THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 33, 8 February 1905, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

(UT. HORTUS.) . „-niit.<i- to answer iiiy 'juestions. ! P°^f'oJeS = mit 3 irc ta.ir ci.la.iM i gTSSw* thc»u?n not for puolica- , tion.J ___— —— — I T0 COHKKSPONDENTS. J „ -„f,o.- .if,-' Stabie Manure ; It l» m JK?- a j Swn-:-.- you '-an use iv the winter or wet u». , m , WlB ** 'Lifl-aV.-s aw. growins JnrluK ■^ c: - tJ .--,1.V"-iry mt»«, you .an .Ins: ; fllW ,TiH'» ani- of the iiuicit .!!a---.bctween the -'•'=■ obtaioca or :he solving m.ii'i'- l--tidsmen hi "^ n ' „. „ . ,„ „a and Onions iWm. M.'.-l am wet westher »««"» » .«_ - i onioiu uuibuig .i ; « -^ s - xomrttSM : * °wn air-cud 1/ I-"1 'tHil fsasoa. linvf* nirU .ILL-*- <~ i - , . 1 IT% the jeasJu is The hudding of fruit troc-.-i should be - i ... Thl-t is the pfa-'ri •-■ whertby & enM ' X :'.\. i .in- hinlv fru-s are pi.- ---*« T'tl v :w '.» done In th- sum. pagatL-J. Th* i -; _ . t , e usuaMy bud-r-ound. .-yea Iwlng permitieu '' la : . '.vj.. rutjn' trees can be i jnent-y. ■• ■■ / ja ._ i , t . < whtthcr required fornix ''-;'.J, n( i.p.'.i' 3 ' atr.->i<g buds taken »3 dwarf s_-^---.---^- l -- TOUn: , . Jlioots of the] fjom !«"»>"„„.., .-rowth aie alone I tcrrent »muja.. = j 16 ', „« -,:-mtati.;n3 generally require j runners! pKtiow. require, the 1 '1, Mention in the matter of deprivms S B I r * Saners and hoelaf. All be.is that bTretained for fruiting another «*'J? oaaht now to have the dead !• itves R n °.nnt"-nn!ess these latter are re-Urt-i " f r yronagating-removed and SS Sogt-hrr with the mulching mate Si riwi i off n'! weeds, and lightlj ! ' r '-'!" '. c surface soil. Old plants to Sttlitonld be chopped off with a SLjfSdi and burnt, .the Site being Sards utilised for winter vegetable, w ft is felt that any old plantations need Lirfinee apply 9 ton-dressin- of well c two or three inches thick; XrVains of autumn will wash the uutr!Sent into the soil, and the plants will be Sdrf £ swelling up bold crowns for protaelns strong trusses of flawws nest Ml Failing the manu-e. an applh-atlon S superphosphate or honemeal may be Snftrablv aGoideil. Plants wtocn were ptf* SS from pots after fr-rcing will now be SrfS trasses If they received attenS U uf B wLrin ? during the dry spell. rhere is a Drospect of a fair crop. SfJEKlnl «Sl should be laid ftomid the plants to protect the fruit from Sin contact with the soil. See that OTK «eently planted runners do not S from a lack of water, as upon obSS B "trona plants in as short a time as MsaSile depends the dirterence between a ffan and a good one next year.

IMPROVEMENTS AT TE ABOHA.

