THE FARM GARDEN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 5, 20 May 1916, Page 404

THE FARM GARDEN.

W. H. TAYLOR,

Manager, Arataki Horticultural Station

VEGETABLE-CULTURE.

No opportunity should be lost to improve the soil. Deep working of the soil is the only way to secure good crops all the year round. During winter deeply worked soil is required to increase warmth by lowering the water-table. In summer-time deeply worked soil holds moisture. At all times it increases the growth of plants by enabling them to make stronger roots. Roots deep down are less affected by adverse weather, whether it be extreme heat or cold, than are those near the surface. Deep trenching renders valuable many substances that would otherwise be wasted. Weeds of every description can be utilized if put deep down. Even dock-roots will rot if put down 2 ft. from the surface. Cabbage-stalks and all garden and house rubbish can be worked in, and will make otherwise poor soil rich. These matters should be seen to while the soil is easy to

work, being moist from rain, as the work is comparatively cheaply done while these conditions prevail.

Asparagus tops should be cut down level with the ground. If planted in lines on the flat — modern —lightly fork the ground over and give a dressing of - stable or - farmyard - manure. Too much manure cannot be given, though ■' excessive dressings are not really necessary. I have been several times asked if it is necessary or right to lay the crowns bare by dragging away the soil, and leave them. in that condition through winter. Some growers are known to do this. My belief is that the practice is the result of a mistake caused by confounding two distinct methods of culture. On the Continent of Europe, particularly in France, they prefer white asparagus. The same is required by canning-factories. British people prefer green stems. It is the green stems our method is intended to produce. For the production of white stems the plants are grown in rows usually 4 ft. apart, and the plants not nearer than 3 ft. to each other in the rows. In spring, before growth begins, ridges are thrown up with a plough or other means, so as to cover the plants many inches deep with soil. The heads make their way through the ridge and are cut low down. The result is heads 12 in. or more long that are white up to the top. The ridges are torn down in autumn when the annual cutting-down is done, the soil being left level till fresh ridges are thrown up the next spring. Note that the crowns are not laid bare. It is this method of treating asparagus that leads people who do not understand the matter to say that the French people grow better asparagus than we do. It is .just the same, but blanched instead of green. Winter rhubarb should be encouraged to grow by keeping the soil clean and open. Manure it if required—a thing that is not likely to be overdone, as rhubarb will take as much manure as may be given.. These varieties may be planted now or at any time desired, though the best results are obtained by sowing seed early in summer. Cover seakale by boxes surrounded with fermenting manure for forcing. Any one having a heated greenhouse can force the heads beneath the benches. The crowns are to be lifted, placed as close together as possible in large pots or in boxes, and covered effectually to keep them dark. When this plan is adopted the plants are raised annually from whips of the roots, to provide the necessary crowns. Plant cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce aS soon as the plants from the autumn sowing: are strong enough. Be sure to plant two kinds of cauliflower, one early and one a large kind, at the same time,, as that is the only way to avoid a break in the supply. This . planting is important, because it provides for the spring and early summer supply. • ”

In some districts— Bay .is one—the best crops of peas are from those sown in May. Be sure to sow two kinds at the same time—a dwarf and a ‘ medium-tall variety. They will succeed each other. If for any reason it should be decided to sow one kind only, this should not be a true dwarf, as a medium-height variety would give better returns, though a week or two later. SMALL FRUITS. Loganberries are best grown on new rods every. year. There is seldom any difficulty in securing a sufficiency each season. The old rods should be cut out if there are enough young ones for fruiting. If there are not, some of those. that fruited last season may be kept. They will fruit again if the bearing-twigs are reduced to short spurs. Gooseberries may be pruned as soon as the leaves are off. Remember that there is nothing gained by having a crowded bush, and . the latter, is a constant nuisance. If the branches are kept open to light they will give their best, and only then. Prune so as -to secure a bush that is so open , that fruit can be gathered in comfort. Such a bush has as much wood as it can properly furnish with fruit. Cut out branches where necessary. The young growths in the centre should. be reduced to spurs, and those on the outside shortened to strong buds. Keep an open centre. Red and white currants should be kept to a single main stem. They should not be allowed to throw up stems from under the ground. Keep a perfectly open centre. All shoots except leaders should be reduced to short spurs. They never bear fruit on young wood. Shorten leaders to about io in. Black currants should be allowed to stool.. ‘ Underground shoots provide a means for frequently renewing the bush and ’an . effectual method for defeating the borer. The latter takes time to destroy a branch, which can be replaced by new wood. The black currant bears on the wood made the preceding. season as well as the older wood. Advantage should be taken, of this habit by leaving , young shoots where needed. A hollow centre should not be grown, and the bush need not be kept so open as gooseberries and red currants, but the branches should not be crowded. THE FLOWER-GARDEN. Planting of every description can be undertaken, due allowance being made for local conditions. Planting should never be done while the soil is in a sodden state. Unless the soil ’is in good working-condition the roots of plants will not take to it. There are physical reasons also against planting in wet ground, or, indeed,

working it at all. Planting may include roses, which should be planted without pruning if put in before the middle of June. After that time the advantage of autumn planting is lost, and pruning should precede planting.

Herbaceous perennials, such as phlox, rudbeckia, perennial sunflowers, &c., become worn after several years. These should be dug and sufficient taken from the outside of the clumps to plant back. Few things do well without such attention; the clumps get . too wide. There are exceptions to this rule. . Solomon’s seal, dielytra, hoteias, geums, and things of like nature improve instead of deteriorating as they become larger. All bulbs still out of the ground should be got in at once. Seedlings in boxes should be pricked off in good time. Wallflowers that have filled their boxes would 'be best transferred to the open ground in nurse-beds, to remain there. till the ground is ready for them ; or plant them in their proper place if convenient. When digging and manuring the garden, do not dig deeply round such things as azaleas, rhododendrons, kalmias, camellias, or other fine-rooted shrubs. There is not any advantage to be gained in manuring such plants. More likely it will ,do harm by injuring the flowers.