THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 170, 17 July 1908, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

(BY HORTUS.) [Hortns is willing to answer any quercs. Correspondents must give their real lames and addressee, though not for pubieation.] TO CORRESPONDENTS. Minute Maggot Pests (S.A.). — The inference »*., lUe pests were first introduced ie the compost you potted your plants in. Wheu you rerlot them, in shaking old soil from the roots, remove the mascots and see that your fresh potting mnterial3 are not infected; should there be any doubt about this.' mix with a little lime a week beforemmd, and subsequently apply lime water once or twice to the roots. Draining and Planting Flowers. Vegetables, eto. (Gardeuer). — The questions that you £<5k will require too much explanation to lip answered through these columns, but you will find all the information you seek in "Brett's Colouists' Guide." Scale on Lemon Trees (Henley). Ton should spray your trees with kerosene emulsion, and add Paris green in the proportion of a quarter of an ounce to one hundred gallons of the mixture Tails green is a deadly poison, but, used In this proportion will hare no harmful plTe'-ts. The mixture should be eontiuunlly stirred while it i» being nsorl or else the Paris green will sink to the bottom. HINTS. The bedding out season being at hand everything possible should be done to facilitate the work, such as trimming the edgings of beds, manuring and digging them, lawn machining, etc. Hoe freely between all crops. It is a simple process, yet of immense importance to growing crops. It aerates the gTound, conserves moisture, neutralises surface sun heat, and keeps weeds under. Ivy growing against walls, or over archwnjs, should now be clipped back severely. A garniture of young leaves uniform in size will soon form, so that the walls will be bare but a very short time. Lettuce. —Continue to tie successional batches for the purpose of securing perfect blanched hearts. Good examples growing in rich ground should be tied loosely only betimes, as by thia means they will be permitted to continue growing, and perfect blanching will be gradually carried out; whereas if tied too tightly growth 'Will he checked and bolting induced. Never tie lettuce when wet or too early in the morning. Make successional sowings of Paris Cos or approved cabbage varieties. Tomatoes under glass for the future require full sunshine and free admission of fresh air, commensurate with the maintenance of a warmth of from 00 to T.i degrees. Any excess of atmospheric moisture i<; not desirable, nor should they be maintained constantly over-moint at the roots. If planted rnt of pots it will be better to givo such waterings as are required immediately around the base of each plant, than to {rive the ground general waterings, running the risk of inakinjj it too wet. Pinch out all side shoots forming upon the main stems. This is p. delicate operation as regards the young side shoots, which are constantly forming at the apices of the steins, and their intimate association with the embryo flower trusses. With care and a little experience the side shoots may be detected and removed without injury to the leader or the blooms. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). — This is one of the handsomest of the evergreen shrubs or small trees. The flowers are similar in structure to those of-the heather (Erica), but though the two genera belong to the same natural order the family resemblance ends with the flowers.: in'other feature?, they are very dissimilar. The flowers are produced usually in Into autumn or early winter, and "the fruit resulting from the blossoms of the previous year begins to ripen about the same lime, so tnat were ip the interesting spectacle of clusters of berries resembling the strawberry in form and colour, and heath-like' flowers exhibited at the same time. The berries are edible and wholesome, but rather insipid in flavour; they are. howevtr. greatly relished by birds in winter. The plant is only adapted to mild, warm localities. SOWING PANSY SEED. The large body of amateur cultivators of the pansy raise their plants from seed, and' for the purpose of securing very early (lowers of this popular favourite a small sowing may now be made, bearing in mind that at this season of the year, when ! strong drying winds are likely to be prevalent, the seed will be best sown in shallow boxes or pans that have been well drained', so that the seed may be thor- ! oughly under control. Fill the boxes to , within an inch of the top with rich, wellI prepared soil, pressing it firmly and evenly to a level surface, and sow the seeds thinly, covering them with their own depth of soil. Water them weU, and , place in &. shady position to germinate. I 1 The boxes must not be tilted or unevenly i placed, as if so in watering the seeds will i all be washed to the lower side. Careful watering with a very fine rose should be given, and the boxes placed so that the direct rays of the sun do not fall upon ; the seed-. , When ready for transplanting give a ' good soaking of water, which will enI i able the plant to be lifted without suffer- ' i ing too great a. check. Be sure that the I roots are not. destroyed in the lifting; I avoid using a trowel for the purpose, as jit is liable to cut the roots. A small hand-fork will prove a goo.-l implement for lifting, inducing as much of the soil n.s possible to adhere to the roots, and thus cause an early start into growth, this being a very important factor in successful pansy culture. Spraying the foliage night and morning during dry j weather will be more beneficial than ! keeping the soil in a constant sodden condition. Fre-sh manure must b.c avoided, and only well decayed cow oi horse manure, mixed with flbry loam and i sharp sand. weU incorporated with ordin ary garden soil, be used. Choose a posi t.iun where they will be shaded from the ° midday sun. They dislike a very stronj '° sun. niore especially after heavy rains. ; Of late years an extraordinary amouni ■ s of attention has been paid to the pansy '' ] with the result that there are nov 0 1 innumerable named varieties of great 3 merit in cultivation. It is scarcely worti the trouble of striking them from cut tinirs, as fine flowers can easily be ob tamed from good seed , . He careful to ob tain choice strains; it will prove cheape and more satisfactory to obtain it fron reliable seedsmen, all gooJ pan.sy seec being imported. There is no lack oi varle ties from which to select. The Frencl stainfi kinds are great favourites, th< substance, shape, markings and colouring being magniliccnt.