Practical Gardening.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 145, 19 June 1915, Page 17

Practical Gardening.

Information and News for Amateur and ProfessiondL

By DLANTHUS.

Conr.'.i'-iinVii/s ,rill greatly oblige by observing the following rules sending questions for publication in these columns. 1. 1., Iters should he a,Mrc.sscd Harden Editor. "Star- Office. Auckland. _. II nr, on on,- sole o/ the paper, and make ail communications as concise OJ pessibh ■ .•? Flotccrt, etc.. sent for naming must be sent separate!,,, and. if possible, packed in v fin or n0,,,.',,, bo.— f_r,/-...i." bojrcs arc very liable to be broken in trans,' nnd the contents dannged. .j. The full name and add,ess <>/ Ihr sender must ahcays be sent, but a nomdc flume or uii.'iui may be given fur publication.

TO COS-tESPONDE-fTS.

A-FA-AGUc. rarneil.-The n*para.uphm's BhoiiM he planted .it one,.. ■_'„,- asparagus tops should he cleared off the he.l at any time now. Scarle: runnel, can he lifted ami sloreil through Ihe winter, altlir.ucli it is tun us sails—iclnrv may he sprnvcl with Imnleaux mixture They shoni.l be sprayed several times riiirin. tin- year, 1,., i u„, siiinmi'- forinline it- 1 401 when i l„. hu.U :,rc |,t« n in or there are leaves un the hush. A sir,nicer siren si h may he used dnrln, the winter, when i he ' plant, are iter mv in.

THE WEEK'S WORK. The hoc should he kept _o[n_ amor.pst cr„vvin_ ~-,, ps ai ever, .avoiirablc opportunity. The wcai her is :l„. chief K uide this ,inie ..f Ihe veal When Ihe -urfic'e i. ,lrv. ,ii-_ii:_ an.l trenchim; can he ,:,,„,.. ' Any all erat ions re.Hired should be .bine now. The trees ami -.h-„l„ sholihl 1 gone over, and any dead or useless branches should l.c eul out. As _ rule not en.oiir. attention Is _iven :o shrubs, especially flowering kin.ls. '■'lower;!!, shrubs need assistance in tri-iiiilHs. cleauln.. Imelng an.l n.aiiiirin- ...s much as roses. If properly all. I.del to. they civ.ns L-,..„l a return in a weailh ..f Ileum as else in the u-ar-den. Fruit trees should be prune.!; If rot yet started this job should bigot under way nt once. When the pruniiiL- is finished spraying may he done. No time should be lusi in cetLiu;; the spray en. The present is a so., time to prepare the onion bed. also the beds for carrots, parsnips, and o'her lot., tap-rooted subject-. I.ahllas should he Uriel and stored, and the ground .hit*. Slakes shonhl he cleaned, sorted and siore.l. In many canlens the only lime stakes are' considered Is when they are wanted, and Ihcn they are conspicuous by their absence. Such t.ln_s should be prepared in the winter, when other jobs are ua workable. Another batch of ranunculus nnd anemone bulbs may be planted. They will come In late, but will be Bmr the less welcome. New roses should be planted, and any of the old ones that are to he removed should be seen lo now. If planting new bed? ..f roses, see tl,a: tho bed is well made, Ko-es ...cupy the same ground several years, so they deserve a Little I'H.M cure ar the Stan. Sweet peas should be protected with a few sprigs of U tree; this affords protection, and at the same time it fives the plants a chance tr, hold themselves up. Lilies should he planted row. U i= a mislake :,. leave these t,-, la:e before planting, ns rhev make a let or mots lief,.re the tops show. Herbaceous plants should be divided; notlun_ heats ni. >-. small pieces: ltirpe clnmps arc a delusion, and are ~f little value. Most hardy shrubs and trees can be shifted and replanted n-iw. If lifting larce trees or -hnihs. start rii_.ir_ a i>,od distance a .v.iv frmn tie stem, and work towards Hie centre. If care Is t.-.ken to preserve the roots, t.-een and shrubs of any size can be moved, providine, ..f course, that sufficient labour is available.

