Practical Gardening.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 262, 2 November 1918, Page 16

Practical Gardening.

»♦ ■ ■ By DIANTHUS.

Correspondents icH\ greatly oblige by observing the follmoing nilet «« Sending quexticms for publication in these r,otumn«' 1. Letters should be addressed Garden Editor, "Star" Office, Auckland. 2. Write on one side of the paper, and make all communications ac concise as possible. .1 FUnocm, eta., sent for naming m-ust be sent separately, and, if possible, packed in a tin or icooden box — cardboard boxes are wry liable to be broken in transit and the contents damaged. •J. The full namr and address of the sender muet alicays be lent, but • Bonj lie plume or initial may be given for puhluxitio*.

X X X X X -fr-fr-X-tt X X X X X X X X X***** * * * THE WIiEK'S WORK. * * * * THE FLOWER GARDEN. * * * * Clip Boi Edgings. :•;: * Spray Roses for aphis and mildew. * * Remove surplus buds of Carnations and Rosea; even for garden decoration * T it ia advisable to disbud a little. :.!; X Keep your lawns cut, rolled, and the edges trimmed. Large weeds are easily * J removed while the ground is wet. 3: Plant Violets and also any hardy and half hardy annuals. :j! •jf Sow Primula Sinensis ceed; ventilate freely and shade from the sun. * ifc Dahlias and Chrysanthemums may be planted out now. Good soil is * * necessary. Put stakes to them directly after planting. * * Sow Aster seed outside now, also Phlox and many of the hardy and half # * hardy annuals, such as French Marigolds, Cosmos, Salpiglossis, * * Uorben?3, Coroopsis. etc * * Plants of sui.h like may also be planted now. The season is moist, but very X T cold, for many tender subjects, and these lat 4l plantings will probably J X be better than those earlier. % ;j- Stake and tin up Border Carnations. X % THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. I * * ■V- The hoe should be freely used, for the weather is such that woods are * + growing fast, and unless one keops at them they soon get the mastery. * * Seed sowing of many subjects may be done now. Cucumbers, Melons, * '. Pumpkins, Vegetable Marrows, and Tomatoes can be put outside now. ;i; ']'. The earlier pianted of these varieties, unless in well-protected positions, '.[. y. have fell, the cold weather this last few days, and a few sown now £ j;' : will probably do better than the earlier ones. :£ ;!: Thoso who have not yet planted out, and have plants waiting, should keep ; ; ; * them protected till the weather improves. :fc :(-- Brussel Sprouis, Cauliflower, and Cabbage should be planted at all favour- if. * able opportunities, between the rows of Potatoes where space is limited. =!= * Sweet Corn can bo sown now; this is a good vegetable for the hot weather. -!"• * o sowing of Dwarf Peas made now will come in for a late crop. * X Make a sowing of Runner Beans, also of Dwarf Beans. | : J A planting of Looks can be made now, and it is not too late to ma|ke a T J sowina of Bead. X oupply of saladings. * *

box ax shown in tin , illustration. Yon can make il any height Mini width you like, ami uiiuut ecu to twenty inches duep, of tliin boarding painti'd the colour of tin- walk or utag injT, mill lined tliriiu{»hont witli felt or wallpaper, 'i'hc must bp littwl Hi tli ahi-lf-rosts (narrow laths cart-fully Miiootlicil ulf). Half a dozen

