Farm, Garden and Orchard Notes.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 21 May 1915, Page 1

Farm, Garden and Orchard Notes.

MAY, KITCHEN GARDEN. Clear away late crops of peas and dig ground, and sow down with either oats or vetches as recommended in last months operations. Sow last crop of turnips and carrots, if not done last month ; also onions for spring use. Hoe and' stir the soil around winter spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and other growing crops. Earth up when required. Clear off all decayed ciops before wet weather sets in. Dig up and pit sweet potatoes (kumerah Gather in pumpkins, pie-melons', vegetable marrows, and watermelons and stow away in a 'cfry airy place free from damp. Tomatoes: gather as they ripen, either for present use or for preserving. Indian corn and millet crops will now be ripe. Mould up celery on favourable occasions. Hoe and thin crops of carrots, turnips winter spinach, etc,, that were sown beginning of last months Cut down stems of asparagus, fork up the surface of bed. throwing some of the soil on each side, then add a good dressing of stable manure to the depth of two or three inches ; mix salt with manure or sea sand, then return the soil on the top. The winter rains will send the manure to the roots of the plants. Rubarb beds should also be dug up and thoroughly manured. If the beds have been down three years trench the roots out and transfer to new gronud. taking care to plant only sound and healthy roots, divide those that have become too large, or put ’ in young roots. Old roots are better to lie upon the surface of the ground for a month or so previous to planting. When putting in give a liberal amount of manure; plant from three to fodr feet apart. Make a sowing of broad beans for early use. FLOW ER GARDEN: *

Any alterations that are required ought to be completed by the end of this month, such as manuring and trenching, forming new lawns, and renovating old by topdressing with a good rich compost swept and raked well into the ground, and-by sowing a little fresh seed. The mixed boarder like every department will be fast assuming its : winter garb, with the exception of chrysanthemums there will be little in flower. Lift dahlia roots as they ripen and lay out to dry previous to storing away for winter. Plant out main crop of b lbs for spring flowering, viz., anemone, iris, ixia, hyacinth: narcissus, ranunculus, sparaxis, etc.: also a few hardy gladiolus for early flowering. Fork manure, and dig, all flower beds and borders, removing decayed stems, leaves etc. All plants should be marked or labelled so as to indicate their whereabouts! To fill spaces caused by decay of annuals and other tender plants introduce hardy plants from pots ; by this means the mixed border is still inviting and attractive. Cut back and trim all herbaceous and soft wooded plants, divide those that are overgrown, reghlate and replant. FARM. Sow no more grass after this month; use your best endeavours to keep your paddocks well drained, either with covered or open ditches. Good drainage is quite as important as manuring your land, and some land wiil not yield a crop simply from the want of drainage, although it may not be swampy. Take the ram away from your ewes, and be looking forward and preparing proper pasture for sheep at their lambing, and for tne young lambs Rye may be sown tins month and attend well to ull your green crops. Every farmer should have a good stock of mangold wurzel on hand, and they will’ do as well left in the ground, and taken up as wanted. It is a crop v hich does very well in this country but requires abundance oi, manure ; but will then give you a heavy crop, and amply repay all your trouble and laboui 1 . Use all your spate time iu adding to your manure heap, as that is the saving bank for your farm, and you can greatly increase it at the cost of labour alone.