Busy Season in Many Gardens Starts in September

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 2, 15 August 1949, Page 109

Busy Season in Many Gardens Starts in September

By

A. G. KEN NELLY,

Vegetable Instructor,

Department of Agriculture, Christchurch.

r ’HOUGH there is always work to be done in most -*■ home gardens, a special effort is usually necessary in September. The month is regarded in many districts as the beginning of the busy season. The ground, even in the colder districts, has warmed sufficiently to enable the seed of all hardy plants to grow satisfactorily, and in a few of the more-favoured districts even frost-tender subjects such as dwarf and runner beans, pumpkin, marrow, squash, and cucumber may be sown outside.

IN general the most important work is seed sowing, but the setting out of plants raised from seed sown earlier will also be important in many gardens, as the setting out of well-grown plants now is the only way by which home gardeners in some districts can avoid the break in continuity of supply which is liable to occur after the finish of the winter and early-spring crops.

Tomatoes, celery, capsicum, Cape gooseberries, egg plants, melons, cucumbers, and celeriac can be sown under glass, though in most southern districts or where the last killing frost may occur as late as the first or second week in November there is no hurry yet to sow seed of cucumber, marrow, pumpkin, and squash for growing out of doors. Seed of brussels sprouts, leeks, and cauliflower can, however, be sown under glass or, where conditions are favourable, in the open.

Seedlings of lettuce, silver beet, summer cabbage, and cauliflower can be set out or gaps filled in earlier-planted crops. Early-planted potatoes will need protection. from frost and a. successional planting can be made, though, except in favourable situations, the planting of the main crop is best deferred until the first or second week in October.

Tubers of Jerusalem artichokes can still be set out and in exposed situations broad beans may require support. It can be provided by strings tied at suitable heights to stout stakes placed at 5 to 6ft. intervals along the sides of the bean rows. In many districts peas will need protection from birds. Netting or cotton stretched over the rows is effective, though a dusting of lime, superphosphate, or sawdust is sometimes satisfactory.

Maintenance of Fertility

Though soils vary in their capacity for continued high production, under continued cultivation all soils sooner or later begin to decline in fertility unless a programme is followed which includes such factors as rotation and the addition of suitable organic matter such as farmyard manure, preferably supplemented by artificial fertilisers. In the home garden, as elsewhere, the stage at which the decline is checked or the fertility rebuilt depends on the skill and knowledge of the cultivator and the facilities at his disposal.

Experienced gardeners appreciate the improvement brought about by the addition of organic matter to the soil. The average larger-sized, well-worked home garden in New Zealand could be kept in a state of high fertility by the addition annually of the best part of a ton of organic matter such as good-quality farmyard or stable manure. That means an annual dressing of about 71b. per square yard to the larger-sized garden of about 1/16 acre and is much more than is practicable for a majority of home gardeners, most of whom have to rely on the growing and digging in of green crops and .the digging in of garden and household residues available. Shortage of organic matter for applying to the soil is not, however, .a problem that is confined to home gardeners. It is also a problem in market gardens in most parts of the world where intensive production confined to restricted areas is coupled with the replacement in the area of animals by machines for most farm and industrial work. Not many years ago annual applications of goodquality stable manure at the rate of 20 or 30 tons to the

acre (10 to 151 b. per square yard) and sometimes very much more were not considered exceptional and were in fact often regarded as the minimum necessary for maintaining fertility.

The steady but consistent decline in the amount of such organic manure available, together . with a greater awareness on the part of the public of the nutritional value of vegetables and a consequent greater demand for more and better-quality vegetables, led to a considerable amount of research into the problem of the maintenance of a high standard of fertility on inten-sively-cultivated land. In general it has been found that where the soil is in reasonably good condition it is most economic to apply moderate quantities of farmyard manure (say, 3 to 51b. per square yard annually) supplemented by artificial (usually mineral) fertilisers; in addition, many crops produce their highest yields when manured this way.