TO CORRESPONDENTS. , I \ \ KI'SHM itOpxiiin}.—WishfN i 0 knmi how to I. prpv,. nl „,.,,!,. ,r...-s nimiii.u !■■ i IV Also a ix-mi-dy Inr tin. iu-i-ri ur -nil, thai e<..., Hi,., ,-urrol wt.ll.- ur.iJ.T i!n- snllT If ' your ai.i,!,. tri'i-s arc iiiakim; mi undue i unuiuiit "f woo.l nml not .-arryliis mm. • rw.l prunliiK li-xl iiuliiinii ui-iy ~,;-n i "inu.TM -i 1., ~,.! «,n wlii-ilipr ih. : ' irw-> nru ~|.| nr L.1.-ÜB. ~,■ win Hi. r n,i\v , hay.. r iv,.! |..-.nl pi-tiiiliiu ■„' lat.. y,«rs. I This latlir >.-. ~11.11 » ,-nii.— ..r nxi-iwlvn cri.wtli M-.ii,> 1 |, ~ ~.,.,„ ~, ;.,,,,M,|,. r J L'lif-y ■•in .ill .. H-- 11..- Ih-m.'t mr li. Tin i ri-suR of wl,|,-I, >~,-,■., •V-γ. I.- ~f!i. iak,' | Lh« 1r..« |.r ...- h..,J. -.nrs.. Kupp.v Rrowll.s. in,.! 1,-nr 11.. rr.iii v. Imii-v.-r. If | Kn.-I, i., l:.,- ,-.-i«. iv iti. y..urs. 1,-: Mi.- |.run- | i»l r P" r.T :, -••:. - I, .■ !»„ ,„• :, | |,- JS | , mrjlici; I , 111 ill-i i|l|il.V ri'llnivill" ill.-tliln » I Mini • iil.t r.-n -..r.u :1... l||,-i ~f tho lons |.-:i.1.-rs 'I 1, - !■_• ~ , , ; , Mi-mniis. Rom hltifd u-illi rn.,l |.riii,ii.j. h.,,11,1 l.ri.m l!i.> in-,- Inn. l-i-iirii v i;.-.-..n11i.a tin- t-nib or ' insi-i'l I'm! rill • ran--.: t\hili- iiimlit rlio j nil 'iu-.,..[, wm ii Mk. : • jit-:-. ' 11,, you refer In MH-illiiiu larn.U. nr il" Ihc insi',l- .lILM-, I In. r,.,.|. latiT ~» when li.rci-rV ir it i.- 11 In liki-ly dm- 1.. Blup*. whli-li ni.i-.-t lii- tni|,piMl or kfpi away with s..<it or lime. T!ii> CTiib of 11.., .-iirnit tly a 1 tucks ih,- plants lat.-r on, Hint \t whi'ii nxits lii-pln 10 form. Tin- n.ctliod Is In mix SMini! kprosono with fltiP wind, and siiriuklp a little of this nlonir pin-h row. hut not lntlinc It il.-Uinllj 1...1-I1 tin- J>l:i lit -. Thp smol] of thr Ui'-n-.-ii" ,|(Mcrs tl:,- "fly" rnim l«yln« ■ Us PCE« FUMIGATING PLANTS. "With tit' rinuli i^riM-iiliiiii-ii , 11 i< not ' Always uuuvenient to fuinipitu the whole liousc when only one or two plants reipire it. The best mc thud is to make a

hat pr<.'s aero* the back held the spade, rake, etc., the liliekt'tx of cruckß, moss, and artilkia] manures. A small iron tray stands cm ;l llowor pot in the bottom to hold the fiimigator, and your plant* lire plaeod on slronij hut narrow iaths laid μ-itokh Hip nlirlf-rosls at a suitable hi-ifrht above thi' fcimiki' You must rPi- that the il.mr i- line.l like the rest nf the eiiphoiir.l, uml licrniPti.-iilly sealed with strijis of rubber tubing nailed inside or outside, aa required, (let ;i packet of Auto shredfl: cjuito a tiny bit BufJicea for the fumigating chamber, and it id cleanly to use.

RARBEHTON DAISY. GERBERA JAMESON'I. This in one of the lineet plant miro riiu'iiorui of modern iliiyn. It i- imlis|n-n I Hiif.li> in every .iriin l.-n. It w an Meal plant for the mixfd border, iinil is also very fine when grown in :i l><-d t.. itself, jit is ijuite hardy, ami when »mv i»eta.b linlicii w :il:n<wt ulivavH in lluwor. The 'liowcrs u.rr of bnlliunt warlft colour. land arc four to five inches acri>rfs. Tin , noil (wst suit.-<l to it is a fairly light soil ' i containing plenty of humus ur [matter. It sceni?., huwrvcr. t.> !«• r'.ilk | to a<i:ipt it.si-li" to mfHt soil-. -.. I piil' ajtlicrc is a fn>.- nnythiirj in l!iij wuv of ;i wet, f<o\ir ;-. ,ii_"iun.-t M linhuulil Ik- pivrn a [nwition m f.iil -nn: in fact it ih o.ii" of tliose pbnt.-. whuh ' «ticjul,l ~nl_v !«• in i in- hut test |uirt of the carderi,

