THE GARDEN.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 164, 31 December 1919, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

(W. H. Taylor, Horticulturist, in the 3 ouvnul of Agriculture.) VEGETABLE CULTURE. During the next tour weeks cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, various kales, brussels 1 sprouts, and savoys should be planted. With the exception of cauliflowers all are for x use during winter. The cauliflower planted'should be one of the large kinds of Veitch's Autumn Giant type. The purpose js to obtain a | supply in the autumn, closely following cessation of supplies of peas and French beans. The early kinds, such as, Snowball and Early Paris', are too precocious for planting at this time. Dry conditions prevailing would cause them to button too early, thus failing to supply 'heads during that important period between the last of the vegetables above mentioned and the advent of early broccolis.

Savoys may be planted last, they being of poor ; quality,' until well w inter ea\ sprouts should be put outVas soon as possible; in fact, theyv are f better (planted earlier; requiring a long j season of growth. 'At this tinm of the year, when the soil is dr.yf and the weather is require some assistance to help them take, hdldof.the'soil. /There are several ways of doihg'\tb|si Where the operations are v small frequent watering is possible and meets the case, though' it is not the best plan. The best plan is that known\as pudding-in. '] For pudding-in the hole for planting is best made with a dibber. The wall of the hole, being firmed somewhat, will hold water 'for a few/seconds. The roots of the plant are placed in the hole, which is then filled with water, The hole is immediately filled in with Soil,.which, mixing with the water, forms a puddle. Dry soil is then drawn around the plant and forms a mulch which prevents evaporation; When so treated plants will re-establish without further watering. Neither method is practicable in large plantings The. usual plan is to make a,thick mixture of soil and wateiysoine adding cow-manure to make it stick, and dip the roots in it. This (serves merely to protect the roots from the air during the operation pf planting. The plants should be drawn a couple of hours before planting is to bebegin, and placed in a bath-tub containing a few inches of water. .'The leaves then' become weHcharged with moisture and are able to quickly promote rootaction. the plants in bundles from the water, also some of the mud which will settle at 'the bottom, and, rub it, on'the roots. , It is an excellent plan to lift tbe„plants a week before they are to be planted out, and heel them close together in a convenient patch of good soil., They should be watered when heeled. Inaweek or less the plants will have made numbers of new feedjngrroots, and as they will not have got a firm hold, of, the, soil they will, not be iniured .whop lifted. Plants so prepared reestablish very quickly. .£ ?. -Tomatoes '■?'■ Attend carefully to •the •suppression of side.shPpts. .There are several ways of training the plants,'and they are allowed a varying number of main stems, butinall cases the fruit is taken from the main stem, and no side shoots should be allowed; they should be cut out when quite young, 'as they rob the fruit. Spraying should be attended to, j more especially where attacks ' have previously been experienced. I Attacks of blight are sometimes started by a spell'of damp weather —dull quiet'weather rather than rain. Also, plants that,.are soft from overrichness of soil are likely to be attacked.' Watering should be avoided, except jn cases 'of extreme dryness of soil. If the soil is moderately good the plants make more growth than is wanted without watering, which, given in such circumstances, would almost certainly induce blight. The most effectual spray hasbluestone as the fungicide. It may be made with lime, in which case tne formula is 4—4—40, the first figure representing pounds of bluestone, the' second pounds of lime, and "40" representing | gallons of water. Washing-soda may be used in place of lime, using 51b instead of 41b. :\.j ' ■;

Pumpkins, marrows,' and cucumbers have a habit of sending out long runners or vines. These should be stopped occasionally to encourage the growth of lateral shoots which bear the fruit., In large plantations the plants are usually allowed to grow theirown way'and are not checked. The result is a quantity of fruit that could have been got from a very much smaller area by proper stopping- . ; Asparagus: On no account cpt any more heads unless it is intended to destroy the bed. Celery: During the. next few weeks the main supply of celery should be provided for. There

are two t distinct types—namely,■ self-blanching (varieties that have white or yellow leaf stalks) and those that are naturally green. Of the former type Henderson's White PlunW is the vaiiety most grown. It !is possible to-use, this variety without ■ moulding up. This has led* to some market, gardeners planting it in beds in- 1 stead of in trenches, spacing the plants 9in,or lOin apart. The plants ,must: be well supplied with water to induce as strong growth as possible, when the' 'crowded/ condition aids the blanching natural variety, and saleable heads are produced, though thpy are not very good. Trench culture is necessary even with this variety to produce good and crisp heads. An intermediate course of cultivation is to mark out a plof sft or 6ft wide. Dig out half a spit of the soil and 'throw it on one side. Level and plant onHhis surface. Being lower than the surrounding surface, the soil will be moister and will better hold water that is given, resulting, in a stronger growth. The soil thrown out may be returned, and will assist ■the, blanching;'besides giving anew rootihold. These varieties are tender, and will not stand the winter except in the warmer districts. The best celery, is found in the other ;'class, which has a far niore jrobust habit- The best among these are the red varieties, they possessing a more nutty flavour than the white varieties, which are, however, excellent. Trenches,, should be prepared in well-trenched ground and should be a full spit deep. Some welldecayed manure should be dug into the bottom of the trench. Trenches should be prepared some time before planting, so as to allow them to settle down- If this is not convenient the surface should be firmed ;by treading. It is most economical to plant two rows in a trench, the plants being set in l pairs abreast of each other, the pairs 9in or lQin asunder, i A thorough watering is neoessary after planting. Peas may be sown up to the middle of January, and French beans Wthe middle of February.