ROSE MILDEW. This scourge of the rosarian has born during the past . ummor more prevalent than usual. It attacks the leaves. J-oung ?hoot = . and ilower buds. Ou tlie leaves it forms a very delicate white mildew: on the shoots, calyx, it fnrnis. thirk, felty pat. lies ol a dingy white tolour. It is these felty patches which produce the winter form of fruit, whose

function it is to continue the specie? from year to year. As a rule, then- are two di-tnut waves of disease during the year. Tlie first, wliich is generally Slight, occurs .-non after t lie leaves arc fully expanded. Tiie second vvuv,occurs after midsummer, when the young Wood lias made considerable growth. This is the critical period, for it is this wave wliich produces the fruit Which perpetuates: tl.c disease the fidlowing scas-on. 'J'!'-' "-pring wave cannot perpetuate the disease, as tbe mildew at this stage is confined tn the foliage, and does not produce winter fruit. Dusting with a mixture of one part quicklime nnd three parts sulphur checks the disease. Sulphide nf potas--miu loz t,, .".gal of water will also eht-rk the disease, The following is given as a certain cure: I hie part sulphuric acid iii 1.-0U parts •>:' water. The important part is that the spring wave of disease, which is apt to be neglected, Should be thoroughly stamped out: otherwise it linger- in small quantities, and starts the wore, sr rious summer wave of disease Spraying should commence as soon as possible in the spring, and be continued every fortnight or so throughout the summer. If the rnse3 lave 1 n badly affected during tho past season, it is'best to give the bushes a Bpraving with Jlordcaux mixture or limc-suipbnr direcily after I bey an TJruned and whilst the bu<ls arc mant. This will prevent any dormant Kpores from germinating if Inuro-gni. done.

MATURITT OF PLANTS. Approximately the following table giv<- the tones elapsing between the «OTin. of vegetable seel and the inaliirIng of i he crop. We.ther conditions variety, position a. regard- shelter and .Oil -:ll make a difference, .but the following is a fair average: Artichoke -eri'S-IC-1, 1.1(1 ISO rlavs: Ai-paragUh sec., 4 years: Asparagus crowns, M m.nih.-; Beams ibrrnid), 120 day-; I'"'"'- H'rcnch) 60 dav-. beetroot, I" «'0"-: J!n, '- rt< '', rprou.-. POlo I_M days: cabbage am cauliflower, lid to I'Jll -lays: carrots, r. to 1(10 d_v_; cole. 1.10 days: chokes, HO day.; en-umbers,"?. to 10.1 days; "gg fruit 100 to l-JO days; endive, Iw 1" "> days; onion, I.i t ■ IK" < 1; '>' 8: '"'' ak , ! Iron, rets, I ve.tr; seakalo from seed. 2 yearn; kale dru/nhead. 1-0 'lay."; Kohl l_bi, 100 da).,, leeks, 1011 to 1-0 days: lettuce, 45 to 75 daw. melons, KHJ 10 180 daj». mushrooms, 21 days; mustard

and cross. 7 to in dans: parsnips. 1(10 days: pumpkins. l:iu t,, l-*.O days; radiv-h, 'Ml to 40 day.; rhubarb (.coil), •_ years: spinach, sn to inn days; tomatoes, IMI to 12H day,-: turnips, li- to !>'.! days: vegetable marrow.-. To to I'WI day;.

