Practical Gardening

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1928, Page 6 (Supplement)

Practical Gardening

'l;';l''

I—Letters should be In not Utter than Tnndii to to uiwtfid tto mm ml ■■ addressed to Garden Editor, "Star" Office. Auckland. v...

2—Write oa one aid* of the paper, and make an commqntcatlona aa ooadss aa possible.

_ .B—Flowers, etc, eent tor naming most to ant separately, end. tf possible. I°*•*£!" "'.""iS*? 1 b ®*"7 < * r<l ® o * r ® toxsa are wj liable tone broken la transit and tbe contents damaged.

£? U , name and address of tto sender unit always to sent. bat a noa da plnme or initial mar be given for publication.

TO GOBRBSPOHDSXTS.

H. 8.8. (Remuera).—See answer to AJCX. (Epsom) la this issue. >HOPE (Uugetc) sends two specimens tor identification.—The specimens in incomplete, no foliage or any description of the plants being given. No. 9 is apparently a variety of clematis. \.G. (Remuera) writes:—l bare some hyacinths of which the sings and snails are very fond. Could you tell me how fo protect the blooms, also best time to lift the bulbs?— Dost some White Island Product No. 1 on the soil round about the plants, keeping powder off the foil- ?*«• It is a very dUßcult problem dealing with sings and snails, especially with bulbs, in the early spring when the weather is moist The bulbs should be lifted about December. The should be quite dried off by then. ISGUSTED (Glen Eden) writes:—Can you give me any means of preventing quail from attacking the garden. I have used cotton very thickly, traps, and poisoned wheat, but still they come?— Quail are very bad in a garden, and tbe best means of keeping them away is shooting. They are soon scared away, and a small dojr or cat will do a lot In keeping them off. I have never, found poisoned wheat much good, and traps must be very cunningly set to catch them. R.D. (Devonport) sends some lemon foliage for examination, and wishes to know how to treat the tree. (2) Will daily soakings of diluted house .slops be injurious?— (1) The trouble is aphis; spray with a nicotine insecticide,, or even warm soapy water applied forcibly with a syringe or spray pump will do. (2) A daily soaking will kill the tree; it might be all right in very dry weather, but not at other times. Such continuous application would poison the ground. Once a week or ten days is quite often enough. C.S. (Hamilton) writes: (1) The buds of my Iceland popples do not develop, but rot away. The plants are healthy enough. Can anything be done to remedy this? (2) What spray to use for hollyhock bliglat?— Spraying with ' lime-sulphur solution would probably check the disease, but when dealing with such things as Iceland poppies, the best way Is to pull them up and burn them, dressing tbe ground with White Island Product No. 1, or similar soil fumigant. Often such diseases are the result of poor stock, and actually the Giants are not worth treating. (2) Use me-sulphur solution, one part to fifty parts water. The under sides of the leaves must be wetted, as It is chiefly there that the fungus attacks the plants. TREES (Mt. Albert) writes:—(l? Would you tell me of a tree that would grow quickly to hide an untidy section? I would like something tall and bushy. Would hohere or lacebark do, and is it too late to plant? (2) Should gladioli be planted in clumps or single?—(l> If you can procure the lacebark trees in pots it is not too late for planting, but otherwise it would be risky planting open ground trees unless particular care was taken in lifting and planting. About the only thing you could plant now would be black wattle, and seed can be sown now. They grow quickly, but it would be autumn before they made much of a screen. Put in some stakes and wire netting and plant some runner beans. These would act as a screen until the autumn, when some permanent . trees eould be planted. (2) Gladioli can either be planted singly or in clumpß. If planted in clumps keep tbfe bulbs about six inches apart. . WMELLIA (Grey Lynn) asks:—Can camellias be grown from cuttings, and, if so, when is the best? time to take them ?—Camellias can be grown from cuttings, but for most purposes layering '* is much more sure and convenient. The cuttings should be inserted now in sandy soil and kept either under * bell glass or cloche, or In a close frame. They „ mußt be kept shaded, and will need damping occasionally. Layering Is done by pulling down: a shoot, so that it touches the soil, or soil can be mounded . op to the branch. A cut is then made about halfway through the stem, and starting from the main stem towards the tip of the shoot, tor t distance of fcbout afi inch. When the shoot is- bent upwards this forms a tongue. The branch and the portion of the stem that Is cut must be pegged down to keep it In position, so that this tongue and cut portion of the stem Is covered with soil. It will be necessary to keep the soil moist. The layers will be ready to sever from the parent: about next spring. . ..Almost any portion of .a branch can be ■sed, but as a rule where the stem Is a little thinner than a lead pencil to the

