WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7417, 31 May 1902, Page 2

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

To Gardeners. Kitchen Garden. — As May as nearly gone and winter may commence at any time now, all precautions necessary to protect crops from injury should be taken at once. Of course different gaidens will require different precautions ; those that are high and dry Hvill not need as much (protection as those that lie iow and damp. Wfhero it is necessary to take beet, carrots and other root crops up, care should be taken to 'keep the roots moist. Frequently good samiftes of roots are quite spoilt by allowing them to become diy in tfhe store, hence they lose flavour and become tough. Any vacant quarters should be turned up as deeply as possible, especially if the subsoil is crude; jf heavy, mix charred rubbish or* lime rubbish)- which will improve the soil, make it more friable, and tihe crops will grow more luxuriantly. Leave the surface as rough as possible, if it is thrown in ridges so much the better.. Vinery.— The early house should 1 be preparerd, for shutting up next month, as the vines should' -then be started- to ; obtain ripe grapes early 'm November. What there is to do should be done at once. The woodwork, and glass shouloV be thoroughly washed; with soapy water, with a little kerosene in it, and the walls lime-' washed. This is necessary to destroy any thrips or red spider there may be in the crevices. If the 'border is outside it should be covered with; leaves, or some stick material, and to "prevent? ioo (much rain falling on the roots sheets of corrugated iro» should be placed to conduct tihe rain water away. A good old 1 custom, arid a' very valuable one, is to prepare a quantity of manure, the same a« f o» a !hot-bed, and when the house is to be started! make a long heap through. This gives off a nice genial moist heat, which as 'better than thajb obtained from ihot-water pipes. Of course one heap would not be sufficient to last as long as fhe heat is required, therefore while one is being used frhe material for another should be collected, omd when the first begins to cool ib should be replaced by a fresh heap. The vines should j be taken down from the roof and suspended in a .horizontal position ; this will cause them to break more evenly, and they are further away from the cold. | F.'owcr Garden. — The present weather is very favourable for planting and rearranging tne shrubberies, and no time should be lost in bringing this work to a conclusion before the wet wintry weather arriv.es. Michaelmas daisies should be taken up, 1 divided and replanted. These "beautdtui autunm-flowering plants never receive the attention they deserve^ and, as a natural consequence, only a part of what they are capable^ oi giving in flowers is obtained. Lilt the clumps, divide theno^ and repiant small pieces oi the outside growths. These are stronger and will make better plants t/iian pieces taken from the centre. Old rose bushes may be taken up and replanted. This oiten gives a new vigour to the plants and restores them to a nealthder condution, as the roots arei brought into contact with, fresh soil and new ieeding-roots are formed. Where large bushes are not taken up and replanted, the surface soil should bo taken away and replaced with fresh. When large bushes are transplanted the heads should be cut back lather hard. Early-flowering chrysanthemums often die during a wet winter, and are lost entirely. Mdllo Lacroix, Lady Alary Fitzwygram, Lady Seiborne and Charles E. She* are, particularly subject to injury during a wet June. An easy way to prevent tnis loss is to take up * few plants and put thesa in boxes. Stand them in a .high, dry corner, leave them here until about the first week in August, then, plant out again. Treated this way tccy give much better results than when left in one place year after year. The rest, appears to do them good, and in replanting they get into freshUrcenhouse.— The bulbs that are plunged in ashes should be examined, as the leaves will be pushing up and they will soon, become drawn. Hyacinths are fast pushing up their flower spikes, and should have manure water twice a week, as this will increase tho size of the flowers. Keep them near the glass and give plenty of ventilation. Spirea Japonica.— The first uatch should be plunged in a gentle bottom heat to ensure a quick growth. Remove them directly the spikes of bloom leave tne crowns and give the plants plenty oi room. Spirea. Japonica is one of the mosfc useful plants we have for late winter and early spring use, as the foliage is nearly as pretty as fern z and the snow-white | 3piifes of blossom can. be used for any and every purpose of decoration. Cinerarias.— Tat second batoh will require shifting to the final pots. These plants like a liberal stilt, and the more root^room they have the larger blooms they produce. Primula Obconica —While these cau be flowered in. any-sized pot, they give- larger and better trusses when grown on in five and six-inch riots Plncb the buds oft constantly until they are potted in the final pots, after which they may be allowed to send up as many flowers as they can. Pelargoniums.— •The show, fancy and decorative varieties will need careful watching to detect any green fly that may attack them. Di^ctly ■these are discovered the plants should be fumiitated or syringed with some blight specific It is better to keep this pest away by careful attention than to destroy it after it arrives All varieties of erica that are ■nnf Inrdv should be removed to a cool hLttrl frame, where they will be safe from the frost, but one thing to remember i» they must have sufficient light and air, Sk tSTiSS water, and bub little artificial 3

heat. Those that are put in a hous* should be syringed about twice a week.