Amateur Gardener.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 26, 7 March 1914, Page 4

Amateur Gardener.

(By AOTEA.)

WORK IN SHE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Pick all pods of peas and beans before they, commence to ripen, as a very few ripening seeds will very soon bring the plants to a standstill. . Cut vegetable marrows as previously advised, to prolong production of young fruits. Where the cabbage moth or aphis-is infesting the plants, continued war •with ( these pests on the IjriQiß already suggested will be needed to check them. ~ Destroy all old and useless plants of • , -the cabbage tribe, cutting off and clearing away the old and discoloured leaves from around the plants, as they are only a harbour for noxious insects and fungi. A good plan to get rid of vegetable rubbish is to open a trench two spades deep and about the length required to ; bury what is on hand,' fill it up with the rubbish. Sprinkling) some quicklime- amongst it is a good practice. Trea'd it down, then mound ' nip the soil, over it. A further. length •can be. opened and filled, as i required. •Old cabbage stumps and any woody., jef use should not be. buried, as: they' -take too-long to decay. They,are much fitter burnt, and the ashes returned Ttosthe soil. _ • ■*" • • - ' -iJeffjfe'jplantirig out cabbages,' broccoli, or cauliflower, the plants should be, carefully examined to see that they are not moth or aphis infected. If are any sighs of either, they should be well washed/ picking off the .chrysalis 1 cocoons of the moth,' and dipped in strong soapy water. Unless the plants areclffiii, at the are now ripening. They should ibe pulled up and left in rows to dry! If the soil or the weather is at all damp, it is as well to put them on a ' hard surface such as a .path, or they ' will absorb moisture. from the ground ■and. not keep so well. They ripen a*d lk?ep best in a cool, airy place. Asparagus .and rhubarb should not -want for water, as the quality of next 's crop depends on the strength . ' ;and maturity of the crowns now being ' IN THE FRUIT GARDEN. —-—-As advised before, cut out the old canes of the raspberry, thinning, out the young growth to four.or six canes

according to the closeness of the stools. They should be tied up securely so that the wind will not thresh the leaves oflV Do not shorten the canes by.cutting the tops off. Apples and pears should be gathered as soon as mature. It is not wise to leave them to get dropping ripe. Many sorts get mealy and flavourless if left on the trees too' long. If the fruit comes away at all freely when carefully lifted, it is time it was gathered. Both apples and pears are .best stored at the present in a cool, dark, well-ven-tilated (not draughty) place, with as equable temperature as can be maintained.

| Pears should not be stored where it lis damp or the quality and flavour will be spoiled. If taken into a warm room a little before wanted for use the 'flavour will be improved. Where there is a fruit house that has been in use before, it should be well fumigated by burning sulphur in it, closing it up securely so as to retain the fumes.

The spores of apple scab and rot are liable to remain dormant and attack the fresh fruit when stored. Before fumigation the shelves, floor, and walls should be thoroughly cleansed with hoc water and soap. Any fruit that shows signs of scab or bitter-pit should not be. stored with fruit intended, for keeping through the winter. A broad shallop basket with a cross handle is best for gathering fruit" in, as they cannot be piled- ©.»■; top, of one another so much,-> Watch all fallen apples, ( .and. carefully examine ontjie 'trees .|pr. cpdlin moth,, found affected a$ once?' ■"' ' ' '

: Trees bearing heavy crops that show signs of suffering from drought shouldhave a soaking of water; it will 'toot 6nly assist the fruit, but will swell up the fruit buds for next season. ..^

IN THE - ; Maintain neatness and order. Do ont i delay in getting daffodils planted if not I' already done. . Cut the seed spikes of antirrhinums ' and such like plants, as they will continue to flower lor a much longer period if not taxed with seed ripening. Many of the single-flowered zonal pelargoniums, commonly called geraniums, set seed rather freely, and unless the spent trusses are cut*or broken off as soon as a few seed set, they soon go out of flower. Continue to tie up chrysanthemums, Michaelmas daisies, dahlias, etc.,'as if they get broken down or bent over it is very difficult to make them presentable again. Do not tie up in the birch-

broom style, but where the plant is too large to tie up loosely to one stake, put two or more, and hide the fact of the stakes as much as possible.

