HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1938, Page 4

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR.

- t VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS. WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Sow Broad Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Turnips, early carrots and parsnips. Plant a few more early Potatoes and earth up those showing above the ground. Plant out Rhubarb roots three feet apart and give; a good top-dressing to the older beds Plant out Herbs and divide any clumps that are becoming too large. Sow a pinch of celery under glass for early crops. Keep the Winter Spinach free from weeds and decaying foliage. Plant out autumn sown Onions; dust with sulphur for mildew. Make up hotbeds for starting kumara plants. FRUIT GARDEN. Complete the pruning operations as soon as possible. Destroy all prunings and mummified fruits by burning. Cut newly-planted rasberry canes to within one foot of the ground. Apply the Bordeaux spray at winter strength to the Peaches andNectarines at bud movement to prevent leaf curl. Fine weather will facilitate the planting operations. Apply a dressing of blood and bone to the Strawberry bed. See that the drainage is good in the area devoted to fruit. \ FLOWER GARDEN. The pruning of Roses should now be undertaken; manure and fork over the the beds when pruning is completed. ' Fork up the soil along the base of Sweet Pea rows and apply a dressing of bonedust. - The growths of Sweet Peas should be kept secured and not allowed to blow about. Plant out Gladioli for the earliest crop of bloom; place sand round and under the corms. , , . . Chrysanthemum cuttings should be inserted to make good plants for putting out in September. . Dahlia stools intended for propagation should be placed in heat.