THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11282, 9 January 1915, Page 16

THE GARDEN.

m& FOR THE WEEK, i kitchen (;a"rt>v:n. ! Seeds to fjow---Cabbage, carrot, endive, beans, onions (iui salad), pundev, peas, spinach and turnips. What to Phut-■-Broccoli, cabbage, celery, leeks mid winter greens. Keep the hoe bu\v among growim; crops and rornovo any weeds near the garden that are in dower, it Lhe-.> are kdt to flower ami npon llm seeds the wind will blow the latter on to *-*•«.* garden, and .so a crop oi seedling wood;, i;, assured for ne:;f reason. This remark also applies to grasses growing in hedges and en waste pieces oi lame Ail i i.. ■■■■ growths should be cut down long before the blossoms develop into Htsis, b> causo the wind will distribueo t ho seeds over a great distance. 'Autumn-sown onions have grown Pa.--., during the past month, and in wann dishuds the bulbs are ready lor lii'tni;.:. 'lhoro is a risk from leaving them \n the strnund long after they have finished their .season's growth, especially now that heavy dews are falling during the umht, as'this moisture tend:' to swell ,!, ■ ! H ':!Hs to " bursting-" point and tins mea ■-, d-'.eriontimi- Some argue that <h" bulb- acquire mere v.en;hi, but (i;:-. I-; an,, so. The bull);, may go'1- ,-■; :. bo:, thi- is due to an e:;tess oi' and no' an ir.cuoaso oi pul-.i. When the bulbs are lifted nut them in a. dry eool shed, v, muv tiu-y ere ! fee from rain and screened from hot sunshine. Here they can gradually iinish the ripening process. The cabbage fly is very troublesome this season, and if the winter stuff is to be a success the plants must be regularly sprayed. Lime water is a very effective remedy, and as all kinds oi cabbages like lime, it serves a very useful purpose. Celery should have constant attention during the next six weeks, keep the roots moist, but do not water oitcn, but give a good soaking once a week. .If a little is given often the roots are encouraged to run near he instead of down into the manure. Side shoots should bo constantly removed, and if there are any signs of green aphis, spray the plants thoroughly. Tomatoes' are responding to the hot, weather The growths need constant attention. Remove, those not wanted and direct all the force of growth into fruit formation and development- Green fly is troubling these plants in many gardens and should be kept under by spraying. Tomatoes were 'a strong class at the Horticultural Society's show, bringing no fewer than ten exhibits. These were all good, especially the first prize, dish., exhibited by Mr Lnnt. The fruits were of good average, .size, solid and v,ell coloured and the flesh firm and of good f ./our. A 63i*respondent asks if it is necessary to cut off most of the leaves from tomatoes to expedite the ripening of ; the fruit. This question is answered j once or twice every summer and the answer should ha well known by this time. No. it is not necessary, because it does not hurry the ripening by a single clay, but it reduces the weight of the crop and the flavour- '.! bore is only one excuse for cutting away a part of some leaves, and that is to admit light and air to the stem, for the purpose of ripening the wood, to keep it firm, and > the joints close to each other, hutwhere the plants have. plenty_ of room the leaves never need cutting, and when it is done only a part of each leaf, and a very small part, should bo removed. Water and feed the plants liberally now. but they will not need this attention after this monthGrowers in the North Island have | had a bad time this spring and thou- < sands of plants have been destroyed by i late frosts. HARDY FRUITS. I The pear slug has made its appearance j in many gardens, and its ravages | should be stopped by spraying j plum and cherry trees with a solution of helebore powder. When spraying make sure that every j part of the leaf and stem is covered j with the spray fluid. A great qu.an- j tity is not necessary, as a slight mist \ or film of moisture will prove, more j destructive than a heavy sousing. ■ Early cherry trees should be pruned (if they need it) immediately the fruit I has been gathered. This applies to j all'cherries, early, mid-season and late, j Home