What Is Your Problem?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 14 (Supplement)

What Is Your Problem?

GIjADIOIjI (H' ark worth) write* : I shall be glad of gour expert ad Dice on the following ileum: (1) On digging «;/ gladioli J lind beside* I wo or thrubulbs on the r.onn there are a dozen or two small ones about the size oj garden peas and larger. I have taken these off anil dried them in the sun. 1 intend replanting in about three I reeks. Will these hare blooms to anil extent, and arc tlieii worth replan I - ingt (J) What shall I do to roses that flare been neglected in pruning? The. first pruning was done at a height of 3ft from the ground, and the second shoots are 3ft or 4ft higher. The roses are all good sorts. Some seem to waul some dressing, as they are speckled and hard. (3) I put some winterflowering sweet peas in a trench that has cow manure and garden fertiliser. I hare since noticed in a magazine that on no account should this be (lone. M'hat is to be donef (1) The small bulbs will be all riuht and some of tliem will tlirow some small to medium spikes. They will, however, give some nice young cornis for the following season. It is advisable to remove the outer skin before planting, as some of the varieties are slow in starting unless this is done. In some cases these small bulbils, unless skinned, will remain dormant till the autumn. (2) Roses that have been left too long are rather dilllcult to bring back. In your case cut fairly luinl, cutting back to the best ami plumpest buds and n» low down as possible. If cut back early in winter the rose will break fairly well'. It may retard the flowering slightly. The speckled and hard appearancc is due to the long pruning It would be advisable to give t'ie plants a good dressing of manure. (3) The peas should be all right. Keep (lie soil loose around the plants and put small sticks to keo tbe growth* X t%il

to see why the innntiro should not hnve lxvn used. It is not advisable to use nil excess of niaiiiirt 1 with early-flowering swee! peas, but .vou do not appear to have done so. 1 U.K. aslca : Would you let me know the name of three shruhg I am sending (I) Lagerstroemia indiea. cre]>e mvrtle. (2> Ascelpia curassavica. American s'wallowroot. (H) Correa speciosa, Australian fuchsia. cl. 7 TTIXf/ft a>tic*: Could 1/01/ inform me ax to lite bent time to strike cuttings from ' an apple tree anil which it the best to take, the old or new wood! Apples fan he grown from cuttings, hut ' is not advisable. It is i>est to bud tliem on hlight-proof stocks. However, cuttings I should he made from the present season's growth. Cut them about lft long and insert half their depth in sund.v soil about liin apart. Make tiieni firm and leave them in the cutting bed till next winter. ! CM. (Mount Albert) writes: / enclose a I leaf of silver beet, and would be | pleased if yon can inform me as to I name and cause and how best to j eradicate and prerent the trouble showing on leaf. This occurs alwai/s on the two outer leaves, and in some ease third and fourth outer leaves, lioth old and po 11 ng plants are affected alike. I should be pleased if 1/011 could ad rise me on this matter, for I ho re in a large number of plants now, am; I am considering putting in a further lot. I shall eertainl.u not /hi so unti I can learn some means to protect them. Oue to beet rust. Your onlv protection is to spray with lime sulphur. 1-120. Hew 1 rust is most persistent, especially during) a in tar. '