Supplementing Plant Nutrients

If the soil is adequately supplied with well-rotted organic matter, which may have its source as compost, green manure, garden residues, or animal manure, the home gardener should at this time of year consider to what extent it is advisable to supplement the plant nutrient reserves of his soil with artificial manures. Where a considerable area of a particular crop is grown it is usual to apply those fertilisers that it is considered are most needed by it. However, in the home garden different crops are usually so closely spaced and the area of each often so small that the work of weighing and making up different fertiliser mixtures, which may or may not give optimum results on the particular soil to which they are to be applied, is usually rather tedious. Though almost every book on gardening recommends a different fertiliser mixture for each kind of vegetable crop, practically all re T commendations differ to some extent; some differ very widely. Some are based on research or trials on a particular soil or range of soils and others on what particular range and ratio of nutrients it is considered are required by the crop to be grown.

Home gardeners can therefore usually save themselves much trouble and are unlikely to experience any reduction in yield if they apply a complete fertiliser to the whole garden at the beginning of the growing season and confine to side dressings any later applications of fertiliser that may be considered necessary.

The “complete” fertiliser is complete only as far as it contains the principal plant nutrients, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. However, it is very important that there should be a reasonable balance between the three. On most New Zealand soils the following will give good results: 71b. of sulphate of ammonia, 211 b. of blood and bone, 141 b. of superphosphate, and 61b. of muriate of potash or preferably sulphate of potash.

The ingredients should be well mixed and the mixture applied at the rate of lib. to 10 sq. yds. The soil should first be dug and the mixture then raked or lightly forked in. Thus, about 301 b. would be needed for a 1/16

acre . garden (that is, an area about 60 x 50ft. or 90 x 30ft.). The remainder can be used to dig in extra dressings to potatoes or tomatoes or to topdress crops such as spring cabbage. The total amount of mixture can be reduced or increased proportionately according to the size of the garden, but the relative amounts of each ingredient should remain the same unless it is desired to alter the ratio of the essential elements. That is not advised, however, unless the home gardener has certain essential information about his soil and the needs of the particular crops he intends to grow. . Applying Fertilisers Following is a useful table for comparing fertiliser applications in home gardens with those for larger areas: — Fertilisers Equivalent rate per acre . per sq. yd. cwt. oz. 1 0.37 2 0.74 3 1. 1 I 4 1.48 5 1.85 6 2.22 7 . 2.59 8 ' 2.96 9 3.33 10 3.70

Asparagus Established asparagus beds. . should be kept free; from weeds and may be fed with liquid manure. Liquid manure made from organic material such as farmyard or poultry manure is excellent not the least of its advantages being its safety of application. As an alternative nitrate of soda or sulphate

of ammonia applied at the rate of loz. per square yard and watered in will give good results. Dried blood is sometimes used, but apart from the fact that there is more delay at this time year than is desirable before it breaks down and the nutrients it contains become available, on light sandy soils lacking in organic matter late dressings of dried blood sometimes give a rather musty flavour to the shoots when cooked, It ; t t 1 t f n 1 „ n+ n beds an d in the south condiS are often mVe conducive to t growth n s “ ptember than £ August. The ground should be prepared by being deeply dug and cleared of weeds. Good drainage is essential and field drains should be installed if the condition of the ground warrants their

use. Though asparagus succeeds in soil deficient in organic matter, young plants establish better in beds that have been dressed with well-rotted organic matter some time before planting. One-year crowns are best. Plants should be set out as advised in last month’s “Journal.” Broad Beans Broad beans> will succeed in most well-drained, fertile soils that do not dry out. Though primarily a coolweather vegetable, broad beans can still be . sown in most districts. They will not thrive if the soil is sour, and if necessary, lime should be applied at the rate of at least 2 to 4oz. per square yard. Lime is best applied some time before sowing.

