The Cineraria.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Cineraria.

Jbe above is one of our besfa oarly spring lowering plants, and where planted out jarly in suitable soils and situations will tome into flower about the end of Augusb pd continue in flower up till about the jeginning of November. I have always jonnd that the best time to plant out. the lineraria is about the end of April; if planted out then the plants have a few jeeka of comparatively fine weather in which |o grow and get well-established before the joldbf winter sets in. The soils in which Ihe cineraria should be planted out, ihould be good rich loam in which >taty of either well' rotted or fresh jianure has been mixed in while Egging. Those who may have a stock of the above now properly hardened off and pady to plant oub should take advantage }{the first fine day after rain. In planting jut gteat care must be taken as to the jituation in which they are planted ; if it k one which 13 subjected to heavy frosts )he plants should be pub oub under trees ir shrubs, which will ehade or protect them Jrom bhe effects of the frost. In low-lying ralleys a good distance removed from the lea ib would be impossible to grow the cineraria out in tho open during Ihe winter wibhoub some artificial means of protecting them from the frost. Again, sn rising ground where tho sun's rays fill not touch them for about two hours jfter the sunrises they will do well. It is not the frost which does all the damage ; Ma aun'a rays assist ib. The frost swells the nice cells of the wood and foliage, and if the hot rays ot the Sun strike them in this lirollen state those cells will burst, thus lausing the death of the plants. Thus if planted where the heat of the abmoipbere will molt them before the sun's jays touch the plants bhey havo a good ghance of doing well. Again in all lituations near the sea where the inluenoe of frost is nob much felb, bhe plsnt3 will do besb of all. If planbing out now nothing but hardy sturdy plants should k put out, and In lifting them from Ike boxes a good ball of earth should be Sited with them and planb&l with bhe roots, Ihishelpa the young plants to ab once gob latablishod in their new quaroera. The tineraria looks well if planted oub as single ipecimena in the borders; bub where the tat effect of all is given is where bhey ire planted oub ira mass in a bed ly themselves. In such a bed the targe number and diffeienb markings »i their flowers will always make them sne of the most conspicuous objects in bhe Harden in the early spring. The beab distance to planb is aboub ten inches from plant to plant in the bed. Ab this distocethe plant should produce one mass of lows. Where a stock of cinerarias are •w under glas3 they will, in numerous Stances, be found infected with one of h numerous varieties of caterpillar. Those ttepillara do a great deal of injury to the Jtas.and ib is advisable to keep their "y»g63 in check. The best way to do Ibis is to go over the plants two or three limes a week and hand-pick them off. As lac caterpillar usually takes up its quarters tod Commits its depredations on tho under We of the foliage, it is very hard to reach Jtby any other means than hand-picking.