THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK

KITCHEN GARDEN.— The clearing away 31 all old crops, etc., so as to have all the available ground prepared to receive the winter crops is necessary, as a considerable planting out of broccoli, cauliflowers, savoys. and cabbages should take place. To seenre the best results from such crops the soil eliould be v;el' manured, notwithstanding the fact that the pie.-ious ciop was well manured, • s Ul such vegatabl-es require to be grown «s quickly as possib'e, £>ucl to attain this «nd the soil should, ba deeply worked and well manured. All similar crops planted earlier should not be allowed to suffer from •want of water. Celeiy will need constant attention to keep it earthed up as the growth jproceeds. It _ should never be allowed to euffer from dro'igbt oi i will become stringy. As required continue to sow successional supplies of all kinds of salpding, also a ■mail sowing of cabbage, &avoy, and late fcroccoli. Spinach ghou d now be sown on 'deeply-prepared beds well enn-ched with manure for the pievious crop. After sowing, rak-e lightly to co\ei the peed, then cover /the whole of the sown surface with a light covering of ha'f-decajed manure: Ihis will prevent ih" lapid evapoialion of moibture ami keep the surface s-c:l fiom becoming caked or set. Kidney Ivans which are bearIng should have carenil picking, as if any Jcds aie permitted to become seedy the fiuther cropping will be mteifered with. Ii i*»~J >• «qu;r«3 a portion of Hie bed »lionlcl it- ■>' «pait for this r-nipos* and the whole € ■ • yttut not be tluis «poi cd. as is too otef *&* case At this teason it frequently i«pf>ens that moie b?ans are produced dur•*g a%w weeks, when the plants are in full L»aring, than at. othei times, and thui the Jfangei of a eontiuueu* supply i« interfered with, [f not required foi use the o\ei supply should be closely picked

FLOWER GARDEN —Roses that were ibudded should have the ties loosened^ so .is to prevent them cutting into the baik. \= ■"• cl ifchis must be repeated once or twice Lafne fhef can be finally removed. Roses aie at Ibis time of the year liable to be affected With* mildew, ."and some varieties are very •übject to this fungus. The plants should fee lightly sprinkled with water and then well Busted with, si'lphnr which, if repeated onct •r twice, will cure the worst cases. It is Important that this should be attended to. •s unless the foliage is kept healthy the wood for next year's blooming will not be properly matured. All annuals th*t are past ti<K,7 best should b«, e'earc-d away, oi they gi*e the garden an untidy appearance Such IS sic b;ii!g saved foi seed puiposes should fc gon» over occasional y. aa many kinds KJ7&2 their gj>c<U very i»pidlv gIUi i^esmg

a oerts*?h stage, and tTie seeds are soon lost. Carnations and picotees that were layered a few weeks ago must be kept free from weeds and regularly watered or (hey will fail to root Pansies should now be cut back close, and sta the young shoots attain the length of about 2in a few cuttings of each variety that is considered woith keeping should be taken. Insert the cuttings in pots of sandy soil, and keep in a close frame for a few weeks, when they should be struck. Dahlias must be kept tied up to their stakes, or much injury will be done to them) during windy weather. Ii extra good flowers are wanted, thin the shoots and «pply liquid manure to them twice a week. All tall-groiving plants^ should be kept securely tied up, or many of the best growths will be damaged during the present windy season. Verbenas should have all the old flowers cut away, and some fresh, rich soil introduced among the healthy growths to induce them to push out fresh roots, after which a fresh growth will result, flowering up till cut away by frosts. Chrysanthemums will now be producing lateral growths freely, prior to forming flower buds. If large blooms are preferred to quantity, these side shoots shou d be thinned out as naturally the chiysanthemum produces many more buds than can be perfected, hence the necessity of thinning ou,t. ft*hen top dressing has been delayed it should be at once attended to dressing with decayed stable manure.

GREENHOUSB ANT) FRAMES.— AII kinds of pelargoniums, if they have been properly ireated, shou'd be upe enough for cutting by the second veek in February. Azaleas, if not already lurred outside, should be ready by this time for the change As it is necessary to expose them to more light and air as soon as their flower buds aie set, they should be pViced in a somewhat open position, being shaded from the midday him. They require careful attention in watering, as if once a lowed t( become dust-dry they v. ill lose their foliage and fall into bad health. Cinerarias and pumulas thai weie placedp l aced two or three in a pot should be potted off pir.gly as fooii is the roots are running freely round the pot= The best place for them during the hot weather is in a shady bush house, kept well up near the light. They should have a slight syunging morning and night, and if any green fly appears upon tfi«m they should be at once dusted or dipped in some insecticide, as if once damaged by these insects the plants seldom thrive. A further sowing of these should be made for late blooming pants A small sowing of calceolaria should be made dm ing this month. It is advisable to mnVp Jwo sowings of a packet of seed, as often, from various causes the fiist sowing dees not grow satisfactorily, and by making two sowings two chances are secured. In sowing this seed the pans should be carefully prepared, and upon the top very finely-sifted soil should be used. The pans when filled must be wateied with a fine rose watering can, and the seed sown must only have a little fine sand sprinkled over it, and the pans should be covered with a sheet of brown paper to exclude the light and air until the seedlings appear above ground. The present is a good .time for taking cuttings of fuchsias, selecting the young shoots that have not flowered. A few plants of tree carnations should be procured and potted up and grown on for winter flowering, for which purpose they aie well adapted, and make a fine change from the bouvardia?, zonale geraniums, etc., usually employed. AU varieties of ferns should now be at their* best, and will continue to remain so if. carefully supplied with moisture right up to winter.