THE GARDEN.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 119, 13 February 1919, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

(By W. Taylor in Journal of Agricut uro). VEGETABLE CULTURE. The planting of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and various kales should in most places be already done. In the warmer parts of the North Island later planting is successful; in the coldest districts all such plants should be out during January ; while in the middle districts the work should be finished by the middle of February. Any put out later cannot be depended on to attain to serviceable size for winter use. French beans may be sown up to the middle of February. Swede turnips should now be sown for winter use. Thin to about Bin. apart. White turnips should be sown as required, still in small quantity. Silver-beet may be sown now for winter use; also spinach for the same purpose should be sown about the middle of February. Silver-beet should be thinned to lOin. or 12in. apart, or it may be transplanted if convenient. Spinach for winter use should be thinned to about Bin. apart, taking care that the plants stand singly. Where supplies ar6 insufficient or when young roots are preferred to old ones, red beet of a turnip-rooted variety may be sown, also turnip-rooted parsnip, and a stump-rooted carrot such as Nantes. Development will in no case be great, but these catch-crops often prove to be very useful. Onion-beds should be kept free of weeds and the surface soil loose. No further attempt should be made to force growth, either by the use of artificial manure or by* liquid manure, as such treatment increases the danger from mildew and also mars the keeping-quality of the bulbs. Bending the tops to assist ripening should not be resorted to except in extreme cases. In our climate the tops usually wither and fall naturally, and where this happens it is a sign of wellripened bulbs and is very desirable. -Bending the tops should never be done until it can be seen that they will not fall naturally. The latter state may be caused by wet weather, particularly if the soil is overrich. The giant kinds are those most affected in this way; it seldom happens to the medium-sized keeping varieties. If bending the tops is necessary it should be done carefully; the stem must not be broken, for if it is the plant will "St once' send up new growth through the broken part and the bulb be ruined. A stem should be taken between the thumb and fingers, bruising and bending over at the same time, so that it will lie down but remain intact. Celery-planting should be finished. This vegetable may be put in much later in northern districts, but if planted now it will make larger heads. Planting later is therefore more a matter of convenience than a necessary practice. Where rust threatens- the plant should be frequently sprayed with bordeaux mixture. Planting of leeks should be completed within the coming month. Details of the method of planting were given in the December Journal. Pumpkins, marrows, cucumbers, water-melons, pie-melons, and rock-melons may be left to grow in their own way—as they frequently are left in large cultivations. This, however, is merely a gamble; best results cannot be expected from such methods; if fruits of anything like even size are to be secured the growths on each plant must be controlled. The habit of growth is the same in all the gourd family, differing only in strength. In all cases a limited number of strong runners are sent out in the first place. These may be regarded as the framework of the plants. From these lateral or side shoots proceed. These are the fruit-bearers; although the main arms will bear fruit it is not profitable to allow this in a general way. When the main arms have made a few feet of growth their points should be cut off. This will encourage the growth of laterals, which will soon show fruit. After this the cultivator should decide on what he wishes to obtain—either a few large fruits or a number of smaller ones —and proceed accordingly. If hundred woight pumpkins are desired a plant can only grow one or two of them, and all others must be suppressed and the vines be kept pinched. If quantities of smaller specimens are the object more laterals are allowed to fruit, and pruning will be to stop each lateral a leaf or two beyond the fruit, and to thin out or stop waste growth. Marrows and pumpkins produce fruit until stopped by cold weather; therefore in their case late growths may be allowed to run unchecked. Melons will not

ripen late, and as this fruit is, of course, useless unless ripe, the plant-growth should be checked for the benefit of the main crop, which is the only one that will ripen. INSECT PESTS. The larvae of the diamondbacked moth, which is the greatest pest of the cabbage tribe, is unlikely to be present in devastating numbers this season, wet weather and cool conditions so far having restricted —in some districts quite prevented —hatching and breeding. When the infection is not bad I have found hellebore powder the best thing to use, it being easily applied, requiring no preparation. The grubs do most damage by eating the tiny leaves forming in the centre of the plants, particularly cauliflowers and broccoli. A little of the powder dusted on these centre leaves will save them from injury; no notice need be taken of tho larger leaves, but fertilizing with nitrate of soda to assist growth should not be neglected. In the warmer districts celery and also carrots and parsnips aro liable to be infested by small green lice. If these aro left in possession tho foliage turns yellow and growth ceases ; soon the foliage withers away and the plants die. Spraying with Vistolene or XL All fluid kills the insect at once. The spray should bo fine or it will not cling to the foliage, and, further, a coarse spray is very wasteful. The grey aphis that attacks the cabbage tribe in dry weather can be controlled in the same way. Brussels sprouts are liable to become badly infested with these insects after the sprouts are formed. In this case I prefer to treat them with boiling water applied forcibly with a garden syringe, and I have had complete success with this plan. The aphis in this case has usually appeared towards the end of summer when days aro shortening and becoming cooler, but when the soil is very dry. I have then always found one syringing sufficient, as rain is usually not long coming, the plants get more moisture, and the lower temperature prevents a reappearance of the pest. FERTILIZERS. Fertilizers, with the exception of nitrate of soda, should preferably be applied before planting. Some authorities advise the general use of basic slag for vegetables; it has the advantage of being non-acid, therefore does not encourage club-root disease. Four ounces per square yard is a suitable amount of slag. It may not be wise, however, to rely on the continued use of only one fertilizer. Blood-and-done is useful for most crops, so also is superphosphate. Where the soil has been kept in good heart by a proper use of fertilizers, by rotation of crops, and by turning in green crops for humus, largequantities of fertilizers are not required. In such circumstances superphosphate, 1 oz., and bonemeal or blood-and-bone, 1 oz„ each per square yard, is sufficient. This equals about 21b per square rod, or 3001 b per acre of each, and 6001 b per acre in all. Nitrate of soda is of great value in vege-table-culture. All crops are benefited by light applications of this salt, but what may be termed green crops, as distinguished from root crops, are most benefited. The dressing should bo light; heavy dressings are likely to induce a too luxuriant soft growth. Two dressings each of per square yard, equal to 1501 b per acre, are bettor than one heavier dressing. The first dressing should ho appliod soon after the plants begin to grow after being transplanted, the second five or six weeks lator. Lieut.-Col. R. C. Allen, of Morrinsville, lma beon awarded a bar to his D 8 0. Tho New Zealand war correspondent cables aa follows: Among thoao who gained a bar to tho D S.O. for courage and leadership in tho recont fighting was LieutenantColonol Robert Alien, of tho Auckland Regimont, who was attached to tho First Battalion of tho Riflo Brigade, In tho attack at Oreveeouor early in Octobor ho displayed remarkable courago undor iiro and groat skill in tho command of his battalion. During tho attack his headquarters was heavily shelled and all his officers, savo ono, becamo casualties. Ho himsolf was wounded, but remained to superintend tho ovacuation of tho otlior wounded. At Lo Ciuosnoy, on November 4, although constantly under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, ho moved from company to company throughout tho attack personally directing operations. Ho was wounded in tho log, but carried on until all tho objectives wore taken. Ho and his brothor aro wellknown throughout the division for their groat daring and ablo leadership, Each hus boon wounded four times, and by all tho ordinary laws of chance each should have beon killed before the end of tho campaign.