THE GARDEN.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 105, 7 November 1918, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

(By W. Taylor in Journal of Agriculture). Tomatoes: Early in November is the best time to plant in most places. There is a very general desire, to plant earlier than this, it being thought that early planting will result in correspondingly early fruit. Usually, however, the reverse happens. There are some few places where the absence of frost, and other favourable conditions, make early planting both safe and wise, but in general the results are not what are expected or hoped for. Many losses of a wholesale nature have come under my personal observation that were entirely due to planting too early. The first necessity is well-grown and properly hardened plants, which will be independent of watering. Unless the plants lift from the boxes with a large ball of roots and soil they are not fit for planting. All too frequently the plants are hurriedly grown in warm houses and sent out without proper hardening. The result is that plants wither under sun heat unless they are well supplied with water, which indicates a soft, flimsy texture which watering \ makes worse. Such plants succumb to a few degrees of frost, or are destroyed by an untimely gale of wind, or if they survive they do not make thrifty plants. , Any one who received such plants—with few roots and palp- • ably soft—will be well advised to heel them in a sheltered place for a week or two before planting out. The lost time will soon \ be recovered by the better-con-ditioned plants. The most popu- , lar way of training at the pre- ; sent time is to lead the growths perpendicularly up a trellis composed of three wires tightly strained, the top wire being 3 ft. from the ground. The plants are set about 18 in. apart, and each plant is allowed two branches. Before they are set out the plants should, be sprayed with 4-4-40 bordeaux, or the boxes of plants may be dipped in the mixture. When the plants make growth all the side shoots must be kept pinched cut. Do this before they develop much, so as not to waste the plant's energy. As soon as an appreciable amount of growth has been made it should be sprayed, and from thence onward the foliage should be kept practically covered with fungicide. Fresh lime is not always obtainable, and it is quite useless unless it is fresh. Wash-ing-soda may take the place of 1 lime ; it is quite as effective and 1 is always obtainable; V/i lb. of soda is equal to 1 lb. of lime. Potatoes: Planting will now ' be about finished. Keep the ground well cultivated to prevent weed-growth, and to maintain the soil sweet, which really means admittance of air. As soon as the sets show through give a topdressing of sulphate of ammonia spread along the rows in close proximity to the sets ; Y\ oz. per lineal yard will be sufficient. Scruffle the fertilizer in, if possible. If the sulphate is not to be applied, blood-and-bone or dried blood alone should be given. This should be applied as early as possible, as blood manure is slow in action. Give a full ounce in place of the less amount cf sulphate of ammonia. Potatoes are ready for the first moulding when the tops are about 6 in. high. Before moulding they should be sprayed with 4-4-40 bordeaux. Gourds: Pumpkins, marrows, melons of all kinds, and cucumbers may be planted out, or seed sown in the open, early in the month. Tn very sheltered positions there is advantage gained by setting out plants raised earlier under glass ; in such positions the plants grow away at once, and early fruit is obtained. In ordinary circumstances it is better to plant seeds ; it effects a great saving of labour, and fruit is obtained almost as early. The difference will probably be about ten days in favour of the plants if the position is moderately sheltered, , but if the weather should prove boisterous, or the position is without shelter, there will be no advantage, Deeply worked, fairly moist soil suits the gourd family best; very rich soil is not necessary. Stable or farmyard manure is beneficial more because it holds moisture than because of it 3 manurial properties. In small gardens an excellent place to grow gourds is on a heap of garden-refuse, weeds, &c, or on a heap of manure stacked for future use. All that is necessary is to thrown on a few shovelfuls of free soil to plant the seeds in. The vines will cover up the heap and convert it into an ornament instead of an eyesore. The plants on a heap of garden-refuse will grow and bear as well as those on a manure heap —proof enough that it is moisture, not manure, they require. In ordinary practice those cultivators who grow good breadths of pumpkins, &c, prepare the soil by deep ploughing.

Where manure is available it is beneficial, but a green crop ploughed under is probably quite as good. A dressing of blood-and-bone should be given, as although rich ground is not necessary it must not be poor. In small cultivations better results are secured by digging a hole about 2 ft. deep and equally broad, and three parts filling it with half-decayed manure or weeds, &c, returning the soil, and planting the seeds on top. When growing them on the flat the plants should be set in clump of three, 10 ft. apart. A few extra seeds should be set in each clump to allow for possible loss, thinning the plants if more come than are wanted, but not until they have made sufficient growth to ensure their safety. Celery: Trenches are necessary for the production of firstclass heads. These are prepared by digging out the soil one spit deep and placing it in the intervals between the trenches, which must be. 3 ft. apart for single-row trenches, and 4 ft. apart for double-row trenches. For single rows —which give the best heads —dig the trench as narrow as a No. 1 spade will make it. For double rows the trench must be half as wide again. When the first spit has been thrown out, dig a good layer of half-decayed manure into the bottom. The trenches are best prepared some time before they are wanted, so as to allow time for the soil and manure in the bottom to settle and aerify. Other vegetables: Parsnips and carrots should now be sown for winter use therefore in quantity. Superphosphate is a useful fertilizer ; apply from 1 oz. to 2 oz. per square yard according to the quality of the soil, if any is needed. Wood-ashes are good in any case, and may be applied at 7 lb. per square rotl. The best land for these vegetables is that which was well supplied with stable manure for a previous crop, in which case no fertilizer, unless it be wood-ashes, will be needed. At this time of the year seeds come freely, and if the ground has been kept clean there should be very little trouble with slugs. This renders thin sowing possible, and saves large amount of labour in thinning. Drop two or three seeds at intervals of'about 4 in and thin to one when the plants appear. Sow peas and French beans for succession. Plant cabbage, cauliflowers, and lettuces according to requirements. Sow turnips seven or eight weeks after the last sowing. Sow lettuce in drills, and thin the plants instead of transplanting. Sow radishes every ten days in small lots. Onions for pickling should be sown during the last half of the month, silver-skin varieties being best for the purpose. Choose a rather poor patch of friable soil, and before sowing the seed tread the soil very firm. Sowing may be broadcast if weeds are not likely' to be troublesame, otherwise sow in wide drills, distributing the seed so that each is clear of another.- No thinning should be done. Cabbage, savoys, and all broccoli, as well as varieties of kale where these are grown (these being most useful in the colder parts of the Dominion) should be sown during the month, but not until the 20th in northern districts.