GARDENING NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1624, 1 August 1887, Page 3

GARDENING NOTES.

AUGUST, Although early Aatomn sown onions produoe the largest and finest bulbs, yet ft fine crop may be obtained by sowing at once, In drills one foot apart and covered with finely sifted soil, though wood ashes are betterEarly peas may now be generally sown In rows from one to four feet apart, the diitanoa being regnlated by the habit of the variety ; that is, whether dwarf or tall; though the stnn? winds of midlummer, taken m connection with the searoity of pe*-stakes, mast ever insure for the most dwarf Borts a deoided preference Fonr of the beet of theße are First Crop, M'Lean't Gem, American Wonder, and Blue Peter; and three of the best of the tall varietiei ate Veitch's Perfection, Reading Giant, and King of t Marrows. Broad beans may now be generally planted m lines across the garden squares twenty-four Inches asunder ; the lesser •orti, like the early maz»gan, two inches; and the larger varieties, like the Windsor, fonr inches apart. Three of the best varieties are long-pod, gteen Windsor, and broad Windsor, the latter being generally esteemed the best. A first towing of early short horn carrots may now be made, though some risk of the crop starting prematurely to wed always attends the early sowing of tfcia vegetable. Parsnips sown tWs month grow larger And finer than later orops. They are usually sown m drills one foot apart, and afterwards singled out so as to stand about •even inches apart m the rows. Cress, mustard, radish, and lettuce, for spring salading, may continue to be sown at fortnightly intervals. Spinach may now be Bown m rows ten inches apart, and a similar distance may 1 bo allowed to auch of the thinnings of last month's sowings as may now be becoming fit for transplanting. Curled parsley, either as an edging to garden walks, or for the purpose of defining the backs of borders, may now be sown m continuous lines. Seeds of cauliflowers, broccoli, eavoys, Brussels sprouts, and curled greens, to produce early spring plants, may now be sown i and autumn-sown plants of each of these varieties now fit for removal may be at once transplanted. Rhubarb, asparagus, and seakale may be sown, and last year's roots of each, wher<v not already done, may "yet be safely transplanted. Sowings, on a hot-bed, of cucumbers and melons, celery, capsicums, and tomatoes may now be made at this early period of the season, to be foroed into growth by the aid of artificial beat. Continue to trench or dig all vacant ground, but only when the weather i« dry. The grafting of apples, pears, and plums may be carried on during this and the following month. It is new customary to graft apples on roots of those kinds Jess Cable to American blight than the ordinary torts ; inch are the Early Majetin, Irish Peach, Lord Wolseley, and Brabant Belleflenr. Apples, pears, plains, peaches, nectarines, figs, gooceberrles, currants, raspberries, and strawberries should now be planted as soon aa possible j for the Increasing strength of the sun's rays is daily becoming less favorable to a high degree of ■Qoceti. Sweet peas, mlgnonnette, and the numerous varieties of haidy, or half hardy, annual, biennla 1 , and perennial flower seeds should at once be sown ; and plants of Bweetwilllams, stocks, wallflowers, daisies primveses, violets, and many other plants of a similar class can now be successfully transplanted.