1.G.8.W. (Vomit Albert) writes; I have a tecoma hedge, planted two years, which **Posed, and what growth it makes in rammer la cat down In winter. Can yon .* £l 2*" PL" 4 t0 P at with it to » hedge aboat Are feet high?— 22?!**? yon P°t with the tecoma will no doobt eventually kill It out. Pitfo?™!? crasstfollnm would be suitable t°f. f°° r Purpose. Eventually It would make a good hedge on Its own. ZARAKA (Mount Eden) writes: In "»«t chemical and other fertilisers what mix'"J® would be in effect the nearest nos--nl e f pp < r ,ac \ to "*«« manure ' a its sphere ss a plant food and a to . r PjfJ l , growth, there Is no mixture of artificial manures that can approach stable manure. Artificial will "" chemical constituents as proved by analysis, but the otlwr pert* terta M mm2?*hf hoßt * ?.'5 ec * Bsarjr „I*' c ? nnot be supplied. Artificial a snbstitnte, not the equal of stable manure. The following is a good mixture:—Superphosphate 5 parts, bone* i l * P P ar ts. sulphate of potash 2 parts, nitrate of soda 2 parts. r - w - < Mt - Eden) writes:—Would' you please let me know the best mixture for spraying potatoes? I have some potatoes nf°fh. ,nclles high, and noticed some leaves were dead and shrivelling yoa think this is due to the wind, they are exposed? Is it too early for the blight? What Is the birt 18 not too early for the blight, and I should say yonr potatoes are already showing signs of it Spray with lime sulphur solution, one part to seventy-five parts water. Give in three weeks, and another three weeks later. Use the same spray for tomatoes. Bordeaux mixture can be nsed instead of lime sulphur. 1 I.M.L. (Epsom) sends a spray of loquat | fruits, and wishes to know what Is wrong with them, and a remedy. If possible. The tree Is apparently healthy.—lt is to * *n»t or scab, similar to plum 5° ntr ®L the dise ase It Will be necessary to gather and burn all fruits showing any signs of the disease, to keep * hc ground directly underneath the tree SI. 1 * nd frequently stirred, spray with Bordeaux or lime sulphur. One spraying Bhould be given before the flowers open, another when the fruit has set, and another about a month later. It EL? * mo , re Prevalent among loquats than formerly, and seems to be increasrnnnfrMn.'f* «,^fc ethef 14 has an y Close S?2. wit . h «ome other existing c *° n , ot say for certain. As the JW; !• not largely grown commercially the disease is not taken much notice of !t wiU haTe t0 be Uvaud. lo«uat la to be cuIrACHEI (Morrinsville) asks:—(l) Is nitrate of potash (saltpetre) nserui as an artificial manure? It so (2), can it be ~P r .K ce ®ltrate of soda in mix- , B , a , ?i5 t H re of n"rate of soda, sulphate of .potash and superphos* phate, or (8) can It be used in any other way?— Nitrate of potash Is one of the most valuable fertilisers it is possible to use. The great value of this substance Li?h- " «">tains two kinds of food—nitrogen and potash, and further* that when given to plants it is directly available to the in an -unaltered form. It appears Somewhat expensive, but as 1001b of nitrate of potash contains about 12£tb of nitrogen and ,401b of potash, it is not so expensive as it appears at first sight. Being a rich and concentrated substance, and soluble. It la best applied by itself and not mixed- with other manures. It is best applied at the rate of loz in two gallons of water, about once every two . or three weeks, and three applications in one season should be sufficient. For foliage plants in pots, such as_ palms, aspidistras, ferns, about half a teaspoon* ful once a month will prove of consider* able benefit. There Is nothing to prevent it being mixed with other manures, such as superphosphate,'except the oost.

SEED RAXBEHG. The first important point in success* ful seed-raising is for the lower to realise that each individual seed is a unit from which tbe plants have to be raised. Each individual seed is really a wonderful little bomb, given sufficient warmth and moisture it explodes. In nine cases ont of every ten it is after the explosion that the gardener goes wrong. After the explosion, or germination, takes place, the little germ exposed, as a result of this, will rot if it is kept too wet, or perish in a few hours if it is kept too dry. Drainage then, is one of the most important features of the seed box or bed. To provide this, the soil in the seed bed should be deeply cultivated, or ample drainage should be provided in cases where seeds are sown in boxes or tins. Layers of broken crockery and pots placed over the holes in the bottom of tbe boxes, and themselves covered with leaves or moss, will provide this. Then, when rough followed by fine soil has been placed firmly in the boxes, we come to tbe question of sowing, and the depth at which the seeds should be sown, as it depends to some extent upon the nature of the soil. In light, dry, hot soils, fairly deep sowing is advisable, while in heavier soils and cooler situations, shallow sowing will be advantageous. Such large seeds as peas,

