thinned 1 , a little at a • time; it> is a mistake to remove at once all • the- plants not wanted. Crops partially thinned do not suffer as much from hot, , drying winds, and therefore do not sustain ■ such a severe check. After thinning, sprinkle* a little fertiliser along each row; this will . stimulate the plants into a vigorous growth. French beans should! tie sown in quantity. > Draw drills about two inches deep, and put in two beans about ten inches apart. Carrots should be sown to supply a succession. Onions should be kept free from weeds by constanb hoeing. This remark applies to all ■ crops. Vegetable marrows in frames should ■ have as much air as possible; peg the shoots down, with strong pegs to prevent the- wind blowing them about after the frames are removed. Make another sowing ' in tiie open to come in after the first lot ' is finished. Pay constant attention to small 1 salad', especially "Jettueo, imistard> and cress. Hardy Fruits. — Gooseberries and currants that have not been manured for several sea--1 sans should have a liberal dressing with ' artificial 'manure ; this will assist the bushes ' to develop fine fruit. After 'the fertiliser has bsen scattered oveir the roots, run iho ' f Dutch Ihoe through the ground to mix the ' manure with the surface soil, taking care '. not to hoe too deep to injure the roots. | Fruit, trees growing against houses, fences, ' stable-,?^ or any other fouild'ing, should have \ their root* carefully examined, and if the 'i soil about them is dry, give a <r«od soaking. , Wall fruit t<i'eee suffer more often for want i of water than is generally supposed, and L one, of 'the results of this condition, is small , crops of inferior fruits. As has been point- \ ed unit in this column .'before, the walls pre--11 vent much of the rain from falling on the ' roots of the trees; thus they are * deprived of their natural supply of water. New the blowoms are over, and) -the fruit set. a good soaking" is necessary, and should there l>? a . good supply of manure, water available, give the trees first m- good) soaking with clear water, then a liberal application of ' manure- water, Gardeners ai-e How to note the evil effects this want of water causes, , such a* failure in setting, .stoning, ai-'d i swelling. After the trees have been- well watered', give them a good mulch of lial'fr rotted manure to conserve the nidsture. J Flower Garden. — Hardy annuals nv»y be . sown in the cpen border. It is well to , make several sowings* to provide a nicces-f-iuii of flowers. Salpiglossis, one of the \ most beautiful annuals grown, gives the "■ bust i'i'su!ts when grown in tlie border ' where it is to fk-.wer, the- only care "necessary beiug to- protect the fflnu.ll seed from being blown away or destroyed ' by covering it with too much 5 soil. Blue flowers are none tco plentiful, 1 but are always welcome when mixed with t other summer flowering plants. The fceaui tiful Sa-lvia patens (perhaps the best of • blue flowering Kiibjeots) i.-: nut grown as extensively as it should be. Its flowers are- borne in gre-.it profusion, and the cdour ■ is quite a royal blue. Clumps of three planttd in a mixeil border produce a ptrik* ing effect, «nd they last in flower much . longer than many other herbaceous plants. Avior the frcsts have cut dt>\<n the- growths rhc roc.ts should b? lifted and stored in a - irosl-jiroof rfie.l, the same as d:iblia loots : i-.ro wintt-red. Karly in the spring they should be planti'ri, giving them- an open ' position, good soil, and little manure. The ' white i'unii, t^. p;tter.« alba, is very pretty grown in a warm, sheltered spct, but it is : not as vigorous, nor does it flower as freely, i as the blue variety. Salvias are easily ■ raised from seed sown in light soil, and

\ placed on a hotbed, or from cuttings about | three inches long, treated much the same ;as dahlia, cuttings are. Jasmine Nudi- ! fiorum.— This bright winter flowering ; creeper needs some attention noAV its blos- ■ soms are over. Cut away all old and [ use-less Avcod and shorten back most of tho i growth. Primed now, the- plants Avill maße ! a vigorous groAA^t-h and nipply flowers for ; next Avinter. Ivy.— Where this 'has not j been clipped, it should bs done at once. Cut the plants hard back, and in about four weeks there will bs a, wealth of new leaves. All plants in the borders that ate i likely to suffer injury from wind should be supported with stakes. The herbaceous pSßonies arc often bioAvn doAvn quite flat, and their beautiful floAv-ers are on the ground Avhen they open. This can bs avoidledby a timely staking of the plants— it is not necessary to put a stake to each bloom ; put seA*eraf round the clump and p;i-?« a i strong string round them, thus providing i supptort for the flo Avers Avithout making the clump look stiff.