FARM AND GARDEN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9642, 14 January 1899, Page 4

FARM AND GARDEN.

Calendar for January.

Kitchen Garden. — The different winter and autumn crops, such as broco'i, celery, Brussels sprouts, savoy, kale, drumhead and red cabbage, etc., may be planted out on a dull, moist, or wet day during this month. Plant Veitch's autumn giant or late Indian giant cauliflower. Brocoli is an excellent crop, is hardier than the cauliflower, and by selecting two good kinds, will come in early find late. Celery planting becomes difficult in dry, hot weather. The plants should be well watered previous to being planted, unless the weather is showery, and as much Boil as possible kept about ihe roots. The best time to plant is the afternoon, and the trenches should be watered soon after planting. The plants should bo put in about fifteen inches apart. A last sowing of peas for the seaoon may be made ; the drill should be well saturated with water before setting. Let all waterings be thorough, so that the moisture goes lower than the roots. Thin out growing crops. Pinch and tie up tomatoes either to stake or trellis. Break down the Becks ol onions that show a luxuriance of growth. Eradicate all weeds as they appear. Keep the surface fresh and rough.

Eruit Garden; —An orchard should be well sheltered from the prevailing winds, and for this purpose no treos are better adapted than the various sorts of conifene. A northern .aspect is preferable for the orchard. Varieties of fruit treen of known excellence should be selected. Choose straight, clean- grown trees of average size, with a fail" proportion of roots. t In planting, make holes that will allow the roots to be put in without cramping or doubling. Do not plant _trees deeper than they have been grown in the nursery, as the surface roots produce the fruit. Tread the earth firmly around the trees, first seeing there are no unfilled spaces between the roots. If attention was given last month to the pinching back of fruit trees, they will not require any more for two or three weeks. If, however, that was neglected, no more time should be lost, for every day that passes adds', injury to the trees. Clear all fruit trees from suckers, and remove nil useless Wood, cross shoots, etc., which should not be loft for wintei's pruning. Thin out fruit\ where necessary. Budding should now be goneral. Young trees can be obtained by budding suitable small stocks with superior varieties, and the character of older ones be quickly changed in the same way. The kinds most frequently budded are apricots, peaches, plums, and cherries, but pears and apples may also be similarly propagated. Seedling plums and the sucker growths of the mussel plum are suitable, if not' always the best, stocks that can be named for the firs,t three kinds, and stock most easily obtained for cherries are seedlings. None of these being available, superior varieties may yet be increased by mwuis of older sorts, the buds being inserted in young but fairly firm growths. In each and every case, success largely depends upon the way in which the buds run and the stocks open. If the bud clearo from the wood readily and the bark parts or opens freely, "success h almost certain. At this season there should be good plump buds available and plenty of sap in the trees and stocks, otherwise they ought to be well watered two or three days in advance of the budding. What is known as shield budding — this being the same as that generally adopted for roses, the process being almost identical —answers best. In the case of peaches, nectarines, apricots, and in a loss degree, plumß, care must be taken to select wood and not flower buds. Only the former would' develop a young shoot, but the latter might take and give fruit. Watch for the blach Seech on plum, pear and cherry trees ; washing with a hose, or smothering thsm with a mixture of dry sand and' fresh air-slaked lime will destroy them. This will have to be repeated from time to . time as fresh vermin appear. Summer pruning should have been finished in December, but may still be proceeded with. Thin out the centre of gooseberry and currant bushes if not already I done.

