PRACTICAL GARDENING

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 6 (Supplement)

PRACTICAL GARDENING

Correspondents win greatly oblige by observing the following rules In sending questions l'or publication in tliese columns:—- . I—Letters should be in not later than Tuesday to be answered the same ■week—addressed to Garden Editor, "Star" Omce, Auckland. 2—Write on one side of the paper, and make all communications as concise as possible. , . 3—nowers, etc., sent for naming, must be sent separately, and, If possible, packed in a tin or wooden box —cardboard boxes are very liable to be broken in transit and the contents damaged. 4—The full name and address of the sender must always be sent, but a nom de plume or initial may be given for publication.

MANURE. Writing on "Manure" the H.A. says: — Motors have so far supplanted horses that all classes of cultivators are faced with the 'ever increasing difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies of manure. In America some of the leading nursery men have set up big dairy establishments on purpose to secure a supply of manure and some of our friends at home are keeping pigs with the same object. The objection to these courses is that they add to the work and worry of business life, and unless the proprietor lias a taste that way, or a very good man in charge, are likely to show a balance on the wrong side. An alternative is the use of vegetable refuse to which has been added chemical fertiliser in proper proportions. There is a well known proprietary article on the market, but probably most commercial growers would prefer to know what they are using and to buy their fertilisers on the market. So far we do not remember to have seen any formula for this purpose published on this side, so think that probably many of our readers will be interested in the following, which we cull from the "Florists' Review." This method of making compost consists of building a pile about six feet high, each layer of about six inches of straw is wet down, and the fertiliser scattered over the surface. The stack must have a flat top, so as to retain, rather than shed water. Within a week fermentation starts and if the pile is watered twice a week, in three or four weeks the decomposition is complete and the compost is ready to use in place of manure. The material has the advantage of being odourless and of drawing no flies. The New York experimental station recommends the following formula: Sulphate of ammonia, sixty pounds; superphosphate, thirty pounds; potassium, chloride, twenty-five pounds; and ground limestone, fifty pounds. These quantities are for one ton of dry straw." It will be. noted that the writer refers to straw, but in this country where one has to pay about £3 per ton for straw, it is not likely to be largely used for making manure. However, any kind of vegetable refuse —leaves, grass, mowings, weeds, etc., will answer the purpose, and where it is available a percentage of peat might be added. The shortage of manure is felt by nurserymen perhaps more than any other class, and we think it is well worth their consideration whether a large quantity of stuff which they have been used to burn could not bo more profitably dealt with.

anemone disease. Anemones have this season in some places proved disappointing, and the flowers have as a general rule been much below the average. In the majority of cases this has been due to the anemone rust which has now been proved to be a form of the rust which for a part of the year attacks the plum. It can be known by the deformed flowers which are produced. Where it has been in evl " dence it will be a good plan to lift and destroy the old corms or roots, and to procure a fresh stock next season, or sow seed. To save the roots and replant will only be to court failure, for disease is almost sure to again put in an appearance. One-year-old seedlings are not attacked to the extent of older bulbs; in fact,, every time the bulbs are lifted seems to increase the of the disease. Spraying with a fungicide maybe a preventive to a certain extent, but the season of the anemone is such that it is a hard job to get favourable weather for spraying. Anemones are like other bulbs by most people, and lifted every season, and although this may appear not to be detrimental it is certainly not to the advantage of the anemone to be kept too dry or out of the ground any longer than possible. Lifting and drying is not necessary to the anemone, although convenient to the grower; roots that are missed and ar6 left in the ground will come up with exceptional vigour, and very seldom show signs of disease. That in time the anemone dies out or deteriorates in this climate is also apparent, and therefore the best means of keeping up a good strain is by saving seed yearly from selected blooms, and sowing and raising a fresh stock each year. GERBERA jamesoni. • The new seed of tftls beautiful flower will soon be coming forward, and all those who intend to procure seed should do so at once. If the seed is not ready order it, so that it is sent on as soon as ready. To wait till autumn or spring is only to court failure. Sow the seed as soon as procured in boxes, using some nice light sandy soil. The best method of sowing the seed is to plant each seed separately; one end of the seed will be seen to be thicker than the other; take this thick end between the thumb and finger and gently push the other, or thin end, straight down into the soil, deep enough so that the top of the seed is just below the surface. Sprinkle a little sand on top, water, and shade for a few davs or until seedlings show. Afterwards gradually remove shading, keep well watered, and in a sunny position, letting them remain in the box until next spring, when they can be planted out.

