AN EMPTY GARDEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 259, 25 July 1908, Page 3

AN EMPTY GARDEN.

HOW TO FILL IT. TIMELY NOTES FOR TOWN AMATEURS Until the hail storm and thunder fell upoi tho city last night, it had seemed reason able to conclude that tho littlo visit of rea winter had vanished, and we could attaci our gardens during tho half-holiday of to day and "plant something.'' Tho writer lia a vaguo suspicion that at just about thi timo of year many "Wellington gardens are ii a state of emptiness, and wives, who hav< to do Jots of things on little money, ari somewhat distressed for vegetable supplies Perhaps, theroforo, it is a good time to sug gest a little gardening enthusiasm. Pos sibly there are numerous gardens ready fo: use, but the ownci-s aro in doubt as to tin best tilings to put out just now. It is in tended hero to namo some popular vogo tables that can now be started. Keep Off! But before one puts a heavy foot upoi the precious ground from which great vege table wealth is expected, it is desirable t< see if it is fit to be trodden. There ar< somo gardens, slightly elevated, which draii so efficiently that a few hours after a heavi shower of rain thoy can be safely worked Those gardens can .probably bo -seeded today. Others are- low-lying' and give constant trouble from, dampness. On theso, every footprint stamps 'tho oughi to be kept spongy "and porous—into a compact, cake. Such treatment ruins any soil A suburban gardener of the writer's acquaintance, although his soil is not particu-larly-bad in this respect, nevor goes on his ground without taking a long board to step on to-avoid making footprints upon tho soil He is a gentleman who grows splendid crops. The man whose ground is 'too damp had better follow this example or wait. What to Put In. Broad beans aro welcome in most houses, and they can be had ripe all tho year round. They are uninjured by frost. Put some in at once. If they are planted deep, in wot soil tho seeds will rot: avoid this, and there will be an acceptable crop by and by. Grceii peas may also be put in-. In tho caso ol each of theso crops a good plan is to open a"'trench sis inches deep, strew a littlo very fine bonedust along the trench, cover it with soil, and then put in the seeds over it, covered by about an inch of loose soil. Keep th'o birds off, or they will .dig the seeds out. Early long-pod broad beans and William Hurst peas are good sorts for proBent use. , Mako shallow sowings, on nico loose, mellow, dry. soil, of seeds of radishes, white stone turnips, parsnips, early, shorthorn carrots, brown Spanish onions ; early cauliflower, and early cabbage, silver beet, lettuce. Plant out roots of rhubarb in good deepdug well-manured ground; and don't stow them 1 away in a damp sunless , corner. If thore' aro not enough plants in the gardeu now, of sage, thyme, parsley, and J other herbs, put them in at once. If parsley plants cannot be bought, sow seeds. Purchase a few plants of early cabbage and cauliflower to come in before your seedlings. Set out everything—including, the seeds—in rows.' They are then so much more easily weeded. Potatoes, Make preparations to plant a plot of potatoes if thero is ground to spare. The ground selected-should bo such-as will get the western sun rather than the eastern. This, will'help-to safeguard against danger from: frosts , later on, because the chief damago is do!n'6"by."tli'o sudden thawing.when the morning sun first shines 011 the leaves. The thawing needs to be gradual; therefore let them have tho western sun. J But they should be "sprouted" in boxes before they are planted. The object of sprouting is to get short, thick, sturdy shoots on the potatoes before they are put into the ground. They then.produce their crop,much earlier, and produce, it is claimed, a much heavier, and better crop. : It is a very, simple business. Put tho seed potatoes, - packed close t-ogether, in shallow hoses with the eye ends of the tubers uppermost. Then put the bosos in a dark place, or covor them with sacks. If the weather bo warm they will be sufficiently sprouted in two or three weeks. . What is wanted is stout shoots, as stout as a lead pencil, and -from half an inch to an inch. long. Tubers that fail to produco such shoots should not be allowed to waste the _ garden space. , Tubers to bo guarded against aro those which feel soft and spongy, thoso . which have ! long, thin shoots! ■ those which make no. shoots at all, and those which are' diseased-. , The ideal seed potato is a fira potato with one or more very stout shoots at the "rose": end. Special Points. Do not manure carrots, turnips, or parsnips, for fear .of making them, grow forkshaped. Turnips" planted now may "run to tops." That, won't matter. ' Turnip tops mako an excellent substitute for, cabbage; in fact they are-superior to it. Spring-grown onions are sweeter and milder than autumn-grown ones, and keep bettor. It is desirable to sow or plant only a small quantity of each variety, following up with additional sowings later on for succession of crops.