The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 266, 23 May 1888, Page 6

The Garden.

Root and Loaf Propagation. has boBn proved long ago that a great number of plants may bo reproduced by means of loaf cubbings, but this mode of propagation, with ono or two exceptions, is seldom resorted to, and in the greater number of cases it is not required. Still the refusal of somo plants to bo increased by ordinary moans necessitates a trial of less frequently practised methods. The attention that is now being paid to tho propagation of orchids by means of seed is likely to lead to very important rcsul&s; and tho ease with plants not readily increased by cuttings may bo marlo to succeed when grafted or budded on others is only another evidence of the value of such experiments If is well known that anomone. 18 , cydonia japonica and l'nnlownia impcrialis may bt> increased by 100b cuttings; and the great commercial value of the discovery that the Ipecacuanha plant can be propagated freely by such means is a matter of history.

Form of Kitchen Garden. The form of a kitchen garden .should, it possible, always bo a square with ;i noitheil) or easterly aspect. The ground being in the form of a square \\ ill allow all \egeUibles to 1)0 planted or sown in rows. Theio will not be so much space lost, in planting as would be the ea c c if the giound wcic either lound or cm ved, since it would be difhcult to sow cither bea-ns or peas, and indeed most other vegetables, otherwise than in straight lines. If it be only a small piece ot ground, make one walk right round it, lea\ing a bolder of from nine to twelve teet outside of the walk, and one large squat e ot ground in the centie. The bolder will suit all the small veuetable-., Mich a*- lettuce, cir's-,, radish, parsley, onions, turnips, etc. The large squaie will be suitable tor all the large ones Mich as beans, peas, potatoes, cauhfloweio etc. It the kitchen gaiden be very large, always have a walk running right lound, but mciea-e the si/c of the border outside of the walk, and duide the centre into two, thieeot four squares, or more aceoiding to the bi/e or formation of the giound to be dealt w ith. In planting or sowing seed*, always draw the lows from north to south, as thatwill allow the sun to be on one -ide ot the rows in the morning : middle of the day st Might up and down : and on the other side in the afternoon. By this means your eiops will deri\e much moie benefit fiom the ray?. Where kitchen gaidens are small, as is generally the ea-e with \illa.s and cottages, some additional tact will be necessary in their management. Nothing but the choicest sorts of vegetable-, should bo cult i\ .iced, as there i- no more expense involved in glowing the be-t vaiietu- than in glowing the indifferent. A few of the best early potatoes, one or two la i go beds of asparagus, lhubarb, a small bed ot seakale, onions, celery, bectioot, leeks, a few cabbages and c uilillowei's, cueumber.s, melons, potherbs, with a few beans and peas, will be the staple crop* fora small garden : but a good deal w ill depend on the tastes and leqiuremonts of the proprietors. If it be a large garden, ot course the whole routine of cropping will be undei taken. Thuc i.s one pest which occuis with vigour every spring and autumn, and gi\e- moie or le-,- trouble during the whole year, and that is the slug. Just as the waim weather sets in in thespiing,asthcdtflerent\egetablc i •seeds are coming thiough the ground, thi^ pest is in full swing devouiing all befoie it. Frequently the seedsman gets blamed tor bad seeds, when it is the .slug that has | eaten them as they came through the I giound. The best way to get rid of them l* by the use of lime, which should be spiinkled -lightly o\er the surface at the time the slugs are above the ground feed- j ing, that is after daik. Fiom eitilifc o clock up to ten is the best time .sptinkle the lime lightly all over the mii face, ju>t sufficient to make the ground white. All JhOftlugs which aie on the sin face w ill thus he destroyed. I ha\o seen them l}ing dead in hundmls after this operation If the lime is put ovei the ground in the morning or evening the slugs aic then under cover, and when they come out after daik and find the lime they only go back to their quarter, wheie they lcmain until the etlect of the lime has worked ofl One good do-e put on at about nine o clock at night is uoith a good numhci put on through the da).

Farmyard Manure Among intelligent fanners who e\eici->e con-.ideiale care in stoiing then mamuc theic aic some mh^ul.m prejudices pi evading legaiding the a. ilue and n->e of manme. Many a fanner would think lie was wasting hot!) time and mateiial ueie he to and plough in manuie that \\a- not pio peil} " lotied." Th.it Mich an opinion should be pie\alent is nob mm pricing. Take pound for pound, and lotted m. in vic will pioduce far more '■itixfaetoiy and .speed} results than unrolled. I»nl this is not the only matter to be consideied. A pound of green manure will not make a pound of manure that is well rotted. Rotted manuio i-> simply green manuio considerably conccnliated and in a high state of piepaiatiou. If this were all it would not matter much whether the mannie wa^ used in a lotted or unrottcJ condition ; but this- is not all. While the mannie has been rotting much of its viiuc had been dissipated hi the fermentive ptoecs'-, while that which remains is in .such condition as to yield neaily all of Hi plant food to the iirst ciop that, follows its application. On the other hand, unrolled or unfermentod manure, when once ploughed under, not only yields all in^iedient- that make up the moie highly prepared and concentrated article, but much moro beside. All the volatile portion which 5^ driven off in the process of fermentation is now given to the land. The process of rotting progresses .slowly, but with thoroughness, and not a particle of available plant food is allowed to eseapr-. Of course there are crops in which a limited use of lotted manure is found in piactico to be ncccssaiy for the successful cultivation of certain crop*. Thus, says a well-known writer, the turnip, the carrot, and the beet, which are sown in the early part of summer, require that the manure applied shall be in such a state of decomposition as to act upon and nourish them in the first stages of their growth, and if this be not so the crop may entirely fail. In these and similar cases accordingly a complete preparation of tho farmyard duner is an essential point of practice. Certain plants, again, do not require the same stale of decomposition of the dung. Thus, the potato requires less in the first .stages of its growth than the turnip, and hence it is not necessary to subject the manure to be applied to the same degree of fermentation. But since guano, bonedust and other portable manures became available forturnip and other crops that require immediate manurial action, it has been a well established rule that farm-yard manure had better bo used before it has lost any of its fertilising constituents, and that when kept for any length of time (as in practice ifc must be) ib should be pre«erved as much as possible in tho same condition as when it was taken from the stables, cow-stalls and piggeries. The common practice of carrying dung and litter daily from the various farm build-

ings to an open pit occasions the loss of a considerable portion of its most valuable olomonfcs, and produces other chomical changes than those which contribute to fertilisation. — " Practical Farmer." For years I havo been in the habit of using ivchh manure from the stables every autumn, the result being that it keeps the ground open all winter, allowing better drainage. The soil also rccoivos all (/ho ammonia contained therein. At the same time, the manure is Miflicienfcly rotted to become food for the plant early in spring, and will carry them bettor through the dry weather than woll-rolted manure. This is the best .season of tho year to use fresh manure from the .stables Uocollcct that the greater the quantity you übe tho better the results next sea«on.