THE FARM GARDEN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 1, 20 July 1916, Page 73

THE FARM GARDEN.

W. H. TAYLOR,

Manager, Arataki Horticultural Station

VEGETABLE-CULTURE.

Onions. —Though onion-seed will have been sown in many .places, there are other locations where it should not have been put in yet. In order to make a commercial success of onions the. soil should be of the best, yet in the smaller operations of a domestic

garden any soil, with a little extra care, can be made to grow them well, provided it be properly drained and also not too dry. In many instances dry soil is improved by draining, and always by trenching. Light soil may well be treated to heavy, rich manure heavy soil to drier, more strawy stuff. Wood ashes, burnt soil, road-sand, or rubbish from the cleaning -up of the garden after decaying in a heap, are all good for lightening the soil; so also is ’ quicklime. Lime should be applied some weeks before the soil is put in use, for its first effect on stiff soil is to make it pasty and stiffer; but . after the ground is broken up again to let air into the soil the desired loosening effect is observed. Firm soil and an even surface are necessary — soil to prevent the seed sinking too low, and an - even surface to enable the drawing of drills to an equal depth. The surface should be trodden firmly before drawing the drills, and a rake run over after .'treading. The seed . may be put in with a Planet Jr. driller or by' hand. In the latter case the drills are best closed up by using the heels of one’s bootsan old plan that cannot be beaten, as it ensures perfect covering at the proper depth. • After sowing, pass the rake lightly over the ground in a direction opposite to that in which the drills were drawn, so as to remove all footmarks. This will also have the effect of preventing rain settling in the drills. If rain should close the surface of the soil it must be loosened with a sharp rake. After the plants are up the soil must be kept open. They never thrive when the surface soil is allowed to set. Onions from seed sown in autumn should be transplanted. Giant kinds, such as Ailsa Craig, should be planted 12 in. apart; half that distance for such sorts as Brown Spanish. As a fertilizer soot is excellent; apply enough to. slightly cover the ground without concealing it. Superphosphate and bonedust mixed should be given at the rate of about 3 oz. per square yard. . Apply this before sowing or planting. Nitrate of soda may be applied when the plants are well up —2 oz. per square yard.

Other Vegetables. With the advent of August periodical sowing of turnips should commence. Early Milan appears to be the quickest variety. It is not so good as most white kinds, so should be used ' only for the first crop. Sow a small area of carrot. Put in an early kind; Nantes Horn is good ; leave the sowing of the main crop till later on. Plant and sow lettuce. Sow broad beans, also peas. Plant and sow cabbages and ‘ cauliflowers. Plant rhubarb of the summer kinds.; Myatt’s Linnaeus is "considered to be the best all-round variety. Plant divisions of ■old roots that have two or three good crowns; plant at least

30 in. apart, and work in, plenty of manure. Asparagus - beds should be put in order..- If planted on the flat lightly fork the surface and . give a dressing, of salt at the rate of 4 oz. per square yard; this will kill slugs' and young weeds, and also act as a fertilizer. If in - beds throw the soil . removed earlier on to the top of the manure, then give salt as indicated above. Asparagusplanting was fully dealt with last month. Plant Jerusalem artichokes in rows 4 ft. apart, the sets about 15 in. apart. The sets should be of medium sizenot large nor too small. The old red variety is better than the white kind. Sow parsley as a matter of course, and such other herbs as are wanted may be planted or raised from seed. ,

SMALL FRUITS.

Strawberries. —August is, in my opinion, the best time to plant strawberries, as the soil is in good condition, the temperature steadily rising, and continuous growth is assured —a great advantage - with any crop, especially so with strawberries. Madam Melba appears to be the most ' reliable variety. It is certainly good, and is a very persistent fruiter even on young plants. There are many ways of planting strawberries. Planting in rows 30 in. apart, with the plants 15 in. apart in the row, answers well for ordinary purposes in the garden. As fertilizers, apply at once superphosphate r| oz., bonedust 1 oz., sulphate of potash 1 oz., nitrate of soda 1 oz., all per square yard. These quantities may seem small, but they work out at an aggregate of over 11 cwt. per acre.

Loganberries are now a deservedly popular fruit. They are best grown where the rods can be properly controlled. They may be trained to a wall or supported by wire trellises. For the latter method ordinary fence-posts serve the purpose, and the best manner of wiring is three wires on each side of the post. The rods are trained up between the wires. The plan of training is to renew the rods every year; that is to say, they are fruited once, then cut out, new ones being laid in each year. Where there are double sets of wires the fruiting-rods are tied to one side and the new ones ,to the other side. Thus the fruit is on opposite sides each year. The advantage of this method is that the new rods, being separate from those fruiting, are not crowded and can make better growth. There is also a great advantage in handling.

Other Small Fruits. Planting' of all other small fruits such as raspberries, currants, and gooseberries should be finished at once.

Cape gooseberry plants should be put out as soon as danger from frost is past.

THE FLOWER-GARDEN.

Planting trees and shrubs should be completed as soon as possible. . Most things can be transplanted at this time. Seedlings from seed sown ■in the autumn should be got out, as these are usually hardy subjects. Half-hardy annuals should be sown at’ once. These include aster, ten-week stocks; salpiglossis, zinnias, and things of that class ; also nemesias, which are not tender.

Lilies ,of all kinds may be transplanted. They should be planted deeply, as they tend to rise in the ground; 12 in. is deep enough for most sorts, but large bulbs of auratum should be planted deeper. The different families of ’ herbaceous iris may be planted. The most important section is the Japanese. They do well in ordinary good soil which does not become too dry.

Many of the camellias will have- done flowering, and now is the time to do any pruning they may require. jßushes that have become overgrown . may be cut back to any extent desired, even to mere stumps; they usually break again quite freely. A lesser amount of pruning may be required to keep the bushes well furnished, or even thinning out to prevent crowding. As this is the period when camellias make their growth and perfect buds for next season’s flowers, now is the time to manure them. It is not always necessary to give them stable manure, though this is never amiss if applied as a mulch, which, in fact, is the best way to give it at all times. Rain or. the hose will wash it in, and the littery parts will serve to keep the sun out.