THE GARDEN

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 96, 20 February 1880, Page 4

THE GARDEN

VEGETABLE GARDEN. Many kinds of vegetable seeds are ripening up, and should be gathered, dried, and cleaned while the weather is fine, and when ready for storing each sort must be carefully labelled and then put by in a dry situation, and where vermin cannot get to them. The early varieties of potatoes may be lifted, and any intended for next seasons’s planting should be allowed to lay on the ground until they have become somewhat green before being stored. The recently introduced sorts of Breese’s Snowflake, Early Rose, etc., are worthy of especial attention.

FLOWER GARDEN. The propagation of bedding stuff for next year’s planting must be commenced with. All side shoots of geraniums can be taken off without destroying the appearance of the beds. These are easily made into cuttings, which should be inserted into shallow boxes, or flower-pots, and then put out of doors in a sunny place. Verbenas, with thin wiry stems, should be trimmed in, and in about a fortnight’s time they will have made nice young growth, suitable for cuttings. These, with cupheas, double groundsels, and a host of others, must have a close shaded frame, and be kept moderately moist until rooted. The various kinds of bulbous-root-ed flowers, as hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, iris, ranunculus, ixias, etc., have now sufficiently ripened off to allow of being lifted, and this should be carefully done, and each lot put aside with a little dry sand, or charcoal and sand mixed. They may be so kept until April or May, and should then be planted again in good light compost. The caterpillar is infesting asters, geraniums, and many other large foliage plants, and should be looked after with sharp eyes and nimble fingers.