FERENNTAIi PHLOXES FROM CUTTINGS. These are some of the finest hardy border plants grown, but they are not seen in perfection as often as they s be, owing chiefly to the fact that they are allowed to occupy the same ground year after year until it gets impoverished and the result is poor trusses of bloom. The plants can be llf ted when the growth is a few inches high and divided, planting up pieces with two or three growths, or they will strike easily from cuttings made from the tops of the voung growths. Make these about six inches long, having three or four tiers

of leaves; cut off the lowest leaves and the base straight across below a joint. Tlio illustration shows a good cutting at A and the same properly made at B. Insert them in sandy soil which should be made firm. Either boxes, pots, or the open ground will do, but it must be and shaded, and the cuttings kept well watered. As soon as rooted the cuttings can be planted out in good soil.

PROPAGATING ERICAS OR HEATHS. Ericas, or heaths, may be propagated by seeds, cuttings, or layers. In your case the best methods would be either cuttings or layers. Cuttings are made from young shoots, an inch to an inch and a half long. They should be put in about December or January, and should be inserted into finely-sifted sandy soil, which should be made very firm in the pot. The cuttings are then covered with bell-glasses or hand-lights until rooted. Where bell-glasses or hand-lights are not obtainable the following method will do: Well drain some five or six-inch pots, about three-parts fill with the soil, taking care to make it firm; put a quarter of an inch of sand on. top, insert the cuttings about an inch apart, being careful to keep the tops of the cuttings just below the top of the pot. Give a good watering, and then plunge the pots in the ground, a bed of sand, or finely-sifted ashes, keeping the rims about an inch or so above the ground level. Then cover each pot with a piece of glass, and shade from bright sun. Do not shade so heavy as to put the cuttings into the dark—sufficient to break the rays of : the .sun is required. Remove the shading f at night, and whenever possible, but do not leave off the glass. When rooted, wfiicli will be noticeable by the cuttings commencing to grow, gradually remove the glass. Do this by removing the glass at nights for a few nights, then begin to leave it off an hour longer each day until the plants are hardened to the weather. As soon as the cuttings are rooted and the glass is moved, care must be taken that the cuttings do not get dry. The method of layering is also very good, especially for some varieties. See article on layering heaths in these columns.

THE CARROT PLY. Carrots are often seriously damaged by the maggots of the carrot fly. The flies deposit their eggs just below the surface of the soil about the carrots, and the resulting maggots quickly commence to bore into and feed upon the roots, causing them to become rusty or brown and finally rotten. Carrots whose foliage turns yellow and withers prematurely should be forked up and examined, and if infested with maggots destroyed. Spraying the carrot bed with kerosene emul-

sion after sowing the seed and again during November and December is an excellent preventive. Pressing the soil close and pulling the earth up so as to cover the crown of the. carrot tends to prevent the flies from depositing tlieir eggs. Land on which the fly appears should be well limed, and root crops, carrots especially, should not be grown on it for a few years. The illustration shows an infested carrot and the carrot fly (Psila rosea). The line is the natural length of the fly. SINGLE WALLFLOWERS. The popularity of these sweet-smelling spring flowers increases year by year. The double form, on the other hand, appears to decrease. This is probably due to the fact that they are not so good as ten-week and other stocks, and not so floriferous or as sweet as the single wallflower; in fact, the most that can be said in favour of the double wallflower is that it is a monstrosity. The wallflower is a native of hilly, bare, limestone country. It can be seen making its home on old walls, growing amongst the bricks. It is here that the mistake is often made, the wallflower is sown,in midsummer, grown on good fat land with a mild, moist autumn and winter, and the result is failure. When dealing with a subject such as the wallflower, it is necessary to. give as near the natural conditions as possible. Sown or planted on heavy ground on a dry bank or between the stones of a retaining wall, in a position that it will appear not possible for a plant to live, the wallflower will give you bloom year after year. RULES TOR USE OT TOOLS. Never put tools away dirty. Clean spades, forks, etc., with wooden tally. Before putting away for winter all tools to be carefully oiled. Brush mowing machines after using.

