Practical Gardening.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1918, Page 16

Practical Gardening.

By DIANTHUS.

Vorrespondents will greatly oblige by observing the following rule* in tending questions for publication in these columns: —■ 1. Letters should be addressed Garden Editor, "Star" Office, Auckland. 2. Write on one side of the paper, and make all communications as Concise as possible. S. Flowers, etc., sent for naming must be sent separately, and, if possible, packed in a tin or wooden box — cardboard boxes are very liable to be broken in transit and the contents damaged. 4- The full nami and address of the sender must always be sent, but • . torn de plume or initial may be given for publication. »XXXXXXX KX*X X X X X a X X X X X X******^-***"^***^^***^****** * % £ TJELE WEEK'S WORK. * * * * * * THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. * jjl The hoe should be kept constantly at work amongst the growing crops. *' X Sow Cucumbers, Melons, Marrows. % £ Plant out Tomatoes; seed sown outside now will produce good plants. * J Sow Scarlet Runners and other tall-climbing Boans in rows four feet apart. 4= g[ The ground should be deeDly trenched. * * Sow Dwarf Beans; put the seeds four to six Inches apart in the drill. ; I : * Sow more Peas and draw a little soil up to those already up and put * * stakes to them. X * Plant Potatoes according to space and requirements. %he early planted ;;: * should be hoed and earthed ud. * 3j Seedlings of all kinds should be thinned as soon as large enough to handle. $ 2j After thinning the ground should be stirred with the hoe. % ± The sowing and planting of most vegetable crops should be pushed on; the * ah weather is very good for the Job. # * Celery should be sown now; if sown earlier the seedlings must be prioked * * out as soon as large enough. * * THE FLOWEn GARDEN. % % The list of plants that can be put out now is legion; all of the hardy and y s|c half hardy sorts can be planted. J | * Aster and Phlox are amongst the many. Plant in good soil. Beod may also * * be sown. ?: * Seed of Zinnias and Salvia aplendens may be sown now. J ' T Dahlias should be brought out ready for starting. Those which have started T X should be divided. * I Chrysanthemum stools which have been left in the ground all the winter ± should be lifted and divided. Single shoots make the best plants. ¥ * Anemones must have tho old flowers kopt off them to prevent seed heads * * forming. * 'A' Bulbs are nearly over, and in borders tho foliage begins to look unsightly; * * do not cut if off, tie it up with raffia or flax. * * Border Carnations are beginning to oond up the flower spikes; staking •£ 3j should be done as soon as possible. X T Delphinlumo should havo the weak growths removed to give the stronger J 2; ones the benefit. ; |-

plant which likes salt. If the henns are of this year's sowing the weal her may have been the cnuse; the jrround is still i-iilil sind wet. l-ti The Snail Creeper, or F'Uaranh's l.'arrnoalla" will do in almost .■my position except due south, and one not entirely shaded. PH.. Mt. Eden.—Sends some Miace of n klnu fern which Is uot duiiiK well. It was planted out, tint he lias now lifted it anrl put In un nil ilrum. lie wants to know tbo i-aiise of the leaves EolnK liail, and if it will crow in an oil drum? The luvrs ( ,re attacked with '■tlirips," showing ihal the plant has been in too hot and dry a position. Spray the under ,si<les of tlie leaves with liniesulphiir 1 parl. water 2S parts, (live I hree applications .-it intervals of ten days. The plant should ci.i in an oil drum provided it was well ilraiiPd ( ,\it liefore putllnß the soil in. and thai some drainage holes were mnoV In the bottom. The kins fern Itrow.s In sliady sholu>rpd damp position* 111 a soil lendlni; to clay. Your fern k1.0i.1.1 1,,. kepi in a shaded position, and one where you nan Rive the foUace a i (rood sprinkling with eloan wnler two or time times a week, nr even every day. "'of"" """"I^ , ". 1 — Srnl a'"").- some sc.-d it was sown anil proved a cood vecrefi'lile He is surprised that so few C o in for . IVi'T , I "" 1 h " pns '" spp u,p "<"" ""I" , " it. will he used „„ much here as in <•„!!■ forma. It certainly is a ,-rop wortli , A ? ] V B ,«r— Send* alons a plnnt Zm£ m" mI ? rnwln R nn clny soil, on.! Which cattle and horses are fond of. lie wnnd Hit,* th* name of It? The plant is i-ntiis cormcnlat.us. and it is a reeoimised Rpertsmen ' tU ° SrC<l bP ' DS °' Ter " l by BROWW ROT IN PLUMS AND PEACHES. As a result ~f several year?' experience in America, the following schedule i of spraying is recommended. The enlu- ,' tion ueed is lime sulphur. Tlie first appli-

