LIFE IN THE GARDEN

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 26 April 1911, Page 38

LIFE IN THE GARDEN

Official Organ of rhe Rev/Zealand <sweet Pea Society and Auckland Horticultural OoCiely. ‘

By

Veronica.

All communications for “Veronica” should be addressed to “(Iraphic” Office, Auckland. Secretaries of Horticultural Societies are invited to send us short reports of their proceedings, and also any items of interest to Horticulturists. Photographs of Flowers, Fruits or New or Ga/rden Scenes, will be icelcomed.

SHOW DATES. Schedules may be obtained on application to the Secretaries. Napier Amateur Horticultural Society’s Chrysanthemum Show. May 3. Canterbury Horticultural' Society. — Chrysanthemum Show, May —, 1911. Secretary, Miss E. Sneyd Smith. Manchester Street, Christchurch. GARDEN NOTES. Crops which are done with should have all refuse cleared oil* and burned before the heavy winter rains fall. We advocate burning on the refuse heap in order to destroy all weed seeds and spores. The compost heap should be turned, and some unslacked lime mixes in when doing so. Composts should always be worked over when in a dry condition, and the raw material always placed in the lM)ttoni layer. All vacant pieces of ground should be dug or forked over or trenched where necessary, and either left in a rough con-

dition exposed to the elements, or sown down with oats, barley, or mustard, which later on can be turned down as green manuring. Onions can be sown for transplanting, and also a small patch of carrots and turnips. A sowing of early peas of some hardy sort may be made. Pride of the Market, although not the earliest, is a good kind for the season. Broad beans, either Longpods or Windsors, can be planted in rows 2.lft apart and tin between the beans. Keep the hoe going amongst cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, and all other growing crops, earthing up as they advance in growth. Don’t neglect to thin but growing crops of turnips, carrots, etc. Kumeras should be dug and stored away in a dry, eool place; pumpkins, piemelons, squashes, etc., can be carefully gathered and stored if the ground on which they are growing should be needed for other purposes, but experience shows that these keep better if left on the vines as long as possible. Of course, where rats or mice abound they must be lifted and stored where these pests cannot reach them—not always an easy undertaking.

Elevated shelves erected outside, and so constructed that a eat can get around, we have found the safest means of keeping these winter vegetables. The planting of potato onions, tree onions, shallots, and garlic can be put in hand during the month. These will grow on almost any soil if fairly rich. Potato onions will grow where seed is not successful. Asparagus beds should be top-dressed, all old stems cut down; fork over the surface soil, and then dress with stable manure 4in thick; some salt, or kainit. should be scattered on the manure. Sow sweet peas in pots, boxes, or in open —red lead the seed before sowing to protect against mice. Plant out anemones, ranunculus, early gladioli, and other bulbs in their flowering quarters this month. Cut down harbaceous perennial plants which have done flowering, and, where required, propagate by dividing the roots. Aquilegias are best left undisturbed till spring before subdividing. Plant out layers of carnations and picotees into beds or borders prepared for their reception.