The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 222, 1 October 1887, Page 1

The Garden.

Cape Gooseberry. A few plants of the above should be grown in every garden. The seed should be sown about the end of September or beginning of October. Any good, rich soil will suit if the seed is in a warm situation. Sow in rows about two feet and a half apart, placing a few seeds at intervals of about two feet apart in the row. After the 33 r oung plants have attained about three inches in height, thin out to only one plant in each spot. As they grow the lateral shoots should be occasionally pinched, so as to promote a more bushy habit, and all weak shoots should be thinned out. A little liquid manure ought to be given occasionally, for it will have the effect of giving fruit much larger and of better quality.

Carrots. The main crop of carrots should be sown in September. The soil which suits this crop be«t is rich, light, saiidy, or free soils deeply dug. The break of ground should be one thab has been heavily manured for a past winter crop, as the putting in of fresh manure wlien sowing has a ten- j dency to promote a forked growth of the roots, and it also cieates canker of the roots. The seed should be sown in drills of about a foot apart, in order to give plenty of room to use the hoe between the rows. Sow pretty thick, as the slugs are very fond of the young plants, and it is well to provide a few for them. When they become lai'ge enough thin out to about four inches apart. The after culture will simply consist in hoeing between the rows so as to keep the srvound free from weeds, and also allowing the atmosphere to get better at the soil. For winter crop a few rows of early horn canot should be sown in the end of January or beginning of February. This sowing will give a good supply during the winter months.

Kidney Beans. This is one of the most useful of al summer vegetables, and in favourable seasons a good supply of delicious beans can be kept up all summer and autumn. They can be sown any time during the summer months from October on to the autumn, only recollect that the last sowing should be put in so as to come in for use before the end of May, a^ the usual frosts we generally get at that period are certain death to the plants. The dwarf varieties should be sown in ro^s about two and a-hfilf feet npail, and the beans placed about six inches apart in the row. The climbing varieties should be four feet apart between the rows, and the beans placed about eight inches apart in the row. The soil for this crop should be a rich deeplyworked one in which plenty of manure has been worked. When the plants have attained a height of about six inches they should be earthed up in the usual manner, staking the climbing varieties at the same time. V\ henever the crop is ready for picking, pick at once, us allowing the beans to come to maturity simply robs the plant and curtails the crop. Always keep picking, for as a rule the moi c you pick, the more you Avill get to pick. During the hot dry summer, if possible to obtain plenty of a\ ater it should be used copiously for this ciop so as to keep the plants growing. Frequent sowings dining the summer are also advisableinorderto keepupasuccession of plants coming- on.

Trenching. As the period for late planting and sowing of summer and autumn crops is approaching, a few lines on the necessity of deeply-worked soil for growing may be useful. In our usually dry .summer and autumn deeply-wrought or trenched soil retains the moisture for a much longer period than shallow-wrought soil. On shallowwrought soils the moistureis soon exhausted, and the crop withers and dies or does no good. On trenched soils the roots of trees, flowers, or vegetables penetrate to the full depth of the wi ought ground, and there they are to a great extent iudependent of the external action of the sun's rays. They can thus sustain growth, and mature their fruits, flowers or vegetables without rainfall for a much longer period than where giound is shallow. In preparing ground for summer cropping, the first consideration should be how to retain moisture, and this can be managed to a great extent by breaking up the soil to as great a depth as possible, al the same time putting material in the ground that will keep loose and active ; fresh stable or cow manure helps this. Another great help is to mulch the surface with any long litter so as to prevent extreme evaporation. It shades the soil, and when rain falls helps to retain it for a longer period in the ground.

Recipe for Frult-Trco Wash. The following recipe for making a wash for fruit trees is furnished us by G. Brown, and is said to be first class. It is as follows : ! Pufc 20 pounds of 98 per cent, caustic of soda into a vessel and pour on it 3£ gallons of soft water ; stir until the soda is dissolved. , It will then be quite hot and you will let it stand until it cools. Then into a tight barrel put 8J gallons of whale oil, and pour in the lye, already made, slowly, stirring continually until the lye and oil arc thoroughly mixed, and in appearance similar to honey. Cover the barrel and put in a warm place, and stir once daily for two or three days, when it will be observed to be stiffening, and about the fifth day it will have hardened until you have 115 pounds of .soap. You will then, into an iron vessel filled with water, add this soap, broken finely, in the proportion of a pound of soap to every gallon of water, and bring it to a boil, stirring it continually until it becomes stringy. It will then become similar to soft soap and is read^ to be thinned with water and applied to the trees. Mix the wash in the proportion of one gallon of the soap to three gallons of water. This wash can be used anytime after the trees arc out of blossom. In manufacturing the soap it is necessary to be very exact in the measurements. The cost of this soap for 115 pounds is as follows : — Eight and three-quarter gallons whale oil at 50 cents per gallon, $4 38 ; 20 pounds causlicof soda at 9 cents per pound 1 8 ; 81total $6 18 -- " San Benito Advance.,'