Broad beans do well in .a fairly heavy, well-drained soil that has been thoroughly cultivated and into which has been dug a moderate supply of well-rotted organic material such as compost or farmyard manure. The ground should be deeply dug well before sowing. Yields are usually in-. creased where the organic. matter in the. soil is supplemented by a com-

plete fertiliser (one containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash) applied at the rate -of about 2 to 3oz. P® r square yard, though on many fer- “ S & th? superphos--407 nersouare vard the nroved satisS Per square yard, has proved satis ld eioiy. Beans should be sown in double rows about lOin. apart with the seed

“staggered” or placed in diagonal pattern about 4 to 6in. apart and about 2in. deep in a shallow trench usually about 3in. deep. A trench is not essential, but one is easily drawn out with a hoe and is useful where it is intended to earth the plants up later, as the greater planting depth will enable plants to be stabilised better.

Two main types of broad bean are grown in. New Zealand: The broadpodded or Windsor type and the longpodded type. Examples of each are Broad Windsor and Early Longpod. The long-podded varieties are earlier, though the broad-podded varieties are usually considered to have a better flavour. Small-podded varieties are also sold by some seedsmen. They may be tall or dwarf, but as the tall varieties are low yielding and do not have the advantages of compactness and ability to resist boisterous conditions, only , the dwarf or fan-podded varieties • can be recommended.

Carrots

Seed of carrots should be sown as soon as soil conditions are favourable. Several small successional sowings are preferable to one large one in most home gardens. Carrots are easy to grow and are high yielding. They thrive in deep, rich, well-drained, and well-cultivated soils that contain adequate well-rotted organic matter. When sown thinly on light, freeworking, sandy loams or peat soils they do not require thinning. Where thinning is necessary it can often be delayed with advantage until the plants are large enough to be used in soups, salads, or stews.

Where the carrot rust fly is troublesome sowing should be arranged so that it falls between the main egglaying periods. Care must be taken, too, to refirm the soil after thinning and to water the remaining roots copiously and remove all traces of thinnings. The maggot, which damages the roots, is very difficult to control and a repellant such as horticultural naphthalene should be dusted. on the foliage and 6in. on either side of the rows at the rate of 4oz. to 20ft. of row at intervals of 10 to 14 days to keep away the egg-laying fly. It should be applied regularly, as it is volatile, but application should be stopped 14 days, before harvesting or there may be some residual flavour of naphthalene after cooking.

The rust fly should not be confused with aphides, which are green or light green and usually very numerous. They may be wingless or have transparent wings. They suck the sap and stunt the growth, so that young plants may wilt in hot weather. Many tiny white specks present are the cast skins of the aphides. The foliage may take on a bronzing or a bluish or reddish hue and the petioles become distorted.

Aphides are easily controlled by regular spraying with nicotine sulphate 1:600 (loz. of nicotine sulphate to 4 gallons of water) plus 2oz. of soap, which should be dissolved in a little hot water first. The leaves of the carrots must be thoroughly covered with spray. A still and preferably warm day should be chosen for spraying if possible. Though carrots thrive in deep, rich, well-drained, • and well-cultivated soils, care should be taken when building

up the humus content to apply only well-rotted material in limited quantity so that when incorporated it forms a homogeneous mass with the soil; otherwise misshapen or forked roots may result. Manure should be well rotted and the best results are usually obtained from planting in ground that was heavily dressed with organic manure for the previous crop. Where the soil is reasonably well supplied with organic matter carrots respond well to moderate dressings of artificial manure.

It is not possible to give a formula for a manurial dressing that will give optimum results on all soils, but a complete fertiliser highest in phosphoric acid and relatively low in both nitrogen and potash is likely to give good results on a wide range of soils. Such a fertiliser could be made up, for instance, by mixing (by weight) 3 parts of sulphate of ammonia, 8 parts of superphosphate, and 1 part of sulphate or muriate of potash. Alternatively, the dressing given on page 111, though rather high in nitrogen, should give fairly satisfactory results. a On most soils fertiliser dressings should be applied at the rate of about 2 to 3oz. per square yard. Though carrots are fairly tolerant of moder-ately-acid conditions, any deficiency of lime can be remedied on most soils by the application of 2 to 3oz. of lime per square yard.