Flower Gabdkn.— • In laying out a flower garden, let the paths which are most used be of ample width. If the paths are to be gravelled, put on a good- supply at first. Beds should be slightly raised in the centre. Next the edges, whether of plants or tiles, plant the lower growing shrubs ; roses, geraniums, veronicas, etc., and the smaller spaces may be filled up with perennials, biennials, or annuals. General directions : Cut off all flowering stems as soon as they have served their purpose. Do not let plants seed unless required ; they will keep in flower much longer. Keep the flower garden clear of dead plants, etc., as nothing looks so untidy. Prune flowering shrubs as soon aB they have dove flowering. As regards summer pruning of rosee, an authority says that the best lirao to prune the climbing (ea-scented and \ Noisette roses, as well as the moat vigorous of the hybrid perpetuate and Bourbons, is immediately after they have finished flowering. Sow hardy annuals and biennials in autumn, ns well as in spring. Pay attention to weeding ; if done frequently the labor is light. Lift all early flowering bulbs as they ripen ; | tie up dab,lins and pinch. v ln tying plants, especially those that are fast growers, leave sufficient room in the ties for the shoots to grow without bßing restricted. This simple though necessary provision for the plants is Bometi tries overlooked. Propagate antirrhinums, pelargoniums, and pansieß from cuttings; cai nations, pinks, and picotees by layering. Layering is the mode usually adopted in the propagation of picotecs, pinks, and carnations, and the earlier it is performed after the first

burst of flowering is over the better. In layering, remove a few of the bottom leaves with a sharp knife, and cut the shoot half way through just below a joint where the shoot has acquired some degree of solidity, and cut in an upward direction for about one inch, then bend the stem of the plant down to the prepared soil, inserting therein the toDgue formed by the upward cut, and secure tbe shoot with a hooked peg. It is good practice to juat top the leaves of the shoot layered. Water should be given to settle the soil about the layers, and also every afternoon in dry weather until roots are found in good numbers. Cuttings of geranium, verbena, pentstemon, phlox, and fuchsia will strike now ia any shaded corner of the garden. Bud roses. Keep the surface soil continually stirred by the hoe, and the flower garden should be dug over at least once or twice a year, care being taken not to destroy the surface roots of the shrubs. The garden still continues to exhibit a profusion of varied, richly-colored flowers, almost equal to last month.

Touched his Heart. — Burglar (sternly) : ' Where's yer husband ?' Woman (trembling) : ' Under the bed.' Burglar : Then I won't toko nothing ; it's bad enough to have such a husband, without being robbed, too. 1

A MUSICAL EDUCATION FOR HALF-A-CROWN. THE abovo hooding will, of course, appear to most people as the height of absurdity, yot the absurdity is more apparont than real. It goes without saying that a finished musical education in the regular course cannot bo had for a halforown, or oven with sevoral hundred additional half-crowns, but can it be truthfully said that thoporson with a sufficient knowledge of nitisic to play accompaniments on the piano or organ, to all the popular and standard songs of the day, has no musical oducation? Assuredly not. A musical education sufficient to onablo one to play correctly accompaniments to tho songs sung in tho home, frequently geta and gives more ploasure from tho modest accomplishment than does many on whose education largo Bums have been expended. A ready-made musical education consists of Pratt's Chart of Cords for the Piano and Organ, which is the nearest approaoh to a ready-made knowledge of music yet attained by science. It is a short out to harmony, and is to music what the multiplication table is to arithmetic. A quiok method of learning to play tho Piano or Organ without a teacher. With this Chart anyone can with but a Brdall amount of practico bocome an expert pianist. It is a complete self -instructor, enabling nnyone to play the piano or organ at sight, and to play without difficulty brilliant accompaniments to any song ever written. It is valuable to the advanced musician as well as the beginner, embracing nearly every major and minor ohord used in musio. This Chart is the practical result of years of; study by Charles E. Pratt, the noted American composer and musician, whose compositions nave world-wide popularity and a larger sale than those of any other American composer. , Have arranged with tho publishers to supply Pratt's Chart of Chords (published at ss) at the reduced price of 2s 6d each, and, in addition to tho Chart of Chords, tho publishers havo kindly agreed to send without oxtro. chargo a copy of the Album of Songs, containing 184 songs with words and musio. Many of these songs are oldtime favourites long out ef print, that can bo obtained in no other way. J. T. WARD, Avenue, Wanganui.

ANNIL