TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 6 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

DUD (Kohl) sends a leaf or a lemon tree and wishes to know the cause of its going brown.-—lt is due to the cold, wet spring. A spraying "with lime-sulphur solution one part to 125 parts water, will be beneficial ■ and will check the web-like growth you mention.

J.R. (Karangahake) writes: I am, wishing to sow oats. I sowed one lot, but the sparrows had them all. Is it possible to poison the oats? —Put the oats in a tin and pour on some kerosene, then sprinkle on some red lead. There should be enough.kerosene to damp the seed ■ and enough red lead to coat the seed. When you have put on the red lead mix up the oats so that they are nil evenly covered. Emptied on a. floor and mixed with.a piece of board is a good plan. The seed can then be dried and sown as required. It does help to keep off the birds, but even in spite of this they will get a few.

NORSE (Ellerslie) sends a list of seeds, and wishes to Know the common names of the plants?—Dldlcus caeruleus (blue lace flower), often sold under the name of Trachymere, an annual grown and offered for sale in Auckland. Hibiscus huegdlli (tree mallow): This is a variety with pale rose petals, With a blood red mark on each petal; shrubby. Hardenbergia comptoriana: A "climbing plant, : with pea-shaped purple or white flowers; something like the common climbing plantknown as dolichus. Viminaria denudata, Australian rush broom or Victorian.' swamp oak: A shrub with pea-shaped flowers, orange yellow in colour; • Eu.uzea sericea: An Australian heath-like shrub. , •

E.O.H. (Mount Albert) ./writes :_My cauliflowers grew well and formed beads,, but instead of. remaining compact. they branched out and were spoiled. Can this be avoided?— The trouble lies in the seed, not the cultivation. It is throwing back to the old type. ■ - : ..■ ■

R.M.G. (Dominion Road) writes: ■'■!'■ have-a small bed of autunin-sown onionsf they are rather small. Shall I thin them' out'or replant them ?—Tjiin them out and replant the thinnings. It is getting late for onionplanting, but you will get some small bulbs that will be useful.

M.TV. (Penrose) writes:. I notice that it was mentioned how difficult it is to grow bush clematis by transplanting. Ik'hare a most perfect specimen in my gardeh tha't is a mass of bloom at the present time.' It was.taken from the.bush about three years ago, a tiny plant and much broken, and was planted rather carelessly in the' garden. It started straight away, and never went back. It was lifted and: planted in the month of February.—lf: seedlings are taken, and especially about' February, when the ground is warm, a little-moisture and the plant Is making roots before the cold weather arrives. In your case you did just right, and that is: Took a small plant and planted at the right season. Many people would not be satisfied with a small plant, but would want a large one, and, in addition; they would probably dig it up \yhen it was in bloom. It is not impossible'to'transplant any bush inhabitant if due care is taken, but indiscriminate tearing out of plants at any season of the year is only vandalism, and, as the majority of native plant collectors seem to be of tbis kind, the only general advice I .ca,'n give is: Leave the plants in their native habitat, and plant nursery-raised ones.