To ensure that germination is good the seed-bed should be worked down to a fine tilth. Seed should be sown Jin. deep in rows about 12in. apart. In light soil thinning of most varieties is unnecessary if they have been sown thinly. In heavy soil that tends to compact or where large-rooted varieties are grown plants can be thinned 2 to 4in. apart.. , ■ Half-long and long carrots are preferred in most soils for sowing at this time of the year. Good examples of half-long carrots ■ are Chantenay, Nantes, and Danvers. Long-rooted carrots, for example, St. Valery and Intermediate, are grown by many home gardeners. Where the soil is shallow short carrots are often preferred, examples being Guerande, Oxheart, and Early Gem.

Celery

An early sowing of celery can be made now. To grow the plant successfully it is essential that the temperature should be maintained at well above 50 degrees F. Seed should therefore be sown under glass early in the season, though outdoor sowing is satisfactory later in favoured districts or warm situations.

A celery “seed” is very tiny. It is actually a fruit and the embryo within is minute and relatively weak. Consequently germination is usually poor unless conditions are very favourable. Seed should therefore be sown in a fine, moderately-rich, specially-pre-pared soil and when the seedlings are large enough to handle they should be pricked out about 2| to 2|in. each way in the boxes from which they will ultimately be planted .in the field. Plenty of ventilation is desirable and the seedlings should be kept near the glass so that they do not become drawn up.

Because of the likelihood of damage caused by the leaf spot fungus (Septoria apii), which is often seed borne, it is important to start with clean seed. ■ Infection of seed can be greatly reduced, though not entirely eliminated, .by steeping infected seed for 3 hours in a solution of 1 part of formalin (40 per cent, strength) to 300 parts of water (1 fl. oz. to 15 pints of water). Another method of treating the seed is' to place it in a muslin bag immersed in hot water held at a temperature of exactly 118 degrees F. for half an hour. Afterward the seed should be rinsed with cold water and sown while still wet. Infected seed is usually less dangerous after 3 or 4 years, as the fungus loses its vitality with age. Seed, however, loses much of its germinating capacity with age and the fungus may still remain alive after 8 years. Where the fungus occurs regularly it is advisable to space the seedlings widely and to spray with Bordeaux from the time of pricking out, even before the disease is seen. Varieties

Self-blanching celery is most popular in New Zealand, and varieties such as Golden Plume and Golden SelfBlanching are sold by most seedsmen. The non-self-blanching varieties are, however, well worth a trial, because most are superior in quality and flavour to most varieties of selfblanching celery. Frost-tender Vegetables To obtain early crops where there is danger of frost until late October or even November it is a good plan to

make sowings of such tender plants as pumpkin, marrow, and cucumber under glass. An electrically-heated hotbed is excellent,' though a hotbed of fermenting manure, hops, or other organic material is easily made if fermentable material is available. The recognised safe dates for planting out frost-tender vegetables vary considerably in different districts, and as about a month is required when conditions are favourable to raise seedlings of most cucurbits to a size where they can be planted out with advantage, time of sowing must be correlated with the facilities available for raising the plants and the date of the last killing frost. It is not advisable to sow too early, as cucurbits do. not transplant readily, and difficulty in transplanting and the resultant setback are greater when the plants are large.

In a few parts of the North Island frost-tender vegetables such as dwarf and climbing beans and'cucurbits can be sown out of doors by about midSeptember, but in most districts it is necessary to defer sowing until well on in October or even until early November. Even where protection can be given against frost there is nothing to be gained by sowing in cold, wet ground. Leeks Leeks are one of the most reliable vegetables for the autumn, winter, and spring. Though they, “stand” well in cool, moist conditions, they send up seed heads fairly quickly if subjected to dry, warm conditions, and to ensure a long season of supply it is advisable to make two or three sowings.

Because of cool soil conditions the early sowings in most districts should be made in a box of prepared soil under glass. Later, seed can be sown thinly jin. deep in rows 12in. apart.

The London or Broad Flag is a good variety for sowing now, as it matures a little more quickly than either Musselburgh or Lyon, both of which can, however, be sown if desired.

Potatoes

It is too early yet in most districts to plant main-crop potatoes, though an early planting can be made if the home gardener is prepared to keep the tops earthed up while frosts are heavy enough to cause damage. Tubers should be planted as advised in last month’s “Journal.” It is not necessary to green and sprout tubers before planting, but earlier crops can usually be obtained by sprouting them.

