THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 269, 24 May 1889, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

Every vacant piece of land should now be dug over and left as rough as possible, for exposure to the frosts. , Gooseberries, currants and otner smal trees should now be well pruned. This consists, mainly, in thinning out. When a bush is well thinned, no two shoots will touch;, indeed they should be on an average three inches apart all ov^r the bush. The centre of the bush should be kept very open. In selecting wood to remain choose that which is strong, but not over luxuriant ; the latter" with all weakly and inferior wood may be cut clear away ; cutting away, als > all coarse snags in the interior of the branches. Shorten every point which appears weakly or incomplete in character, just as far as such inferiority is manifest. Carots and parsnips should now be lifted and stored. The Khubarb beds must be cleaned and manured. The decayed leaves should he removed, and we 1 putrefied stable dung should be forked in to the root, and then earthed up to the stools. Occasional sowings of mustard and cress may be made to keep up supply of small salading. Directly rain comes, cauliflowers, lettuce and spinage for spring use, should be transplanted. Fruit t<ees can also be shifted during this and next month. The following directions for preparing stations for [fruit tres from a first caas work, will probably be usefull. . Unless the «oil is good, this is the best mode of pladtin^; and it often renders draining unnecessary. If the soil be too wet, the hole need only be half the prescribed depth, the other half may rise above the ordinary ground level If too dry there is no occasion to elevate the surface, only care must be taken not topla-e the colar of the tree too deep, which i* a serious fault under all circumstances. Let the stations extend three feet on each aide the p sition for the tree, thus producing an excavation of six feet square. Two >eet in depth is amply sufficieut for any fruit tree, especially lor a dwarfing plan. The soil then should be thrown entirely out, and four or five i ches more must be a lowed for some impervious material, which we will presently describe In throwing out the soil, care must be taken to place it in samp es, or both labour and material will be wasted. It very frequently happens that three distinct samples of soil or subsoil will come to hand during the operation. Of course all clay, or sour, and badly coloured subsoil must be rejected, and its amount will be sup* plied by the new material to be introduced ; and if this is scarce, any ordinary surface soil may be in parts substituted. In filling the materials back again, the best of the original surface soil must be kept downwards, mixing it thoroughly with the new soil ; the inferior or second rate soil may be kept to dress the surface with. As to character of soil to be introduced, that depends partly on the soil already existing in the garden, as well as on the kind of fruit tree about to be planted. If the soil is naturally sandy and dry, a very stiff or clayey loam should be selected ; if naturally clayey, any fresh, mellow, sandy loam, or even the parings of road sides, commons or laaes, wil piove excellent material. Whatever materials are used, let it be remembered that the more of turfey matter can be introduced, the longer will the compost endure. Any sort of turf, even from hungry situations, is most relished by fruit trees. If, never-the less, no turf can be obtained, and the soil is loose and poor, it is well to introduce any refuse vegetables of a dry character, such as decayed bean or pea haulim ordinary straw, old thatch, or indeed anything of a decaying vegetable character, which is strong in fibre and enduring. If any manure is thought necessary, it should be fresh from the stable or cowshed, as such will endure longer in the soil, merely using one barrowful of mellow and rather rich soil to plant the tree in. As before observed, the most inferior portion of the soil may be reserved to dress the surface of the station with after the tree is planted ; here it will do no harm, and will be in an improvable position. W« now com*

to ike hard materials for the bottom of th.o bole ; four or five inches in depth, as before stated it matters not what this h composed of, broken stones from the quarries, brickbats, chalk, cinders, or clinkers, all are eligible. These being rammed^ hard, throw a coating of fine riddled cinders over the whole, or very fine gravel; tbis secures drainage and prevents the roots entering to any ul jurious extent.