THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 283, 28 November 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

(By Hoktus).

[Hortusis willing to answer any queries. Correspondents must give thoir real names and addresses, though uotfor publication,]

TO COKKESPOiS DENTS.

WellV/ater for Pot Plants Amateur).— Water drawn from a v/eli is not ao «ood for pot plants as rain water, for two reasons. First, the water in passing- down through the soil to tho spring gets filters I of many properties which materially heip the growth of pianis. Second, the lemperature o( the water when drawn is much > Oder than tho soil in which the plants are growinsr. Rain water in passing through tho atmoautißre ia heated to about tho same s tha soi.l thus iho genial warmth of the water greatly assists root action. Uf course it i« iinpussib.e for all growers of pot plants 10 use only rain water, aad, therefore, must use well or sprintr water. it would bo advisable for such to get a tank which will h.ild all thai is required for one (lay's use. This tank, aficr being emptied, should .10 once be refilled, and if the tank is placed vrlmire tho full rays of the sun can f.et at it all day ttie temperature of the water will )ba considerably raisud within twenty-four hour;.,

Children's Flower Show

The third annual exhibition of the products of our children took place in tha Choral Hall on Friday and Saturday laat. Tho exhibition in my estimation was a far superior ona to any that preceded it. Most of the exhibits were fully up bo what Biighb be expected from children. In the pot plants there were some creditable exhibits, while in past, exhibitions some ol the exhibits were far too good. Cut flowers were, considering the season, also good. Vegetables : A fine lot were staged by tho diflerent competitors. In fche makiug-up of bouquets and bankets of flowers y«>une Auckland is neai ly us good n« our older exhibitors. Mr Udy'a prize for the be*t garden planted and kept in order by young children brought out ovor a dozyn of coujpfttitoro, and I would imagine that by tho number of highly comtnendeds besides prises th*L iho coin pot 11 ion riiusi have b«eu very strong Tlish section couid be further developed, to the grout advantage of the c'ii.'drsn ospociullv, if whu.fi «ra called ike supoi vi-ors do their duty j thnt is froia limo to time aoo that- the chi'dro" roMlly do the v.cik. Soiim of tho cum petitora *ay that their fuperMsors only called oiic<3 or twice during tho whole period their exhibits tyere under cultiva lion; o hers had frequent tupm vision and instruction, gre;itiy to the benetit of the children. Tho Committee 01 Management must havo had a hard tank to arrange und etnge the large number of exhibit* without a hitch, and the thanks of the whole com munify are dua them for their kindness in promoting a love of horticulturo in oni children. I retrreb to hoar that the support accorded by the public wan in no degree commensurate with the rntrit* of the cause and that tho exhibition barely paid expenses, leaving nothing for prize.-*. 1 trust thnt under tho circumstances the appeal which is being made for contributions will be liberally responded to. The Weather. The extraordinary dry period which we have experienced this spring has caused n thorough stagnation of growth. During tho lasts two months or ao we have not at ono time rocoived sufficient rain to penetrate tha ground to a depth of six inches. Water holes and creeks, in which there ia usually plenty of water till the beginning of the year, are now quito dry. Vegetablo3 are Buffering severely, and a poor crop will result if heavy rain does nob come goon. Strawberries are now almost over through tho same cause, whereas at thin period they should be most plentiful. F owors : Many of the early spring Eowers, euch as diauthui?, etc., aro scarcely carrying a flower through the want of moisture. Grass, which should be growing luxuiinntly, is now getting burnt up. In ft»ct, tho prospects of horticulturists and agriculturists aro very poor unless we, wichin the next week or co, receive plenty of moistuto. I Hints, ' Copious watering must be given to numberless subjects if the drought, continues, including newly-planted shrub?, rhododendrons, ot.c. Even should raine occur, unleee ihey are very heavy they will not meet the requirements of spring gown or planted subjects. It will be well to, when practicable, assist fluch rain as may fall, with water pot or hoe. Artificial waterings are never more favourably applied than during dull and rainy weather. lloae tree*, esp«cia ly upon light lands, have folt tho drought severely. In such instances tho blooms havo beon of short duration. It is imperatively necessary to give copious waterings to hybrid perpeUiats under above conditions. Just a surface watering will not avail, a gallon or two should be given bo each, and sewage water of moderate strength will bo bolter than clear water. .Shorten back the flowering branchlets a* food es blooms avo pant to ab least one-third thoir length. Strong young Elioote growing upon dwarfs, (.Jloiie d-j Dijon, tho ntrongeßtof (he ten*, etc., are at thiy time infested with green-fly, and *hould bo dobtroyed with insecticides, or drawing the hand up them in conjunction with strong syringings. (Scarletrutiner busxtii! and kindred varieties h-ivo grown and bloomed exceptionally well, especially such as are trained up besida fences, etc., and with good ro-ulfeH, whore, a« previously advi-ed, the flowers Imvo been syringed or moistened towarda evening during tho dry weathor: The only drawback now is that, in districts whuro fcufiieienf. rain has not, fallen, the ground bolow, | around tho root,*, romain^ too dry, in which (•use liboral waterings will now benefit them immensely—moro fi", in fact", than during tho hot drier weatlior. Uo nob ousit to gather tho po()r as soon as large enough, cl-o they so impoverish tha pi;uitt< as to I check snccepsional bearing. Onion.", spring sown, havo not pucceai't-d so well an usual itt those dictrictH w!<ore tlia drought wins iolt moscftevero'y. 'linjy havo grown indillerontly, and in [ilace-* the points of the leaves havo died buck. Atthey are growing more freely since the rain.", etir the soil neat y betw.-en tho rows with a neat hoo, to n^it-r them all the more, and no nob overlook tho fact bhal artificial waterings given, now thab there is more moisture in ilia air and soil, will ba morn beneficial than during tinea of aridity with intense heab. Tomatoes, now thab rapid growth is in progret-f, require frequent attention. When the plants aro a foot or two in length they will put forth young shoots at tho axils of all the leaves ; these must bo removed bodily. Also, as growth progresses, along with tho bunches of flowers which should form, duplicate EhooCs will push forth, which *Uo in tho majority of casee should be removed, so that only the leading one at the very apex of each plant remains. There are occasional exceptions to this rule. Far instance, if tho plants are nob planted too iiiick, or nmple space exists bebween them, two main shoots may be permitted when'tho planta reach the full advantage of light, in which c^ise train t^enu separately, as" far apart, as practicable. Plants thus grown, when thoy attain two or three feet in height, will have fairly filled the soil with roots ; and in addition to frequent copious root) wateringa, should be supplied aboub twice a week with weak manure water. At such stages the first bloome are likely t° expand, and ib is considered important to set these, as r.ho fruit re&albing nro generally large. We find, moreover, blooms eeb better if flower branches upon which they grow are jerked with a ptiabie twig about mid day, as this loosens and distributor the pollen from the natural pollen boxes above —if the atmosphere meantime is fairly dry.