During the summer it will stand an ' abundance of water, ali.lioufrh. if water U not available, it will sUinil 111 -rood drought. Ihe e<i<vt that ihei Movers will not be so <food until (he ruin comes ntrain. The plants should lw left undisturbed for I wo or throe years, I and after Hint time they ran Ik- taken] up ;ui(l (liviiliil. ami the pienv; replnnteil. I The plants ran he rained from s<w>d. l>nt | as the Herd very Boon loses it< frormin-1 at ing power, the hulk of import oil w 'I lihm a bail reputation. 'Pin , Iμ-4 method iri. l.iiv two or tiiri'C plants, mi.l, after II year or ho. divide them, ami ill tins way procure a stuck. If t-eeil is saved it! Hhould Ik> b(»w,i uri Boon as ripe, and] should not W kept. j There are Komi' various coloured hyliridi* of this Ix-autifid plant, hut they do not Miipass the original spreii-s. MAKING CELERY TRENCHES. When takinp out trenches for celery, perhaps the ffroiiml hat* not heen worked Ito tlie iloptli of more than one npit, cond(>(|iiP!itly this top spit is token out, laid on the "tiidra of the treiuh for future I earthing, and the bulloin wiiwoil i- dii; lup with the manure. Nov.. if thi« l.otiom mulwoil i- taken out. and en arranged on ; tin- ridyew of trench for rurf limy. und some of the top spit 1 <(>d with innniire for i Inntiiii! in. the plniit- "ill rh-rivp more benefit, and ffH>w away fn-elv: while the Milsoil, being earthed up, iraiiK-H in '-orila.-l. with the frosts, which do it so [iHieh good. A GOOD POTATO HTNT. Anyone who has late potatoes eom.in2 up nicely, Hhould, if ln> lind* llu-y have to,, many shooUt on, le : n,. oni- or two of the stroiiLnvt, ami carpf.illy pull Hii. out «ith son,,, routs altin-lipd. Dilibli. thwe hit ii a. Mpiar.< pie.,- of (tnuiiiil iibunt one foot npnri, mid two feet between the rows; pivi- them v good soaking ~f water, and lightly shade for a few days. Then give, them the usual t-.-eatment, and you will be surprised at |Uie rcsulta.

SOOT. For those who have gardens on heavy soil, cspc-inlly if they an- in Jump positi.iii.-, .1 story of soot is very convenient, i; not ii intensity, and, a* it in easy to ;.i,K-urr. ,1 «h-.nld lie included among the tiiiiiL't- t.i lie kept in -tock. Ordinary donienlic soot contains ivbout 3 per cent ..I" nitrogen, chielly in tlie form of Mil phate of ammonia, anil tliurf. judged by ihe standard of nitrogen <-ontentci, 71b of it shoiil.l lie equivalent to 111) of sulphate ..I aiiiinonia, assuming the whole of the mtp'Lvn to be in as valuable a form ac ,ii.U artk-le. which. however, is not the case, it also contains biiiu.ll iiuautities ■it jioUsu aiwt phosphates, mi that, altogether, it I* n valuable manure. Itn us.- gives a .iark green colour to leaves. anil heifhtcna the colour of fruit. Ats a p-noral manure, it whouhi be applied nt the rate of a hushel to the hundrcxl s.piare yar.U, taking .-are that it i« fairly irc-h, we InKfl of nitrogen occurs in storage. It* freehneae or otherwise ..in L'i'iii'rally be determined by inspeci M.ii. a lost- of that iiiipal]«.ble powdery form being a hipn of long storage, Ten•lerintr it lent unpleasant to si»rciul, but at the same dine lose valuable. Uustinj,' a bettor way of applying it than s<'atterpnp it on the surface before digging. A* a top-drrwiiiK it shouhl be <.liikt «-<! on t.he (iroiiml till the latter is quite bla/-k. iili.l J hen hoed in. It has a most benelicial elFect upon the texture of the soil. especially upon the surface when hood ill, remlerinfr it lijrht and friable, 'ihe •■nip for tt-lrieh the ef.Va-cy of soot ifl generally known i.; that of onion«, for which it is uiidoubt»dly very valuable, fiilfillins as it .1-oes the threefold purpose of manuring the crop, iiij; the soil, and warding >fT to a great extenl tiio :ittiickm of the union fly. As ;i ll.piid iiuinure i*oot U one of the iM-.-t, ihe li'ast (ibjeetionnble way of using it ■Immtil' In put ;i peek or so in an old ba£ of lucife texture ami xi»pond it in a barrel of miter for a .lay or two. As everyone known, it is an excellent remedy for slujrs. and when a t-luß-infested isuil is top-dresuexl with soot it serves a douhle purpusc. .' riii{.' of soot round n plant is a pretty certain preserver except in Wet weather, and even then it prevents slu<rs hiding in the soil about the crown or stmn. After a heavy rain fresh scr.it may h" applied, or the surface of the old dr. ■fcillj.' lightly stirred if it is thick enough on the L'tound. A jjood way i>f applying soot for other purposes th?n as a manure is by moans of tine with perforated tops. Soot should not be carelewly scattered on plants when '.liey are damp, as sufficient will adhere to t.he leaves in that case to Kcorrh them, but when the leaves are dry no damage will result, if the leaves'are liruahed or lightly shaken immediately afterwards. Olery phould nlwnvs he sprinkhnl before being rno'ilded up so us Id make the plants mipleasant dwelling places for tdujrs, worms, etc. Young carrot-; may often be save,! in (his way. A garni sprinkling of soot in the drill- before sowing peas, beans, etc.. may keep away a givod many enemifs, while n sprinkling on the soil over the drilk when they have been filled up and raked over will not only keep the seedlings from being attacked as noon as they are up. if the weather is not too wet" but will prevent slugs and grubs of various sorts hiding in the soil milling the needling*. For the celery II v. 100, there is nothing hotter than keepiiii,' flu' plants lightly dusted with coot. iwpeeiaHy ill their younft stage?, and this -should hi done when the leaves are damp, h,, that the particles may i'.dhere to the leaves but not ill sufficient ijuantity to damage tliein, thus making the leaves distasteful to the fly, ■which would otherwise deposit its eggs upon them.

