THE FARM GARDEN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 3, Issue 5, 15 November 1911, Page 422

THE FARM GARDEN.

W. H. Taylor.

Rhubarb is frequently a much ill-used crop ; its -chief value is when' it is available for use early in spring— period " preceding gooseberries. It is only by correct management that it can be had at that time. Some places are not suitable for the growth of the plant. It is important that there should be sufficient moisture at the roots in dry weather to support the succulent growth, a deeply cultivated soil, and plenty of humus. There must be sufficient drainage to prevent the roots becoming waterlogged in- winter, or the crowns will suffer. The lines of treatment to follow are : there should be nothing pulled the first season after planting ; the plants should be left entire, in order that they may be well established. The second season, if all goes well, strong stalks should be ready in the spring ; then, when pulling, each clump should be stripped as wanted. The second growth is quickly made, and a second crop can be usually secured. Pulling must cease by the end of January, as the last crop should be left to mature, its function being to build up a crown, in order to ensure an early crop in the following season. Each plantation should give good stalks during two years pullingthat is to say, the life of a bed is three years from planting. The following winter the clumps should be taken up and divided, pieces with one, two, or three crowns being taken for replanting. It will be necessary to have two beds planted in different years to keep up an unbroken supply. It is not uncommon for the .autumn crop to be used for making jam or wine. Where this is done, however, there is never any spring rhubarb, for though the crowns may survive the winter, they are too weak to give good —they must then perform in spring the building-up process that should have been done in autumn. Consequently, it will be mid-summer before usable stalks will appear. The only time when the late crop should be used is the last season of puffing before transplanting. Only a portion of the crowns will be required for dividing. Unless there is to be extension of the bed the area it is calculated will not be' required may be pulled from as long as there is anything on "it.

Tomato-plants should be established by now. The only attention they will require for a time ,is to remove side .. shoots. Determine the mode of training to be adopted — one, two, or three main,stems. Pinch off all others as soon as they show, care being taken, however, mot

to pinch off flower-stems or the large leaves on the : main stems; Watering the plants to encourage growth should not be resorted to unless necessary.In many districts the plants usually grow all too strong without watering. 7 ■

Cabbage-plants may be put out unless sufficient were planted previously. If that has.been done it is not wise to plant now for succession, a procedure quite unnecessary, as previously explained.

Cauliflower-plants, from seed sown in September, should now be of some size. These should receive proper attention, for if they survive the so-called fly they come into use at Easter, a period when they are specially valuable, for at that time, bo th peas and French beans are all but past, while broccoli is not yet in use. Cauliflowers are touchy subjects in summer ; any check is liable to-cause them to prematurely button, when they are of course quite useless. The young plants should be pricked off into beds of light rich soil, with sufficient room to grow without crowding until they are large enough to plant out. By this means they are kept growing without danger of starving each other, as they are liable to do in the seedbed, and the fine stock of roots they have when put out finally enable them to go.ahead with scarcely any check. .

The summer supply of vegetables is not usually, a matter of difficulty.. Provided the soil is good enough, and there is sufficient moisture, it is. easily provided for. Peas and beans usually come all right, and the fly does not do much harm till towards the end of summer, when it will have had time to raise a few more generations, so that cabbages are generally safe till then. For the winter supply, however, things are not so easy. Foot crops fortunately, are reliableparsnips, carrots, and artichokes ; while the gourd —marrows and pumpkins —are always safe. But the green crops and turnips are quite problematical. The fly having been very bad last season, is almost sure to be worse still this season if the weather should prove to be dry. As a small crop in a private garden it is possible to save cabbages, &c., from the fly if —and the “ if ” is very important is water available to keep the plants growing. No amount of spraying will avail unless you can keep : the plants growing. This shows the wisdom of not relying, entirely on the Brassica family to supply green vegetables. Both spinach and silver-beet are immune from the fly, and they never fail. Silver-beet affords two distinct dishes-the green matter stripped from the midrib, as it always should be, and the midribs ; these, when stewed and served with thickened sauce, make an excellent dish. The beet may be sown now if desired ; it will continue to produce all summer and winter. Or, if more convenient, the seed may be kept till January : there is then time to get it fit for winter use.

, Spinach sown during summer is a very short-lived crop. It bolts to seed very quickly. Therefore, if wanted in summer, sow little and often. For winter use the seed should be sown in the third week of February. It

will stand all winter, and will go to seed in the spring. New Zealand spinach is a holding crop, and sown now would remain in use till. next spring or early summer. It is very productive, being similar to ordinary spinach, but with smaller leaves. It has a branching habit, hence its productiveness. Some think the variety known as prickly, or winter, spinach is the New Zealand variety. This is wrong. Round spinach is the best variety. Artichokes that are well above ground should be moulded up. like potatoes. All the gourd family, pumpkins, &c., should be in the ground before now, if not, sowing should not be delayed. Rotation work includes sowing peas, French beans, radish, lettuce, turnips, but in small quantities as regards the two last named. Golden cress is very useful as a salad of the cut-and-come-again type. It looks very pretty if sown along the edge of a path. , Asparagus planted this season should not be cut from even if strongenough, and very little should be cut from beds planted last season ; none at all is best. From older beds all the stems, largo and small, should be cut. The thin heads are nice in soup. Cutting should cease as soon as the early peas are fit for use.