Gardening Notes.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2638, 2 July 1887, Page 2

Gardening Notes.

. The onion crop-tw: generally «•■.. garded as one of the most important in the' garden. In order to have a good supply of onions all through tj» summer and during next winter, tffe sowing must ba effected eurly, To look - at thorn on the surface, of the ground, one would scarcely;think:that' they were deep rooting plaiits, and yet tberoare few, if auy, that stand such a short time that go down bo far. This;: being go,, it- is ; vwy important; to "dig deep for them," or to sow'on land! th>t has been jwell: broken up. Onions' are gross feeders, and, Lirofore, a. good dressing of rotten nriHpe BbouliT be worked in when di?gingf['eeping it "as low down lis possible." Although .onions require a deep, rich soil, it is most important that the top should be made very, firm by treading, as when the surface js.loose. they do not bulb so. well, but come with large neoks, riore after the manner of leeks, and then it is only by bending the tops over'that the lower part can ba made to swell out." The soil shquld be, rendered quite firm, smooth amflovel, all stones removed and clods-broken up; leaving the surface- fine, will be ready for sowing tho seeds. Wa. have witnessed. tbejjdestriiction of more; than one crop of onions this, past '_' Season; whichrhad:'these rules been,, carried outi'woufo/'baye been saved. Tbe distance at which the drills should/ bedrawhis about.tenjiiches,apart} ' ibjs. will give' room. for-Egoing between, fcbuß saving much labofjn ■ ing, SB the. cleariug must- be done in that way unless; thp ; .rows/are wid« ; apatt.; ThodrilfaßhsuW-be^&^half«\ an inch'deep, 1 and the Pe,e4^jffiKcl ; be distributed' regularly along TheW#m whh thumb, and &iger,.^ it bejcoVered by drawing .the soil: OTjrjp wlth/tbeibaok of Mafej, they will be time to thi| tbem,: earlier that operation is ;cwied out-tho better, for, if it'is ■ left: till :lat^-< the}y young. plants {get: of sjw *

ground that they cauuot be drawn without seriously disturbing and in' jui'ing those that are to remain for a '. crop, The .'proper distance to leave .." therii in the row i 8 six inches, and after the thinning is done it is a good plan to run.the hoe lightly over the "ground to cut, away all small - weeds . .r-.'thart}- may. be showing.' on; ~the" ■ surface, T \. Attbng' fhe.hefit kind', for: sowing"the ; \'fo)JpwiD|^E , 'bo •'.;. J or.-White Spanish', thfi , v ''j|Mft'' ftiwl; -fames' iKeeping, •'"' th| lfisMa i raed','beiDg.,'tbe''only' one" that tilLJaterin thi i^-l^i)?^' tiiere.Wiione "•^;fh'o.-B%r..S^fii, : . It. k a pr'ettf jtawrij itl'.sown 'ohpoor r; ground, jfhieh 'should not be d.ng, but ; .kept quite hard on the surftco,/ . :*:'* 'Cabbages a?d lettuces may now lie '.planted out in new beds. - .The 'ground ! ahsij.fl; be'.cleared of all greens that '"". huvebecqrao useless*: Vegetables may' be.obtained early in the'season by pro- , tiding a simple hotbed by making a hole in the grounding a sunny situation 'Vfcnd filling it wjth wurromamiro. Here we have a forcing,bed .of a - rude and ■'*'' primitive jjatu.ro, it is true, but still useful. The hole may bo Of any convenient size, but the larger and deeper , it is (he. more lasting, will be the heat. .'.'The'test'of the surface .soil, should, to the depth of about nhiu inches," be placed over the manure..' and the .. remainder will form, a narrow sheltering ridge louud the outside. On Buch . ■ a bed early' potatoes, horn carrots, radishes, lettuces,, turnips, cauliflowers, " and many other things may be forwarded by this simplo method of affording root warmth. To add to the efficacy, some"cheap shelter should bo , improvised for .covering at night, and for checking radiation on very cold days. 'Oiled calico, tucked on light frams of wood, will with care last several years for. thiVpurpose. FflUlT GAHD'Ett. ' .'." ■-*•" The autumn, it hatt been stated here, 'is the best limb "to plant, but where circumstances have prevented the work being carried out, no time should be lost now, No one who wishes for • snecess should plant trees of any kind in udmoved land. Tho difference between trees that Are planted in benched land and those put in where &o such attention has beeu given, is tety marked. -No pains Bhoiild be spared to make tho site of a fruit tree 89 deep and as good as-possible, but :-. deptb.6fsoil.isjbetter than 'inaniiro; ; Al.l pruning should, if possible,..be got ' through this' month j pro.especially • with vineß, as they have a tendency to 'bleedvery.profusely if pruned latoin '., .the season; The following obstacles to ../ successful fruit oiiltme are from the Tranmelionq of Amrkan Poinohgtcal '■ tiocitly : First may bo u'amod a wrong selection of varieties, the,cure,-for .- which is simply local experience, Second, improper planting in ground . insufficiently drained and prepared for trees,.with.subsequent neglect. : It is .not uncowmou to see.,.young treeß planted in grass-fields, the sod wrap-ping-the stem. To thrive, trees .-niustbe properly fed and nourished -,- at. the roots, and 'the ground culti.>'atcd. as. ,; far as the/roo.tß extend. ■. Third, lack of prtiuiug.; the •nutriment, that'would fill a due .proportion of branches with-productive 'fruit ."Bpurs, is inadequate to.supply a dense growth of woody of ten the. removal of all useless wood wiJL eiißuro?a productive treo iu a couple oil years.Fourth, neglect of insects and diseases -.allowing these to feed and propagate uucheckod. One may see plum trees with more black knots.than- plums,, -gooseberry bushes stripped of their . leaves by mid-summer, or the fruit ■ coated with mildow. and; apple trees : starving through tho attacks of 'bark Insects,