The Garden.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 15, 14 July 1894, Page 3

The Garden.

NOTES FOR JULT,

(By Murihiku)

Vegetable Garden. —Afc this season of the year, when the state of the "Weather often impedes and interferes with outside operations, all work that can be advanced at all within doors should be attended to. A start may he made to force seakale for early VM; choose strong roots, and cover oyer with box or barrel, placing some fermenting stable manure around each to accelerate growth. Rhubarb may be treated in the same way, or by placing roots packed close together in a corner of the greenhouse, and covering lightly with fine soil. The old rhubarb beds should be gone over, and if not already done, a layer of manure placed over each root; this, besides protecting the crowns, helps to give them a good start when growth begins. Where the ground is dry and friable a few early potatoes may be planted, and also small sowings of early peas and broad beans. As hard frosts invariably occur here in July,' it will be advisable to defer sowing small seeds until about the end of the month, when the weather may be expected to moderate a little. Flower Garden. Work in this department this month is not of a very pressing nature, the ehief object being to keep all parts of the garden in as orderly a state as possible —the lawus, walks, etc., clear of fallen leaves and other rubbish, and the borders free from decayed vegetation. Flower roots may now be divided and replanted, and any bulbs left from last month should be got into the ground without delay. Flowering and ornamental trees and shrubs of all kinds, such as roses, rho.dodendrons, laurestinus, hollies, etc., may now be planted, and any required alterations made in the formation of grounds or garden. This is also a very suitable time to lay out new gardens or shrubberies. Fruit Garden. —Take advantage of dry weather to transplant fruit trees and bushes, and proceed with the pruning. This latter operation is frequently overdone by attempting to bring bushes wdiich have been neglected at once into the operator s favourite shape. It will be found safer practice to prune moderately, leaving the centre of the tree rather open, and removing suckers from the roots and stem. Prune and tie raspberry canes, leaving about four or five to each stool. Attend to the dressing of old strawberry beds, and make new' plantations w'here required. When planting fruit trees, a good criterion as to depth is to notice previous nursery landmarks and insert to same depth. Deeply planted trees never succeed, and are more liable to canker than those with roots just under the surface. Quicks for hedgerow's should be planted about four to six inches apart, and hedges of two or three years standing will make closer and stronger growth if shortened back half their length or more.