UXrOTVI _.ANC_FO_IUM. This graceful an.l l.ighlv-pci fumed lily, which i- perfectly li.ir.lv'. and docs romarkahlv well ,11 this district, should !'c much more largely •«,cd lhan it is. Tiie groiuul .-hoiild h. prepare,; by lie. ing deeply dug or irem-hed. If a, all poor, manure should he added. but it should be put down at least one font, sn thai it 1- below the bulbs. If the

soil is heavy it is best to add sonic sand. When plaining place the bulb so that the top of the bulb i.s about ri\ inches below the surface. The stems will scud fort!, roots, ami if those s; „, ;-.. ,;s a i'c well fed i: is t ije secret of g>od llower,. When planting, plant in group-, allow ing a bun; nine inches between the .bulbs. A dozen bulbs plautcd ill a g: ■ ti-;> make a mi'.gnili. cv; show. SILVER BEET. Tiie variety nf silver i 1 known as "Luculliis" i- tiie b.-st v.irio'y to _r.,.v f.>r culinary purposes: as a ".ut a:-..1 come u_.ii'" vegetable :.,r the hot, dry weather, i; litis no e.jiiai. II i!f a dozen plants "ill k'cp a fair s./,-l family going in '.tcoii vegetables. 'I lie green bevies may 1..- , onke I mi" da;., and t !■•• midribs anolhei : iv ;lu< w.i\ 11 really much nr-or. for n' cooked togeincr one

pari is cooked liefiire the other, and il. ithen discarded as inferior. It .should be served wilh a white saiice. Tiie seed should be sown now, and tbe plants dibble,.! out when large enough to a distance of '.'ft from plant .o plant and .''ft from row tn row. A good dressing of common .alt will acl as a stimulant to tlie plant

HOW TO CUT ROSES. "Mr.-. 11. P. Darlington, in tbe "Rose Annual" for Mil.- gives the r.,lb.vvin_ hints, on the above subject:—-"If a-s'ke.l such a c|U>'.«-on as how to cut roses the answer from some old- fash ioncd gardeners would be much the same n s Mr. Punch's famous dictum regarding marriacc. 'Don:. liven now lam often told 'by some of my friends who have rose-growing husbands. "My husband never" lets mo cut any loses.' Tin husband surdy would be much 'wiser, and save himself a greti; deal of trouble, if he would -how his wife how tn cut ihe roses she wants f >r the house without spoiling the rose plant-.

A rope on pa there.] Is lull a rose Pluck ii, lover, don't mind the thorn; Tu.k It nwn.v In your h.moin eloso. Ami drink its hcauty from night lo mom.

Nothing improves the appearance of a rose garden more than the constant removal of the faded How.-., and to do thus thoroughly in a garden of any si/.e means a . onsidera/ble amount, of daily attention, and this .should he given, and the flowers gathered by someone who understands the ni. of culling roses, j.f the heads are just sni.'ked off in the way usually adopted by the garden boy, unless and ugly bits ~f stalk are left io shrivel on tiie plant; on the other hand some garden l-nys do their work co thoroughly that one may come home poriiaps after spending a day in town, to find one's garden denude,, of roses, the ,I,'ossoms in their various stages o buds and open (lowers Having been all ruthlessly cut off and consigned to the wheelbarrow. And if it true, as in this case it doubtless is. lhat the middic ~m , rsc is the safest, a very moderate cxnerience of garden management will ~a <ij |v lead to the inference that it is 11,. course which in matters ot ihis kind the enterprising mind of youth will most reluctantly be induced to follow. 'However, mv subject, is not en much bow to cut off'dead roses as to cut the r .■ . ones for decoration without doiug I'aroSo the plants, and without unduly curtailing the supply of -looms in the „,,r future. Jt would probably ~..< lave occurred to mo Unit suggcsl ions on • his maMoi- would be useful to tho mema,;, of the N.R.a had I not .been asked Lo write on tho -trbj-ct toy a lady member, who told mc that a few words

