WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7802, 5 September 1903, Page 2

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

To Gardeners. Kitchen Ganden.— September is the great seed-sowing jnontfo in the kitchen garden, as nearly all kinds of vegetable seeds ' may be put in during this month. Due regard, however, must be paid to the weather and condition of the soil; nothing will be gained, but much lost, through sowing seeds in cold, wet, pasty soil. Better results will •be obtained by waiting until the soil i»fairly dry and friable, even if the seeds are sown one ox two weeks latex. It is well known that seeds pufc-into a favourable wed b§d will not only germinate better, but the crop will be of a much superior " quality. Asparagus. — Finish planting any roots that are" not yet in their permanent positions; it is not too late, but the earlier the roots &/re pkntedl the better. Asparagus seed should be sown without delay. Draw broad shallow drills, amd sow the eeed very thiniy» g^jng each seed quite two inches between it and that next to it. Some gardeners sow v rathen freely, intending to thin the seedling" plants when they are about two aßf^hesj high, but they rarely get thinned, and the result is a crowded mass of small plants. Old) beds will soon commence to send up som© growths. These should be cut immediately they are large enough. If the surface soil has been< beaten down rather Staid with, the rain, it should be gently broken up with the garden fork z to let the air get into the soil, j^eans. — Another sowing of Windsor or Ldngpod may be made, choosing the heaviest soil , for this crop. .Broccoli. — Sow about half the amount of seed now, and the other half at the end of the month. Brussels sprouts should be sown veny sparingly in good ground. If the seedlings suffer from overcrowding they wili not make robust plants, or give good hard sprouts. Beet. — A short row of tlte early turnip-rooted vaxiety anay be sown in a wanm corner. Cabbage should be sown acconding to the demand. Plants ready should beput out at once; they giv©"best» results when planted out very young. Cauliflower should be planted out early. Make the plot as rich with manure as possible, using green or fnesh rather than we]] rotted ; the fresher the manure the better for the crop. Mould up the, plants that were raised in a cold 1 frame and put out a few weeks bads. This " moulding up " will protect the plants from cutting winds and assist their development. /Cucumbers.— But a few seeds in a small iot-bed, and while the plants aare growing prepare a larger bed for their reception. By so doing the heat will be maintained for a longer period than if the large bed is prepared now and the seeds raised in it. Carrots. — Maks another sowing of Early Nantes. This is about the best carrot for general use. Frequent small sowings are best, because young tender roots for soup, as well as for a dish, are more appreciated than firm, hard root«. Leeks should be sown on good ground. It is well to make two sowings, as frequently they cannot be planted out in their final quarters until some of the «arly vegetables are over. Lettuce may be sown about every two weeks from this date, which will ensure a constant supply during the summer months. On light land, where practicable, the eeed should be sown where the plants are to grow. Onions for main crop should be sown. Thoroughly prepare the surface before sowing the seed — a little extra labour in this direction will save much weeding after the seedlings commence to grow. Give the surface a liberal drefcing with lime, soot and ashes from rubbish tires. Theae substances should not be buried j but distributed over the surface. Tha drills should be drawn early in the morning and left open until late in the afternoon, so that the soil can get as dry and warm as possible. This is not necessary on light land, but on heavy land it is very beneficial. Potatoes — Plant all second earlies, then get the main crop in. Unfortunately, with, potatoes there are too many varieties grown, and too little attention given to the soil and the variety which will give the best results from this or that particular soil. Varieties that should be grown on light are sometimes planted on neavy soil, with the result that the crop is anything but "3oury," very often "soapy," and quite unfit for the table. Then we hear a wail about tha " deterioration of the potato," but nothing is said about the mistake of tha gardener. For gardens of the ordinary class tvo varieties are quite sufficient, say Early Ruby for the first, and Up-to-dats for the main crop. These are two of the best croppers and best quality. Peas— Any varieties may now be got in. Stratagem is atiil one of the very best varieties grown. It is dwarf in habit, a heavy bearer, of first-class quality, and will do well in any soil >r situation.The earlier sown rows should be moulded up and staked. They will give a better crop when staked than if left to fall on the ground. Parsnips should bo sown, as early as possible, on good, rather rich ground. No fresh manure should be used for parsnips—if anything is needed use artificial fertiliser. Spinach should be sown frequently according to the demand. Turnips—Sow a few often to keep up a con|rt«nt supply.