THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

' OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN" GARDEN.— EarIy potatoes are ripening off; let those intended for ri»ed be SiiUy matured before . lifting. Cultivators should avoid weakening the tuber by the use of too stimulating manures, or by inting before they are perfectly ripe. When the early rows of i celery have fairly startcM into grc win let" them have some liquid manure; earth up a little at a time as the pVrits advai cc. A few. tows of some of the earlier yaripiies of pdas may be- sown where the , situation is favourable. Tomatoes cannot have to© much attention in thinning out shoots and leaves' and in pinching out the - points above the bloom clusters. Ridge cucumbers and! marfo x ws will also require occasional stopping to ' prevent the formation of fruit , FLOWER GARDEN.— There is not much work of a special character to be pointed out in this department; the usual "routine of regulating the growth of bedding plants and keeping the Borders clean needs but •little r-eferenoa'. In the mixed borders, hollyhocks and dahlias must be secured n^ftinst wind, and some of the atrong-grow-.ing varieties of chrysanthemum will require attention xo. this respect. Twisted; wire is the best mode of securing carnations, and CJ -has__ the additional advantage of being indestructible. It is time carnations end picotees were layered, and the , propagation of pinks should not be delayed. Layering «nd cutting making should be proceeded •with as early as th© state of the growth ♦nd other circumstances will allow, so that footing may be wall advanced. Good and fiumerou9 roots are the foundation of success with these beautiful hardy flowers. The Ijest results can only be achieved "by propagating early . and planting in autumn. Carnations delight in. a well-cultivated soil, tich rather in the qualities of good compost than those of manure. Turfy loam, road etc., thrown, up in a < heap, inters «adxed with newly-slaked lime— the , fatter rsed through a, lin riddle— and allowed to for nine or 12 months, during: which time *he heap should be turned over several times, so as to incorporate ilio materials, well together, mak« an excellent compost for i&em. Wire worm , is one' of the most destructive enemies, of the carnation. It is often carried into the ground with manure and compost, especially the latter. ~ At every turning of the material a sharp lookout jbould be kept for tbia pest, every one being ricked" out and destroyed. Soot is » distasteful ingredient in the soil for wireworm and in addition, to searching for ana destroying »U that may be> found, dustings tfl soot, fresh and dry, should be given freely as the turning is proceeded with. &B,EENH.QJ& £ '&& l -i All t^e «oenhovi£«

' plants in pits and frames should be fully exposed at ni&V,. A high temperature during the d«y i» aot of mjuch consequence so long as tner« is sufficient ventilation to prevent the accumulation of oondensed moisture. Le"is water will be required by keeping close during the day. Fuchsias and balsams must be shifted on as they advance, giving them an open com<post -with some well-rotted cowdung. Calceolarias afionld be sown at once, and as the method of doing so profitably is but little known, the following instructions in detail will be acceptable: — Select a. sWdy place, and place » hand light' half filled with rough ashes. Fill a 6in pot to within lin of the rim. half with drainage and. the other half as I follows: — First, rough pieces of turf, then j fine soil, and surface /cry fin» sandy loam mixed with a little peat. Press, water well, and six or eight hours after sow the seed evenly on the surface, pressing it slightly in. Plunge the pot nearly to tne rim in the j ashes, put a square of gloss over _ the pot, and, until the seedlings appear, give, moisture by watering the ashes. When germination hag taken placa raise the square of glass a little, then in » short -time remove it at night, replacing it during the day; give air by the top of the hand light, and as soon as the plants will bear it expose them fully; prick out three in a pot, keeping them 1 in a, 0001, shady place to produce strong, healthy plants, which green fly will hardly attack at all. anless the seedlings should receive a oheok by allowing them to become too dry. FRUIT GARDEN.— Prepare the plot on which strawberries are to .be planted, selecting runners from strong fruit-bearing plants. Wall fruit tree^ require the pruned, and let the fruit have all the light possible. But it is better to go over half -the tre* first than adopt severe measures likely to prove injuriou*. Thin out. fruit on alt trees where the crop is exceptionally heavy. An undue crop ia hurtful; the fruits are small" in sizej mnd are too heavy a. burden for the tree, especially if young. Tomatoes Tepay for a mulch manure. Remove leaves directly in front of the fruit, and thin out unduly luxuriant growth.