TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 6 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

S.A.B. (Rangiputa) sends a plant for Identification and wishes to know if it is raised from seed or cuttings?—lt is Acmena floribunda. It is raised from seed. It has pinkish berries and when in fruit is very ornamental. It stands wind well, grows erect and makes a very nice evergreen windbreak. M.T. (Devonport) writes:—l have a small lilac tree and also a small grape vine. As I am removing I would like to take the trees, could I move them now or had I better leave them till autumn?— You could move them now, but it would be taking a risk of losing them, and in any case it would cause a severe check. If possible, it would be much better to leave them till autumn. W.B. (Avondale) asks:—(l) Is Epsom salts good for spraying tomatoes or potatoes? (2) What quantity of fowl manure would I use as a liquid for tomato plants, and how often should I use it?—(1) I do not know, but I think it would be wasting good physic. (2) Personally I do not consider fowl manure good for tomatoes. A little may be useful to give the plants a start, but to use regularly as a liquid would not encourage fruiting. Do not use it oftener than once a week, and let it be diluted as much as possible. DAHLIA (Whakatane) asks :—(1) I have some peony flowered dahlia seedlings nearly ready for planting out. Would you give a short description re growth, height, colours, time of flowering, etc.? (2) Manure to put on bed for dahlias?? (3) Carnations coming into flower—what would be the best manure? (4) How many hours should Mew Zealand spinach seed be soaked?—(l) It is impossible to answer this question. The height may be anything from two to eight feet, the colour almost anything or combination in the chart; the time of flowering, if planted now, would be about January. (2) Horse or cow manure could be applied. (3) A little superphosphate or a little liquid cow manure. (4) Soak them twelve or even twenty-four hours, but sow them immediately you take them out of the water. WORRIED (Te Aroha) asks re tomatoes:— (1) Alter pricking out the smaU plants into boxes I put them into the glasshouse. They come away all right but are uneven, some shoot up and grow quickly, while others stand still. I mix the soil thoroughly? (2) Which is the best way to water young plants? (3) How long should it be before the plaints are ready to sell, from the time of pricking out without heat? (4) What is the best preparation for growing them in boxes?— (1) I cannot say for certain, but assuming that the material and method of growing are the same it must be that the plants are at fault. The small plants are sometimes attacked by a mildew just at soil level. It causes the plants to assume a purple appearance due to the loss of water from the roots. When pricking out from the seed box these small plantß, although attacked, would be passed without close inspection as the only sign is a small brownish mark due to dead skin just at foil level. When pricked out these plants hang for a period and if taken up it will be found that the roots are dead. The small tomato plant is able, however, to survive and eventually throws out fresh roots above the dead portion. This causes a check and may account for the unevenness of your plants. Only close examination could reveal if this is the cause. I should be much obliged if you would examine your plants and if you find such symptoms let me know, and if possible forward some specimens in various stages. (2) Th# best way to water is overhead with a fine rose water-can. There are objections to this method, but it is the best. Water h f D e . u ay 80 that the Plants are dry before night, and give sufficient water ?,°h* the so "-. (3) Under ordinary conditions prevailing in spring and earlv summer it should be about a month. (41 A sandy soil of lair average texture It as clean and as 'resh as DOss'ble - T . he top spit of an old pasture stacked for a few months till the grass has rotted, is ideal. Do not siftittoo ? D< L j bj eaki ng it up with the hands is best, and if a little sifted soil can be placed on top. If heavy a little sand can be added, also a little leaf soil Of course, the mixture varies with the class of plants that are beinr put out, but with tomatoes a little half rotted loam as the above is called, and a littl6 sand is quite sufficient. With young tomatoes avoid animal manure, it certainly causes a quick growth, but it also adds the risks of disease. Treat the soil with a, little White Island Product No. 1, a few weeks before using it, as a soil fumigant. Use about a pound to the barrowload of soil • os a good double handful to the bushel.