on the question in .his year's ar-nunl would be acceptable to many who. like herself, cot their own roses." .lanv nf those who hive their flower very dearly arc .inclined to _. rather niggardly as regards cutting, nnd canonlv bring themselves to cut off tile actual rose on its short stalk, .which, unless it is wanted to wear as a 'buttonhole tlowcr. or to place in a small specimen vase, is really useless. Jr. the early days of my rose growing T remember being taken to task for <-u?;ing h (lloirc de Dijon rose in this fashion, and 1 was ruthlessly told that r did not understand the tirst 'principles nf rose cutting, if I was afraid lo sacrifice the closegrowing buds. it S o happened that my instructor vvas himself a surgeon, and i'l may be thoughl thai in this'case be was ton little averse from tiie u-e ..t the knife. Hut. in fact. tin. is n..t so. and ii is often the right course. Willi many roses. .l;„o. [~.„„ |' a j M( , f,„. ,„„, u \ stance. Ihe buds, on the cut stem, a,1:1 considerably to the decorative ol.oct ~f the flower, while if |~f, o t, the p1.11,1 Ihey would 0ft,.,, produce hul inferior (lowers, iv which case, |, v leaving them yon have fallen between two stooYs: you have Inst the decorative cll'ccl ' 'yon wanted, ami j„igi,, |~n r Iliul and ' lhp con.pcn.sa tion y,„i have receive,) has been inadequate. , ''"" "'<* "ilier hand, there arc many ladies who think of tb,u.-:s merely .is a decoration for their lionirs. and" they '""' '"' Ll '"r down -rem brancie., ~f rose's without lor n inonii-iil ■■„ii.i l lerin.» wY.t result Il.i, will have „:, t |„. |„„| MV . If ""••' i- d 0,,- without discrimination so,-,. oik harm ~iav pussil.lv i.-ult. "I'crhaps ti,,. first ; ;i„, ~,;,., ,„ ,-,,- ■ '•"" »'*-'■ «< in i'l'uniiig. ,- ..hvav-s to cut jus: above .-,,, eve. and ,:' ,„.s,ib',. ,i„. •' !i - ] '^ 1 «•>'<■ Icl'l ..n a plant should i"'"" ""1u,,,-.!,. •„,. this help- ,„ '!' ''" ti; " symmetry ~f : !„. 1,,,..!,. A ». V st.l'k left above the 1,-t cv • "","'" vu ' : " ""'<> 'lie.-. nn.l i, ,mii.,. "■"l."" I" the plant. Hut where are we tn select the eye; \\|„.„ a ~,.,' fades m the ordinary curs,, m nature if ~" n ' '"'" »" buds coming ~„ an,l •„, seed has 1,,.,.,, -~, and unlcs il ,-.';, variety in which , |„, „ „,|s „,,. w.,„!,,| lor their decorative cir.vl ~,- t,,,- sowii,.. II" seel Should be allowed to set 111 the rose garden 11„. stalk carry in-r t1,,. '':»'l"'«l lIOWCI' dies back -o t!,,. li,--. |eaf, nr. as is often the case to the ;i,-t M .| "I leaves, nnd these leaves will coiltiniio to grow, but uu fr.-sh ;l,,«er buds "ill be formed from llieir axils. After n time, bovvever. the bud iii the a\il of the leaf next to these |~p |[~vv, |-s iuunc diatcly under the llower. and. in fact by cutting the,,, away down lo the „-.. clfcctive bud we shall induce this bud to develop more rapidly. Th,, will therefore give us 11..- minimum amount to cut. lint how much t c may we safely take': 11,,, answer lo this depends on the relative vigour of the plant and the amount of til her foliage il no.

