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Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 25

TO CORRESPONDENTS. _"!_, \FtOAI v ißa-- of Plenty l asks: fl) Wh_T U rh" capacity of :i benzine tin : (2) Ho-v many gallons of spray will four ounces of Bordeaux mixture make? (3) Ii it t«o late to sow in boxes. Passion Fruit seed for pricking out into small pots later on? (4) What quantity of liquid manure can I apply to Hydranseas. bezinnin-*: to flower, in pots?—(1) roar Ballons. or, if filled to the extreme edge. 4j •rallnns. (2) I suppose yon mean four ounces of dry powder Bordeaux. It "•could make about three gallons, bnt such propriatary article- should ba used ac-

cording to the maker's directions. (3) Xo. you could sow now. (4) Give it about twice a week: each plant could get about a quart at a time. The liquid be weak. L-J.E. (Rerauera) writes : I transplanted a number of Clrj-santheinums about three weeks ago. They are now about a foot hish and are beginning to throw out lateral growths. How should I treat the plants <a) ftfr exhibition blooms, (b) for jrood ent blooms? (c) What manure should I use for the hesi results?—(a) Remove the lateral shoots and keep the plant ro one main sten until it forms a "bud." usually about mid-summer. This bud must be pinched oat, and either one,

two or three shoots, according to the strength of the variety, taken up : these will produce a bid atiout February, and this bud should be left, all other shoots or buds beinjr removed. Fnr producing blooms for cuttin;. pinch out the top of the plant now, so as to set a bushy plant. It may need pinchin? again in a few weeks' time; try and get a bushy plant, with from ten to tweive steins, each of which will carry a flower. (c) Different kinds of manure can be used— honedust. superphosphate, blood and bunt, :>oot. potash, nitrate. They must all be used cautiously. Top-dressing with cow manure is very beneficial. The Chrysanthemum mases a lot of surface !■■...■>ts. and responds to tup-dressing. A little poultry manure can be yiven occasionally, but it is best in the form of a liquid manure, and only a weak solution F.K. (Bay of Plenty) has a Lemon tree in which the lemons appear to get ripe when about half-gTown. A small brown spot appears on the side of the fruit?— Spray with Bordeaux or lime-sulphur. All diseased fruit should be gathered up and destroyed. NOVICE (Onehunga) writes : Last year my Tomatoes were attacked by a grub, which bored into the stem, causing the plant to wither and die. Is there any preventive measure?— The only preventive is to keep the lower part of the sterna dressed with arsenate of lead. Mix the arsenate with a little skim milk to make it adhere better. If you have not many plants, the best way is to make up a small quantity of arsenate, say, about a leaspoonful. In a quart of water, using a cupful of skim milk, or soar milk, with it, then paint the stem with a brush. Only the lower part of the stems will need doing, bat as the plants grow fresh applications will be necessary. BEOXZE BEETLE (Bay of Islands) writes: Will you please tell mc (1) how to get rid <'f the bronze beetle; it has done a lot of damage to my roses, etc.? (2) Some Sparaxis and other bulbs, given mc, have yellow, dead-looking foliage. Would I ;rive them a formalin bath, as I did the Liiiums and Gladioli?— Spray with arsenate of lead, using a teaspoonful to the half kerosene tin of water. (2) I think you would be wise to lift the Sparaxis and other bulbs later on, and give them a soaking in formalin solution. C.E.B. (Waikino) sends a flower for identification.—lt is Cryptostemina calendulacea or Sonth African Daisy. It is a naturalised weed, which is becoming very pientiful in Auckland and Hawke's Bay districts. It can be considered harmful, and should be rooted out. J J.E. (Xewton) writes: (1) Some of my Peach trees are affected with curly leaf. One of them is particularly bad. almost every leaf being affected. I have sprayed twice with lime-sulphur. Can you tell mc what is best to be done? (2) One of my Nectarine trees split up the middle. I have put props under it to hold it up. Can I do anything else? —(1) The spraying with lime-suiphar will check the disease spreading, but it will not cure the diseased foliage, that will fall off as sAon as we get a little bright weather. The time to spray to check curlj leaf is before the leaf buds burst and again as they are opening. The fungus lives durin the winter in and among , the scales surrounding the leaf bads, and to control it spraying must be done in early spring. c2l Ton can do nothing except bind up the wound and live a coat of Stockholm tar. If very bad, the tree will probably have to be cv: out. LADT GARDENER (N. Wairoal asks: (1) When to plant Leeks for the coming winter? (21 When to prune Heiiotrope? (3) When to cut back the Argentine Pea. now in flower? (4) Best manure for Geraniums, and can they have liquid manure? (o) Are sheep droppings any good for adding to the other contents of manure tub?—(l) Plant as soon as possible. (2) Prune any time during summer. (3) As soon as it has done flowering. (4) Geraniums need little manure, or you will encourage leaf spot. Cow manure is the best if any is used. They can have liquid manure. (o) Yes. AUCKLAND HORTICULTURAL SHOW. The Summer Show of the above society will be opened at the Municipal Hall, Xewmarket, on Thursday, November '15. In spite of the atrocious weather conditions that hare prevailed of late there is every promise of a good exhibition. In every class there seems to be an increase and a first-class display is expected. There appears to be much, more interest taken in horticultural matters of late than wu the case a few years

back. The educational value of flower shows is such that they should be encouraged, for it is there that the results of the best cultural methods can be seen. Gardening , , with all its weeds, pests and dirt, is still the most natural, peaceful, healthy and interesting of pursuits. Whatever man's livelihood may demand from him, the encouragement of horticulture is one of his duties. A HINT TO BEGINNERS. The best advice that can be given to gardeners is "not to work on the land whilst it is in a saturated condition." The treading down of wet ground does harm and particularly is this so in the case of heavy soils. So long as the ground ia so wet as to cause the feet of a person walking upon it to sink in j

to any noticeable extent, all further treading on such soil should be avoided until it is drier. Of course, in a season like the present the natural desire is to get on with the work, and the opportunities are so seldom that one is inclined to ''risk it" and work the ground wet or dry. A lot of help will be obtained by raising the beds. This can be done by digging trenches about two feet wide and a spit deep, scattering the soil from the trench on to the bed. This ensures more drainage and allows the water to get away quickly. Although i the desire to get crops planted is natural, yet, in a season like this, it is just as well to go cautiously, and even if it does mean a week's delay, it will be better than to have a failure and have to do the work all over again.