The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 324, 12 December 1888, Page 3

The Garden.

I , Kitchen Gar en. This, late spring has been a splendid one for growing vegetables, mobfc of them being o* much better quality than last year. ' Planfc oub-.another patch of .cabbage and cauli" flower; , water after planting. • Earth up thosd crops that are growing..- Pumpkins, melons, marrows, etc., should , all be planted out now ; continue giving water if the season keeps dry. Tomatoes, also, ought all to be planted now. ' Keep the soil about the growing plants -pretty. moist : if the soil be poor, give liquid manure frequently, 'the trellis for training the plants should be put. up betore the plants get large. Celery— rWhere the first trench is not planted, it should be done at once. See that there i.s plenty of manure put in the bottom of the trench. Another trench should bo made so as to be ready for the second planting. Celery likes deep, rich, moist soil, and plenty 01 water while growing. Leelcs — The main crop should now be planted out. Where fine large roots are required, the trench sy&fcem , adopted for growing celery should also be adopted for the leek ; it also likes plenty of water and manure. Potatoes — As the late crop advances in growth, earth up. The early crop will now be coming out of the ground. As they are lifted, prepare the soil for some other late oumnier crop, as the soil is better in crop during the summer than lying unoccupied. Lettuce— Prick out another, batch or eeedlings, hoe up advancing plants' for blanching. Sow successional mustard, cress and radishes in a cool moist place, and keep them well watered till they come to maturity. These crops, above all others, are most susceptible to drought. Onions — Thin out late sown crops ; keep the weeds under with the hoe between the tows of the early sown crop ; earth up those that are growing ; stake the.tall growing varieties. I French Beans— Keep making a small sowing about once a fortnight so as to get them always good. Running Beans— Also sow successionally ; earth up and stake'those that are advancing in growth. Rhubarb — This should now be mulched with stable lettcr'and watered fieely so as to increase and prolong the crop. Thin out all advancing crops of vegetables as they become large enough, giving plenty of space for each to fully develope. Use the hoe freely between the rows of all growing crops, as keeping the soil continually stirred up will greatly promote growth. All the debri» of vegetables should be cleared off the ground as soon as , the crop is spent, placed in a heap and dusted with palt and lime. This will kill both vegetable and animal life, besides providing capital manure for the autumn cropping. Slugs and snails are still very troublesome, Dust with lime whenever you detect they are at work.

Flower Garden. The sowing of tender annuals ought now to be completed for the season ; also all planting out of half-hardy and tender plants that may have been established under glass. Anything that may yet have to be planted should be well watered. Thin out all late pown annuals which may have attained from one to two inches in height, only leaviner one or at most two plants in each patch. ' Bedding plants will now require constant attention in the "way of pinching and pegging down of shoots, thus covering the ground quicker and giving the plants a more compact habit. A mulching to the beds of any light material would also be very beneficial to the plants by longer retaining the moisture in the ground. The above would apply more particularly to i light dry soil where an abundant supply of water cannot be obtained. Some of the bedding pants should now be showing a ,jood deal of bloom. When the weather becomes drier use liquid manure frequently so as to keep the plants in good, strong, vigoious growth. In the mixed border there ought to be a good show of flower now, this being a splendid season for most flowering plants. Pay attention to the staking and tying up of all tall-gi owing plants, such as gladiolus, liliums, etc. ; also give them liquid manure frequently. Roses are still giving a bountiful supply of [lowers ; give liquid manure ; pick ofi all blossoms as soon as the flowers are spent. Dahlia — finish planting out, give each plant a liberal dose of manure, as these plants are gross feeders. Continue thinning out, re- ' gulating, and tying up of climbers. See that all newly planted tender annuals do not suffer for the want of water. Those plants will make the garden look bright with flowers during the autumn months. ' Newly planted chrysanthemumsshould also be watered occasionally po as to give them a good start. Lift all spring flowery bulbs and tubers as their foliage has properly ripened, those should be placed in a dry sand till their planting season comes on again. Lawn — keep the grass short, and roll as soon as possible after the tirst rains. Walks — These should be gone over weekly with the rake, so as to keep grass under. Where the slugs are still giving trouble dust with lime.

Greenhouse. Give plenty ot air during the day, syringing when closing' up the house at nighfc. Continue repotting such plants as require more roots pace, lying to harden colours for planting out in the open borders. Most strong growing plants will be the better of an application ol liquid manure about twice a week. Whenever there is the lease sign of insect pe*ts take measures to have them eradicated at once. Shade •whenever the sun's lays are strong.

Improving Plants by Selection (Continued). The peopie of this country, like dutiful children, were for a loner time fully impressed with the idea that their welfare and happiness depended very much upon the good advice and good things to be derived from their old homesteads in Europe, and while such an idea is not to be depi ccated, so long as it is productive of valuable result?, still, it may be depended upon too long for the ultimate good of those in the receipt of favours. The cultivated plants of the Old World had reached such a state of perfection, even at the time America was discovered, that it was quite natural that they should be taken with them by the people who proposed "to make home in the new continent. While most of the cereals, vegetables, and fruits sucseeded here as well, if not better in somo instances than in Europe, a few failed, or could barely be kept alive under the most favourable conditions. Among these we may mention the European varieties of the grape, and to-day they do not succeed any better in the gardens of the Atlantic States than they did two centuries ago. But while there were wild grapes everywhere in our woods, very little attention was paid to them, and no attempts to improve them were made until within the past half - century.' As soon as scientific and intelligent horticulturists took hold of' this fruit with a determination to' improve /it, they found >that it\vns as readily affected by cultivation as* other' wild "plant's; they have be,en' /only a few years, at their work,' we j have' to-day-some v.cry fair and a few excellent native grapes. (To be Continued. )

I In Boston the neck of a chicken is called I Napoleon, because it is the bony pavt.