GENERAL GARDEN WORK.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 23, 8 December 1909, Page 39

GENERAL GARDEN WORK.

Oy J 1 NNUALS such as petunias, bal- / | earns, phlox drummondii, may | still be planted out. These are best planted in the evenings, and should be drenched with pure water before removing from the boxes, and also give plenty of water at roots before covering in. Dahlias and chrysanthemums may still be planted. Dahlias already set out should .be well staked and thinned out. where necessary. Mulching is of great importance during this dry weather. Tie up delphiniums and water .with liquid manure. Carnations ami picotees should be .mulched, if possible, and where fine blooms are required, thin out the buds, tying up those left. Bulbs, as they ripen, should be lifted, carefully labelled, and stored away in dry, cool cellar. Rhododendrons and camellias will be all the better for a thorough watering occasionally. Roses are now in full bloom; they should have liquid manure applied to the roots once or twice a week. Remove all faded blooms, as if allowed to form seed the plants are considerably weakened. Keep the hoe going to kill seedling weeds, as they appear. In t'he vegetable garden kumaras may still be planted. Tomatoes for late crops can be set out; thin out and tie up those advancing. Sugar corn can be sown in well-manured soil. Late crops of cucumber may be put in. Sow kidney beans and runner beans, and a few peas for succession. Spray potatoes with Bordeaux mixture, (let land dug ready to plant cauliflower, cabbage, etc., as soon as rain falls. Transplant celery into prepared trenches, giving a liberal supply of manure and water until the plants get a start. Celery trenches should be a foot deep, 11 feet wide, an 1 41 feet between the trenches; six inches of well-rotted manure is not too much for this crop. Keep garden paths free from weeds. Now is a favou'i'aible season for the tarring and sanding of garden paths. A free use of tar and sand on these paths is an immense saving of labour. A Strawberry Census. The ‘’Garil'iner’rt Chronicle” htw -published an interesting census concerning this

fruit. Nearly 200 cultivators sent replies to the questions, the majority being private gardeners, and include.l maiket gardeners, nurserymen, and fruitgrowers. The replies came from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The results in a census of this kind .merely indicate what varieties are grown and appreciated most commonly, and do not determine which are really the better sorts. How far this census .may apply to or be of service in New Zealand cannot be determined at present, but we Consider the subject of great importance, anil may be the .means of helping in some measure to encourage the growing of this popular dessert fruit, by indicating the varieties in greatest favour in the Old Country. One thing the result of the census demonstrates is the extraordinary popularity of the variety known as Royal Sovereign, which in the Old Land is cultivated in many gardens to the exclusion of all other varieties. The list given is an elaborate one, and includes all receiving two votes or over. We condense the list, giving the names of all varieties having nine votes or over. BEST EARLY STRAWBERRIES. Royal Sovereign 210 G'.i ribaldi 91 The Laxton 24 Leader 17 Black Prince Hi Keen’s Seedling 14 La Grosse Sucrie 14 Noble 12 Sir Joseph Paxton 10 Ml DSEA SON ST RAW BE R RIES. Sir Joseph Paxton 71 President 07 Fill basket 40 Royal Sovereign 39 Reward 31 Bedford Champion 30 Leader 25 British Queen Hi '1 he Bedford 14 Monarch 12 The Laxton 12 Countess 10 Dr. Hogg 9 Grinton Park 9 LATE STRAW BERRI ES. Givon’s Late Prolific .... 131 Waterloo 70 Laxton’s Latest .■ 01 Latest of All 53 Elton Pine 34 'Trafalgar 13 Eleanor 12