During the last 18 months the gardens at Se Atofca have been very much Improved. Fronting the main road there is a new flower border about 250 feet long and about 3 feet broad. It extends from the Boardroom to the terrace at the bottom of tne Bowling Green. The border is well stocked w&E flowering plants, chose in Sower being talefly stocks, gladiolas, and a good selection of annuals. Ou the top of the terrace jt the Bowling Green there U another Cower border tilled with simitar flowering plants. In several corners of the ground ihere are some very pretty pieces of rock work filled with suitable plants. On the lawn in front of the private baths two new pass tennis courts and a croquet lawn have •ecu -taile. and they an 3 pretty well rilled Kith visitors: Tho" little pavilion which tseil to- stand in the middle of the large lawn has with advantage been moved to a triangular piece of ground on the north of the private baths, aad a few flower beds have been made at each corner of the angles. Where the old unsightly open ditch wr.s there Is'now a series of small ponds, handsomely edged with stonework and pretty dower beds. Between the poods there arr> a few rapids, bnilt with stonework, aad they must look very pretty when there Is a good flow of water passing over tneiu. About two years ago the gardens were taken over by the Tonrlst Department, and they at once took steps to Improve them. From what I could learn they still contemplate further improvements as funds come to hand, ilr H. Dalton Is in enarge, and Mr Pearson, from Rotorua, occasionally comes down to assist in designms fresh features. What Is urgently required at the present time is a propagating pit, so that the- targe quantity of annuals jna perennials required to fill the beds can De_raiaed with ease. There should be no aimenty in supplying artificial heat to this «>use during the winter months, as there dnin 7 0 -? antit y of hot water going to waste Curing the winter time. During the sumqulred 1 3 hot water ™ uld not be re_ &l tb B S Ifßdt—Storing is by no means ranw We sometimes see S * h V* lTnlt trees have heen Planto™£l all L and yet no adethTnJk !aion ,- ma,le fOT Properly storing borate f W * me others pro Tide an ela " bS? „7tS rOOJ L mr oeyond the requirements of tffe garden. The former, at any fittt rZJ leax sL ln no: Providing a good ta/J. h 00 ?' neither are we in. * a ™ur o£ a £~*%J! « mpry room - Appfes and pears •nitahu ° , stowed away in various untorfl lflces ,s e - those responsible evidentiu« r!. , s tnat a sreat chemical change Sti.™ B ,,'""* before the so-called ripe rant is really fit for eating, and that the «cura materially affect the quality. When £ nf «l d zhe fruit Is composed largettml arc v and acld . and in course of flint! „ Tj ty a natural process which I tabT™ ""tempt to explain, is converted «w sugar, much of the water of the juice ahl» S eva P. ora "<i- Sow the most favour»oie Position to assist this conversion thpT^ 7, auy - but not draughty room, and stnictnrf V IOSL '- dam P- badly ventilated trwan, 6- , Fruit gathered from the same fii „» plat e d lv two such widely dlffera7'i,T> ea 7 UI - waen in season, be found EanTSX different in quality as two disroom larletle3.'I a r letle3 .' those in the drier warmer St! eln , s ln variably richer, sweeter, and l£**#*fc <:oiuu -r- Evaporation forming ertoVnr r, e < Process of conversion, it is very damn Ua ♦ 3 not muc h encouraged in a £™P co.d structure; but at the same time "Pm evaporation caused by either exeesSr ta h L . h r at - or st rong currents of &i» »«i mfnl ' an(i ma .v result in shrivelIffinrove th°/ 3 0i lUaUty. If we wish to Dear« t ll6 appearance of either apples or ProcM a a^ Well to t0 hast en the ripening iSra > ese are Picked in hay In boxes, |w S W ln heat. If near their proper bear iL r i p ! nllls ' apples and pears will S'ffyat, and ripen In two or three out of a We endeavour to ripen them or ««i , son the process must be gradual, flelßi %,„ ™ t will inevitably shrivel. ArtiamnL P h mn | wUI sometimes convert exfor rtf„ taou Sht to be wouhless, which but WorthiL periment %vmlli n ave remained moner f' nt ° Ue l icio « s fruit. The comffiav h„ ' mote especially of apples, floors nf Vi?"? in hßa i Jd or th'nly ou tne c trait room < w hi!e the ehoicei ilafc 7u oUght t0 be disposed thiniv ir apptw «fn S i f V° ssihl <-' on the .shelves, tne 'erse. i-\ downw axds, and peais the i-e----strtDs nf sort should be divided with Apples *!.!«' aud be Properly labelled. faliv ti, . pears tnust be handled careare nn«„f 2 IL ' ked - and at all "mes if they to riS* ed t0 kee P- and when tested as thumb ST sh onld be pressed with the they „,.o ? uear the fotstalk. If uot sofl ' theslithti not . at thL ' !r bs3t . and, besides, « »»nti. . <es d 0 m)t disngm-e the fruit forjd ill lmyu lr Its keeping qualities, as kfrenn^vi"™ 30 be tne ca;ie - A1! shouic traitstSm' y eM mined. as a few decaying Wtb. th»m 3P r? others that are in contact * benefiLi v p , s especially will be great »nd »«♦ by bl,u = r turned and sorted fltst in»„ care should be taken in th« not £ o mix any biulsed oi «nea n » damaged fruit with the sounc "nail , m , a y be spoilt. Fruit wlti "otkein B, picked in them by birds wil "wrarsw' Hlaekb irds and tomtits are grea *heh J™)* r aa the former only visit v: 00 them ' 3 be had we ttave no merc 3 fSSfttffi^T lll ploklns tue fruit f0 V»»i»+? uld be handled very carefully "etlatP nni: 63 , and most ot the inter * the rlpen best In the house, no tree. la picking these yarJetle.

re , mil , st be txte* ** to injure or ' l the . ** fauit *» kxJuxed is sure ' i«- • i? ot °aiy itself, but also all the r£ir- J * ?" tonchiu S it. Great quant!?££j? f tlUi ? a r e tlu,s loat every yea- »% a w,' ;areiG3s while Dickms: aid stocrag m picking, therefore pluck one mat a L a time and caieflillv nlnr-e it ' 13 m the basket move it about as little as I possible; also take the fruit out carefltti-1 „fV [ l0 ; \ h ° n * CT °a * shelf, aay | X Iced l^ a ? r brplsed «*mM - marTrt I. **" f :U " S Rse<J Srßt ° r sent i ";,,": a V;--- ""'.'■ l *° not P tec « " witu; . .-',,] "?» * r «tlas: it fs sure fo ! • „<■ '..,!„V '"''.'_ . , Ll ' s . f - Lai :rc quantities; > ."',»" V' '!}■■ L', v ■""■'' :n a satisfactory man- i : .. V adopting the foHovrfnse plan. As I j "' T'-i '" P ;lj^'! r* " lat , ,. :^eS such a. v.'in; s 'r'i,/ ,r < 2 p ? rtlls » fni?t - OQ -'y partially I '-„.%;,-, rate ont mc °" two battens I . ..■1 off as well. Take them into a da-k ! ■ >«.m and pi c thorn m tiers or; P on top or ,' , :;!,'. °^ v - pntttrs hattsns between each! . ~*• „?J '"..-."■"'i° '} Vov: of •■> free rirnulation | •,'. i,' i- 'iTi iri "l wl!I kt ' ep ln this man-' _ ' ," is n,>t s° <*onveniently so -t at I - ','.' *- as, Ly attenUed to as on the regular ■'.-.->. res oc a fruit room. j