It is important when planting potatoes to plant Government Certified seed. Few vegetables are subject to as many diseases as the potato, and many diseases do not show in the tubers except to the expert. Tubers infected with virus diseases such as leaf roll, mosaic, and crinkle may appear healthy and of a desirable type, yet if it were not for the system of certification, these diseases would reduce the total yield of potatoes in New Zealand by a half or perhaps two-thirds. Virus diseases are transmitted mainly by aphides (green fly), the lower incidence of which in the South Island is the main reason for the growing of most of the Certified seed there.

Apart from the purchase of Certified seed, the important points in potato growing are choice of variety suited to the district, purpose for which the variety is grown. (that is, early, second early, main crop, or late) , soil condition, and < cultivation. Soil can be maintained in good condition by the addition of humus or humus-forming materials, by the judicious application of fertiliser, by suitable rotation of crops, and by drainage where necessary.

The soil for potatoes should preferably be deeply and thoroughly cultivated, as thorough preparation of the soil not only ensures a perfect seedbed, but helps to maintain satisfactory moisture, aeration, and temperature. Soils that have been trenched should, however, be given time to settle before planting commences.

Heavy dressings of organic manure are not advisable just before planting, as they may induce a condition which favours scab. A heavy dressing applied the previous year so that it is thoroughly decomposed .or a green crop dug in some time before planting will, however, usually give satisfactory results, as also will the addition of such material as grass clippings.

Soils which have been heavily limed or heavily dressed with the ashes of the garden bonfire should not be used; the potato is tolerant of acid conditions, and in soils infected with the potato scab organism the growth of the organism will be suppressed if the soil is medium to strongly acid. (Lime gives the soil an alkaline reaction.)

The fertiliser required for potatoes is greatly dependent on the amount of organic matter previously incorporated in the soil, but in general it has been found in Department of Agriculture trials that . a mixture (by weight) of 1 part of sulphate of ammonia and, according to soil type 3 to 5 parts of superphosphate applied at about 1| to 2oz. per yard of row Will give good results. The addition of muriate of potash or preferably sulphate of potash at the rate of about 1/3'oz. to a yard of row will give improved results on many soils and is advised for most home garden soils. As an alternative to the superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia equal parts of superphosphate and blood and bone can be used, The simplest way to plant is.usually to open a trench about 4in. deep and to dust the fertiliser along it. In the home garden rows are usually 2ft. apart and tubers can be placed from 9 .to 14 or 16in. apart in the rows, The wider spacings are favoured for main-crop or very large growing varieties. If the tubers are large, that is, 402. or more, they can be cut into two or more sets if desired. Each should be chunky or cubical and have at least two eyes and a minimum of cut surface.

The important point about planting cut tubers is to ensure that the cut surfaces do not dry out, but heal or callus over promptly. That can be done by planting them immediately they are cut in a soil that is neither too wet nor too dry, or after cutting them leaving the cut surfaces in contact, though they should be broken apart from time to time. Alternatively, they can be kept at a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees F. and a very high humidity for about 7 to 10 days.

Temperature and humidity should, however, be lowered as soon as healing is complete to prevent sprouting, Hygiene is also very important in handling cut tubers, as the tubers are liable to the attack of soft-rotting organisms until the cut surfaces heal, Though the most generally planted potatoes for early crops are Epicure and Arran Banner there are nnnwoiK v + a ? merou ® °ther good varieties listed in most S°pd seedsmens catalogues that are suited to different districts,

Radish „ . . „ . . Small successional sowings of radish should be made as required. Cultural requirements are in general similar to those of beetroot and carrots, but as most varieties mature much more quickly, they are much more sensitive to adverse soil conditions. The soil should be well drained and preferably light, the top 6in. being cultivated to a very fine tilth. .It should be very rich in fine, well-rotted organic matter; well-matured compost is excellent, though improved results are usually obtained if in addition a complete fertiliser is applied at the rate of about 1 to 2oz. per square yard.