TO COKRESPONBKNTS. ASTRA, Mt. Eden —Wants to know of a fertiliser that will prodnep lone stalks on an aspidistra? I know of no fertiliser that is particularly good for producing Stalks, and Trom what yon .<ay your plant* need rupottini; not fertilisers. The aspidistra, if trt-al.-l properly ux n-«arils soil does nni need mnrli fertiliser. I should advise you to procure some fresh a bushel or even lesa suitable fnr iispldis tras. Shake th<> plouts out nf Hie prpxent soil, wash the roots .„ ; , s (l) remove all the old soil. Wash the pots, put in rresh drainace, and work the new soil well amoricst the roots, pot rairl.v firm, keeping the ereeplni; stems from which the leavps pprinc almost on lop of thi> soil. After pnttliit do not plvc too mneh watiT for a few weeks, only wnlprliiK when the soil is on tlio dry Fldr. 124, Grey Lynn. Sends nlonj! Ml A plan I of a proposed proi)aßntlnK liox heated •with n kerosene lamp, and wishes to ! know if the funics will be Injurious. (2i a Gravenstein npplc had a pood crop last year, hilt dropped when half ripe. (31 Golden Wax butler lieaus Rerminate.i. bat all damped off: coarse salt was user! to destroy slues. 14.1 Most suitable situation for Pharaoh's Carracnlla. or Snail Creeper? HI If the fumes or kerosene Ret into the plants they will be injurious, but if yon pive more vintilalion to the chamber hohllnu the lajnp and allow n little top ventilation it is possible that the dlffirtilty may be overeomo. Propaf-ators heated with kerosene hnv,> not proved nn Tinqnalinprl sneeesp. owinir to the rliffle.nlty of keeping out the fumes. 12) It is flifflcnlt. to say what caused the apples to drop, but apparently some disease or pest ivns th» .-anse. lint ~ne cannot be pure nnlpss they coulil see n Koecimen nf tlie fruit. <:U The cause of the beans poms oft* wns the snit. Salt is deadly tr. plants If nsH in too iaree nuantitles. in pnttins it down for slugs |t should I>kest away finm plants, unless it Is a