beans, etc. should be 3in deep; beet, melons, cucumbers, from a half to one inch deep; then, for smaller flower and vegetable seeds, a quarter of an inch should be sufficient; mediumsited flower seeds, such as asters, verbenas and flocks, should be only slightly covered, and when sown in shaded beds, as always advisable in 6uch cases, a covering with an eight of an inch of fine soil should be sufficient. The most convenient way of doing this is by working the soil through a fine sieve. If very fine seeds have to be sown, they can be distributed more evenly if they are mixed with a small quantity of very fine soil or sand. When the seeds have been covered, the soil should be made firm by gently pressing the surface of the seed box with a flat piece of board, and then-finally watering with a very fine rose can. In the case of very small 6eeds a garden syringe or atomizer will be found more convenient. It is better to go over the boxes or 'beds two or three times rather than flood the surface. - Watch the seed beds very carefully, and as soon as the surface shows signs of drying, give a light watering once again. Covering the boxes with glass or newspaper will accelerate germination, but as soon as the seed* lings show above the ground they should be given full light in order to encourage short stocky growth. Should the seedlings at any time be droopy or lose their perkiness, they should be watered immediately, though forcing at this stage is very undesirable, yet a check is even more disastrous. Your seedlings are bahy plants, and they require careful nursing. This brings us to the important operation of pricking out. The advantages of pricking out should be obvious to anyone who has practised the raising of seedlings. In the first place, it encourages much fibrous rooting, and checks an inclination towards long, tap ; roots, that would inevitably be broken when transplanting to their final positions. Fibrous plants not only enable the | plant to recover more rapidly after it has been ~transplanted into'the open border, but also enable the grower to lift it with a considerable ball of soil. Plants pricked out from the seed beds or boxes into other beds not only have the advantage of a better root system, but in their being grown in a less crowded condition, are healthier and sturdier and better able to meet the trying conditions of the first few days in the open border. If plants are not pricked out, they become leggy, drawn, and weak, and are just the reverse , of what they should be to meet their new conditions. The pricking out of the seedlings should be done as soon as they are large enough to handle. The first two leaves thrown up by seedlings are seed-leaves, and as soon as the young plants commence to form their proper

VARIETIES OF ROSES. A writer referring to the very large number of rose* offered, says:—As one keenly interested in the reduction of the innumerable varieties existing to-day, I received my lesson and food for thought from one speaker who said that if we could reduce the sorts down to a do»n or so people would become . tired of them. Quite so; it is that inexhaiMtible variety, and the variation ©f the ever-promising unknown rose, which mM* to the of the national flower*

or secondary leaves, they are usually ready for pricking off. The soil in which are pricked off should consist of ft mixture .of good garden soil, with an ftinple addition of other leaf soil or ftbsoluteiy rotten inannre, broken fin«?. Failing being able to obtain either of these, artificial manure can be used with advantage. The object of these additions is to encourage the plants to miV. a quantity of fibrous roots. There is nothing mysterious about raising from seed, it-is just ordinary common — and at the same time it Is one of the most fascinating of all garden operations.

A HEW METHOD OT PRUHUTO. Tim© formerly required for the formation of a strong framework for apple trees may be shortened two or three years, much to the benefit of profitable fruit production, by means of a new plan worked out at the experiment station of the College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, at tTrbana, M, . A combination of dormant and summer pruning is used in the new scheme.

Such shortening of time is desirable becausie development of the framework necessitates rather severe pruning, which would be harmful after the trees reached the age of early bearings it was explained by V. W. Kelley, of the pomology division. .

In r the' dormant pruning as practised under the new njaa worked oat. at the experiment:station, only those branches that are properly located .and that have wide angles with the trunk are allowed to remain. All other vigorous branches along the trunk are removed. The chief saving, in time comes from making the central leader branch during the middle of the growing'season; ' It left undisturbed while growing, this central Jeader,< which' is the topmost branch* that grows vertical, usually makes a long growth with little or no branching. 'Blanching may be brought

about by cutting off the tip of the centra, leader while it is making vigorous growth.