T.O. (Eotorua) writes:—Which are tbe best exhibition tulips, the Parrot, Darwin, Dutch Breeder, Bizarres, Cottage, Rembrandt or doubles? —It all depends upon the person who is growing and showing them. Some of the above are very expensive, some flower much earlier than others. 1 sbould, however, choose tbe Darwins or Cottage tulips if I were growing for show purposes. The doubles are very nice, as also is tbe early single

A.P. (Mount Albert) writes:—Will you kindly tell me whether I sbould plant lily of the valley in shade or sun, and it sprinkling the foliage with lime to keep off snails will hurt them?— Plant lily of the valley in dense shade and in leaf soil or as much leaf soil as you can use. Lime should not be used. The best way to keep off snails would be to use a little saltpetre, occasionally dusting the surface of the soil with it. Do not let it touch the foliage. CLIMBEB (St. Heller's Bay) writes:—l Baw in the garden column an article referring to Humulns Japonicus. I have tried to obtain seeds in Auckland, but cannot. Can you tell me if I can? I cannot tell you why you cannot get seeds in Auckland, but it is advertised by Dunedin firms. (Another injustice to Auckland.) It is an annual variety of the common hop, and there is a variegated variety. LEMON (Epsom) writes:—r nave a lemon tree which at present is just a mass of bloom, and there are also about 100 lemons on the tree. The blossoms are apparently all falling off. Kindly advise me what is the cause, and the best method to pursue?—lt is just a case of nature asserting Itself. It would simply kill the tree to set every blossom and in addition develop the fruit already hanging on. Something has to go, and instead of killing the tree it sheds its blossoms. Nothing is wrong, and you can do nothing. Once tbe balance between plant, roots, fruit, and food supply is reached the blossoms will commence to set and form fruit. 8.A.8. (Mount Boskill) writes:—l cannot get definite advice in regard to the using of fowl manure, although I have been told that it is extremely valuable, and that I should not have to purchase artificial manures whilst I have fowl manure available. I have tried digging it in, but una that it clogs and does not mix with the soil. Acting on another suggestion, I got a barrel and filled it with water, and put in the fowl manure. After letting it soak for a few days I applied it as a liquid to cabbages, etc. I would like your advice as to whether it may be used on most vegetables, also tomatoes? (2) I bought several roots of rhubarb this winter, and have been told I must not pull the leaves this year. Is this so, and do I leave them to die off?—(1) Fowl manure is useful and valuable, but it does not supply everything that plants need, hence it is not a complete substitute for all other manures. Digging it in is all right, but if wet it is inclined to clog. The liquid business is very good, but it is not always necessary or convenient. The best method to use fowl manure is to keep It dry. Probably the most convenient way is to mix it with dry soil, ashes, or sand as it is collected. It can then be scattered quite easily, and does not clog. It can be applied just before digging the ground, or better still scattered amongst the plants as a top-dressing. It is useful for cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce and most root crops, also rhubarb, but is not any good to peas or beans. In regard to tomatoes, it to inclined to cause the plants to run to leaf instead of fruit. Tbe chief plant food in fowl manure is nitrogen, and as this is easily soluble it is soon washed out, hence the Importance of keeping the droppings quite dry until used. J.J. (Point Chevalier) writes:—(l) Greenfeast peas planted this year and 9 inches high, and already flowering. Last year they were 2 feet high before flowering. (2) What shall I sow before putting in a lawn—mustard, lupins, or oats? (3) At the present time it is in potatoes. Mustard has always been a success, but oats have failed. Lupins I have not tried? (4) The soil is heavy. Does it need trenching and manuring with cow or horse manure? (5) Would like to sow grass seed this autumn, if you think the ground is suitable?—(l) It is probably due to the cold, wet raring. They will be all right, I think. i2>'u» luptasT t£2 S !L« re I * l6 *2 d *** nitrogen to the soU. (3) See previous question. (4) 1 do ?°A V*^ k " l 8 necessary to tench, except it is for drainage purposes. The cow or horse manure would be all right, Si!?.."?! abß ?i»tely necessary. (sFI ■4 Sgkjf w<rald *• •» ***** *• tow in