Radish usually succeeds best i in a soil that is slightly to moderately acid: Lime is therefore unnecessary on many soils that have been limed for a previous crop, though a light dressing applied preferably some time before sowing is likely to be beneficial on soils in high-rainfall areas. The soil should be gently firmed after cultivation, as the roots do not “bulb” well in loose soil. The soil should never dry out and in midsummer shelter from the sun is advisable;

this is best achieved by sowing summer crops in the shade of a taller crop.

Seed can be sown at any time of the year in well-drained soil, provided there is sufficient moisture and ground temperature is not below about 52 degrees F. The seed should be sown thinly (at the rate of about 12 to 15 to Ift.) Jin. deep in rows. that need be only about 6 to Bin. apart for any except the Chinese varieties. Seed can also be broadcast, though weeding is then more difficult and the beds must not be too wide or harvesting may be difficult without treading on the bed. '

Varieties of radish can be grouped as oval, turnip shaped, long, and giant or Chinese. Any of the smaller or medium-type radish such as French Breakfast, White Icicle, Long Scarlet, or Chartier is suitable for sowing now.

Rhubarb

If it is intended to plant a new bed of rhubarb, the work should be done without delay, Pieces of crown, each with one or two buds, should be chosen, and after any long whippy pieces of root have been trimmed off the pieces of crown should be planted (with the tops covered by about lin. of soil) 24 to 30in. apart in the rows, with, the rows 30 to 36in. apart according to the vigour and habit of growth of the variety.

It is difficult to apply too much organic manure to established rhubarb during the growing season and the ground on which a new bed is to be established should be liberally dressed with organic matter such as compost ■or stable, farmyard, or poultry manure, preferably some time before planting. In moist, well-drained soils adequately ' supplied with organic matter rhubarb responds well to artificial fertilisers. The complete fertiliser advised on page 111 will give .good results. It can be applied at .3 to 7oz. per square yard, but if the heavier dressings are given, it is very important to incorporate them thoroughly throughout the root area.

Established rhubarb plants are easily by covering the crowns with a box or pile of straw to retain heat .and as a protection against frost, which though unlikely to damage the leaves which develop under normal conditions, will quickly bring about the destruction of exposed leaves which have been forced into early .growth by artificial means. Early •varieties should be chosen for forcing. Forced rhubarb has less development «of the. leaf blade and the stalks are more tender and sweet than rhubarb grown under ordinary conditions.

Silver Beet, Spinach Beet, and . Spinach Leaf beets and spinach are health,giving vegetables- that are worthy of .'a place in practically every home garden. Silver beet or Swiss chard differs from spinach beet in its upright habit of growth and large leaves, •which have broad, white or whitish •midribs. Spinach beet is sometimes called perpetual spinach (beet) and is

a form of silver beet with smaller leaves which arise from a basal crown. It is one of the most useful of the leaf beets, because unless conditions are hot and very dry, it will continue to develop leaves which can be plucked as required by the housewife for many months. Spinach is less enduring under hot summer conditions, but is quicker maturing, as in the moist relativelycool conditions of spring varieties of it will mature in good soil conditions in from 40 to 55 days. The soil for all the above vegetables should be moist, fertile, well cultivated, and well drained. Lime at the rate of 2 to 3oz. per square yard should be applied to soils not recently dressed and a good dressing of organic material such as well-rotted farmyard or stable manure is advisable on many home garden soils. In addition, the fertiliser mixture recommended on page 111 will give good results if applied at the rate of from 2 to 3oz. per square yard.

Seed should be sown Jin. deep in rows 12in. apart for spinach and spinach beet and 15 to 18in. apart for the upright-growing leaf beets. Any of the varieties of leaf beet can be sown now, but it is advisable to choose where possible a variety of spinach which is fairly tolerant of warm conditions.

