GARDEN NOTES FOR JULY.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 17, 22 July 1893, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES FOR JULY.

Vegetable of the year, when -the' state of the weather often imipedes and interferes with out-door operations, all work that can be advanced within .he attended to. ;• A fsfart should now he made with forcing seakale for early use; rqots and coyer over with box or barrel, placing some fermenting stable manure round each to aid their growth. Algo plant rhubard roots, arid see that the old bads are covered with manure, which besides protecting the crowns-‘during winter, helps .toigive them a good start when growth begins. Where the ground is dry and friable, a few early potatoes may be planted, and also a first sowing of peas and broad beans. As hard frosts invariably occur here in July, it ,-yrijll be advisable to defer sowing small seeds until end of month, when the weather may be expected to have moderated a little. ■Fkuit Gauges.— Take advantage of dry weather to transplant fruit trees and bushes, -arid proceed with the pruning. This operation is frequently overdone by. attempting to bring bushes which have been neglected at orice into the operator’s favourite shape. It will be found safer practice to prune moder.ately, removing suckers from the roots, and leaving the centre of the bushes rather open. Prune and tie raspberry canes, leaving about four or five to each stool. Plant strawberry runners and finish the dressing of old bed>. When planting fruit trees, a good criterion as to depth is to note previous nursery landmark, and insert to same depth. Deeply planted trees' never succeed, and are morq liable to canker than those with ; roots just under the surface. Quicks for hedge rows should be planted about four to six inches apart, and hedges, of two or three years standing will make clpser and stronger growth if shortened back half their length or more.