THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 236, 2 October 1908, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

(BY HOETCS.)

fHortas Is willing to answer any queries. Correspondents must give their real liases and adiressi-e, not /or pul> Ueatioc.J

TO rORRESPOXDEXTS.

Fumigacing Small CJreenbousp iJ.R i. It is well known that ex.-essive i'lioiisaiions. even with go,*! tnl»u-co. <„■ even ilumairi-a ti»ha/-.o whi.h ,-un be bou s bt t-Upap. .-ause I'ljuHea f'j ri'iwer**. fbe tender friMitls ">r f'-rns. etf. It. i.s saf-wt and lir-sr id pvt moderate fumigations ouly uu three mioGreenhouse Asparajjus. etc. — Sandy, turfy loum (pruiM-rly Ue-ayedi. wiih a sixtn part of leaf niCHlld, wul suit ii.. Ir sarcfeds in any kluks strui-turp wb»r»in a teniperainrn" honvc-i. in ; i !: ,i 7,1 «> s rifs and a moderately moist armospliere .-ire maintained. Ywir uplniions 10-if represents P'llannni robusir.m. unl is crowu as au oruauiental. sub-tropical plant.

HDTTS.

Zinnia elepans is a splendid half hardy annuai. a nativf of Mexico. It grows to a height of two feet, well nranchod. and forms a handsome l'u-h. The oolonri of tbp flowers are extremely varied. Ixitli in *inp-!e and (i.jiihi.. kind.-.' and arc ahv.iybrilliant. It i> a plan: of «rcat beauty, and of branching habit. They are most effective "Town in beds or border-. Se<Hl may Ik- sown in gentk- heat : or cwru-iklo in .i .-hc'.iered pusiuon at the end of t.V month. It is v.-iy rapid in groxv-th. and should lie grown on without a t'heck. aiid plajil-'u Oi.t in rich soil, and in a sunny posiuoii. Zinnia Mexieana i- I dwarf in habir. i,<-in;r only one foot in lwiffhi.. h is a ;ine huahy plant. The peculiar pieasin.o- ~.,-j hrUli'ant colour of this plant, combined with its tine bloomcharacter, strongly reionin>end= it. i The are hurdfnp.i off in The iimo way a? all ojier haJ; hardy annuals, j and are planted out at the <-nd nf No- ; vem-bfr in rich soil. pla;ntin,2 at one . foot apart. Thr.v are useful for cutting, lasting a long time in water. Conservatories and Greenhouses.—The ! Hnportanoe of maintaining a circulation ' of fresh air in th*>-<- ntructurrs cannot lx> : over-estiauited. particularly when outor ! tempi-rain res art , warm enough to allow! artificial beat to be di>pen.-pd with. At *uch tim»»a 00-ndc7i>rtl vapour sett]*'* upon insidt , of the and the foliage, and the atmosphpre holds more va.pour than is <rood for thp plants. One or two openim;s. made by l< tting a sash or two down at the top of the hou»e only, work wonders in counteracting this.

THE» PROPAGATION" OF THE CHKVSAJTTHKMU-μ. I

Cuttings are only of rearing fresh stock uf established varieties. l»Ut, as was pointed out here a week igo, wnm wut yiuccjs of cutting over the plunts after flowering was briefly dealt •vicii, cuttings rising ironi the soil, tech-r-icaliy culled sucker;;, are preferable to those which spring from the stem. Experience shown that the former nake the most vigorous plants, and east liable to form pr n mature flower buds, which is v point of great iiuportince to tho.-e who wish to try their hand ' it prize-taking. Bur, of course, it is j lcctssary to have stork of all desirable 1 iJids. and ii one or other of th«se i= j •hy in producing suckers then it be.- i .omes a case of "Hobson's choice." per- ■ laps stem cuttings or none. As to modes of striking cuttings they ire various. The cuttings may be inserted in thumb pots singly, a. mode vulch may be romniended a≤ exposing . h< rooted plants to the lea.-t possible j njury in being shifted from t.he <-utting )ot to the first shift on thr road towards ! naking perfect flowering stuff of them. V'here. however, many plants require to j<; produced in .limited space it is ob- . ious that one cutting to pot does !Ot lend itself to economy of room. >ther may be adopted to meet .his objection. CulLinj* , - may be in-ert-d in well-drained ."iin. pots —mx or more I a each pot —and when well-rooted may. | vith dne care in handling, be divided ! .n-d repotted singly info -J-Un. or :;in. | ots without suffering any appreciable .heck. Or boxes. 2ir.. or :>in. deep niav ! ■<• use<i when large numbers are re- j uired. in which the cutting!? may be usTted -in. to 3in. apart. The soil should bo of equal mrts and ieaf mould, with a er\ lil>eral sprinkling of sami. which hould l>e entirely free from alluvial or i.-il sediment. The materials =hould be ..oderately dry wkeii required tor use; i is best to have them protected from Lie weather sometime beforehand. The cuttings strike root more freely I li'l quickly- when mild bottom h»at and ;u:ospheric lunntn and moisture can •c afforded, but neither of these c«ndiions is edsen;ial to their success. They ril! root well, though somewhat more lowly, in the ordinary atmosphere of a voi greenhouse, or even in a cold frame, f dry. but they ;:iu-t for a time be rotected also irom draughts and bright :in!ight. Protection from these evils is Lt=ily effected by means of paper screens o adapted around and over the posiion in which the cuttings are placed that l>ty can be used or removed as circumcances require. Little water is reuired till roots are formed, but the soil hould b<> kept moderately moist. With oitom heat and a -warm atmosphere ore moisture is necessary, but there Ls Iways danger of damping or fogging IT of the cuttings when they are exO»ed to higher temperature than is «'PS?.-!Ty. The best cuttings are. as has been said, lose shoot- which spring from the roots ' r underground crowns. When they- are ' bout three inches long they are fit. noose the stoutest and shortest >:nted with sturdy sappy leaves at-i«-hed. Clean away all the leaves ex;pt the top bunch or rosette, and cut ; .e stem over by the lowest sound i >:nt, using a sharp knife for these perations. The stem shoots require the ' (mc treatment in making as the | ickers. Insert them as quickly after j •ey are made as possible, making them ' rm in the soil with, gentle pressure of j ie fingers, and give water sufficient to j msolidate the surface soil about then. I