TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 46, 23 February 1929, Page 6

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

W.G. (Mount Eden) sends a plant foridentification'.—lt is Mandevillea suaveolens. MULE (Otahuhu) asks: Would a tree grown from a nectarine tree bear fruit without budding or grafting'/—l'es; but the fruit would probably not be like the parent. A.J.JI. (Ponsonby) sends a twig and asks what is the tree—a plum or an apple.— It is an apple tree, probably a seedling. • If the tree has not fruited it Is not worth keeping; it may be all right, but for your purpose and with only one or two trees, it is not worth the room it occupies. Cut it out and plant another reliable sort. LILY (Takapuna) asks the best time to lift and divide lilium auratum.—The best time to lift and transplant is as soon as the flowers are over and tlie foliage begins to turn yellow; this is isunlly in autumn. They like a good soil, containing plenty • of leaf mould and well drained. The bulbs should be planted about eight inches deep, as the stems send out roots which help in the production of the flowers. The ground for the bulbs should be trenched quite two feet deep.

TECOMA (Onehunga) writes: We have a . tecomn hedge which is dying in parts; lirst foliage dies oft", leaving bare sticks. We are pestered with grass grub in lawn close by. Do you think they are eating the roots of the hedge? Could I treat round the plants with White Island Product No. 1 without injuring same?—l think the trouble is due to borer, or else it is due to bad soil, but I am inclined to blame the borer. The White Island Product will do good. Cut out. the dead parts of the hedge and burn them. If when cutting you find that there is a hole in the centre of the stem, it is due to the borer. This is very difficult to control in a hedge. Cutting out the branches as soon as the foliage wilts and cutting back the stem until the insect is found is the best method of control. J.C.H. (Grey Lynn) sends a leaf and fruit of lig tree and asks the cause of the figs not maturing, and would pruning do any good? The trouble is the fruit is not setting. Get hold of a branch of a lig tree with some ripe fruits on it (some of your neighbours may be able to let you have a piece) and hang or tie amongst the branches of your tree. The fig is fertilised by a small fly that enters through the top of the fruit, nnd unless this fly is present no fruits set. Once introduced it can live the whole year round on the fig tree as the young green fruits are forming when the crop ripens. Fig trees require little pruning; all that is necessary is sufficient to keep the tree a good shape and prevent the branches from becoming overcrowded.

DEVON (Xewton Road) Bends a piece of a rose stem for examination and wishes to know what is wrong with it—The trouble is rose scale. The best way is to wait until. the winter, when the flowers are done and then spray with red oil. If vou rrune about July you could leave 'the sprayin? until after that. All pruning and fallen leaves should be gathered and burnt and the beds treated with a good insecticide.

BLOCKHOUSE asks what native plants could be put in that would live r.nd shelter pungas, etc., and should I plant, say, by April 7 or November 7 V—November as a rule is too late for planting, unless the plants are grown in pots. Any of the native trees or shrubs could be planted, but it would be years before they would be sufficiently tall to shelter pungas; in fact, the pungas would grow faster than most other native plants. Coprosmas, karakas, lacebark, puketea, puka. pittosporum, ngaio. are all fairly quick growing, and would give good shelter. FRENCH (Ellerslie), asks for advice on growing French beans under class, particularly :—(1) Best variety to grow; (2) preparation of soil nnd manuring; (3) right time to sow seed: (4) general cultural directions. —(1) Negro Long Pod or Pale Dun. (2) Preparation of soil should be as thorough as possible and the addition of well-decayed manure will be an advantage. (2) The soil should be well drained. If the soil is in good heart, bonedust should be used at the time of sowing. (3) This depends upon the weather and appliance at hund. If the house is heated it should be possible to sow at any time. For an unheated house and to produce an early crop it should be possible to sow in July, but 1 so .much depends upon the experience of the man who is in charge. With careful handling as regards watering and ventilation it should be possible to grow them almost right through the winter. (4) The cultural directions depend a great deal upon 'the weather and the experience of the , worker. Excessive watering must be avoided and in most cases if the soil was moist when seed is sown little more should be required till the crop has matured. Ventilation should be regulated so as to prevent draughts, but at the same time sufficient must be given to produce a sturdy plant. Spraying will be necessary should disease be apparent., The dwarf bean, when growing well, does not suffer from much disease. The only trouble likely to arise Is mildew, due to draughts or a cold, damp spell. Dust the plants with powdered sulphur and lime In equal parts.