scsses. In a strong pi. ml with plerlv ~;' other foliage like .1. B. Clarke. I'n.u Karl Dni.-chi.i. or Hugh Dickson, vv.. may take peril ip, a loot or more nf st n. if we want it. with..,it .iamagin. tbe plant. (in the oticr band, if tlie iimmin! ..;' stem vv, ~■ , ot it would iv terfcre with t!,.- llower ami would seriously reduce the f.iiace I. it on til, plant, -.. ~mt,,.n mil,l be exercise.|. | remember mi one 0.-ca.-ion win „ I,a |iv oil' I'm- ib.vver- lor a dec.dative e\lllblt, i 111 ting 11, ai Iv ali tlie bran. 1.. - ii m:i i standard of Ant •> l,'ivm,e. ami >!n----save the plant sir h a , b, . k I bat ,t never

really r verel. Again, i' i~ vc v little use cutting la, k ml., the „|.| ' -t,.,„-. even wb.ii we want long -pi.,v.-. for the blooms soon fade in water because the bard stems arc unable to take up enough water tn ko.p blooms li.-h. It will therefore, a., a rule. !„■ among the vignr Otis roses lhat we have pinned fairly bard in the spring thai we shall seek for tiie long s,e:iis we want for decora lion. Ami ibis ,s a- ~ should be. I be great uiiprilncd hushes of lltistave Ivegi, and Kiilarncv look -~ Invclv in the garden that we do not want to do more than cut away their faded Ib.wers and

Ilower stalks, having tbe wealth n! fl-csll biennis lint bel. bill tiie bllsll.s nf Mrs. K. <l. H'll and Mine. I.eun Panic of Pliansacr and Prune de llu'gtirie. that have been cm .low March -.N'ptetn ber in N.vv- Zealand i send up slid, stroto shoots. . r..wie-d with a group of dowers. that we aie tempted In cm sprays for the decoration of our drawing rooms, or.

if we arc exhibitors. f..r our vases nf decorative roses. And it is wonderful how the vigorous growers vv,ll endure such treatment. I u>e tbe word en,lure advisedly, for no dwarf rose really bene l:ts by having a large portion of illeaves' cut ay.ay while it is in lull growth. It is through the leaves that nourishment is supplied tn the plant ami mots. and. naturally, if a great quantity of leaves are removed during the grow ing period, the activity of the roots is a good deal interfered "with. There arc certain varieties of hybrid Teas-the iovel • I.a 'I'osca occurs to mc as one. and Mine. .Melainc S.upcrt is another which put up long rods crowned with (lowers, bearing but few leaves or dominant buds, and such as these may be cut with their delightful long stems really with..,it dot rime.it to the plant or its future blooming, while many of tlie dwarf polyanthus, notably Boric dOr and Ccilo Bi tinner, push up their long, almost leafless ilower stalks which may be cut low with impunity. Again, the miiltillora and W i.liuraiana varieties may be cut with just so bug as may be desired, for the correct time for pruning these is not. as with rose bushes before mentioned, the spring, but the late summer and autumn, as swum as flowering is over, und no harm will be done by anticipating this pruning to a certain extent. 1 admit, it is always a grief to mc io start in August and September (February and March in New Zealand! i utting down the great sheaves of luxuriant and beautifully tinted foliage, often

crowded with hum-hex of hips, and to sec. in. place of this tangled up delight, pillars twined round witli the orthodox four or six new growths. 1 cannot help feeling that the plants must, suiter from the shock, but the results the following summer always seems to justify (bis devastating process, the fact being, 1 suppose, that these climbers arc so rampant, that to curtail them of some of their vigour is an advantage from the point of view of the garden. Hut to cut down rose bushes in this way would he unwise, as anyone who has seen plants of even such vigorous kinds as Caroline Tcslout, when they have been cut down in .Inly and August (January and Kebril-lii-v in New Zealand I to get buds for maidens, will have noticed, it. is seldom that. Ibev mnk- very strong growth the following Tear. We. therefore. who cut our own 'roses and want plenty of (lowers in the house as wcl as plenty ot flowers and good plants in the garden. must study- the habit of each variety, and if we bear in mind tbe gci*ral principles of not being afraid to sacrifice some of the crowded buds, and of cut ting to an outward eye. while at the same time being chary nf cutting away too much foliage, having regard to the amount, carried by the plant, we shall have all we want, for the decoration of our bouses and we shall improve rather than impair the beauty of our rose garden.