GARDEN NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 16, 2 July 1920, Page 14

GARDEN NOTES.

PRUNING SMALL-FRUIT TREES. Red and white currants fruit upon the old wood as well as the new. Their pruning shbuld be modified. Cut . out all tlxin and surplras growth, leaving only strong shoots and those pointin,g outward and in the right direction. These should be shortened back to one-half their length, as there is always a danger of these young shoots splitting down at the bud of the ehoot when they are in their young stage and green if long pruning he adopted. This may to a certain extent be avoided if, when the young shoots have made growth 12in to 15in in length, they are gone over with a pair of clippers, snipping off the points of each shoot. This ehecks them, and they get thfcker and 'stouter, hut do not grow so long, therefore are not so likely to he injured by the wind, and they are better fitted to produce a good supply of fruit than if left very long. The thinning out should be in a similar manner to the black currants. Raspberries should be cut hard back to within 12in of the gTound the first season — that is, the season of .planting. By this much stronger canes are produced than if left the usual length. Four canes will be sufficient to leave the next season, and from then onward six or eight, and even ten canes may be left in each clump where the growth is very strong and vigorous, but this should be the extreme number to leave. At the same time, remove all surplus growth and dead canes from the previous season's growth. In windy places a good plan is to arch them — that ia to take the half of each clump and bend them over and tie their heads to the half of the next clump, giving the appearance of rows of arches, They fruit just as well, and look tidy, but are perhaps not quite so convenient to get amorig so i'j is a matter of choice whether they be tied upright or in arches except that for windy or exposod situationg I prefer the arching. In either case, after each clump has been tied, the tops of the canes should be cut well back to near the strdng or where they have been tied. Also see that all straggling suckers are dug up — that is, those canes that come up a few inches or feet away from the clump. "Then rake up and burn all clippings, so as to get rid of all the borer grub that may be in the old canes. Give the ground a good digging and a dressing with fresh stable manure. STRAWBERRIES. Those who are anticipating planting should lose no time in getting them in, but do not go upon the ground if it is very sodden. Never plant anything— fiowers or fruit — when the groand 4s in a sloppy eondition. It is not only had for plants or trees, but for the ground also. THE GREENHOUSE. We shall have to be on guard against severe frosts, so those who have cinerarias, pelargoniums, zonales, and such plants will require to watch that they do not get frosted, as small greenhouses cannot resist extremes of frost. Upon all such occasions care should be takeu to cover up at night all such plants with sheets of paper — brown. paper pr.ef erred— and keep them on until the frost is out of the house. If anything hap >ens and they are not covered up, and be frost gets in upon the plants, cover t: n up at once as soon as you see them ; the morning before the sun reaches ti; .1, as it is the sun, the sudden change from the frozen state to the warmth and light, that ruptures the tissues of the plants, causing death if the frost be very severe. If the covering is kept on and the plants kept dark until well into the middle of the day, when ihe appearance ,of frost has disappeared inside the house, no harm will be done. Care should be taken not to water the plants unless they really need it, neither should water be slopped about among them, but keep the atmosphere of the house as dry, warm, and buoyant as possible during the very cold weather.