trees will not require, pruning for ; several seasons, especially those that I give heavy crops of fruit. It is a good ! plan to give the trees a good soaking J with water after all the fruit is re- i moved, as this gives the roots a good i start after the strain of ripening the j crop. Black currants are about over, and these bushes should be pruned. Remember that as black currants bear their fruits on young wood, we should cut | away ,a portion of old wood every sum-1 mer to make room for a lot of youngi shoots. Those that, start, from the-1 base or ground are the best, andii'j encouraged will renew the bushes with fruiting wood every season. Do rmt| be afraid to n*? the knife, because! black currant bushes arc, as a rule, much too crowded with shoots, and the! lesult is that 'he currants are on thej small side. If the number of shoots j are carefully regulated to avoid crowd-1 ing the weight of fruit will be just as j heavy, and. although the number of i currants nt".y be less the sample will be j larger and finer. | Gooseberry bushes that are crowded should be thinned as soon as the fruits j are gathered. FLOWER. GARDEN. Violets need special attention during: the next, six .weeks, a, some plains are! badl3" infested with red spider. This pest is not visible to the naked eye, hut the bleached leaves will indicate its presence. This very tiny insect sucks all the green from the leaves, leaving .them a whitish brown. Once the leaves lose their green colouring" j they are useless, and should be cut off! and destroyed, -pray the plants with, some insecticide, give them a good watering, and Lhey will soon begin to mr.ke new leaves. Some growers use soot water all through the summer, as they hnd that this sohitioo feeds 'lie; plants and keeps the red spider 2si bay. Hardy cut- flower? were a great fra-j ture at the (lower show 0:1 V- edue-uiav, J both in the 00011 vv.<\ ;,;■» bur ''b,;-e-;. ; 'I if- r-übii-cis sr:;:.;i'd we,--, -odu . t!:-' <:■:-; hlhits v. ell set un an.. I J ,m '•mnpeti.ior! ; keener than ever. The sv< nm (; f -A..\\'-\ ing one variety only in n. vese shows j the flowers to the host advantage. There were one or two vases. rat Iter rver-crnwded, and this does not enhance the exhibit, lice use one flower obstructs the one under or behind ifEach blossom or spike .should stand out quite clear from others. The two vases of roses brought out another strongj competition and the first and second j prize pairs were a goorl object- lesson j in staging or setting up cut roses. Each flower stood quite, cloar from the Others and the poise of each bloom was 1 verv natural. Tliev were the best vases | of roses ?,et staged in the Art Gallery, j and it is to' be hoped that decorators j -.vi'l tal— a- lesson from them. 'I he j bouquets were the weakest of the d'--j eorative classes and no prize was award-] ed in the adult class for a hand hou-l quet of roses. Three wore staged. One | exhibitor made a. curious error by exhibiting a "shower'' instead of a. "bnmf" bouquet. This bouquet was the best sent in and was very nice exc.-pt for the aggressive silver or stee! wire. A few lose leaves arranged at the bass of the blossoms would have effectually covered the wire. The children's hand bouquets were good, not being too big or crowded. It | might be suggested that a more va!u-1 able prir.e should be offered for hand | bouquets to improve the quality of this, ch><=--. I Rot pb.nts mr.de a great display, both in numbers and quality. The begonias and zormlc pelargoniums were firstrate, and rellteled grent credit on the growers. Mr W. Taylor staged a nu~bov of y.onales that were much admired.

The plants were snv.dl, but ro-a.lly good, "•id attracted much atttntion. Mr R. ] orht. of St AMkiiis, Look most of tho i;i ■,!■■ prizes. II is plant.-; were all in u'.mjil condition and a credit to any Tho foliage begonias were (ho least orsi.o.ioolo.y -nmnp, the pot, plants. The:,- is a tendency to over-pot tlieso beautiful plants, and the soil (or ooniposl) iiM.'d v, a>; too heavy. These plants revel in ;; lumpy, liirht compost, rotted turf, v..i1l most of the sen! removed, (!,:!;v ?•■•.-,'' mould and moss, Vi-iiii ])!'•■)!>' of fresh air and but littlo sun on the 'rvvos.