Kitchen Garden

Manawatu Herald, 21 February 1893, Page 3

Kitchen Garden

The sowing of Winter Spinach should not be forgotten. The soil should be well pulverised, and if a dressing of soot and burnt rubbish is added, it will be found of great advantage. If the soil is loose, it should be lightly trodden over previous to sowing, as this crop requires a firm root hold. Draw the drills about; IBm apart and sow thinly, Asparagns ia a crop which is fre^ qnently much neglected after the summer cutting ceases, but if large growths are desired it is a great advantage to assist the roots in dry hot weather. Heavy watering and a dressing of salt and cow manure appUed previous to tho watering will be found to repay the 1 ibonr spent when next year's crop is cut Clear away all exhausted crops and make the ground at once ready for snccessional planting. Keep all growing plants moulded up. Winter and Spring Cabbages, says a Home grower, ought especially to be moulded up. Having the soil drawn up to the stems from midway between the rows not only seems to favour a strong, yet hardy growth, but the furrows thus formed render it a very easy matter to feed them with strong liquid manure. Strong sewage water, house-slops and diluted trainings from farmyards may be poured down the furrows with great advantage, these reaching most of the feeding roots and promoting a rapid growth of heart. Cauliflowers also ought to be well fed at the roots if superior hearts are

desired, and if freely and early moulded up, the furrows will be just the place for pouring down strong liquid manures, waste being out of the question unless the position is on the side of a hill. Even in the latter ease this difficulty can be easily got over by means of ridges and furrows formed across the slope Peas and Beans are usually moulded up, and they pay well for this little trouble, and even such root crops as Carrots, Onions and Beet are sometimes greatly benefitted by similar treatment, though in a somewhat lighter fasbion. Strawberries are great impoverishes of the ground, and old plants require rather more assistance than can be given them from the surface. At this time of year a narrow trench

may safely be cnfc midway between tthe rows and good solid manure be dag* in. This will destroy a considerable number of roots, but fresh food will be placed where it will quickly become available. The newly disturbed soil and manure mixed wifo jt. sbpuld.be heavily trampled, a firm rather than a loose root- run being most needed lor Strawberries, or otherwise there will be a plentiful crop of leaves and but few fruit next season.— Exchange.