Only a. few buds will result from neb summer tipping, usually two or four, bar all of them will have-wide angles with the trunk of the tree, aud this is what ensures the formation of strong crotches. The time to do this tipping is when the central leader has readied a height of eight to twelve inches above the highest framework branch selected at that time. The tipping should be done at such a point that the bud selected ior the framework branch will be the second one below the cut on the central leader.

The time at which the first tipping is done is usually during-December, and if the growing conditions are favourable throughout the summer, a second tipping may take place. Early production may thereafter be brought about by a light annual thinning.—"Seed World."

A GREAT CHOP OF GBIAPES. The great vine at Hampton Court Palace, which was planted In 1768 Is bearing 600 bunches of grapes, sane of them weighing over two pounds. The grapes will be cut and sold to the public.

THE MAHTTKE HEAP. Ilia value of stable and farmyard manure depends on tea amount of cere taken in mskfag the mannio heap. If tea heap k fanned direct on ordinary ground, or. if it ie left loose and n* covered, much of tea goodness will be lost before the heap is used. The substances valuable as plant food axe those which are easily washed out by rain or given off as vapour. Use for the bottom of the heap a layer of old rotted manure, or failing that, a layer of 'fine boIL When adding fresh manure press it well down so that the heap is firm. Cover the heap with flne soiL A ridge of fine soil bonked round the bottom of the heap will absorb any liquid which drains away, and this soil maybe mixed with the manure and used. . .. chbyiahthekum JXAJT PATTUOII. TT,R writing in the "Nurserynnm and Seedsman" on this variety, says:—Complaints are pretty numerous : that this variety is lishle to a disease not easy to be rid of, and only strict selection of plants that are free for propagating purposes is likely to help. Probably those growers who ' have or intend to scrap the variety are in the stronger position, for no sort in the case of so many to choose from is indispensable. Maybe it would hot be easy to get one of colour just like 'it—ia sbsde by the way that has brought it a degree of popularity. Still, as remarked, it can be done without, for there is nothing more annoying than struggling on with varieties which havfe a great drawback. One or two .of the new ones of this yesr that could be named absolutely refuse to put on anything like vigour, and these .like the above may Just as well be choked in infancy as- to give trouble to others later.

(jfAIDB GAS FOX BULBS. : An announcement of , interest' Vto American narcissus bulb growers . was made at a special meeting of bulb growers, nurserymen, and greenhouse men held at the Western Washington Experimental Station near Tacoma, recently, when C. F. Doueette, entomologist in charge of bulb investigations in the North-west, told the gathering of a new development in the treatment of bulbs whereby both eggs and larvae of the greater and lesser narcissus fly were completely killed.

The method. Is the remit of approximately * peal's experimental work by Professor Doucetie and consists of treating the Narcissus bulbs with cyanogen gaa for a period of four hours in a specially built, my tight box that keepe the gas entirely confined.

Treatment so far has been developed only for bulbs in trays; and they should be properly dried before being subjected to it. They are spread in the trays in layers not more than two to two and a-half bulbs deep, any moist earth adhering to the bulbs having been removed in advance. The trays are racked in the treating box so that plenty of circulation space is left between them. The treating box In which the experiments were conducted holds from 10,000 to 15,000 bulbs, or approximately a ton.

_ When the house Is filled, 12os of calcium cyanide are spread on the floor without the addition of any moisture whatever'as the relative humidity of the air in this district approximates GO per cent), and the doors are dosed tightly. Four hours' treatment ha? been found sufficient to give 100 per cent 101 lof both eggs and larvae. So moisture is necessary to start the action

The experiments just concluded show that growth after this treatment it satisfactory in every way, nor are ther--any ill-effects from even an excessive ex posure to the gas. Indeed, the only effect noticeable is that the blooming period is advanced about one week. The flowers are equal in quality to those of untreated bulbs, but there is no effect on either spider or mite.

The gassing of a ton of bulbs-costs approximately 50 cents.—N. S. Lodge, 'in "Florists' Exchange."

GLADIOLI FOB FLORAL DECORATIONS. A writer in a horticultural trade journal in his remarks on the show held by the British Gladioli Society, says:— The exhibits demonstrating the advancement of this flower for decorative and cut flower purposes brought out some queer contraptions under the name of floral designs, and most effectively illustrated the fact that ~ the gladiolus is totally nnsuited for maiming and mutilation into fantastic and ridiculous designs. The vases, baskets, bowls and similar receptacles were splendid and displayed the flowers in all their natural grace and beauty, but when they ate used for open books, windmills, airships, muffs, shepherd's crooks, horseshoes and so ofi. it clearly illustrates tae fact the gladioli will have none of it.