As sowing sweet peas should be done before the end of March a selection of varieties may be of use now.

The sorts here mentioned arc good doers, of good colour, and stand the sun well. All'the crimsons, scarlets, . and salmon shades require, more or less, shading and are of little use in the garden without this attention. The two first-named on the list I have found least liable to burn of the crimson shades. They are \*ery much alike, but it is as well to have the two as sometimes one is of better stock than the other.

Maud Holmes, rich crimspn. King Edward Spencer, rich crimson. Clara Curtis, deep cream. Lady Evelyn Eyre, pale pink flushed is'almon. •

' Florence Nightingale, lavender • and •.French grey. ' Mrs Cuthbertson, rose-pink, wings, white flushed pink. Etta Dyke, white. Evelyn Hemus, picotee edged. Nubian, dark maroon. ' Flora Norton Spencer, pale blue. Anglican Fairy, cream, faintly flushed pink. •- . . John Ingham, carmine, wings, rose. i Mrs Henry Bell, rose-pink and buff. | Mrs A. Ireland, carmine, wings, pale piiik. ■''■'■-'-"■ i //."" ■__ ".'l^l I Lady Knox, cream, tinted' pint on the i edges, . ....... . , • , j, Mary Campbell,. cjream, standards, marked carmine. . ~, ''Mrs'' W. Y. Unwin, white 'flaked orange scarlet. r Of varieties that need shade, the following are fine specimens:— • Thomas Stevenson, orange-scarlet. Barbara, orance-salmon.

•"'"._ u.w.eiiur, orange stanuard, pink wings. Edrom Beauty, orange salmon shaded rose. Scarlet scarlet. Saint George, orange, wings, salmon. - All the varieties named are of the waved type, with large flowers and a free-flowering habit. IN THE GREENHOUSE. Watering now requires more careful attention. In most cases the roots have" quite filled the pots, and are much less .active than when gr.owth was more free. As the leaves harden and, with cooler weather conditions, evaporation is much less, consequently less water is needed.

, Tuberous bigonias, if over-watered, will often rot at the base of the stem; it also causes flower-dropping. If carefully watered and seed pods not allowed to form, they will continue in bloom for some time yet.

Zonals, too, should be on the dry side; giving weak liquid manure when watering is necessary. I have found a light dusting of basic slag watered in very useful for zonals when pot bound.;, it increases the size and brightens the colour of the flowers' considerably. A plant that is not seen as much as its merits deserve is Nerine Fothergillie. Its brilliant.orange, scarlet flowers have a scintillating sheen in the sunlight that is very telling. It is of remarkably easy culture, and does well in a frame or greenhouse that gets plenty of sun. Its principal need is that the foliage which appears after the flowers, and grows during the winter, should have every opportunity of making good growth, by keeping the plant in the sunniest place close to the glass, and carefully watered until the foliage 'begins to turn yellow. Water should then only be given at considerable intervals, until the foliage is quite soft, when the pot can be laid on its side in a dry' frame, and left there till the'flower spikes show in the autumn.' A good watering then .should be given, littlemore being required beyond a.sprink.-. ling until the spikes have nearly reached their full height, when the ordinary; course may be pursued. This plant is often, after flowering, put -underneath the stapes, where it gets all. the drips and draughts, and then is, thrown on one siHe as not flowering freely. To do it well it wants sun and yet" more sun.- :r In a shady" crowded greenhouse it- is ■of no use. : There ai'o : many new. varieties of Nerines of various shades of colour, but it is doubtful, if any of them approach this old ni~~ J

Double Lobelia. A good plant for the greenhouse, introducing a colour that is.not common among greenhouse' plants, is the double lobelia. It is also especially good for the rockery, and of good service in the flower borders. The prevailing: tonej of colour is a bright blue, but.the smaller central petals are deep purple, giving very varying-effects of seen in sunshine or shadow. The fact that it does not bear seeds accpunts for its long continuity of bloom. While the ordinary, lobeliajf i£ \ not flipped:-pver.Aoc* casionally to take off the seeds, soon (in consequence) goes out' of flower. . It is, of compact habit arid free ; growth, and quite an acquisition to v the. garden.