IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 4

IN THE GARDEN.

(SMCULLT WBITTIS TOR "TM TKISS.") (Bt J. T. Sixcuuß.) WORK FOR THE WEEKSow —Radish, mustard and cross, peas, lettuce, onions for salad, dwarf beans, spinach, turnips, and silver beot, Plant—CaLtage, cauliflower, leeks, savoys, kale, celery, and broccoli. VEGETABLES. • Turnips.—The -next two sowings should bo inado of a yellow fleshed variety, such as Yellow Perfection, Golden Ball, or Orange Jelly. All these have a good flavour, and are sweeter flavoured than tho whito sorts. Many people have a prejucTico against the yellow turnip, owing to the colour, but 1 am sure that if theso roots are given a lair, chance, more of them would bo grown every autumn. Silver Beet.—This is another vegetable that many peoplo do not care for, yet it is a good standby. X sowing for autumn and winter use can now be put in. To get large succulent- leaves and broad ribs tho ground must be deeply dug, and -well manured, the bed cannot be in too good a condition. The drills should not bo closer than IS inches, 2 feet is better, draw them 2' inches deep, and when the plants are well up thin them 10 inchos apart. Seakale. —This is now in full growth, and as the foliage is well developed, a literal sprinkling of salt can be given, followed by a good soaking of water. Any plant that is not doing too well can be given a watering of mtrato oi soda, i to the gallon of -water. If some | liquid manure is given now and again it will be a benefit.

FRUIT.

Summer Pruning.—This should l>e attended to where necessary. 'J'-recs that ar© well established and boaring regularly require very little pruning. Their energy is devoted more to the production of fruit than of shoots or wotrd "Towth. I3ufc if the latter are in any easo crowded, so much so as to disturb the proper balance and symmetry or tyo tree, or to prevent tho i'ree circulation of light and air amongst tho leaves, thev be thinned out by removing Wily all that are not required to keep the branches furnished with iruit-bear-ing shoots or spurs. - The summer pruning of fruit trees has for its object tho controlling of tho flow of san from tho roots to the steni and branches in every part of tho treo, as from various causes tho sap_ nous in' more or less unequal volume i n _tho 'different parts of every tree. This peauliivri'iy calls for the attention or the cultivator during the next few weeks. Ho must note the tendency ol every tree so as to detect any evidenco of weakness, scantiness, or tardiness i n the development of shoots iu any part, and also noto parts which manifest extra luxuriance and abundance of shoots. The latter mostly occur in tho branches of the upper parts of young and very vigorous trees, tho _ flow of sap being strongest in their direction; thus they establish a lead in appropriating tho l'ocd sent up by the roots, which they increase as growth -increases, at the cost of the weaker parts. The only way to choDk this -unequal drain of sap to these luxuriant parts is to reduce the quantity of i'oliago that is produced in them.

Jf the shoots are numerous tney should bo reduced in number. The leading shoot of the main branches should •n all cases of trees which have not yet filled their allotted spaccs be allowed to grow 011 intact, but thoso of trees which are filling their spaces should be pinched back at the fifth or sixth leaf from- their base. The best kind of shoot;to select for this purpose is that of medium, strength; it' will ripen bo.tter than the grosser 1 growing kind. The foregoing diroc-| lions apply more particularly to trees trained, on walls and fences. Bush trees while young should have very careful attention at summer pruning in order to develop them in good, well-balanced form.- Summer is the best time to perceive what they need in regard to the admission of light and air to their interior parts. Their centres should be kept so tree and open that the leaves all have their share of sunlight. Gooseberry and red and, white anct black currant bushes should be thinned of a portion of the joung shoots wherever they may be crowded, as they often are by too free use of the knife at winter pruning. The foregoing remarks indicate tlio lines on which pruning in summer should be conducted 3 and it only now remains to be said that it must _ be done with caution and consideration. The whole of a tree should not. be operated upon at once, only the more advanced and luxuriant parts should be dealt with first. These parts are almost always at the extremities of the main hrimrhes. Let ten or twelve

days elapse al'ler dealing with them, and thou deal with the weaker parts'. They may need little or no pruning and if weak and scantily furnished with young growth a they should be left alone.

FLOWERS,

Budding Roses. —Thero is no doubt that on© of the most interesting duties of the summer pardon is the budding of roses. IJudding is literally the tilting of a bud from a rose and" inserting it below the bark, or rind, of the stock, to which it eventually grows, .afterwards forming a branch. The choice. of the bud is an important point; it must be neither too old or too young, the best typo will be found on a shoot that has flowered. Having selected the shoot, proceed to sever the leaves about half an inch abovo their junction with the stem, r> 3 the base of the leaf remaining acts ad a shield to the bud. Now insert the blade of''the budding knife about half an inch below the bud required, and draw upwards In suoh a way that when beneath the bud | the blade is one-eighth of an inch bolow the base, and gradually approach the surface so that ilic edge of -the blade will emerge at the sanie distance on the upper side of the bud as it entered on the lower. The barK and bud is called the shield, but the piece of wood behind mnifc bo removed. Hold the shield firmly beI tweon the finger and thumb of the left | haiid in an inverted position, insert the point of the knife between. the i wood and the baric, and givo a gentle j twist; the piecc of wood should ily out, leaving the germ at the base of the bud behind. .This is the only i really difficult process in budding, and j requires a little piaetice to do it expeditiously. Tho insertion of the bud is performed bv first, making a longitudinal cut in tho stock about an inch long, thon a crosscut at the top, forming a lorter jT. Next lift the bark on cither sfcie of the downward cut with the aid or the handle of the budding knife. If the. bark peels or "runs" easily take the bud and pack it down into the o'pened slit ; push it well down, and if any of the shield remains above the slit cut it off level-with tho top of tho "T" so that it fits in neatlv. Ail that remaiiis to be done is to tie round fairly firmly with raffia or worsted, drawing the iiaps of the cut as closoly over the cut as may be. Leavo the actual bud exposed. As in grafting, everything depends on making clean cuts; as well, too. it is most important that thero should be no delay in placing the buds in position as soon as th£v are ready. On this account it is not perhaps a bad plan, to have the incision ready before the bud is actually cut. Mildew.—From this "time forward throughout what remains of tho summer a careful watch must be kept for tho appearance of mildew—that terrible and destructive disease of tho rose which, unless-it be kept under, will speedily sap the strength of tho most vigorous plant. One of the best remedies is to spray tho foliaae with a solution of potassium sulphide, generally known as "liver of sulphur." One ounce should be dissolved in four anions of water. _If some liquid "lue or soft soap is added it will make tho fungicide stick tp the leaves. Pansies and, Violas keeping the old blooms,cut away from the plants fresh (lowers are encouraged. This is I an old remedy for 'prolonging the flowering period, but we art-, afraid modern growers do' not attend sufiieiently to it. They think by applying the modern remedies such as toppressing and feeding with liquids, etc., the old* blooms can tcmain. This is not so, however, and if old flowers remain and seed pods form, 110 amount of feeding will enable the plants to go on flowering—it is altqgether against Nature. AVhen a pfbnt has flowered it naturally forms a seed pod, and its life-work is dono as far as flowering 3 concerned.