THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 8 March 1920, Page 4

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

There is an old adage about making hay' when, the sun shines. The same principle applies to the garden when moist weather comes along. There are many things a gardener can do now that the land has been moistened by recent rains. Never sow seed in. very dry ground. First saturate it with water, and after sowing keep the ground damp by shading it with bracken, dead pea haulm, or some such thing.

Seedling savoy, cabbage, cauliflower, and celery may still be planted out. First water the ground thoroughly some hours before planting. Protect the plants from the hot sun for a fewda vs.

Spray with tar water or other insecticide to kill or prevent cabbage fly. Old cabbage stumps and rubbish should be cleared off; they breed "fly."

Keep weeds down and dig over any vacant plots.

If any plots are not required for cropping sow with mustard, and dig it in when a foot high.

Dig potatoes as the tops dry off. If left and wet weather comes the tubers may commence to grow. Leaders of runner beans should be pinched when they reach the tops of the supports. Keep beans of all sorts closely gathered. Finch the leading shoots of melons and cucumbers.

Out cucumbers and vegetable mar rows directly they are ready for use.

Vegetable marrows are growing Tcdv and should receive plentiful supplies of water during dry weather ind liquid manure at frequent inter- .:,!,. unless they are grown upon a heap if manure. Spread out the growths .vhere possible, and thin out weak dioots, if no mote room can be given hem.

Hoeing is now an important operation, for although the garden has seldom been so tree from weeds, fhe surface soil has naturally been beaten down with the heavy rains, preventing the free access of ail to the roots. Hoeing, in fact, is more important after a heavy Tain and as soon as the surface is sufficiently dry to work, than at any other time.

All spent crops should be removed, and. the ground well manured and deeplv dug for future crops. Onions should be harvested as they mature, and when thoroughly dry stored away in a dry place to keep them dormant as long as possible—where there is only a small quantity to be dealt with the best plan is to tie them up in bunches or on a rafter.