ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A.W.P. (Northcote> writes: A big proportion of seeds sown last year did not come up, and I am wondering whether it is due to woodlice, which are very numerous. I keep the garden clean and have used lime freely, but with little effect.—l cannot say for sure, but it may be the woodlice. Use horticultural naphthalene, sprinkling it on the soil at the rate of one ounce to the square yard, afterwards raking it in. You can sprinkle it amongst plants, but do not let it fall on the leaves. The dry spell last season may have part to do with the failure. ABHOR (Mt. Eden) writes: I wish to shift a jacaranda which has grown about ten feet high. Would winter or spring be the best time? —The spring, just before the tree begins to buret into leaf. The jncaranda is a tropical subject, and you will need to be careful when moving it.

W.S (City) asks for advice on growing early potatoes. (1) When to plant? (2) Variety? (3) Would fresh broken virgin land do? (4) Would new ground need manuring? (u) What locality is best? — (1) Potatoes to supply the early market are planted in .Tune and .Inly. (2) First early variety Epicure, Ashleaf Kidney, Sharp's Empress, Snowdrop, and Jersey Bennes. Second early. King Edward, Sutton's Abundance, Great Scott, British Queen, or Up-to-Date. (3) Land for. new potatoes needs several ploughings and discings so that the soil is , worked well to a good depth. Some freshly broken ground could be used, but as a general rule it is not advisable. (4) For a good return you would have to use manure. (5) Any frost-free situation would do. There are many places from l'ukekohe nortli where early potatoes can be grown. Choose a light soil, preferably on a gentle rise. Of course, a frost is always possible in any district, but this is a risk which must be taken. E.M. (St. llelier's) asks how to prepare and sow a lawn.—Will give an article on this subject next week.

INQUIRER (Newton) wishes to know how to increase tree tomato and guava, whether by seeds or cuttings?— Seed sown in spring is the best way of propagating both.

CURIOUS (Green Lane) sends a dry sprig of a tree for identification?— Cannot name it unless it is in flower.

PINE (Birkenhead) wishes to know: (1) If carnations that hare finished flowering can be moved to another position, or if it is best to take cuttings? (2) Cuttings of carnations taken last season have grown into sturdy plants, but have not flowered. Why is this, and can these be moved? —(1) You can move the carnations now. If plants are very large or sprawling cut some of the longest growths back and make cuttings o£ them. (2) You can move these now. It is not always that late autumn cuttings of border carnations flower the first season.

G.S. (Onehuuga) writes: Several of my passion vines have died, the bark rotting at the ground level. How can I control this? —Difficult to control, because the disease is fatal before it is discernible. It is a form of root rot, and is not unusual with the passion fruit. Burn all diseased plants, including any of the roots you can get out, and use one of the soil l'umigants, such as naphthalene.

J.L. (Sandringham) writes: On my place there is a large oak tree. Recently a branch line of sewer went close to the tree and that, combined with the dry spell, must have drained all moisture from the soil, for the leaves all went brown and fell off. Since the rain the buds have burst and the tree is quite green again.—l rutlier think it is due to oak scale rather than the sewer and dry spell. These latter may have helped, but 1 think the real culprit is tho oak scale. This is a small insect which is found quite often on oaks about Auckland, but only occasionally does it do very much damage.