IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18409, 16 June 1925, Page 7

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

(STZCULLX WBlmil TOE "THE PBZ3S.")

(Bt J. T. Sixclaie.)

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Raspberry—Whether Taspberry root suckers nre required for planting or not, they should be tsk?n up in autumn and planted as a, reserve for future use or destroyed; as if permitted to remain between the row? they wi!] soon be choked up end spoil the permanent planus.

VEGETABLES. Ground for Asparagus.—The best position for an asparagus bed is one exposed to the full effect of the sun, and if somewhat sheltered from the south and east so much the better for the purpose. It should be pointed out that in trenching, the soil should be moved to a depth of at least two feet, because the deeper the soil i 3 trenched the longer will the bed be capable of keeping up a supply. The present is about the most suitable time of the year to take in hand the preparing of the soil, so as to give it time to sink sufficiently by the spring to permit of planting being carried out in good time. To grow asparagus successfully it-must b° provided with a good, porous, sandy loam, but if it is impossible to supply it with a naturally light soil, it should'be made artificially porous. Tor this reason, it is. sometimes necessary to-place old rubbish, such as burnt refuse, mortar rubble, coarse sand, or some similar material ui\dcr.the bed to make the soil perfectly porous. On very wet and cold soils drains should be placed at the bottom of the bed to carry away superfluous water, and if the soil itself is of a heavy nature, good road grit or coarse sand should be mixed with it. Then, in the upper layers plenty of manure or leaf-soil can be worked in, as the asparagus will soon benefit by manure applied in this form. On such soils the beds can.be raised several inches above surface level, as raised soil is always much warmer. The top soil • need not be broken up finely at the prosent time, but should be left perfectly rough, so that.frost may pulverise and sweeten it in readiness for spring planting; The work of preparing the ground is often left until it is nearly time to set out the plants. This is a great mistake, as the soil has not a chance to settle before hot weather prevails, and the roots of the plants suffer, in consequence.

FRUIT. Boot-pruning.—When a fruit tree makes a lot of stong shoots each year and forms no fruit, it generally requires a check at the roots. The hackneyed saying about planting pears for coming generations to eat the fruit is not applicable except wiero the trees are left to take their chance after planting, in which case tho result is the same as that which happens to most things in a garden where cultural attention is neglected. A course that has been found to answer with young pears is to select good, healthy trees, and to encourage them to make all the-growth of. which they are capable for the first few years, simpiy shortening any shoots that ar,e taking, undue lead and removing all wrongly-placed o'.ics. At the -?ndof four years they will be Bft or 9ft. high, and in-a condition to have their roots pruned' more or less, according to the. kinds, .'and ,as their, condition requires. If properly managed, they will boar .a crop in. another two years proportionate to their, size, and continue to do.so each year, provided that due at' 'tention is given to their roots. Where tho»object is to get larger trees before checking their growth they may be allowed to go' a couple of years or so longer; but there is not much gained by this course, and the size can still be regulated after they are brought into bearing,- Too much hard pruning back of the- shoots is often responsible for both apple and pear trees • growing a lot of fruitless wood; in such cases they may be. brought into; bearing by judicious root-pruning. To carry out this work satisfactorily, a circular trench should be dug out four or five feet away from the stem, and all strong-growing roots cut back with a sharp knife. None of the fibrous roots, however, must be; interfered with, as these never produce coarse wood, but are, on the contrary, the mainstay of fruit buds. When the whole of the roots have been cutround the circumference of the tree, search should bo made under the centre of the tree' for a tap-root, and if one is found; it should be cut' back. The soil can then be put back in the trench and rammed firmly into position. All the fibrous roots require to be kept as close to the surface as possible, and care must be taken not to damage these when the soil is being placed in position. In the case of old trees it is best to do one side only in one season, and if this treatment does not sufficiently, check the grdwth of shoots next summer, it will be necessary to loot-prune the other half of the tri?o.;;the following season.

FLOWERS. The Greenhouse. —During'the short days of winter, most- subjects iu the greenhouse need all the light they can get, and where the position is not very favourable to light, every effort should be made to make the most of what there is by keeping the glass clean.. During damp, foggy weather this' may mean a 'hosing down of the glass on the outside at least once a fortnight. The air about towns is generally soot-laden, and a heavy deposit of that is often noticed on the glass. Watering. —When watering ' greenhduse plants in winter, do not treat all indiscriminately. Some may rcquiro water, others not, and in winter it is especially important -to treat each plant accordingjtb. its requirements." No plant lieeds as much moisture in winter as-in spring and; summer; the soil must bo kept only just moist.'' And in time of frost plants- in-.-a; cold house must have wafer withheld' from them altogether. They will exist- longer in frosty weather with the soil dry than wet. Never water plants carelessljrso that moisture.is left lying on the floor or staging. .It is quite a hard enough job "to maintain the necessary dryness of atmosphere in a greenhouse in.winter. Such' things as geraniums- and''carnations under glass will be killed more surely by closeness following on a drenching of water (or even without the drenching) than by the severest of frosts; indeed, if they cannot be given a fair amount of attention indoors or under shelter, most of tl fairly hardy subjects would-fare better if plunged in ashes in some cosy corner outdoors.