ROSE BEDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 117, 20 May 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

ROSE BEDS.

SUBSTITUTE FOR STABLE MANURE

There is a difficulty nowadays for every rose grower to obtain stable manure for use on his rose beds. Certainly there are several locally compounded manures that are excellent, and can be relied upon as quite up to the standard tliey should be, and as a general manure for garden purposes are to be recommended. When, however, one specialises in roses it is an advantage to have a mixture made up more suitable to its particular requirements. Of all mixtures that have stood the test of time and received the approbation of rosarians generally, there is none to equal what is known as Tonks manure. This was compounded by Mr. E. Tonks, 8.C.L., and was first published in the "Kosarian Year Book" for 1889. The mixture was compounded from an analysis of rose ashes: Superphosphate, 12 parts; nitrate of potash, 10 parts; sulphate of magnesia, two parts; sulphate of iron, one part; sulphate of lime, eight pr.rts. The. manure is to be applied in early spring, immediately after pruning. It should be scattered on the ground at the rate of four ounces per square yard, or actually about four ounces to cacti plant; large plants can be given an extra two ounces. A further application can be given after the first flowering is over, that is, about midsummer. The manure should bo used freshly mixed, as if kept it is inclined to cake.

PROTECTING PLANTS ON ROCKERY. There arc several of the plants that arc grown on the rockery that, coming from high mountains, are covered, with snow during several months of tho year, during which time they arc kept practically dry. Although they wilj stand almost any frost and cold with impunity, to have the foliage continually saturated is fatal. Many of the woolly or hairy foliage plants, saxifragas, sempervirens, and even some of the

primulas are better for protection. The illustration shows how to head three wires so that they will hold a pane of glass securely over the top of a plant so as to protect from wet. The height of the glass from the ground or the length of the wires can he adjusted to the plant it is inlcnded to covcr.

PRIMULA SINENSIS. The earliest sown plants will now be of a fair size and be in their flowering pots. The foliage will bo getting large and fleshy, and tho plants will derive benefit from being stoo*! on a bed of shell or scoria, which is easily kept damp, and holds the moisture. Shell is cleaner-looking than scoria, especially if the fine sand is washed out. Small granite or marble chips is beautiful stuff for covering a bench. It is clean, looks well, and if at any time it gets gritty or dirty can be easily and readily washed. The soil in the pots will need much less water now.than in summer, but when it is required, weak liquid manure may be given alternately with clear water, but the manure must be weak.' Primulas do not like artificial heat, and the thermometer should be kept steady somewhere about 50 degrees. Ventilation at all times should be ample, but draughts must be avoided. A cold draught will almost surely be followed by some disease or pest. POTATO BOX.

The illustration shows how to make a box for storing and sprouting seed potatoes. The length, is 24 x 12 x C,

and is very easily made. The best of these boxes is that tliey can be stood on top of each other and allow air and light to get between them. They are dlso ideal for storing bulbs or fruit.

THE WHITE MARTAGON LILY. There are few more beautiful things than the white martagon lily, lilium martagon album, when seen in its best forms and thriving in such a way as to reveal its full beauty. It is unfortunately, in some stocks peculiarly liable to be attacked by fasciation. Where this appears it absolutely destroys its -beauty, as then its slender stems, bearing such graceful flowers poised in the inost charming way. become flattened and the heads, crowned in an almost fantastically unsightly way. The cause of this fasciation is difficult to find. It may be of fungoid origin, but at all events it appears to have become chronic in certain stocks, a very large percentage of the plants have become fasciated. Contrasted with these fasciated plants of the white martagon, the appearance of healthy, normal lilies is graceful and delightful in the extreme. Rising on slender stems 4ft, sft and nearly Gft high the drooping, wax-like Turk's cap flowers look inexpressibly fascinating. To ensure healthy stocks it is advisable to raise seedlings, and it is useful to know that a very large proportion (roughly 60 per cent) will come true to colour. The remiinino- seedlings, will produce flowers with several shades, varying from white to purple of the typical L. martagon. The plants can be selected from the nursery bed and planted out where they are wanted. The white martagon appears to flourish best where its lower growths have the benefit of the pritial shade afforded by herbaceous plant!, or shrubs, and it never looks better than when springing through and towering over pome of moderate vigour. The martagon lily does wonderfully well in the shade of trees, and the white niartagOD ij 10 exception in respect.