GARDEN MEMORANDA FOR MAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 187, 3 May 1878, Page 3

GARDEN MEMORANDA FOR MAY.

written expressly for the akaroa mail.

KrrcHE-T Garden,

Cut down artichokes, fork over the bed. •throwing tbe earth in a ridge, about eight inches high against the sides of each row putting it close round each plant, but being careful to keep the heart of the plants free from any soil; the furrows thus formed may be filled with long or half decayed manure and covered with coal ashes. The ashes may be turned into the soil with the manure in spring, being an ingredient very beneficial to the artichoke. Beds should also be prepared where new plantations are intended to be made, by trenching the ground two feet deep, giving it at the same time a good dressing of manure and coal ashes, about three parts ■of the former to one of the latter ; if seaweed or common salt be added so much the better. The planting should be deferred till spring, the suckers being taken from the old stools when from eight to ten inches high. The ground for new asparagus beds should now be prepared by trenching in plenty of rotten manure to the depth of two or three feet, and as in the case of the •artichoke, seaweed or salt may be added with advantage. The beds • should remain in a rough state for the action of the weather till August when the plants ehould be put in. Top dress established beds wtih manure and salt or sea-sand.

Bhubarb beds are prepared in much the same way, but in planting plenty of room -should be given between the plants, at least two feet apart in the rows, and three between'T them. -Glean ..refuse... off nil vacant ground, turn it up rough that it may receive the full action of the weather, and prepare it for receiving the •early spring crops. Continue to plant out a few cauliflowers and' cabbage plants for early use, if the latter are planted about nine inches apart in the rows, and a foot between the rows, every other row, and every other plant in the rows that are left may be used for winter greens, coining in very serviceable when vegetables generally are scarce. Make ■a first sowing of early peas of Sangster's No. 1 or Carter's first crop.

Fruit Garden. Where raspberry and strawberry beds -were not attended to last month they should be without fnrther delay, following the directions given in the last calander. The pruning of fruit trees should now -command attention, the proper condition for the operation being indicated, by the turning j-ellow of the greater portion of the leaves; it is not necessary to wait till all the leaves have fallen. As soon as the pruning is finished the ground around the trees should be lightly dug, it is a great mistake to allow the ground to get covered with grass or weeds, especialy while the trees are young. The ground "should also be prepared for making new plantations of fruit trees, but in stiff soils this will be difficult until we get rain, but the first ■opportunity should be taken ac tbe early planted trees always do the best. New plantations of strawberries will still succeed but should be made at once, or left till the beginning of August, as those planted in Tcnidwinter are most likely to be thrown •out of the ground with frost The fruitroom should have attention, and everything showing signs of decay be removed from ■contact with that which is sound. Flower Garden. This is the most favourable time for laying out new gardens or making alterations in old ones, for although alterations may be effected any time from this till. August or September, it will be found that the work done in this direction now will give much better results the first season after than will be the case when tbe Bame thingis done later on. Any bulbs still out of the ground should be planted without •delay. Take up gladiolus bulbs and keep them free from frost and damp till spring, when they should be planted again. As soon as the frost has cut down the dahlias the stems should be cleared away and the tubers either taken up and dried or left in the ground till spring, and then.taken up and •divided just as they are commencing to grow. The latter is, perhaps, the better plan for amateurs to adopt. Eoses and others deciduous shrubs, as well as moßt kinds of evergreen shrubs, may now be transplanted. Cuttings of. roses and pansies, deciduous, and evergreen shrubs will generally strike well if put in at this season, but will almost be sure to fail if left till spring. Make edgings of box veronica, daises, and thyme, and divide where necessary such plants as the primrose, polyathus, and any other spring flowering plants, the clumps of which may have grown too large, or which it may be desirable to increase. The flower beds and box beds should be lightly pointed over if not already done, giving at the, same time a dressing of well decayed manure. .Keep the leaves constantly r.aked . up, and maintain this department in as good an appearance as the season of the year spill allow.