THE GARDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 43, 19 February 1909, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

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[Hortaa fa wining to-answer ««y toe** "j let. Correspondents must giv* their real names and addresses, though not for pab» ij ucatlon.J p NOTICES TO COKEESPbNDBNTS,». {j Plants In Vinery (A.8.G.). — X. Mlscellan-i i eons plants do-not materially affect vines under which they are'"., grown, provided! they are kept scrupulously clean and proper treatment >ls afforded the vines from start :tb-finish. 2. Tomatoes would not le likely to succeed under them, owing to the shade. :The latter, require a drier atmosphere. 3.3. Palme only require re- . pot ting ***enrltHelr pots .become lull of roots »ri tliejdollu may have become sour. "Flat Leaste*T£»ctns (T-T.). — Belonging , to thelSppl'phSlhim?ißoctlon, your plant, to be shifted Into a Criuirsuffltißlfflysißnlall pot (over a liberal qcantttyntifcauricles), and a compost, "consist" ng of rcjdal part's 'of sandy loam, with liberal additions of sand, leaf mould, and: bits of broken bricks. When gro.v(iia only, water it freely, keeping In 6unehiue always, and quite dry between the rjoiiths-of November and March. > . -.- —T- •'-" i HINTS. J The planting of kales and "hardy j greens" generally is, as a rule, owing . to the exigencies of space, deferred until , too late. Wherever !lhis is the case every effort should now be made to get the work finished. Peas, early broad beans, cauliflowers, etc., having produced, their crops, should be immediately removed, or such i, parte . / of . them as remain, and the ground manured and dug. During dry "seasons,' such as has-been" experienced, it is profitable to dig.up such lands. Do not overlook the fact that, the later these green .crops are,planted the more thickly should' they be diobered out, owing to the'less ' robust growth they will make and to the desirability of growing them so as to fairly cover the ground for mutual pro- j tectibn. When planted water \>-«lL . Spent crops, .consisting of peas, broad beans, cauliflowers, should not at | thfls particular time b» permitted to cumber the ground for a day, but, should j be. removed, and the ground prepared, ] for the same reason as given in the preceding paragraph.' During the incoming Week and the following one, at the latest, many subjects can be planted or sown that will succeed; afterwards it wilj be too late to secure dual crops on the same piece of ground in the season, amongst which the turnip deserves, consideration". . ' Chrysanthemums require constant attention. On no account must they be permitted to become too dry at the root. On hot, sunny days they will require two or three waterings per week, and occasional weak mamirial waterings Will be beneficial. At the same time, avoid at this stage too powerful stimulants. If aphis makes its appearance upon the youngest growths destroy it with tobacco powder or water, and keep a watch, for mildew. Cuttings.—Propagation: This is. the simplest 1 of all the modes of Multiplying or increasing a variety. It consists in the Insertion of a. shoot, of onj year's growth, In- the soil. Under many cirouinstaivces, in the open ground, this mode can be applied to only such species as readily throw out sh'dots; such as the currant, gooseberry, grape, quince, etc. ! Cuttings tram bu«u fruit trees as the I apple, pear, etc., can only be made to take root with difficulty. We might here | add that cuttings of suck trees as have . large < piths succeed- best when taken off i with a portion of the preceding year's j I growth—this applies to the currant, j gooseberry, vine, tig, etc. With such *- shoots as are large and strong the best success will result if cuttings are separated at the point between the one and two . years' growth. When side shoots are used they should be cut closely to the main stem, so that the collar or enlarged- portion of the wood at the base of the shoot will be aecured; also the cut if possible should 'be' made immediately below | a bud, as T ,roots are the moTe readily thrown out.' Autumn and winter is the best time to take 5, off cuttings. If not taken off till spring, the operation must be performed as early as possible. In ordinary cases the shoots, to prevent? drying, should be buried about two-' thirds or three-fourths beneath "the surface; and placing under' the shade of a wall or close fence would still further increase their value; that they may the better retain their moisture, press the Boil closely about them. If the cuttings are-long, they should be placed sloping, to as not to be buried too deep, or be- E yond the" influence of the heat of the sun. ITo procure young plants of the currant, - 'gooseberry, vine, etc., with straight, clean stems at the surface, and free .from g ! suckers)—every bad should be removed fj from' the'cutting, with the exception ji of a few at the upper end., Tha length 1 may be from eight to twelve inches. The ji above will apply to a great many things jl which are propagated from cuttings. « Light and Darkness.—Cultivators have 2 been so fully alive to the importance of U light to vegetation and produce that they 0 nave too generally overlooked the place j and' power of darkness. Under certain j circumstances Nature .herself teaches the j "importance of darkness, as, in the ger- j mination of. seeds, by covering them as a rule with the': stimulating and protect- |i ing covering of rotten ieaves. A good i| many aeeds will; germinate in the light, £ but they do so sooner and to ef- « feet in darknessj still, even this fact is w I not taken full-advamtage of in practice, £ as whole ranges of seed > pots' and pans J placed in the-' light- .abundantly show, ij These not only bectipy valuable space jj that might, is a rule, be filled with grow- j ing plants, but- labour in' watering, shad- y ing, etc., as well- as time;- are lost by .0 sowing seeds in the light. There- is also jjjj another source of "lossby the • general C practice. TBe " seeds' ore covered' too: t\ deeply ior their safety, in order to ex- Jj elude ..the ligiit, and numbers., of them. 1 are thus rotted and ruined. All, these j risks would be avoided by simply sow- J ing seeds,in a ; dark shed or, closet. ; Many s seeds win- iiardiy need covering;, all- * would meed -less tf placed in total- dark- p nessi l - Of course, they Would require S pretty close.'wabebing: and prompt re> | moval to ..-light- as soon as farily vege- F tated. The transition: "from total- dark- J ness .to absolute "light 1 also needs- to' bp' I very-gradual, but tftis period is of _yery £ snort duration, forcit is astonishing how: i soon healthy and vigorous embryo plantlets:get used to the light. -. ' S

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