TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17, 21 January 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

BEETROOT (Thames) writes : (1) I should be, pleased if you would give me a little information re the treatment of garlic. . I have a bed of same. . It has grown about two feet high, seems very healthy, and is forming flower pods, but does not increase. (2) Can you inform me re tli° best method of growing lettuce plants? Mine seem to grow up too weak and thin and a large proportion die off when planted out, although well watered. (3) What is the best method to treat melon plants (rock melons) so as to cause them to fruit well? —(1) Garlic does not require much cultivation as a rule. Give It and treat it in a similar manlier to eschallots, that Is, plant the small cloves and lift them when matured. Cut away the flower heads, which will increase the size of the bulbs. The flower head eventually produces small cloves, which can be used for planting. (2) The trouble with the lettuce appears to. be want of manure. Transplanted lettuce should be shaded In hot weather. More satisfactory results In summer are obtained if the seed is sown thinly, the seedlings thinned out and the plants grown where sown. (3) Pinching out the main shoot will produce laterals and these usually carry the majority of the fruit.- Hand fertilisation is necessary—pinch off a male flower and pull off the petals and fertilise the female flower. Rock melons do not carry a large number of fruit. • Three or four per plant is the average. MAKARANUI (Ohakune) asks: Would you , please tell me what is the matter with aspidistra leaves enclosed and remedy? The plant grows. Indoors and has an occasional dressing of liquid cow manure. It is difficult to say what Is the cause, as it may be due to the plant getting too •dry at some time, the plant requiring potting, or the soil too wet. If the plant has not been too dry or<too wet, then I should say the plant needs some fresh soil.

FED UP (Heme Bay) writes: IMy healthy zinnia plants have been attacked by some disease. Enclosed please find leaves and flower bud. Kindly tell ine cause and: remedy.—lt is due to the rust disease. Spray with lime sulphur, 1—125, or if that is not convenient, dust the plants with flowers of sulphur. J.N. (Te Aroha) writes: I am enclosing a fresh flower and two leaves from a plant X would like the name of.—lt is a variety of Oenothera, or evening primrose. KOHATU (Wliangarei) writes : I am sendjng a sprig of, a plant. Can you give me the right name of it? This plant is known as a cure for diabetes? They give it a name, but would like the correct name of it, if you can oblige.—lt is Solanum capsicastrum, or winter cherry. It Is a native of Brazil, 'but now almost Wild about Auckland. It is grown as an ornamental plant. Of its medicinal value I cannot say anything. It belongs to the same family of plants as the potato, deadly nightshade, henbane, capsicum, tomato, mandrake, tobacco. It will !>e seen that it is a member of an order many of which are narcotic and poisonous ■while others are wholesome. C.H. (Dominion Road) writes: I ,got a mulberry tree three years ago ; last year it bore small sweet berries, this year they are larger, but before getting ripe they fall off. I had a tree some years ago that had berries four times the size of those this tree produces; in fact, the tree itself seems of different formation, this one I have now being very bushy. Are there different varieties of mulberry, and if so, can you give me the name of the large variety, as it appears useless to one that I have now?— The best mulberry is the black mulberry, the oldfashioned variety. There are other sorts, but I cannot say what their qualities are, and if they have any advantage over the ordinary sort.

F.W.H. (Epsom) writes: Under separate cover I enclose four specimens of which I would like to know the names?—- r (.l) Meadow Sweet, Spirea fllipendula, (2) not known, (3) Gnaphalium luteo-album, (4) Crepis Virens "Hawkweed."

P.R. (Green Lane) asks: —Would you kindly inform me on the following questions through your gardening column of the "Star." (1) What time to sow seeds of border carnations to flower about the end of November? (2) lie cuttings of p&nsies; is it advisable to cut the tops of old plants back as mine have made a great growth? (3) I want them to be coming- in flower about the end of October, so when should I take cuttings? (4) A persimmon tree flowered heavily but only set one fruit, is there anything about fertilising?—(l) Sow border carnation seed now. (2) It is advisable to cut back some of the old flowering shoots of pansies. You will then get yonng growth that can be used for cuttings. After cutting back the shoots the plants should be mulched with some leaf soil or old manure, and watered. (3) The cuttings should be taken about April. The best way to get .them to flower In October is to plant out In spring, and remove the .flowers until about the ' first week in September. (4) Persimmons need cross fertilisation. You should get one Of the varieties grown and planted for pollinating other varieties. HARD-UP (Remuern) writes: Would esteem it a favour if you could give any advice concerning: tobacco culture as under mentioned. (1) At what period of development should leaves be taken from the plants. My plants (the first grown) are now beginning to show flower pods. (2) Should the leaves be sun dried or by artificial stove heat. (3) Should the stalks be left growing after taking the leaves, to produce seed. (4) Could you advise me as to the treatment of leaves after drying, to produce hfcavy smoking tobacco.— (1) As soon as they start to form yellow spots. Flower stems should be cut off. (2) Dry leaves in a shed, not in the sun as they get too brittle. (3) The seed would be of little value. In any case one plant would give you more seed than you needed. (4) See article on tobacco in this issue. T.W.R. (Marton), writes: Will you be good enough to let me know whether the specimen I am enclosing belongs to the musk family. ■ It is growing on the edge of a bush in a very damp situation, and has a small yellow flower, mustard colour.—Yes. Apparently an escape from cultivation. J.R. (Ponsonby) asks : What insects are on passion fruit leaves enclosed, and what Is the remedy? Fruit seems to wither and fall off, and the vine is covered with a gum-like substance. —This little lacewing fly is very common on passion fruit at this season. Spray with lime sulphur, —125, or use a nicotine spray. Use the latter according to the directions on the container.

H.R.W. (Waiuku) asks for a formulae for making birdlime. Can any reader oblige? —Ed. RELIEF WORKER (Ponsonby) asks: Would you kindly publish notes on how to .treat tobacco for smoking. I have a small quantity growing.—See answer to "Hard Up," Remuera. There will also he an article dealing with this subject.

GRATEFUL (Howiek) asks: Can you name the enclosed gladioli and roses 7—Naming sueli things as roses and gladioli, especially after being packed in a box, is very difficult. The following is the best I can do Gladioli: (1) Cassilda, (2) Charlemange, (3) Shell Pink, (4) Prince of Wales, (5) Alice Tiplady, (G) Jewel, (7) Ensign, (8) Esme Desailly, (9) Laidley. Roses: (1) Dame Edith Helen, (2) Ophelia, (3) Mrs. H. Morse, (4) Canary, (5) Julien X>otin. A.M.P. (Grey Lynn) writes: (1) I have some calceolaria hybrids that have finished blooming. The stems have, tor the most part, withered, and here and there new shoots are showing. Should I take these off and plant them? (2) Doe>i each plant of streptocarpus have one bloom only? I liavo half'a dozen plants, and none has had more than one bloom?—(1) You can try the shoots, but I doubt if you will root them. (2) No, the plants should bloom continuously over a long period.