NEW IRISES. Mr. O. Dillistone, writing in "The Nurseryman and Seedsman" in regard to the new introduction, says: — When recalling to memory the new irises of the year, one's thoughts fly inevitably to the tall-bearded section as though there were no other irises. It is an unfortunate fact that progress in hybridising is. confined almost entirely to this section. The records for the past year show no additions of importance amongst the bulbous irises, the Sibirica section, or indeed amongst any of the great number of species that go to make up the genus. Also in 1929 unfortunate circumstances restricted the exhibition of new varieties almost entirely to the Iris Society's Show held on June 6. Chelsea, which usually produces a few good novelties, came too soon after the cold spring followed by drought, to give us its usual examples. The solitary flower that attracted any notice was Messrs. Bunyards' Merope. This is an Ambassadeur in general colour scheme, and in fact suggests a cross between that fine old French variety and Dominion. The thought that occurs to one on seeing it for the first time is that only one of the two varieties is necessary. Probably this is the case, but the fact is that Merope is strong in just tliose characteristics in which Ambassadeur fails. It has a tall, sturdy spike with three or more flowers open at the same time. The standards are stiff and erect with none of the floppiness that Ambassadeur betrays under certain conditions. The falls are broad, long' and well poised, nearly horizontal in fact. The colour throughout is slightly warmer than Ambassadeur ; and it has all the quality of flower of Dominion, including the wonderful velvety texture of falls. I am informed that I have missed seeing the best iris of the year, which the authorities say is Mrs. Dykes' Joyance. It was unfortunate that at the iris show this was not sufficiently open to be appreciated on the first day. I am sorry I was away on the second when it opened, but I gather from enthusiasts it was really superb. In fact, it was looked upon as by far the best of its class and equal to the best in the hall. Second-hand descriptions are not satisfactory, and those I have received are rather indefinite, so I will leave it alone. So good a thing will be adequately described in the near future. It is ironical that Mrs. Dykes, who apparently had the best thing in the hall, did not get a new seedling recognised at this show, but judging has to be done to time. The highest award so far this season has been made to Mr. Bliss for Carfax. This is another addition to the already extensive Dominion group. One of its most attractive characteristics is that it branches in all directions and not as most irises do on two sides of the main stem only. As each branch produces two or more open flowers at once, it makes a very luxuriant garden plant. The flowers are large, standards long and arching (unlike Dominion), purple, with broad velvety falls of deeper red-purple.

In the fiame class Miss Insole produced another very fine red-purple named Trigo. The flowers are very large, broad in standard and fall, and judging from a single flower it is a very fine thing indeed. This and Carfax were selected for consideration as the best iris of the year and, subject to certain qualifications, Trigo was the winner. It is just as well that it has since been superceded, as the raiser reports its habit in the garden has proved so unsatisfactory that it is doubtful if she will ever put it in commerce. Personally I think Dog Rose, a very tall pink, a prettier plant, but it is a bit siender in the stem, which appears, however, to be capable of holding itself quite erect. Another good novelty of 1929 is Mrs. G. G. Whitelegg. This belongs to that particular colour class that no two people describe alike. It is a mixture of yellow, buff and maroon that inclines to red. It should prove a good garden plant. Jane Austin is a very attractive plicata, reddish lilac on white ground, and the only really attractive plicata produced this year. Being small, it cannot compare with some of the recent introductions from America in this class, but it is more suited to stand our climate than they are. Another 1929 iris that is going to find a place for itself is Mr. Pilkington's Yukon. The standards and falls are quite stiff and waxy, a good point in a white iris. The only colour in the flower other than its yellow beard is a faint suggestion of blue in the falls. Mr. Perry has also produced a very fine variegata in Joan Curtis, a golden yellow and crimsonbrown. This is a good addition to a class in which we have none too many. Junion, a cross between Lord or June and Dominion, is the best purple bicolour of the year, violet blue standards, dark falls, with the stiff texture of Dominion.

