The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 210, 9 July 1887, Page 1

The Garden.

Kitchen Garden. In this department the work must nearly be at a standstill through the prolonged .spell ot "\vot. showery weather. It is only on light soils that any impoilant "work can bo done as long as the present weather continue?. In cold, wet soils it is boiler bo defer operations till the weather becomes better. Keep weeds in check with the hoe a* soon as they make their appearance. Thin out all advancing 1 crops before they become too large, and whenever a favourable opportunity occurs earth up such eiop-> as may require it. All pieces of giound that may have become bare of crops during the last month should be well manured and dug as soon as it becomes diy enough. If dug and manured early they w ill beina sweet well-pulverised state for ciopping as the -season advances. The slraM berry break should receh c attention ; run the hoe between the rows to keep weeds undtfr ; all blank spaces should also be filled up from the leserve stocks. Goosebeuy bushes can now be piuned, and loot-piuned. Insert the spade perpendicularly all round the plants at a moderate distance from each, cutting some of the roots; this, willciui.se them to ripen off the wood better. Raspberries should also be pruned during tins month ; cut out all the old shoots, lea\ ing only a few of the be.st ot last season's shoot?. Make occasional bowings of peas and broad beans. Plant a few eaily potatoes in dry warm situations. Keep the soil frequently stiired between the rows of growing crop ;. All debris of crops .should be moved oil Uie ground at once, and taken to the rot hetip. Rubbish about the gaulen only provides hiding and breeding places for .snails and slugs. The rubbish heap s.houl'l occasionally receive a (lasting of lime and salt. Where slugs aie troublesome to =oeds coming through the ground, ghe dustings of lime in the evenings-.

Flower Garden. A=- in the kitchen garden, many important operations nni.4 he defend till the weather gets better. YYhenexer a favourable opportunity occurs all herbaceous and evergreen shiub*> that it is intended to move should be lifted and planted in their permanent positions. They should lie planted as -oon a^ possible, as those that are defeired till the spring will never <-ueeeed so wella* the early-planted one^. Never plant in wet weather, or when the soil is wet. Alway- wait for a few fine dny s before planting. After planting stake liimly, so a=? to prevent wind-waving, uhich i^ very injurious to the young roots as they begin to grow. Boxes may now be planted when the weathei i> favourable. When planting, give each plant a good dose of well-iotttd manure, or after planting mulch with manure ; cow maniue i- the best. Pruning of the ro.-es is better deferred till the spring. Early spring flowering bulbs should receive a little attention. .Stir the surface '-nil frequently ?o as to keep it free and loose ; on poor soils use a little liquid manure. Camellias should also receive a little liquid manure ; it will gi\ c belter iloweis. Wheie too many flo Avers are bursting, thin oIF -jorne of them ; the qualify of the others will thus be improved. Plant out a few more gladiolus bulbs for eaily flowering ; only u-e the second quality for planting now. Lawns, tennis and other well-kepfc parts that had their surface bioken last season should have the parts cut out and returfed a& soon at possible, so as to get them into good order before the spring seta in. It is still time to top-dress other park? of the grass-ground. All grass should now be kept as short as possible and rolled frequently with a heaAy roller. In wet, showery weaiher the soil swells considerably, and the rolling has the effect of com-prc-sing it und making it set level in the spring. Ko matter how well a ground is made, if it is not frequently rolled it will soon get out of order. Notes. No thiifty farmer will permit coarse weed-, thistles, briars or bushes of any kind to grow by the roadside adjoining his fields One or two days' woik each year for two Oi 1 three years with a stout brushscythe will cause these unprofitable varieties of vegetation to give place to valuable gras-e^-. Acting upon the fact, a^ stated by Professor Tyndall, that all putrefaction was caused by bacteria in the air, and that the=e could not penetrate cotton batting, an experimenter claims to have thug succeeded in pieserving all kinds of fruit in crocks, cans, and other open vessels. The fruit is cooked the same as for canning, the vessels filled, and common, unglazed batting put over and securely tied on. The experiment is easily tried, and, if successful, is valuable. It should certainly be available for all articles like tomatoe-, usually preserved in the autumn. The prevention of mildew on the grape vine by n-sing stakes for tying to that have been soaked in a saturated solution of blue vitriol, as suggested by the " Cardenor's Monthly," is woithy of trial. The statement h to the effect that a recent experiment, where such stakes were mixed with others not soaked, throughout the vineyard showed that in every case where not soaked all the leaves wcie entirely ruined, while those on the soaked stakes were healthy. A weaker solution of the vitriol was not so effective. The effect of the soaking gradually dies out, but will last from four to .six years.

It has been discovered that four women walking abreast on the pavement can be scattered a little by an acti\ c man with a paint pot. Papa — Well, girls, Lent in nearly over, and now what have you done for the good of the church during the season .©f penance. Bess (with a budden attack of bravery) — Mollie hasn't done much of anything, but a— hiii— er— l've p-promiscd to m-iiiany the new rector. w-.~—