Marigold.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 259, 1 November 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

Marigold.

Tagetes (half-hardy annual). —Of this class of plants I will only deal with the cultivation of two, the French Tagetes patula and the African Tagetes erecfca. The first of these is, in my estimation, the best of all when properly grown, the flowers being very highly coloured and beautifully striped. Tho African, on the other hand, grows to a larger size, with larger and more conspicuous flowers, the colours being of an intense orange and other more delicate tints of yellow. About the middle of September the seed of both varieties should be sown in a seed pan under glass. The young plants will soon make their appearance and grow quickly. As soon as they are large enough to handle they should be pricked out into boxes. After they have become established in the boxes they ought to be taken out to the open so as fco grow them hardy. Some time in November they ought to be planted out permanently. They like good rich soil which is kepb pretty moist, although, ah fche same time, they will stand a greater amount of drought than most annuals. When saving seed only save such from the best of the flowers so as fco keep up a good strain. Amaranthus Ti'leolor. Half-hardy Annual.—There are several very pretty varieties of this handsome foliago annual. In some fche foliage assumes a bright red ; others, like the tricolor, have foliage 'of a bright rich scarlet; and yellow, wifch green and white phadings; others, again, are beautifully veined. No garden where half-hardy annuals are cultivated should be without a few of those plants distributed here and there throughout the borders. When ab full growth they attain a height of from one to three feet. They are all easily raised from seed. The seed should be sown in a light compost in a seed pan, and grown while in its earlier stages under glass. Aboub the middle of September is the best time to sow. The young plants come through fche soil very freely in a week or so after sowing. Whenever they are large enough fco handle, they should be pricked out into boxes, placing them about three inches apart. After pricking out, they should still be allowed to grow under glass till they attain a height of from two to three inches. In the beginning of November this height should be attained. They should then be taken out of the house and placed in the open air to harden. After being in the open for aboub two weeks, they can be permanently planted out. During tbe earlier stages of growth, slugs are very destructive, and they should be carefully watched. The soil in which they flourish is a rich, friable one. They will also require to be frequently watered during the dry season. Anyone possessing a stock of the above should now have them hardened off for planting out towards the middle of this month. ..^Coxfcosilb. Celosia custata (half-hardy annual).— This fine, old-fashioned flower ia one of the

most; effective flowers which can be grown for late summer and autumn flowering. Iti is very dwarf, only growing about a foot in height. The mass of curious crimson flowers which surmount the plant makes ib one of the mosb conspicuous plants in the' borders when well grown. The plants are easily raised from seed, but care should always, be taken so as to procure a good strain. To grow the planb well a liberal treatment ia : necessary from start to finish. A little composb should be mixed consisting of rich light, friable loam, mixed with sand. Thisshould bo placed in a seed pan, and the seed sown thereon and slightly covered. Tho best timo to sow is from the beginning till the end of September. In a week or so the little plants will begin to make their, appearance, if kept moderately moist and' under glass. When the little plants have attained a height oE about half-an-inch.: can be pricked oub into small pots, or into boxes, placing them about two inches and a-half apart in tho boxes. The soil used in the pots or boxes should still be of a rich friable nature. The young plants should be allowed to grow in the boxes |indcr glass till they are from two to three inches in height, when they should be taken and placed oub in open air so as to harden them off. After being in the open for aboub a week they can. then be planted out in the borders where i they are to flower. This planting out I should take place during November. In lifting the-plants from the boxes try and get as large a ball of earth as possible with the roots, planting them on the outer edge of the bed or border. The soil in which they will produce the best combs will be one which is very rich and inclined to be a little retentive. During the hottest and driest part of the season they will require to be watered at least about once a week. I had- good-size combs about the end of January and they continued in first-class form till the cold evenings set in towards the end of April, thus holding in flower for over three months. Cfxonia Plumosa (Plumed Coxcomb).— This like tho dwarf coxcomb is a half-hard annual in our climate. This plant will grow to a height of aboub two feet.' Ifc will produce a large number of long graceful plumes, variously tinted, and assuming a very graceful habit. The plumes can be cut, and will look well amongsb other cub flowers. The same treatment; as to sowing, planting, etc., as has been already given for the dwarf coxcomb will suit Che plumed. In planting oub it should be placed further back in the borders as it grows much taller. All the varieties of the celona should be planted out towards the end of this month. Petunia. Half-hardy Pef.enxial.— This makes a capital bedding planb, and can be used either singly in the mixed border, or in mass in a bed, where ib is very effective. By obtaining first-class strains of seed, it is possible to obtain a considerable number of double varieties, some of them being very prettily marked and delicately scented. The petunia is either increased from cuttings or from seed, either the double or single varieties striking from cuttings with ease, but I do not think ib is advisable to strike from cuttings unless it is firstclass double or singleTftirieties. Of course, the only way to retain a stock of such is by cuttings. Where ib is only for ordinary bedding out purposes, raising from seed is tbe easiest way of gobbing up a stock. To strike from cubtings, the cuttings should be taken off about the end of May, and placed in pots or pans, using a little lighb, sandy compost; in the pots. The cuttings should be dibbled in this and placed in a cool parb of the house, or in a cool frame will do. During the winter they should just be kept moist, When stricken during the winter they sometimes take a long time to start, bufc do nob despair as long as the cutting kelps green. Look after slugs.as these generally becomes very troublesome, and a large percentage may be lost if care is nob exercised. Aboub tbe end ot August the cuttings should be ready to prick oub into boxes, where they soon will start to grow. «After they have fairly started they can be taken out into the open air, keeping them still growing in fche boxes till about the beginning of November,when they can be planted out: wifch safety. In fact.thoy could be planted out; much earlier if ifc was not for the slugs, and I always prefer to keep my plants in a small compass in boxes where bhey can be easier looked after than to distribute through the border where the slug is almost certain to geb a large proportion. For these reasons I recommend late planting out. To raise from seed the seed should be sown in seed pans about the end of August, and placed in a sunny parb of the house. The seed will soon germinate if kepb moderately moist. When tbe little plants have made about four leaves they should be pricked into boxes and kept under glass till they are about two to three inches in height, when they can be removed to the open air. About fche beginning of November they should be large enough for planting out in the beds and borders. From the first start of the seedlings till they are good, strong plants the slugs will, if not kepb under, destroy many plaufcs. In many situations the pebufnia will flower for two years running, but I believe ib is better to always raise a new stock for each season's growth. The petunia will also flower and flourish in our dry summers long after many plants have been checked back through drought. Now is the best time for planting out.