OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 10

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.

KITCHEN GARDEN.—The ground which lias become vacant by the clearance of peas, potatoes, and cauliflowers should now be levelled and forked, and if the proper routine has been followed it will be in a fit condition for the subsequent crop. These- plots are usually appropriated for late plantings of ■winter greens, broccoli, cabbages, savoys. leeks, and the small salads. The ground for onions should be deeply trenched and well enriched with manure. The brown Spanish is •> favourite variety, and usually does well, but the Tripoli Eection should not be neglected. Set leeks in deep drills in a. moist place, as they require to be blanched. Give them plenty of room —l Bin between the drills and 12in between plant and plant is not too much. If not already done, sow cabbage seed at once, and again about the middle of the month. FRUIT GABDEN.—When old raspberry plantations are exhausted or have failed from any cause, do not retain them. If they have produced strong, healthy canes, these will have come up a little way from the old plants. They form from runner-like growths, *nd this is how they are propagated. Dig these young, ones up and plant them elsevrhere. Then clear out the old ones, and plant the ground with another crop. It is not advisable to put raspberries eftei raspl>erries, and it is better to replant tKan try to patch up old rows. The raspberry may be pruned now. It is an easy matter to do this. The oanes that fruited last year, or, rather, this summer, are of no further use. They only fruit once, and then die. The sooner they are cut out and burned the better, as the bore, which does so much barm is principally on the 'old c.nes, and •will be destroyed with them; bu'j the young one? that have grown up replace them. Allow the strongest to remain, and cut out the weak ones. Do not overcrowd them. They may all be cut over at the top —abotit Eft up. Some cut them at 3ft, but this is a mistake, as it deprives them of much of the fruiting wo*d. FLOWER GARDEN.—TaII growing plants. such «s dahlias, hollyhocks, gladioli, and many things in the herbaceous border, require constant attention to the ties.. A good mulching to the strong growers will also fie of service, the beauty of the spikes of gladioli especially being much -improved by it, and by occasional doses of manure water. The routine work consists in keeping the walks, lawns, shrubberies, and borders in the most perfect state of neatness. Let tke beds be gone over once a week to peg down, pinch, or cut back growth. GREENHOUSE— The plants which will fee housed here in winter ar« now out of

4oom, and the hard-wooded section will require olose watching to prevent them becoming dry at the roots. All soft-wooded subjects are best plunged in narrow beds, so that they may be conveniently attended to. Sow a few Bin pots with mignonette. Let the compost be fresh, fibry loam, with a little soot and rotten manure. This will grow fine, strong, healthy plants. A pinch of Browallia elata should also be sown for winter blooming, together with Sohezanthua retusus *nd Grahamii. Give plenty of ventilation and shading, or the temperature will run up to scorching point in a short time on bright days.