Turnips, Beetroot, and Parsnips

Culture and soil conditions for turnips, beetroot, and parsnips are in general similar to those recommended for carrots. Except where there is a special demand for them, there is no need to. sow parsnips yet, because in most southern districts October sowings are satisfactory for the main crop and in central and northern districts November or December is favoured. Adequate supplies for a long period can usually be obtained , from one sowing, and as parsnips are mainly regarded as a winter vegetable, successional sowings are rarely necessary, particularly as too-early sowings of main-crop varieties often produce

roots that are rather woody. Where an early crop is desired, however, a sowing can now be made, preferably of the stump-rooted or oxheart varieties, which mature a little earlier than varieties such as Student or Hollow Crown which are favoured for the main crop. Good quick-maturing varieties of beetroot and turnip that can be sown now are:— Beetroot: Flat Egyptian, Early Wonder, and Detroit Dark Red. Turnip: Early Milan, Early White Stone, and Snowball. Seed of turnip, parsnip, and beetroot should not' be sown too deeply at this time, of the year, when the ground is still rather cold.. In most soils parsnips can be sown -J to fin. deep and beetroot and turnips 1/3 to -gin. The seed-bed should be . deeply dug and finely cultivated. It should be gently firmed with a board or . by shuffling lightly across it before sowing.

Woo cilice

Woodlice (“slaters,” “sowbugs,” or “pill bugs”) are mainly troublesome to very small seedlings, particularly in boxes or under glass, as they eat the tender growth. They are greyish with an oval, arched back divided into numerous segments. Some species curl up into a round ball if disturbed. They are mainly scavengers, but occasionally are carnivorous.

They can be controlled by clean cultivation and the removal of rubbish which provides breeding grounds. Boiling water can be poured on them if there are only isolated groups. D.D.T. is effective under glass where .the powder can be dusted on benches or shelves. Sliced potatoes dipped in arsenate of lead are also effective and a poison bait, which is also . useful for cutworms, grasshoppers, and grass caterpillars (porina), can be made by mixing IJib. of bran with loz. of paris green, J pint of treacle, and 1J pints of water. The treacle should first be dissolved in water. The bait should be broadcast in the evening over the infested ground. It is likely to be too much for dealing with slaters alone, as it should be sufficient for about 200 sq. yds.; it should be used without delay, as it tends to become mouldy.

AN EASILY-MADE GARDEN FRAME

A serviceable and simply-constructed garden frame can be made quite cheaply by any home gardener who is handy with tools. Such a frame would repay the keen gardener for his expenditure of time and money by the interest it would add to his garden work, even apart from the increased possibilities it would afford of raising and maturing crops. The estimated cost of a frame of the type shown above, excluding the cost of preservative or paint, is £3.

The timber required for a frame 6ft. long is 22 lineal feet of Bin. x 32 lineal feet of 2in. x Jfin. batten if the ridge is built as at A in the . upper diagram or 26 lineal feet if it is built as at B, 6 lineal feet of lin. x Irin., and 6 lineal feet of £in. x 4in. The timber should be reasonably dry. Pine is quite satisfactory if oil-soluble wood preservatives such as zinc or copper naphthenate or pentachlorphenol (available in proprietary preparations) are brushed on; a soaking for 20 minutes is preferable.

Upper: A— Ridge made of 2in. x £in. batten. The top consists of two lengths of batten joined at an angle and fastened to the bottom piece of batten by I in. x timber. B —Alternative simpler type of ridge made from two lengths of 2in. x |in. batten joined by I in. x |in. timber. If the sides are bevelled as shown, the depth of the joining piece can be halved. CSupport batten of 2in. x -£in. timber. D—24oz. glass sheet with an overlap of about I in. at each end. —Sides of Bin. x |in. timber. F —Side supports for glass made of two lengths of I in. x timber joined at intervals by 4in. lengths of x timber. G—Piece of wood |in. x |in. and 4in. long for lifting the frame. . H — Foot for the supporting batten. I —Brace from the supporting batten to the ridge.

Lower: A—Ridge cut away ,to show glass resting on ridge. —Top of side support removed to show the 4in. lengths of timber for holding glass 'in position. The gaps are necessary to enable rain-water to drain away. Supports for ridge, each with a foot to prevent the support penetrating the ground. D—Pieces of wood x |in. for lifting the frame.