GARDENING NOTES.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 20, 11 October 1928, Page 3

GARDENING NOTES.

In the sowing of lettuce for exhibition the grower must take. into consideration the quality of the sail, the time of the year if he wishes to procure good solid heads for the Show bench. A good plan is to sow the seed in three lots at an interval of two weeks, allowing about 12 to 14 weeks to mature. The ground should be thoroughly prepared. The best kind of manure is fresh littery stable dung well incorporated with the soil. Sow the seed in seed boxes and when the second leaf is well developed transplant in rows 12 inches apart each way. Transplanted lettuce usually make better heads than those sown direct in the soil. Never allow the roots to become dry and give plants a moderate dose of liquid manure once a fortnight adding an ounce of nitrate of soda to four gallons of liquid manure. Do not water overhead during hot sun, otherwise disaster will follow. Varieties — Webb's Wonderful, New Tork, All the Yeai Round.

Onions. —Onions can be grown on any kind of soil providing it has been well cultivated. A light rich loam is the best. Manuring is an important factor in onion culture and failing farmyard manure, supplement with poultry or sheep manure well incorporated with the soilj also give a surface dressing of soot and bone meal prior to sowing. Lightly roll the soil, then mark out plot with rows 12 inches apart. Sow seed thinly and as near the surface as convenient. Cover with finely broken soil and make the surface firm. When ready for thinning out remove all surplus seedlings and allow 6 inches between plants, Thoroughly cultivate during growing season to conserve moisture. When the foliage begins to flag and the stems bend, it is a sign that the plant is nearing maturity. A good tip for exhibition onions is to run the finger occasionally round the base of the plants. This also applies to shallots, thus keeping the bulb free from obstructions. The largest bulbs are obtained from sowings made during March and planted out early in the spring, but good keeping onions are best obtained from spring sowings. Varieties —Brown Spanish, Cranston's Excelsior and Brown Globe; and for large bulbs Ailsa Craig and Prize taker.

Parsnips. — Parsnips require a deep soil and an open situation. Treat the same as recommended for long carrots. Parsnips require a long season to obtain full growth so the seed should be sown early in the spring. Varieties — Student, Listmais, The Don.

' Peas. —TMs vegetable requires careful treatment to get it in perfect condition for a show on a fixed date. Peas do not remain in good condition long. It takes about four months to mature but this varies according to the season and the situation. The seed should be sown two inches deep and covered with a good compost soil. Previous to sowing bone meal and wood ashes should be well incorporated with the soil. During growth the plants should be staked. When the plants have produced three or four pairs of pods the tops should be nipped out so as to encourage the pods already formed, to mature. This may seem ■wasteful but, though there will be fewer pods, each will be filled with large peas. Varieties —Te Aroha, Duke of Albany, Stratagem.

Radish. —Radish succeed in any well cultivated soil usually sown broadcast in small beds with lft alleys between the "beds, the soil from the latter being used to cover the seeds. The surface is then raked smooth and lightly pressed with the back of the spade. One of the secrets of good radish growing is to keep them well supplied with moisture. Liquid nitrate of soda is a good tonic when about half grown. "Usually takes from 3 to 6 weeks according to variety grown. Varieties —Red Turnip, Long Scarlet, White Icicle.

Potato. —The ground for potatoes should be well dug and cultivated. The tubers carefully selected and placed in boxes for sprouting. A good manure is 3 parts of superphosphate, 3 parts of bonedust, 2 parts of sulphate of postash usually thrown along the drills and incorporated with the soil during the planting of the tubers which should be planted 4 inches deep not less than 12 inches apart between sets and 2ft Gin. between the rows. The object to aim at in growing *for exhibition is to grow tubers with shallow eyes, clear skin, and medium size. Keep ground well cultivated; spray with Bordeaux mixture 4-4-40, meaning 41bs of lime, 41bs bluestone to 40 gallons of ■water, being careful to get mixture under the leaves. This should be performed at least once every fortnight. As soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow dig your, crop, select your best" tubers, and keep them from the light until show time. Some exhibitors place them in sand but I have secured a-3 g'\oC. i-l-sIVI ::; by w::"pi-

ping each set in newspaper and placing them in a dark corner. Varieties —Kidney (or Oval), King Edwar, Majestic, Golden Wonder, Round Arran Chief, Abundance, Aberbrothick,