CEI.ERY. Celery it* a.* tfotnl and wholeeome a vegetable us to deserve tuMuc rare in rawing it. a carp it well repay**. At Fig. A in shown v box of Midline plant • wliich cull for traiuphintintr. Many hatvhiw "I i-clory are npoiled by not being transplanted us sixjii ready, and thi' rc»ult i.i tl)i>v U'-t drawn tlirougli over- ' crowdinj. which no lunounl nf atlcntion .•iit.-rwn.rds ran make aini-mk for. Where there convi'iiicnce it in li«ut (ifrhape to prick out tin- >i-c-.ilmu~ into Ixjxee or cold franuv. but tlic majontN huve only th<- open fiardi ii in which to work

A the lie.-it, means is to make up a !>ed of liillit soil, mini' Mime well rottr-il muuure or leal noil, making: the surface tine, and transplant the «.ixlliii;x.~ into tliis. At B is shown tlic needling!) pul nut and f,Towins.' in eucli a Ixml. They should bo allowed six inches betwiH'n, and kept wat.>rpil an.l »ruwin ? . Sufh plants will make plenty of roots, iind when the time

n trenehps if fiivpn a rr<«<>• i watering ,vi liour or t-n before liftimr. i-it.ii !»' taken up with ii pood lull <■: soil, mill will hardly f<v.l the move, the result of which will In. 1 hat they will start •rrowin , ,' away with :i minimum chock. I'olorv needs :i lons season uf prowth. , and although ><-<-<\ howii in DpcpmbiT will pn->diuv plaiitfl which will pfivc fair eticks. vet tliev arc nut to Ip compared with plantH that am sown in Dctobor and planted out carl.v. ami hnvp pot a good hold of the woil before the dry hot . Heather euiiies. HOW TO GROW LONG RADISHES Aftor planting maincrop polalocn, kow nomo liMii; raili.-li «<hil broaileuet among! ' them, povi'rinir over lk'liliv with i-oil. They will (.tow to lx> line 'h\p radiohee before the potatoes are ready for earth-, inp-up. They have jjrown to lip nix im-hes, I lonj or over, and are very tender. j SUCCESS IN POTTING. ] Pottinj.' operations will be in full | swing, and we should therefore consider i I whether we always adopt, the l.i-st method j for the plants' welfare. Tin , illustration ! will "point the moral." If the pot is

