GARDEN NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 28, 24 September 1920, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. It behoves each and every one to take advantage of moist conditions of the soil to get in all unsown crops and plants. It is not only better for seeds and plants to go in immediately after rain, but it saves a great deal of care and labour in watering and watching. If planting' or sowing is left until the ground becomes dry, things do not get the same chance. Plant cauliflowers and cabbage. Sow for succession peas of the main crop kinds, such as dwarf Defiance, Eureka, Pearless, or Dr Stuart. To sow such peas as William Hurst, and Littie Gem I consider is to waste the ground at this season of the year, leaving out the marvellous difference of the quality of the pea; in fact, even for very early sowing I consider these small kinds are quite outclassed either for crop or quality, For an early or first sowing nothing heats World's Record. I know this pea is hard to procure. Seed growers should grow lots of it for market purposes. Carter's Daisy is another fine early, also Early Giant and Early Marrowfat and Ideal. Scarlet runners and French beans should be got in now. Scarlet runners do best when sown in double rows. Lay the 'ine, draw a drill on either side of the line, and place the beans 6in apart in each drill. When they come through they come dirtectly in contact with the stakes. or whate ver"material is used. Dwarf French beans should be sown in drills 18in to 2ft apart, and the seed 2in or 3in apart in the rows. Thug they do much better, and yield a finer crop than if sown more thickly. The butter bean is very nice and a prolific cropper. This also should not be sown too thickly. Sow beetroot. This plant scarcely obtains the attention it deserves. As a garnishing for dishes of various kinds, and also served up with cold meats, it is in the front rank as a useful and wholesome vegetable diet, and it therefore deserves greater attention. The cultivation is simple. It likes good soil, but it should not get a lot of fresh manure, or the roots become ugly and of not a good coiour., Sow thinly in drills 15in to 18in apart, and thin out to 6in apart. THE FRUIT GARDEN. \Vhere the grafting of old and worthfless apples or pears is desired it ' should he done at once. The sap is in full activity now, and the work should be attended to before it is too late. Cut the trees down to just above the lower forks and shave off the rough marks of the saw. The most successful kind of graft for these old trees is what is termed wedge or cleft grafting. The scion is cut wedge-shaped, tapering off to nothing on the inside. This must he done with a very sharp knife, and, if ppssible; with one clean cut from top to bottom. Then a similar cut is made into the side of the top of the stock, but ra-ther narrower. A sharp chisel is driven in to open tJie stock ; then insert the scion rather more than level, as the bark on the old tree is thicker than on the young, and this must be allowed for, so that the sap of both may come into direct contact.- The chisel is then withdrawn and the scion is then held fast. Three eyes will be sufficient to leave on each scion. When this is done wax over the face and top of the cleft with grafting wax. To make this wax take equal parts beeswax, mutton fat, and resin ; put the contents into a tin or jar, and place it. inside a billy partly filled with water, and boil until the whole is melted. Lift the jar out and let the contents cool. Rub a portion over the graft as advised above. If the wax should get too hard, softcn it by making it warm, hut he careful not to let it come into contact with fire, as it is very inflammable. It is a good plan to bind around the stock over the wax. This tends to keep the graft firm and the wax from cracking or separating from the wood.