gladioli The several fi ne di<mln™ * , that have been staged in LSi B^diolJ tho surrounding dfe must have convinced r„ n „i season, they are really rw er rw o l e ° Pl6 The season has not been ideX fgrowinSgladioli point of view 2tsf rom appears to have retarded tLS S ? rin 2 such an extent as to ? ts to the spikes. Perhaps on the we are getting more critical S patmg advancement too quicklv ¥"" for the Übour^TirSt/t" 1 occupied. A point to be notJ> ,° m now is the time to choose new Varied for next season. Selection h .ff made from growing plants, XJ 9 descriptions, coupled with the up to R® names given to the different cowA® made it almost impossible toSJX* from the descriptions what th ft fll 69 like. To be quite c Z ( i !! er is the colour or colours of a all right, but it would be much bS If describe in more simple terms some idea at least- wn,,u v '" a t to the unbitiSS liT'* like. When the a „S* flower spikes should be cut off ! / ha the foliage turns yellow +?» once b, lifted" If IrS^S^l tempted let it be Jone 'S » ■' 'f~ view, that is choose the flowers no,?-" 1 the requisite characteristics IS Tt on these alone. Onlv lot ti, o f Wor^ ™t the three, The seed pods must be left till ? P ' show signs of bursts when tWv I bepie^doff.ariedrfe'Sn'SS till sowing time. The present seasoS seen several new varieties shown for Z first time, and although there is nl ar ticular outstanding varieties v<*\l are several whicn are an advance on previous years. Many of the s however still retain their position 2 are found ,n all the first-class st a S ihis measure is due to constitution a S is a point that should receive attention tSsSr cmw * 5

No good pure yellows or pure whites have come to light this season, but they are badly wanted, nor have I heard so far of anything remarkable in France or America, but at the time of writing it is a little early to expect full reports. On the wliole I should not say the advance made this year is up to the average. There has been nothing to gather round and enthuse about, nothing epoch-making, but just good, steady improvements in characteristics. We cannot have a Dominion every year, but another startler must be nearly due. Since writing the above, news has come to hand that the Commission des Iris Societe Nationale de Horticulture de France has selected Iris Vert Galante for the Dykes Medal award for 1929. This iris was raised by Messrs. Cayeux and Leclerc. No detailed description is yet available, but it is a very large iris on the lines of Mr. Bliss' Glamour, but redder. Messrs. Cayeux and Leclerc have, therefore, obtained this medal two years in succession, as the 1928 award was made to their Pluie D'or. TO MAKE BORDEAUX ADHESIVE Experiments carried out at a viticultural station in France to find something costing little that could be added to Bordeaux mixture, to give it better adhesive properties, proved the following to give the best results: —Mix intimately of powdered quicklime with l£oz of powdered casein. Add to the mixture very little water, and work it well into a paste. Thin it down with successive s,mall quantities of water till about a quart of liquid is obtained, which is then added to the Bordeaux mixture. The above quantity is sufficient for 100 gallons of Bordeaux mixture, and the Bordeaux must not be acid, or the casein becomes insoluble and inactive. TO EXHIBITORS OF GREEN PEAS. Begin to select exhibition peas directly the pods have nicely formed; then by holding the pods up to the light you can see exactly how many peas they contain. Tying a little bass to the stem of the pods selected will save much time and disappointment at the show. Do not have a dozen plants where one ought to be. Do not allow deformed or unshapely pods to remain on plants. Do not gather when the hot sun is on them. Do not on any account rub or finger pods, but hold the same with the stem. Do not stage pods that are turning old, but select those that are fresh .with their bloom and tested as above, j