THE GARDEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11266, 6 February 1912, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

VEGETABLES,

The best advice to be given now is to keep the ground well disturbed by hoeing and rukiug to keep down the weeds and prevent seeding. No doubt this has been n hard task fell is season, on account of excessive rains, and tiien the drying winds causing tho ground to harden aud crack. . As the season lor sowing seeds and planting things to give a wiuter supply is uoar ing a close, we should lose no time in getting these in. lb is risky to sow peas so late, yet if a good dwarf early pea is used there is a chance of their maturing before frost comes to nip them. This is the only risk. Make tho last sowing of dwarf French beans. Early short horn carrots may bo sown for drawing young. -.ardon cress may still bo grown. Kohl rabi may be sown. This is a very useful vegetable—a kind of turnip-rooted cabbage, cooked as you would a turnip. Plant out broccoli of early and late kinds, and cabbage for late autumn use. Plant out celery and leeks, as previously advised. Early celeiy should be sufficiently advanced to requiro earthing up. If the trenches are at all dry, be sure to givo them a good soaking of water before earthing, as it is not so easily done afterwards; but a. little time should olapso before earthing, to allow the water to soak away. Onions anil shallots should be taken up and dried as soon as tiie tops begin to turn yellow. Get the ground into condition by digging and manuring for the autumn sowing, as I consider the autumn sowing is much the best in this locality, especially for the main crop, where good tubers are desired. No cutting of asparagus should be done now. It should be left to make all the top growth possible, so as to be in a fit state to produce good stout heads for next season's cutting. Care must also be taken to guard against heavy winds breaking down the tops, for if they break they are partially crippled, and quite incapable of producing good tops next season. It is from these tops that crowns are built up for the production of the next season's supply. A gooil plan in protecting them is to drive in a few stakes :sft high around the bed. ami tie with stout string from one peg to the other around the bed. This holds them up sufficiently to prevent them falling over aud getting broken. Be sure not to allow weeds to accumulate and go to seed, or the beds will be very much injured. FLOWERS. Keep toe lawn regularly mown and rolled. Remove dandelions by cutting them off with a knife just below the surface, and drop a pinch of salt in the hole on top of the root. Tiiis will destroy them. Daisies should be lifted out with a daisy lifter. Do not aliow them to accumulate, or they will ultimately get the better of the grass. A little clean, fresh soil should be put in each hole, and the i"oiler run over, to put au even surface upon it. Remove all dead flowers from shrubs, especially from the rhododendron, as if these are left on to mature seeds the bushes suffer materially, and do not produce such a line show of bloom, or do they make such good growth the following season. Remove all yellow leaves from bulbous plants, and if they have to be lifted there is no better time for it than just as the leaves are yellow. Soon after the leaves aro quite down, root action starts again if they are left in the ground. Train and tie climbing plants. Stake and tie such things as gladioli, dahlias, etc. Roses are just now making rapid growth, and developing buds for what is termed the second bloom. By rights they should receive a good watering with liquid manure. That made from the cow and horse manure will be found the most expeditious and best for immediate use. Climbing or weeping that are in full bluoni should get clear water only.