TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 154, 2 July 1927, Page 25

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

F.W.F. (Onebunga) write*: (1) Please name flowtr enclosed and advise If It will grow from a cutting. <*J) I nave a lot of Rhubarb plants grown from seed. How long can 1 leave tbe transplanting of these? (3) Please name some suitable Plant lor a rock border—some plant that will last a yeur or two.—(l) Tbe flower sent is Polygala grandts. It will crow from cuttings, but is difficult to root. Layering is tbe surest method. Tbe layers can be put down during the spring. CtttUngscan be taken off in spring, and must be kept shaded until rooted. (2) The Rhubarb can be transplanted at any time before September. The sooner It Is done the better, and tbe quicker the plants will come into use. (3) The foUowlng are dwarf rock plants and not rampant: AJuga metaiiica crtspa, Alyssum saxatidc, Arenaria Montana, Armerla cepholotes. Hellantbemums. several different varieties, Mesembryantheniuin. several varieties. Veronica, some of tbe dwarf native' varieties, are very good for this purpose. OTAHUHU asks: (1) At what age do Loquats come into bearing? (2) Will a Banksia Rose blossom if planted against a wall facing south?—(l) The time varies a great deal, but usually. If tbe tree does all right, they will bear three or four years from planting. In some cases it may be 10 years before they fruit. (2) A south position is not a good position for the Rose, but often the unexpected happens, and if everything else is favourable it might da well, even in a southerly aspect. I thin* it will be worth trying, but I cannot promise that it will bloom as well as In a better aspect. M.G.F. (Otorobanga) asks: (1) When to plant out Beauty of Nice Stocks. (2) The best artificial manure with which to topdress Daffodils and to apply to Anemones.—(l) Beauty of Nice Stocks can be punted out when the ground is in a workable condition during July. Just now the ground is very cold and wet, and. it is better to wait for a few weeks. They can be planted in the autumn, and will then get well rooted before the very cold wet weather comes. (2) Bonedust Is tbe best manure to use for Daffodils, but I think you would be wise not to use much. Tbe Daffodil does not like too much manure, and I doubt If topdresslng will make any appreciable difference to the blooms. A little blood and bone manure' is best, but if you are using bonedust for the Daffodils you could use it also for the Anemones. Dry cow manure, powdered up. Is all right for topdresslng such plants. ASPIDISTRA (Grey Lynn) writes: I have had an Aspidistra for years, and it has only got two very small leaves and very short stems. Could you tell me what I can do to make It grow better?— When an Aspidistra gets into such a poor condition it is almost hopeless. You could plant It out In a shady sheltered part of tbe garden, and in a year or so it might pick up: otherwise I do not think you can do anything. J.E.S. (Remue.-a) asks: (1) Does tbe Cootamundra Wattle succeed in this district! (21 Should tbe seed be soaked in boiling water before planting? (3) Could you recommend a permanent hedge for the front which could be raised from need?— (1) Yes. (2) It is not absolutely necessary, but if the seed has boiling water poured on it and then allowed to stand and soak for (say) twenty-four hours, It germinates much more evenly and quickly than unsoaked seed. Cs) Plttosporum crassifoltum Is a good permanent hedge, and it ■ easily raised from seed. NEW LAWN (New Lynn) sends a weed foi identification. It is coming up very thickly in a newly-sown lawn. Will mowing kill It out or should the lawn be weeded?— The weed Is Seneberia. or Wart-cress. The weed needs nulling out Mowing will nol kill it out. BPCD (Epsom) asks: Will you tell me th< difference between the Gamekeeper au<J the Northern Star Totato in appearance' Is the Gamekeeper tbe .roundest shaped of the two?—lt is very difficult, if uo| impossible, to actually define the differ ence between the two varieties. Gamekeeper is not so flat, being more of a round shape than the Northern Star, Both, however, are very similar. 1.8. (Mt. Albert) writes: I notice in yoni remarks about lime, not to apply it atom with nitrogenous or organic manures. 1 hare trenched my soil and bare applied a good layer of grass as a green manure. 1 Intended to apply a dressing' of lime also, as I want the ground for Potatoes in a few months?— Apply the lime, it would do good. It does no harm to apply lime a week or ten days after other concentrated manures nave been applied to tb< ground. The harm is done when the llnu is mixed with, or applied at the tame time as nitrogenous manures, the free lime combining with the nitrogen and forming ammonia, which Is volatile and ssrspss late the atmosahera.

AMATEUR (Takapuna) asks for toe names of a few evergreen trees or large shrubs, preferably native, suitable for a space about 60 x4O feet. The idea is to turn it into a miniature native trash?— The idea is very practicable. The following is a list which would suit. Of course, as time went on some would have to be cut out to allow others to develop properly ; also a certain amount of annual pruning would be required to keep the plants shapely, etc. Trees: Podocarpus totara. Vltes luccns (Purirl), Sopbora Tetraptera grandiflora (Kowhai), Hoheria populnea (Houhere), Dacrydlum cupressinam (Rimu). Alectryon excelsum (Titoki). Shrubs: Brachyglottls rangiora. Cl!anth<js puniceus corynocarpus variegata, Leptospermum scoparium Nieholail, MyrtUs obcordata, Myrtua Ralphli, Coprosma Baueri variegata. Coprosma lucida. Fuchsia excorticata. Olearla Forvteri, Olearia illicifolia. Olearla nitida, Phormium tena.x purpurea, Phormium tensx variegata. Pittosporum eugenoides variegata. Pittosporum Ralphli. Pittosporum tenlfolium variegata, Pomaderris elllptica, Senecio Greyii.

S.P.L. (Cheltenham) sends a leaf from *n Orange tree for examination. A Lemon tree planted at the same time has done well?— Spray with lime sulphur solution 1 part, water 75 parts. ' Two or three sprayings at intervals of about three weeks will be necessary. Apply « dressing of blood and bone manure to the soil ' around the tree and during the coming snmmer apply a mulching of lawn mowings or stable manure to prevent the soil drying out.