FOLIAGE WITH CUT FLOWERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 88, 15 April 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

FOLIAGE WITH CUT FLOWERS.

Most kinds of flowers when cut and put in vases are beautiful, but are not seen to the best advantage unless well furnished with green leaves, either of their own or some other plant. Boses, carnations, and a few others have foliage which is more appropriate than any that can bo added, but the leaves of many plants are not effective and some plants have 110 foliage that can be used for the purpose. Maidenhair and other ferns, although useful for "made-up" floral emblems, etc., are not generally useful for vases. On the other hand, there are several shrubs that are worth growing just to supply foliage ifor going with cut flowers. Foremost amongst these is the myrtle. By the way, it is necessary to spray these once or twice a year to keep off a leaf-rolling caterpillar which will spoil every leaf if left alone. The acers, or Japanese maples, especially the small growing sorts with finely dissected and coloured foliage; the golden and variegated euonymuss; the golden privit, and Japanese honeysuckle arc also good. The old-fashioned scented or oak-leaved pelargonium, southern wood, old man, or boy's love; it is rather curious how these last two pseudonyms wero applied to the same plant. There are many other plante, some of annual duration, that can be used, but the above are shrubs and not only useful for using with cut flowers but arc worth growing as shrubs. Such shrubs to be of value must have good foliage, and in many cases it will be necessary to spray once or twice a year with lime-sulphur tr> keep off red spider and a small leaf-rolling caterpillar.

The onion is one of the most popular vegetables that are grown. In many gardens this past season, mildew has been bad and a large quantity of onions sent up flower heads. This no doubt causes a certain loss of crop, but even then it is one of the most profitable that can be grown. One of the chief points in onion growing lies in well prepared soil and it is often owing to this lack that crops do not do as well as they should. Many amateurs do not think it necessary to prepare the ground for the onion bed some time before it is required. Others think that by a. free use of manure a few days before planting the difficulty can be overcome. The fact remains, however, that this is not so; the onion is a very deep rootmg plant and if the ground is deeply worked the roots can get away down from the cifects of the dry weather. _ Shallow worked, soils which dry out quickly aie more liable to, and seem to aggravate, mildew much, more than where means are taken to keep the onion roots moist. Wherever "possible nothing short of trenching or dpuble digging should be practised. The onion patch does not occupy much of the garden and it pays for trenching. Trenched now, the ground need not lie idle till the onions are planted. It can be used for lettuces or carrots or any such crop that will be "off" before the onions are planted, any of the caJbbage tribe should not be planted, as they are too exhausting. As to manure if it can "be obtained at trenching time, dig in plenty; if not obtainable dig in plenty of old leaves, grass, or green vegetable matter of any description. The main object, however, is to move the soil, and this is more important than manure. If stable manure is altogether out of the question give a good dressing of bone dust, and sulphate of potash, the bone dust at the rate of a ton and the potash at 2cwt t'o the acre, which is approximately at the rate of half a pound and two ounces to the square yard respectively. Wood ashes, if riot available at the time, can be added during the winter. About a. week before planting the onions scatter one ounce of nitrate of soda to the square yard.