PRACTICAL GARDENING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 6 (Supplement)

Practical Gardening

Correspondents will greatly oblige by onservmg tne fallowing , ruiea in sending questions for publication in these columns:— I—Letters should be In not later than Tuesday.to be answered tbe same week—addressed to Garden Editor. "Star , : , Office. Auckland, 2.—Writ.e on one side of.tne paper, and make all communications as concise as possible. ■ 3 ~~ p,lowers » etc.,- sent ror naming:, must be sent separately, and, ir possible, pacKea in a tin or wooden box—cardboard boxes are very liable to bo broken in transit and the contents damaged. rt<, 4^7 Tlle fu ! J name ana address of the sender must always be sent, but a nora de plume or Initial may be given for publication.

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SUNSHINE (Birkenhead) asks wlien to cut 'back a hedg* of pittosporum and hakea saligna.—Cut the hedege back now. TOBACCO (Birkdale) asks for advice re tobacco 'growing.—Your best method would be to apply to the Agricultural Department for leaflets published by them in respect to tobacco cultivation. There are also several companies that are interested in this work and who issue pamphlets and advice free to intending growers. A letter to the Department of Agriculture, Auckland, would bring you the necessary information. TYRO (Brown's Bay) writes: I have a two-year-old peach, tree; all its branches are covered with blossoms from end to end, Should half these branches be cut down to one bud now to make fruiting wood f.or next season, sdmewhat like the treatment given-grape vines?— The trees should be pruned, otherwise they will get; tall and have a length, of bare wood. Similar treatment as given to'grape vines woujd be no good, although, pruning should aim at producing sufficient new wood to carry the following year's crop. Usually the trouble is that the trees are allowed to carry too large a cropland the result is small fruit and badly-shaped' trees. Cut back the leaders about half their length and , laterals to within a few buds of the base. At all times prune so as to •produce an evenly-balanced tree, with an open centre and plenty of fruiting branches low down. T.O.P. (Milford) writes: In your last Saturday's notes you stated that clematis can be planted now. Does that refer to the native variety now in flower in tße bush?— No. It would not do to lift large plants of the native clematis now in flower in the bush. In fact, at no time of tho year can these naturally grown plants be lifted with any fchance of success. The best way is to get some seed as soon as ripe, sow it, arid plant out the seedlings, or you might find some seedlings on the ground in the hush. Clematis Is. a difficult thing to transplant, and for this reason plants offered for sale are grown in pots. It is such plants that are just making growth that it is desirable to plant now. You can purchase plants of the native clematis, and I am sure you would be more successful with such a {ilant than attempting to transplant one out of the bush. . TULIPS CEden) writes:' Enclosed please find samples of insects that are eating the young shoots of macrocarpa. Please state name, and how I can rid the trees of them. —The samples sent are the egg casee of the evergreen bagworm. The eggs 'hatch out and produce caterpillars that are destructive. to such trees as macrocarpa, etc. The method of control is to collect the cases that are'hanging on the' trees. Cutting the hedge and burning the clippings will destroy many. Spraying the hedge with arsenate of lead about the end of October would , poison the young caterpillars when feeding and before they have done much damage. As a, rule it is not a serious pest, and its depredations are usually limited to one or two trees. Hand pick, or, better still, cut off with a pair of scissors all you can find, and, should you notice many caterpillars at work about October or November, give a spraying with arsenate of lead. PIRIKI (Grey Lynn) writes: (1) My anemones are starting to bloom A week or so ago I gave them a little nitrate of soda. The plants are iealthy, but the flower stems are short. Should I continue to give nitrate, and how often? (2) How long should cow manure be stored before it is given to cyclamen. (3) Chrysanthemum cuttings planted'ln boxes have some tiny dark beetlee on* them. Would spraying with lime sulphur be effectual in getting rid of them?—(l) You must not apply too much nitrate, or you will cause the flowers to lose colour and the bracts will develop unduly. Once a month is quite often, onough to apply the nitrate. (2) Three or four months. (8) Spraying with Jime sulchur will get rid of the aphis. Nicotine, however, in' more effective against them. It is necessary to give two or- three sprayings at ■intervals -of about a weeK to effectually: get rid of the aphides, for although the spray may kill all the live insects others are hatched out, and these broods must >be caught by the later sprayings. HORTUS. (Herno Bay) writes: I, have a rhododendron which is growing in full sun. It flowers profusely, but makes scarcely any growth. ' Would it be wise to shift the shrub?-—I cannot be sure of the wisdom of moving the shrub. I think you would ,be better advised »'to mulch, the roots with some stable or cow manure. Pick off the blooms so aa to give the plant a chance to make eome gro/wth. Spray the plant with a nicotine 1 spray; there are several on the market, and almost any are good if used according to directions on the container. The 'leaves mentioned in your letter as sent did not arrive, but I expect the trouble is ',a small insect known as "thrlps." Spraying, with nicotine wiU cure these, but to be effectlte you, must spray three or four times at intervals of about ten days. A little nitrate of soda (say a teaspoonful) dissolved in half a kerosene tin of water, and the plant watered With that, would help ' to give- the plant a start. Do not ■use the nitrate more often thani ,once a month.'. . .'■! ■' ANEMONE (Ponsonby) writes: (1) I have some really good anemones and ranunculi, and I Bhould like a better show next year. Shall I save the seed or bulbs ? (2) The i flowers' I am now getting are much smaller than the first crob. Is that due to lack of manure? (3) I put in a lot of narcissi and jonquils, but few have flowered. Is it possible they will flower next year?—(l) You should save the bulbs for planting next year, and also save one or two of the best blooms for seed. The seed sown about February will produce bulbs, a few which will probably flower next season, but will make good bulbs for flowering the following season. (2) They need a good, wellmanured soil, and if you wish to grow good anemones you should get the ground well manured and deeply dug about the end of the year, and left it lie rough till the bulbs are ready to plant about February. Cow or stable manure is the ■best manure for them, although bonedust or blood and bone- can be used. (3) The bulbs will probably flower next season. It is hot.' unUgual for them, to flower very sparingly the first year of planting.

