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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 64

Farm and Garden Operations for January

page 80

Farm and Garden Operations for January.

Farm.—This is the harvest month in the Auckland district. Do not allow the cereal crop to get too ripe before reaping. Wheat should be cut when the stalk is yellow and the head still upright-it will produce a brighter and richer sample, and the straw will be more nutritious. Barley may not succeed on new land, but after a crop of turnips eaten off the field by sheep, a fine sample may be expected—except on volcanic land. Oats will generally ripen uneven, still it is better to cut early—before it is fully ripe—the straw for fodder will richer. Sow as little this month as possible, the weather being too Dry—but break up new ground if it is not too hard. Plough, harrow, collect weeds, &c., on the surface, and when Dry put in heaps, cover with earth or clay, and burn, keeping the ashes on the surface. If you reap during fine weather thresh out the grain at once, to save carting and stacking-but if you stack the grain, see that it is thatched at once.

Kitchen Garden.—Sow lettuce, radish, spinach, turnips, and endive, keep the surface stirred, weeds destroyed, water when necessary, especially celery. Another sowing of peas, French beans, cabbage and cauliflower on rich ground; train and pinch in the shoots of tomatoes, dig and manure ground as the crops come off, for autumn cropping. Plant out main crop of brocoli, &c.

Fruit Garden.—Remove suckers from trees, pinch is straggling shoots, water liberally if the weather continue Dry, mulch round the stems with long litter or grass, seaweed is preferable where it can be obtained; keep weeds under by frequent hoeing in fine weather; preserve a uniformity of growth on all young trees. In season—strawberries, cherries, pears, plums, figs, gooseberries and raspberries.

Flower Garden.—Geranium, heliotrope, lobelia, petunia, verbena, salvia, &c., will be in full flower; peg down young shoots, cut away any past flowering, and remove decayed flowers. Perpetual roses that have bloomed cut in a little and give manure water, it will strengthen them for autumn flowering. Borders in mixed flower garden will be kept neat and clean by frequent hoeing and raking especially after heavy rains. Stake and tie up plants that require support. Carnations and picotees may still be layered or struck from cuttings, also pansies, anterhinnums, calceolarias, fuchsias, stocks many of the bedding plants. Tie up and stake dahlias and hollyhocks. Clip thorn, box, yew and laurel hedges, also reduce over-luxuriant grow in shrubberies.

Greenhouse.—To prolong the blooming season, shade is essential; thin calico blinds, either fixed inside or outside, remove in autumn. Camellia and azalea cannot be grown without a shade, as also gloxinia, achimene, balsam, cockscomb, &c. Plants done flowering should be plunged out of doors, in a shady situation, and a fresh batch introduced from the frames; pick off all decayed leaves, stir the surface soil round the plants, keep down insects by frequent syringing; water liberally every evening, and give plenty of air, both by day and night-when the weather is favourable re-pot all plants that require it.