The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 196, 26 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Garden.

Kitchen Garden. The present dry weather should be taken advantage of to have all the different vacant pieces of ground trenched or dug and manured co act to get them in good condition for planting the different autumn crops < The ground for the new atrawberry plant*, tion, if not already prepared, should be doae at once. Give plenty of manure, as future crops will in a great measure depend on the quantity and quality used. The young plants should be put out on the first favourable opportunity. Late crops of onions should be lifted as they ripen. Dry in the sun for a few days before storing past for winter uee. Onions keep best if tied up in branches and hung up to the rafters ot a building where there is a free current uf air passing through. Tomatoes will now require a good deal of attention. Pinch out all superfluous shoots, tie up those on which fruit is forming, thin out some of the old foliage so thut the sun may get better at the fruit, give each plant a good soaking of water once a week, mixing a little iiquid manure with it. Still continue planting a few cabbage and cauliflower ; keep the roots moist with water ; soap suds answer capitally. Sow a small pa ( ch of seed? for succeeeional planting. Earth up those crops that are grown. Celery : tinieh planting iate crops if not already done Continueearthinguptbeearly crops as they require it. Give plenty of water so as to promote a free heal thy growth. Cucumbers, pumpkins, marrows, etc. Then out all superfluous shoots ; give frequent waterings Melons should not receive any water now If kept moist, the fruit is apt to be rank. Expose the fruit ac much as possible to the rays of the sun. It will ripen better Potatoes should now be lifted. When lifting allow them to lie on the surface of the ground for a few hours to dry before Btoring past. Earth up all advancing crops ; gi^e plenty of water where it can be obtained. This is a capital time to get rid of all troublesome weeds such as sorrel, etc , by frequently forking over the surface soil, and exposing their roots to the sun and air. All weeds can soon be entirely got rid of by this rooane, All rubbish such ac branches of tree 3 etc., should now be burned on a vacant piece of ground and the ashes spread over rhe surface of the dug ground. Ail debris of vegetables and flowers, which will rot easily, place on the rot heap,give a dust- j ing of lime aud fait, and cover up with soil Thi* -will make gcod manure for apiing cropping.

Flower Garden. Where good autumn flowers are wanted, I unlimited supplies cr water must bo given to the plants so a<? to promote a etrong vigorous growth. The borders should now receive a thorough overhaul, clearing away all debris of spent plants. In doing bo, lift gladioli bulbs which are properly ripened ; stake and tie up chrysanthemuns where possible, give each plant a mulching of iich manure and water freely. This will help the quantity and quality of the flowers. Dahliaß will also require frequent attention, pinching and pickirg off superfluous blooms. Also give plenty of liquid manure, recollect that the dablia is one of the gross-feeding piants Bedding plants will also require atteution ; keep them free cf weeds, and water frequently. Now in the best time of the year to muke an estimate of what will be required for nest reason's planting, as moat of the b'ridin-r pbrts are in flower andja judicious choice c loure can be made If not already done, a bed should at once be prepared jo an t^ etrike the cuttings of the bedding stock for next season's use TLo bsd should be made in a cool, shady part of the garden. Make an estimate of the number of plants that will bo required next aoason and put in cuttings accordingly, putting in sufficient to leave a good margin for losses. Lawns should be frequently watered, cut and rolled, Soil should be obtained at once so as te give lawns a good top-dressing at the end of the season Where soil has been in stock for a few months turning ib over would improve it. Nothing but the very be3t soil should be used in dressing lawns. Where new lawns are to be laid down, get *-horn into order as soon as possible for the sowing of the grass seed early in order to ! get the grass established before the winter sets in. All evergreen hedges should be either cut or clipped now in order to allow of a little fresh growth before winter.

Greenhouse. Continue giving plenty of air during tbe day. Commence reducing the shade of the house. Givo all strong ground plantB liquid manura about once or twice a week. Give pleaty of water in the evening ac j required, and see that the soil in each pot is thoroughly saturated while doing ao. Repot auch planta as require more pot room. It the planta are suffering irom the attacks of any ineect, take etepa at once to have the pest destroyed.

Horticultural Society. The Auckland Gardeners' Horticultural Society will hold their annual autumn exhibition on Friday and Saturday next week. The exhibition will take place in the Agricultural Hall, City Market. The committee expect to see a magnificent display of fruit staged. All other garden products are also to be well represented, considering the seaeon. The committee have been working haid for over three months to make this show a thorough success, and they deserve much better fiaoks from the public in the way of more liberal patronage than has been accorded them in the past. It is a strange thing that horticultural exhibitions in the up-country districts are much better patronised than in Auckland. Time aftertime weread of the annual meetinge,and the different societies always can show a handaome balance to their credit. Also the whole population oi the district turns out to admire the best productions of the garden and farm, thus making the exhibition? a success. What a different experience horticultural eocieties have in the premier city. One society after another has taken up the work, and all meet the

same fate through the utter indifference of the great bulk of the population to horticultural products. The present Auckland Horticultural Society had to discontinue giving exhibitions throukh want of support from the public. The Gardeners' Horticultural Society for a few years have also been struggling under the same difficulty. And I doubt much even if they could have carried on co long if it had not been for the many kind friends who have come forward from time to time and given special prizes to relieve the pressure on the limited income at the disposal of the committee. All honour to them as well as to all members of the committee, who gave time and money to continue the society under these difficulties. It it? to be hoped that all lovers of flowers will 3ome forward in numbers and patronise the incoming exhibition. It does eeem strange that with our vaunted position as the premier city of ISew Zealand and also the beet fruit producers of the colony, the different horticultural eocietiea of Auckland, who from time to time try to promote and foster a better knowledge of these subjects, should be allowed to languish for the want of public interest. If the ladies of Auckland as in other cities would simply pay to their husbands or bachelor friends, " I would co liku to pee the flower show," then the societies would have bumper houses and could better promote their useful work. HohTUS, in " Auckland Star."