cation just before blossoms open, second just after the petals have fallen, the third throe or four weeks later, the fourth about four weeks before the fruit ie ripe. VEGETABLE MARROWS. Amongst the most useful of all the culinary vegetables must bo mentioned the vegetable marrow; they are easily grown and are in every way suitable for the grower whose space is limited. Almost any soil will suit them, though a. deep rich soil ie best, whilst plenty of moisture and abundant euneihine are first essentials. There are two claescs, the runners and the bush. As their name indicates the bush marrowo do not occupy much space; but they are very prolifit. The vines of the runners ramble sometimes to a surprieing , extent, and occasionally it is necessary to pinch out the leading points to prevent encroachment on neighbouring crops. Any open sunny spot will do for the bed, which may consist of either manure ranging from a barrowload to a cartload in bulk, or of weeds and other vegotaible matter that hae bren allowed to accumulate in a heap for some time. Even scraps of rubbish may he used for the purpose, and if a little fresh manure be added to it, also a small quantity of lime, and the whole thoroughly -mixed together, excellent material will bo at hand for the formation of the beds. With the bush varieties it is a good plan to dig a row of holes about 4ft apart, and from 18 to 20 inches deep. These should be almost filled with the manure or compost and topped off with adreseingof good loose soil. After being well eoaked with water three or four seeds should 'ha sown in each hole when all danger from frost is over. Another method more suitable for the runners is to make a broad trench to t-ake the place of the holes, filling it with manure as described, and planting the seeds in a row about lift apart. In good warm weather the young plants should be up in a week. One of the most common plans for growing manure is to collect into a neat all the decayed vegetable and rnadaiile refuse available, and plant the marrow seeds on the top. This is a capital method, provided abundai'ce of moisture can be given at the roots, as naturally more water will be required on such an elevated position than would be the case if the plants were growing on the flat. With some growers large marrows appear to be the, main object. On economic grounds, however, this is a great mistake. A I plant cannot develop more than two or . three of these immense fruits, which are, ! after all, of little value for Ihe table. But scores of small marrows of the highest quality may be cut from one plant. To enjo/ them in perfection they ought not to c.\-eed a few inches in length, and when cooked entire and served with molted butter the whole of the delicate flavour is retained. Ripe fruits are also cut into slices, and used in soups, while some make an excellent jam from them. When the plants are in bearing, however, the fruitr, need to be cut as they attain a suitable size if they are to be used as a vegetable. If not wanted, give them away; by this practice, and the strength of the plant being maintained by frequent, waterings with weak liquid manure, productiveness is maintained over a long period. As growth proceeds the strongest shoots should be pinched to equalise the flow of sap, until an equal balance of shoots is obtained in all the plants, when they may be allowed to ramble away at will. It sometimes happens, though, that the plants at the start throw out so many shoots as to become overcrowded. These should be thinned, allowing space for the stronger to develop fully, as fhe crop is guided b\- the condition of the foliage; one fully developed mature leaf is worth half a dozen rendered weak by overcrowding.

DAHLIAS. There are three courses open to the gardener who lifted the tubers at the close of laet season, and has preserved them dry He may replant the clump as it is in the open ground, and when the growths appear, thin them out to ' one as shown at Fig. 1. They can tie stood on dump soil until the shoote

. j appear as shown at Fig. 2, when the ■ clumps can bo divided, each growth havi ing n tuber nr a piece of r a tuber attached as shown r at Fig. 3. These ipieces can then be , potted, as in Fig. 4. A third method, r and one much favoured by the beet . grower, is to let the shoots grow until , they are three or four inches long, and L

I 1 SPLIT CALYXES. ■ l Split, calyxes art- nightmares to tlio ; growers of carnations. Many a good - flower is spoilt by this defer*. The rllus- ' tration (fig. 1) showe what is meant by ' a "split calyx." The best means of pre-

i c vention is to grow only varieties that do R not '"buret."' Another method is to put I on email rubber rings, or tie a circle of t wool round the. bud (fig. 2). Do not lie II the wool very tightly, and put it on just c as the bud shows signs of opening. r ■ . TO PRESERVE WOODEN LABELS ? The method of labelling plants is a subject of much difference between flower s lovers, and the ideal label is yet to be s ! discovered. After all the various invens .tions, the old-fashioned wooden label i = * 1 still the easiest to handle and to use. s ; Tt has one bad defect, and that is, it will v ] rot. and then breaks off at ground level. '• ', and is usually lost to sight. Wooden e'. labels can be preserved by snaking them yi in a weak solution of creosote. Large c ! wooden labels should have the points pi dipped in hot tar ;ind afterwards sprinP kled with dry sand or nshes. Another ! i remedy is to soak the labels in a solution I' of sulphate of irnn. allow tlir:n to dry '- i then soak thoroughly in a strong solu--1 tion of lime water.

then take them off n« cutting, and root tliem. These cuttings ran be taken off with or without a " heel." Fig. 5 shows a cutting with a " heel, - ' and Fig. C one without. If taken without a heel, it should be cut just below a joint, the two leaves nt that point being removed, as indicated by the dark line in Fig. fi. ; Those taken with a heel will be found to root more readily than without. The |

euttinge are best inserted singly into small pots, or several may be placed round the sides of a larger pot. The pots must be well drained, and the compost i must have plenty of sand added.- The , cuttings ehould be 'placed in a frame or box, covered with glass and kept : shaded until rootcil, and aftei trards grown on and planted out in due course.

