CARNATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 22, 26 January 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

CARNATIONS.

THE LAYERING SEASON,

In most gardens border carnations have ma-do growths suitable for layering, a very easy method of propagation of border carnations as well as the perpetual borders, which may usually be layered at any time during the summer months. Only strong and healthy plants should be utilised for this purpose. Having selected suitable stock, the soil around them should be loosened and the top inch or so removed and replaced by a line sandy compost containing plenty of sharp grit. The leaves of the shoots to be layered should be stripped up to the fourth pair of leaves from the top. The stem is then cut into, with a thin and sharp-pointed knife just below a joint. The cut is continued up through the joint and a little beyond, so as to form a tongue. The shoot is then bent so that the tongue is pressed into the soil to a depth of about half an inch, fixing it in position with a forked twig or with a proper layering pin. When all the plant's available shoots have been layered in this manner, and the weak and unsuitable ones cut out, the soil should be well watered, employing a fine rose, and should be kept reasonably moist until rooting has taken place. !Aftcr about a month or five weeks, the layers can be cut off from the old plant and lifted and potted about ten days later. They may be wintered in a cold frame, but in gardens where the .soil is well drained, they may be planted forthwith in their permanent quarters. • - MINT. Mint will grow in every garden, and in many it can become a nuisance. In many paddocks it will be found growing wild. With all this, cultivated mint is much the best article, and instead of tough leaves and hard stems with quite a bitter flavour, as is usual with the uncultivated sort, it is succulent and of quite a different flavour. We are often told that the mint in this country does not make the same quality mint

sauce that used to be made in England. Cultivate the plant and you will get the result. Each year there should be a fresh bed planted; not a big job, for a bed a yard square will keep a large family going. The soil should bo well prepared, and young crowns planted. This should be done in autumn, or as soon as the soil gets moist. Plant the crowns a foot apart. The old bed should be dug over, the roots being shaken out with the fork and burnt. This will give a good supply of mint and prevent it becoming a nuisance and a weed. V.THAT IS A SHRUB ? In "Shrubs for the Rock Garden," the author, F. Stoker, F.L.S., says: "Strange as it may seem, the term shrub is an arbitrary one. There is no watertight definition applicable to a shrub, and nothing but a shrub. In Jackson's 'Glossary of Botanical Terms' it is given as 'a woody perennial of smaller structure than a tree, wanting the bole." He points out, too, that it is the word "woody" which allows a certain vagueness to enter the definition, "for not only must a perennial have woodincss, but the wood itself must be thickened and hardened by secondary deposits before it meets our conception of what it should be in the case of a shrub." TO CORRESPONDENTS. AMATEniI (Mrtunt Albert) asks: Cure for curl in loaves of tomatoes. The curl starts at the bottom leaves, gradually Illos r y l V he P'nnt. Which eventually " ' destroy the most affected plants " s the I, '? ul,l( ' occurs. Plants \ K r °wn and carrying a medium ™P of . lealtliy fruit. Spraying with sulphur 3—loo (locs not appear to ln.'if'i'" 1 * . trouble in any way.—Curly iiwi t . onmt " I p , s due to a virus disease and is incurable. The disease is transntfnHi.i ti thrips or aphis, but once attacked there is no cure. The affected s lolll( ' bp P'lUed up and burnt. Selecting seed from clean plants and growing in sterilised soil will prevent ttic disease. SHRUB (Stanley Bay) asks: (1) For name or shrubs that would not grow too quicklv or too high, and would (lower from December to March, suitable for cut S?Y/ s .' < 2 ) Also what flowers could lie planted, and when, for house decoration through December, January and February? (o) 1 have a Fejoa. When docs it tower, and how old would it be before flowering?—(l) it is the worst season of the year for flowers, and although some shrubs produce good cut flowers, in many cases the flowers do not last well. Amongst the best are ericas, fuchsias, genista, viburnum; ceanothus, eistus, coromlla, lonieera, lavender. olearia, romneya, spirea, anthony waterer, alovsia, bnuddlea, cassina, ceratostignia. liibisrus, hydrangea. (2) Lilies planted autumn; asters, planted November; zinnias, planted December: dahlias, planted November; gladioli, planted August. (3) Should flower when three years old. I'lowers in summer. W..T.0. (Mount Eden) asks for method of pressing (lie cured tobrcco leaf into plugs, also recipes for curing syrup?— Will give an article on this subject later on. [Ed.]. J.M. (Grey Lynn) asks: When is the best time to trim pine trees, also gum and wattle trees?— Early spring is the best time. The trees have then the whole growing season to recuperate. If trimmed now they remain more or less unsightly until the next growing season. W.M.R. (Royal O.ak) writes: Enclosed grass was brought into my property with filling. Could you please tell me the best way i kill it? I have tried hand weeding, bin it still comes up and is spreading all over the place.-—There is no way except by forking or harrowing it out. * It happens to be a grass that delights in hot weather, consequently it is more in evi dence . during summer. H.J.R. (Hastings) asks: What is wrong with my black currant bushes? Th >.v liave been planted three years an 1 wore two years old when planted T.'iev seem healthy enough and have .la-ie a >r.t of wood, but do not bear an? fruit to speak of. Would they require pruning, and if so what method should 1 adopt:—l con- j not say definitely why Hie black cur- | rant bushes do not fruit. Tliry should do so even if not pruned. Pruning would improve the fruit. The black ennant car- I ries its crop on the wood made the pre- 1 vious summer, consequently pruning should consist of cutting out old wood I and encouraging the production if yoi.og I vigorous growth from the oase. E..1. (Devonport) asks: Name of cr"coer enclosed, and treatment, if my. to kill! it?—lt is convolvulus, mil t. •• | method of eradication is hoeing o.T tops and forking out roots. »