NEW ASPARAGUS BEDS. This is the time to make, new plantations of asparagus, in beds that have previously been prepared. Four feet beds will take three rows, the middle one being placed along the centre of the

bed and the others at 18in from it. The crowns should be that distance apart. Trenches may be taken out> or a hole made for each plant with the spade. The roots should be spread out equally. Do not allow them to get dry before planting and covering them up. SEEDLING DEUPHINITJMS. Transplant seedling delphiniums as soon as they have reached the_ size shown in the illustrations. With, a blunt dibber let them into the soil, till the seed leaves rest on the ground. This

■ \ "..''' . ' HOW TO KAISH DELPHINIUMS FKOM SEED. transplanting gives them more room, and the fresh soil encourages rapid growth. Seedlings which have attained this size now will bloom during the coming season sufficiently to ehow their colour. " MARKERS."

"Marker" ie the term applied in gardening to. a quick-growing crop which is made use of to define the position of another slower-growing crop; the method is more generally practised by growers for market than by amateurs. Seed of a vegetable that germinates quickly, e.g., radish/is sown in the drills, with a sloav germinating one, as parsnip, , w £ ■Jγ /■%-'". <\ carrot, onion; The radishes, sown thinly, come into use before the principal crop has made much progress. The ;use of such "markers" is particularly valuable on ground where weeds are troublesome, as it enables one to keep these in check by using the hoe between, the drills, which would not otherwise be defined so easily. This constant stirring warms the soil and hastens germination of the principal crop. . . . MANURES FOR POTATOES. In cases where stable manure is difficult to procure, beneficial, results have been obtained by the use of sulphate of ammonia and agricultural salt as a fertiliser. The two ingredients are mixed together . in. tbe proportion of three parts salt to one of sulphate of ammonia. The mixture is then broadcasted over the ground, after the-tubers are planted, at the rate of 2oz to the square yard. DANDELIONS. To destroy dandelions cut the tops off in the spring and place a pinch of salt or a little gas-tar on the fresh wound. The root of the dandelion, when boiled, makes an excellent tonic, especially useful in liver complaints. Further, the young shoots of the dandelion are delicious in salads. The no vver itself makes excellent wine, picked in full bloom in dry weather. The juioa from the stem is very good for warts on the 'hands.

