Garden Operations for Augus

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 69, 20 August 1885, Page 4

Garden Operations for Augus

Flower arden. TKT-'is a'welc m month: t Urines with.ifctbe ret,um-of spring; a d Hyacinths, Anemones, Snowdrops, Narcissus and other flowering bulbs, help to cheei and break tho monotony that has hitherto prevailed. Hyacinths m pots should receive either liquid or powdered artificial manure, to g ye them strength and color. Lifting and planting shrubs, should be done this i month, so that their roots may be established before dry weather sots m. Tie up climbing plants. Do not: defer panting Ro.<es after = his month. Tea Roses may be pruned now. The following seeds may be sowu, Mignonette, Nemophilas, Collinsi a . Larkspur, Candytuft, and a few other hardy annuals, and cover lightey at this time of year. Fruit Garden. Plant Apples, Pears, Plums, Oherri s, Quinces, Medlars, Mulberries, Che t '" nuts, Wai uuts, Gilberts, Gooseberries, ''Currants, Peaches, Apricots ; and Nectarines, if desired. Prune all the kinds above mentioned, if required. I may here mention that I find this pruning is a stumbling block to very many who are even mixious to know the art, and the benefits that accrue, and the consequences of not pruning at all. These are two classes: the timid, who are afraid to touch their trees; and the over sanguine, who butcher the branches off. Tho old proverb is: A man should never prune his own trees, because he never takes otf enough. This is a mistaken idea, and yet indulged by many at. the present time. X cannot go into long details liere; but to be brief: In the first place you take what is termed a maiden plant, that is a oue year old tree, and cut it off to about two feet or thirty inches from the gronnd (which is generally high enough for this coast). The following season it wi'l send oufc two and general Jy throe shoots. The three shoots are bes for forming the base of the head. The tree now is two years ofd and these three shoots shonld be now cut back to within six inches from the bast* of the shoots, if it is to be kept as a dwarf tree; it a large head is the object desired, the shoots mny he taft to stand longer, say ten inches to one foot from base* Always ket?p m mind to prune, bo that the topmost bud may be left to stand on the outer side of the • shoots. The object of this will l>e -Very readily seen when they stait into growth, as they will, if thus pruned, all start to grow outward and leave tb.3 tree open m the centre. Suppose now the tree is three years old. The base at this time should tm wejl formed with many equalised shoots, or it may have happened that there are one or more shoots of very strong growth; if so, these shoots must be pruned well back, as a base fov other shoots to start from. Any cross shoots, or shoots directing inwards, should be taken oft; and if. the root* v **ere not' pruned the previous summer, it may "be done now, to arrest a too luxuriant growth of wood, and caune the development of fruit buds. Root pruning consists of cutting any laige naked or fibreless roots .that are directing downwards m the subsoil. 'Not a singls top fibre or suiface root should -be cut, as these are the principal fruit forming mots. The art of prnningafter this coimsts'of pinching out during summer any shoots that may be taking an inward or cross direction, or any that may be showing a tdo ; robust growth. It' is a fallacy to keep'on pruning year after year m order to produce crops of fruit. The secret is to regulate tlie growth by judicious root pruning" and the fruit bearing; checks the wood-producing so much that the trees as a rule contniuo to bear crops of fiuitand make but little wood for years afterwards The ground for the planting of fruit trees should be prepared" m autumn, for these trees are best planted after the fall of the leaf; but if circumstances have prevented the preparation of the ground, this should be carried out now without delay. Cut. back the limbs of old tives intendpd to be grafted m tho early part of the month, for if left till the sap is flowing, the bark dies back to a considerable extent below the wound, and the graft, fails. Also cut off the heads of stocks, especially the quince, m the early part of the month, jf grafts were not taken off last month off apples, pears, &c., it should be done withont delay, and their ends put m soil, whore the sun's rays will not fall on them, and sheltred from drying winds. Commence root grafting from the middle of the month. Kitchen Garden. Peas and Broad Beans require the ground well trenched; their roots being of a tapering habit, they go deep for moisture. Owing to their composition con isting chiefly of phosphoric acid, potash, and lime, they should recive a liberal dressing of either superphosphate of lime, bonedust, wood-ashes, or a little lime, The aim should be to supply, as far as possible, elements that are deficient m the soil. Old garden soil, long cultivated and manured with organic manures; ism meny instances reduced to a mass chiefly consisting of inert humus, the mineral constituents of plants being deficient to a great exteu*-. As our soil is deficient m lime, we should supply that ueed by tho application < f bonedust or quicklime. The most prolific Peas wo have found yet is the American Little Wonder, a dwarf variety; and b'ratagem, a till v riety, grows about two feet six inches. Sow main ci*op of Onions* Cauliflower, Early York Cabbage seed, and various other vegetable seeds may be sown now, choosing dry we ther for sowing. Silverskin Onions for picking should be sowu on rather poor, hard soil, so as to get small, hard bu bs. Plant Rhubarb that has been taken up; it likes a rich, deep soil, and not, as is too i-fton donp, holes dug and raw manure put m, and the roots put m the manure, with the result that they too often decay. Make small sowing 3 of Turnips about every three weeks, as they hive a tendency to run to feed m this and next month. Sow Early ttorn Carrot, Summer Spinach, Radish, Lettuce, Leeks, Parsley, Parsnips, and Cress Dig up all vacant ground, and I*t it lie rough, 4 to expose it to froa.t uutil required for cropping. AU r bbish should be gathei'ud up and oarriod to a heap, cither to be charred or rofc it down. All vegetables require a liberal supply of manure to bring them on quick to perfection,