! filled as at A. there will 1 •*- lit.tic- room j ! for water, consequently the plant will .never thrive. On the other hand, we I may have too much space, us at !'>, where I the plant will be starved Lkrougu lack

STmrc-OWER SEED FOR j POtHLTRY. I Now Ui the time to plant e«vi of sunflowvrs. Thi , now varieties, which crow from six to ten frot hkrh, arr ploriouri flo-wors for the jrarden, and exceedingly useful as well. (Jarjencrs who are also poultrykeeperfl will do well to remember th.it euntlower see*! w one 01 the best foods for poultry, b»'in<j rich in-flesh forming properties. It is xpry easily astfU/nlated — more so than most nitrogenous pram— and U- an excellent stihstitirti , for imiraaJ foods for the birds. Sunllowere will jrrorw anywhere, in town as well as in country. The present time is a pjood one for sowing, and the return of seed amounts to 70 to SO timoe that sown. The rood should .be covered with about an inch of woil. Water the eoodbod if necessary in dry "weather till the seedlinjjß appear. If prown in any quantity thy host plan is to make a seed-bed :>v rakins the soil smooth. Then take out furrow one ini-h deep and sow the seeds about two in<-hr« apart. Allow si\ inrliw between tin , linot*. When the are two or three inches hiph lift them earehillv with a trowel, and keep a ball of soil :i.bo.it the roots. Hefore lifting them and lflvinu them on a box or tray have the jn"onnri linj; and manured ready to receive the seedlintrr. Lay thp garden line, and plant tiie erpillinps with the trowel alonpside it. and twelve inches apart. The next line should be two feet from the tin?t. At two feet by one foot the pround should bo well occupied. HOW TO GROW LETTUCE QUICKLY. The followinp is a capita/ device for rnisinß lettuce plant* quickly. It may be used in spring and summer, or at any time when the wc-ather is not too cold. Take one of those Inrjro 'Vhivdos." such as are used for hanuring up over an ordinary pas jet. to prevent the <;as smoke dirtying the cpilin<r. Choose a sunny piece of the fjardcji. and fork up a little bed the si/j- of the miniature " bell'plass." forking in a little rrotted diin'jf. Sow a pmoh of seed thereon, and cover with a little fine soil. Water Well, I and then put on the plass. | Kvory day the soil should be -watered freely, ami tJie plant* will lx- up. and very quickly. In hot weather the plass must be tilted to allow a fnv aivew of nir, or the plants will be burnt. The hifjßPrt should, of course, he pulled lirst, and the rest allorcved e to grow. When this batch is used Uγ the »lass may l>e moved to another bit of ground and the process repeated. of soil. Kvon comm-onur is tue mistake lof planting ( ■,« deeply, with the roots ■ crammed at the bottom of the pot (shown lat C) -. while we sometimes sl-c phuits with their roots well above the surface duo to shallow planting. The ideal method, where the roots have sufficient

room, and then" is space at the lop for watering, is shown :lt l>. Avoid locs,. potting; but do not go to the other extreme, and make tlio soil as liurd us ■• concrete path.

TO GET RID OP SLUGS. Tn "Gardening Illustrated" recently thp following method of getting rid of tin , pe*t wafl recommended by one who !nui adopted it for two years, and had raupht as many as 300 in a night, until j the returns diminished to less than a j dozen: Take a sweet orange, and cut is in two crosswise, sucking out the juice and most of the flesh; put this face down in the rockery, and you will find the slups there next morning, from littlo i ones the eize of a pin's head to big ones. I They cannot resist the orange. I found I in the parly summer it was a good plan to examine the traps just before petting dusk, for if you lifted a trap in the j afternoon there would be no sign of j slugs, but you would find quite a lot just Ixfore the lijrht woe passing. Get a pot nf i-alt and water and a long wooden ' label. Whon liftirer the trap many shifts will l>o found inside; lift these out inito the pot with the end of the parden label. ; Others will be found on the ground, j Aftrr a little practice it is possible to I collect slugs at a great rate. I have : found this the cleanest and most efficient trap I have ever tried. It beats all bran, cabbage leaves, and such like. You only have to lift the half-orange. So long as there is just a taint of flesb of the orajKrv left the trap is good, but bare peel orange is useless.