GENERAL GARDEN WORK.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 9, 26 August 1908, Page 39

GENERAL GARDEN WORK.

August is a very busy month in the garden. Every favourable opportunity should be seized for pushing on the general work to be got through. Any fruit trees or shrubs or roses not yet planted should be got in with as little delay as possible. Early potatoes may be planted, choosing a dry, sheltered situation. Continue to sow broad beans for succession, and also peas. There are endless varieties of this grand vegetable, and many people have their own favourite variety. We generally find Little Gem and Daisy suitable for this month’s sowing. Onions may be transplanted. Seed should be sown not later than August. Continue to plant out cabbage and cauliflower. Sow saladings every ten days where a succession is required. The first sowing of early earrots ean be got in. Parsnip may be sown on deeply-dug or trenched ground. Roses should be pruned this month and given a liberal dressing of decayed manure. Spring-flowering bulbs are advancing in growth, and the plots or borders occupied by these should have the soil loosened around them and all weeds removed. Carnations, Hollyhocks, pansies, antirrhinums, etc., ean be planted out when the weather is suitable and the soil in a workable condition. Edgings, such as Golden Feather, Scheveria, Golden Thyme, etc., should be got into place without delay. Dig over any vacant piece of ground in readiness for later plantings. Where seedlings are being raised in frames or greenhouse, see that plenty of air is admitted without cold draughts. Unless this be carefully attended to the seedlings will get “drawn” and will never make nice hardy, “stocky” plants. Continue pruning and regulating the branches of fruit trees, and where these have not received their winter wash this should be attended to at once. August is a suitable month for grafting fruit trees and we hope to give details of this interesting operation in another issue. NEW AUSTRALIAN ROSE. A new deep crimson rose of Australian raising is “Lady Chelmsford.” Thgvariety is announced for the first time, and hails from Queensland. It conies with the qualification rose growers generally are looking for, as it is said to be the finest everblooming rose yet raised in Australia, and is quite choice for garden or show purposes. The col our is a deep crimson, changing to purple. This is a colour that is wanted in free bloomers, especially of show form. Queensland is to be congratulated on the lead she is giving the rose garden of Victoria in raising Australian varieties. Queensland begins with varieties quite good, and distinct. Victoria has not yet even, with its National Bose Society, made a beginning.