CELERY. A sowing of this can now dp made out of doors. The position chosen should have a hnrd bottom, to prevent the plants forming tap roots. A couple of inches of well-decayed manure should be spread over the bottom and two or threo I inches of fine, soil should he put over the manure after treading the latter firm. The soil must be made moderately firm and perfectly level, and as the plants from this sowing are often planted direct from the seed bed into the. trench it is imperative that the seed be thinly sown. A light covering of fine soil should be sprinkled over the seed, and the whole well watered afterward?. Shade should be offered until the seedlings appear. RADISHES. One repeatedly hears complaints that radishes ale not a success, or that they get woody, tough, and hot. This is due to growing in poor soil. It is one of those crops that is not required in large breadths, small sowings h all that is required in any family." The seed should be eown in the richest spot possible, and that can be a manure, heap. If there is a heap of well rotted manure or leafsoil handy spread it out a foot deep and 6ow the radishes on this. However, where such is not available sow on the richest piece of ground, and never let the plants lack water. Small quantities of seed should be sown about,every ten or fourteen days where a continuous supply is needed. HOW TO DUST MME FOB SLUGS The following is a good method: Oet an old cortander or hrgo tin with holes punched all round it. Fasten it to the end of a stick. Kill the tin with lime. Walking along you can shake the lime over the plants, etc., from the path without having to tread all over the garden, not only that, but you can keep out uf the dust much better.

TO CONTROL WEEDS. Weeds arc spread in manure, even when it is well rotted. Always procure and sow good clean seed. Prevent weeds from seeding. Burn, do not burr, weeds which have gone to seed. Eradicate when small; in any case, before flowering. Clean up all waste and untidy corners and patches. These are a perennial source of supply. TO RE-GRAFT AN OLD PEAR OB TREE. To graft a good kind of pear upon an objectionable or useless old tree: There arc several ways of grafting—cleft grafting, triangular or notch grafting, crown or rind grafting, and others. The latter method is the beet, and at the same time caeily accomplished, especially for amateurs. Cut the limbs horizontally off the old tree just above the forks of the main arms with a sharp saw, smooth off the surface saw marke with a sharp knife. Prepare the prions by cutting young, stout, clean, and healthy ehoots of young wood four to six inches in length." Cut the lower end with a clean sloping cut two inches in length. Cut downwarda, and finish off at nothing. Make a clean cut with a sharp knife two inches dowi and just through the bark of the tre stock. Insert the handle of a flat papei knife or budding knife to raise the barl Tie up securely with stripe of calico an

clay, or cover with grafting wax. Two or three scions may be put on one stock, if it be etout two opposite each other, or triangular faehion. About three eyes will be sufficient to leave on each scion. It is advisable when cutting the flat side of the ecion to make it slightly hollow, so that it will sit on the round side of the stock more evenly, and adapt itself more readily for the sap and making a quicker and better union. ITalffresh cow manure and half clay, well worked in. is better than pure clay for covering the wound, as it is not so likely to crack with the eun, but grafting wax procured from the eeedsman is best. Fi?. 1 shows the "scion ,, inserted in tlie "stock." Fig. 2 chows the "scion" tied, and fig. I? shows the "*cion" tied and waxed.

POTATOES. ■The main crop may now be planted. Nothing is gained by planting main crop varieties too thickly, and tht rows of strong growing varieties should not be nearer than thirty inches, nor be set closer than fifteen inches in the row. If the seed has been well saved and is of medium size there will be no need to divide the sets, but if last year's crop produced few "seed size" sets, this practice will be inevitable and ie quite satisfactory when two sound ej-cs are left en each piece. To prevent premature decay the cut parte can be given a slight dusting of lime before being planted out. A change of seed is often a safeguard against disease, especially if the seed is produced from a cooler district, and it is, therefore, advisable to buy seed from a reliable firm rather than save one's own seed potatoes from year to year. On hungry soil, manure of some sort is necessary to secure a gcod crop, and on that class of land farmyard manure should have been dug in some time before. Early varieties tiisit are pushing their tops through the ground should have some soil drawn carefully around them, or the young growths may get blackened by late frosts. When the tops are badly frosted, not only is the crop retarded, but both quantity and quality are affected.