TO GROW CARROTS Hi" CLAY son,. The best way to grow carrots on a clay soil is to grow them on ridge 3. The ground should be forked over early iii spring, and made as friable as-'possible; then set out a line, and, with a drawhoe, draw the soil up into a mound one foot high and the same at the base. Make it straight and even, then, holding the tool 'horizontally, press the handle into the top of the ridge to the depth of an inch. This forms a drill. Sprinkle the seed in gently, and break over the top of the edges of the drill. When the carrots are through, and about an inch high, thin them, and do not forget to press.the. soil close,.round the young plants left. This will keep away tlie carrot-fly. By this method a good crop of clean carrots can foe grown, but not good enough to rely on for exhibition. Some may think the carrots may suffer from the ridges becoming dry, but this is not .so, especially if the seed is sown when the soil is thoroughly moist,, for ■then soon the good foliage shades the ridges. A COMPLETE MANURE. A complete artificial manure must contain the three elements—nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. The effect of the first is to increase leaf production and growth, retarding the . ripening ,of wood; phosphates, on the other hand, hasten the ripening of the plant, and so restrict the production of foliage; potash is largely utilised by the rose, and is said to give "quality" to the ftp were. TRANSPLANTING ONIONS. To save time in all garden work in spring is essential, and the following method is very useful in transplanting autumn-sown onions from seed-boxes. Draw drills as you would sow the seed. Take the seedlings from the box, part them, and lay the roots along the bottom of the. drill. Mil in a little soil and tread down on (the roots lightly foot by foot. Then level back the remainder of the soil and proceed to plant in the next drill. BEGONIAS. There are three distinct kinds of begonias, the tuberous rooted, the fibrous rooted, and the Rex or ornamental foliage type. The latter is grown entirely for its foliage, which is large, velvety, and of varied colourings; in fact, in appearance almost artificial. The two former are grown for their flowers, and are good subjects for greenhouse or for bedding out where shade and water are plentiful. The tuberous varieties are the most popular, and. are the varieties which carry the large, glorious, single or double flowers which almost resemble camellias and roses. Tuberous-rooted begonia seed should be sown as early, ais possible in the spring. Where glass and heat are available it can be sown earlier than in other cases, although it should be understood that the tuberous begonia is quite hardy in arid about Auckland. The seed should be sown in well-drained

A—Pan'properly' drained ana filled. ■■ B—Pan filled too high.'.' .-.:■. v.i'.i pot or pan. Where large quantities of seed are sown, boxea may be all right, but the usual small quantity of seed can be best accommodated in a pot; or pan. The drainage should be perfect and may occupy half the depth of the pot; so long as there is an inch of soil on top it is sufficient for the seedlings. The .soil should be free, light and friable; equal parts, leaf-soil, sand and loam should do,. the whole pressed through a fine ;l mesh sieve. The soil should be pressed down and made firm in the pot, with the top. of the soil kept about an inch above the rim of the pot. The surface should be made smooth and level with something fiat, such as a piece* of wood. The pot should then receive a good watering from a can with a fine spray. After the surface water has soaked away the seed should be sown. Begonia seed is just like dust, and care should be taken in opening the packet and sowing, for a puff of wind will take the whole lot away, or a careless shake land the whole seed in one place on the soil. Some mix

a little dry sand or soil with the seed and- then sow soil and seed. In this way having more bulk the seed is more evenly distributed. Others fold a piece of paper in half and then place -the seed in the crease. If the paper is held on a » gentle slope and slightly tapped with a small stick the seed will gradually run down and can be sown more easily. The great point is to take care, for if carefully, handled no matter which way the seed is sown it can be done thinly and evenly. After sowing do not cover the seed with soil but cover the pot with a piece of glass and place it in a sheltered, light, but as shady a position as possible. As soon aa the soil begins to show signs of getting dry, it should be damped by plunging the pot into water nearly to the rim. . The water will then soak up through the hole in the bottom of the pot and damp the soil without causing any disturbance of the germinating seed> Similar treatment to the above is required by gloxinia's. These are beautiful subjects, well worth attention by anybody lucky enough to possess a glasshouse and time enough to attend to them properly. It is not so much the amount of work attached to these things as it is to the need of constant attention to details, and doing the right job at the right moment.

tying up cos ; These, are not grown a great deal in*'"" there are'some who prefer "them". ttS* 5 well grown %jr ihave-no equal .flavour and crispness. Many'fail"ja nn* ' knowing exactly when to tie- up'Sl ' leaves to properly blanch They should, not be tied >.until, iS. full size. Tying should not be d™. .;•':- tightly. The material used for tyinJ should be soft wool or raffia. The pfen+f ;' > should never be tied, except when aui£ ?; dry. The ties should be put nearfy 2' •the top of the leaves, juat low enoueV to get a grip of the leaves. 6

THE BEST WAY TO STICK PEAS Oftentimes sticks are put in upright and the peas fall through between tW Always-lean the sticks by going albW one side of the row and back the other I One row of sticks may lean up the row" and the other down the row. Keep the " sticks as wide at the top as at , the ■ bottom. Use small twigs to fill in' amr"""' holes in the bottom. Peas, done' in this '" way very seldom fall, through tlie*'" sticks.. ' '' ■ , -'/if: