THE GARDEN. Kitchen Garden. (From the "Auckland Star.")

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 54, 14 June 1884, Page 6

THE GARDEN. Kitchen Garden. (From the "Auckland Star.")

The season is getting far advanced for very extensive operations in this department. Stiff, heavy clay soils are now best left alone for the winter, unless after a' few fine days it can be roughly dug. On warm dry soils operations can still be carried on in suitable weather. Select such ground as may be required for the onion crop next season. Have it roughly dug, putting in plenty of well-rotted manure during the operation ; the ground dug now will make it nice and mellow by August for sowing the main crop. Sow another patch of cabbage and cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts ; also, a small patch of red cabbage. Lettuce— Sow a small patch, plant out a few more, tie up some for blanching. Celery — Continue the earthing up as it requires it. Don't bury the foliage too much. Towards the ond of this month a few early potatoes may bo planted in a warm situation ; also, a few of the early varieties of peas. Make a successional sowing of broad beans and a small patch of leoks for early spring planting. Earth up all growing crops as they may require it. Keep the soil well stirred about others that are advancing, doing the above work only when the soil is in a favourable condition. All weeds must be destroyed or taken away to the rot-heap, so as to make manure of them. In dry weather have all spare manure wheeled over vacant pieces of ground, so as to have such ground dug when favourable opportunities occur. Slugs will be very troublesome; givo frequent dustings of lime in the evenings, after dark ; that is the best time, as they are then out feeding.

Flower Garden. All alterations should now bo completed, or, if not, have them finished at once. Tho I heavy wet season is approaching, and all rough work in this dopartment is better finished beforo this sets in. Evergreen planting should now be carried on with vigour. Old shrubberies may be crowded ; thin out some of tho plants, and have them removed to another situation ; liftwithagood ball. The sooner all shrubs are transplanted now tho better they will succeed next season. Mixed flowor borders : Lif tgladiolius bulbs as they ripen, finish planting the spring flowering bulbs, stir the soil about those that aro started to grow. Re-arrange all permanent border plants, taking care to place all the tall-growing ones to the back, and the lesser ones to the front. Plant out carnations, pinks, and picotees. Pansies and violets— Plant into a moist, cool, shady situation. They like a deep, rich, moist soil. Young camellias, azalias, heaths, and rhododendrons should be planted out as soon as possible. When taking them out of the pots, slightly break the earth round each plant. When planting, this^ will induce the young fibres to push straight out from the plant. Tho top-dressing of all lawns should now be finished. Give the lawn frequent rollings with a heavy roller. Walks — Never allow these to break into a puddle. A little gravel placed on them, and a heavy roller applied, will soon bind them. Look after slugs ; keep the pleasure ground in as neat and trim a condition as possible during the winter months. Greenhouse.— Continue keeping up a free circulation of air on all favourable occasions. Encourage the growth of all winter flowering plants. Byelamens coming into flowor place near the glass. Claceolarias, cinerarias, and Chinese primulas remove into larger pots whenever the state of their growth demands it. Keep them near the glass. Give them plenty of room per plant, so that their leaves may not get drawn. All plants subject to insects should receive an occasional overhaul, so as to free them from these pests. All dead or decaying leaves should be picked off. Give an occasional syringing on fine, bright sunny mornings.

The Orchard. Now that the planting season is round again, orchard planters, as a rule, are very undeoided what trees or svhat class of fruit troes they are going to plant. The first matter they ought to consider is for what purpose tho orchard is to be planted. If it is a small orchard planted by the ownor so as to obtain fruit for his own consumption, the choice of varieties should range from the earliest to the latest, and such varieties as are known to be good croppors. Again, if tho orchard is to be planted for tho sake of supplying the market, I would say that the choice of varieties should mainly be made of the early and late. Early fruit is sure to obtain a good price in tho market, whereas intermediate fruit usually comes in when nearly everyone has got fruit of their own, and perhaps some to dispose of, thereby making fruit almost a drug in the market. Late keeping fruit again is also sure to command a good price every season. Throughout the winter, Auckland is but indifferently supplied with home-grown fruit, especially apples and pears. There is another matter which I would like to say a few words about in tho way of apples. No trees should bo purchased unless those wrought upon blight-proof stocks. Again, there are some varieties which are subject to the blight more than others, even though wrought upon the blight-proof stock. Now, what is wanted is a better public knowledge of the varieties which are most subject to the blight and those that aye more free from it. This is a subject which a strong Fruitgrowers' Association would be able to do an immense deal of good to their fellow-colonists in. The most we can do is to ask intending planters to purchase those varieties which are known to blight least in their soils and localities. In purchasing trees always try and obtain medium grown hardy trees in preference to tall, lanky, over-grown trees. The small, hardy tree will take better to the new situation, will in the future make a better tree for fruiting, and give more satisfaction every way. Tall, lanky trees are usually grown quickly. Their wood is unripened, and when planted out they usually receive a check which it sometimes takes them a season to recover from, and usually two or three years before they will make wood which is good for fruit-producing purposes. Too Many Vabieties. — Ninety persons out of every hundred who plant fruit trees for home use or for market indulge in too many varieties. This one orror has ruined more fruit-growing enterprises than all other causes. Nurserymen propagate- their hundreds of sorts so as to suit fall/situations. Very little is known here yet of a great number of ""varieties in certain localities. Intending planters should try and ascertain as far as possible the varieties that suit their soils and localities, and the bulk of their orchard should be planted with these ; then if they want to experiment with other trees, a few, but only a few.

At Musselburgh, Otago. a member of the Licensing Committee said hotelkeepers were now looked after as if they were ticket: of-leave men or felons. A whole family has been poisoned in Brooklyn, N.Y., by eating canned tomatoes,