GARDEN NOTES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9132, 17 June 1895, Page 2

GARDEN NOTES.

(Weekly Press and Referee.)

Root-pruning ie work that corrects Nature by checking wood production, and in its place bud creatioD, resulting later Iα fruib cropa. Iα a garden near the residence of a correspondent of a Home contemporary several dozen fine trees, both Apples and Pears, had become gross, the wood producing little fruit. These were without exception so far root-pruned that they were literally laid on to their •idee in the process. Then some fresh soil being furnished, the trees were replaced erect and well attended to, with the result that not a single one suffered. Some fruited well Iα the ensuing summer, and all became full of spurs and fruitbuda. Probably with trees of that iize

and age such severe treatment will never again be required. Aβ to the time for performing work of this description, none is better than the early winter. It may be that where soils are very heavy and saturated, any such work it best left until the land becomes drier, but in all ordinary eoile root-pruning cannot be done too soon. Opiolone differ as to the beat time for head-pruning when root-pruning is done. Some recommend that being done firet, whilst others prefer to leave it till the spring. Under ali ordinary conditions such pruning is bast done in the early winter, but in the case of root-pruned trees it is obvious that any assistauce which can be furnished in the spring to help rootlets to form as quickly as possible is valuable. If root-pruning bus to be left until the spring, it may be the more needful to famish liberal mulchings and waterings.

Hardy Primroses potted up from the open ground and Introduced into the greenhouse will be found to repay the trouble as they will bloom freely and finely. They should be strong roots, and sin pots will be found very euifcable. Heliotropes intended to furnish blooms early in the xprine or for supplying plants for a future time should have slight applications of liquid manure. Climbers on the sides or roof of the house should be reduced, bearing in mind of course, the flowering proclivities of «■ ach kind. Peseion Flowers for instance can very well be thinned out whilst in other cases some -light pruning will be beneficial. Where the climber* are what are termed warm greenhouse plants they should be kept somewhat dry ac the roots which will tend to preeerve them from injury. While the weathe»continues mild winter flowering Heaths will take a liberal supply of water, especially ia the case of plants with the pot full of roots, as these are apt to become dust dry before one it aware of it. They should have a position well exposed to the ligbt. Epacrids also require a good supply of water, and will withstand a much moister atmosphere than their allies the Ericas. Achimenes and Gloxinias should be dried off and kept in a cooler temperature. Where bulbs of the latter were ripened early and sufficient rest given a few may be put into heat for early fl .wering. In this case the bnlba should be as little disturbed as possible but merely given a good watering and tht'n when sufficiently dry a top-dress-ing of rich loan and manure. Place the pots in a warm place. In all small cool greenhouses where the temperature is never allowed to fall befow 40° the fine leaved Begonias should be prominent ornaments. These Begonias are accommodating plants, peculiarly well fifctad for the amateur's In the warm house or stove they are also well suitrd. To cover an unsightly wall few better subjects c tn befaind than these Btgonias, as all they seem to require is just sufficient soil in which to establish themselves, after this their roots will ramify in all directions and cling even to the bare brick work. Christmas Roses may be forced by now introducing them into the house—the floor or stage of a cool vinery is a good place—packing the root* closely together and placing a little soil among them as the work proceeds. Afier receiving a thorough watering little will be afterwards required. Lilacs from the delicious perfume of their fl >wer3 are among the choicest of forced shrubs. After blooming some of them may be planted out and left for a couple of years before being again used, others being shifted and kept entirely in pots. Those planted out should be rootpruned to keep the young root lets in a compact mass, suitable for lifting. Two handy plants which are especially suitable for greenhouse work are Dielytra Sp»ctabilis and Spiraea Aruncus, as they are so exceedingly effective when in flower. When blooming is over the plauts should be divided and plauted out in good soil there to remain for a couple of seasons. Two other Spiraeas, Japonic* and Astilboidea, are also very useful in the same way. It may be remembered that few forced plants are so much benefited by liquid manure in quantity as are the Spiraeas. Great attention should now be paid to the collection and preparation of potting soils for future use. It is during the winter months that the soils of which the gardener stands in most need should be got together. Some old pasture loam, sufficient in quantity for the year, should be cut and stacked. In stacking ifc, place a layer of fie-h hor»e-dung between the layers of sods. The heaps should be exposed to the element*, and the stacks so that enough moisture enters the soil to hasten the decay of the roots of the plants it contains. The soil in which melons and cucumbers have grown may be placed in a shed, and it will be found useful for seed-sowing and other purposes. The mould should be placed under cover. It is not wise or even necessary to prepare it in large quantities, only just as much as will meet the requirements of a month or so. Lime rubble, sand, &c, should be got in. Peat soil should, if fit for use at the time, be placed in sheds, at least that which will be needed during the winter. Large quantities should be stacked, like loam, out of doors, but without any admixture of manure. The following recipe for scale in greenhouses is recommended by a correspondent of the Journal of Horticulture :—" For the scale petroleum mixed with eoftsoap and water is prepared as follows: Sot soap, lib; water, 1 gallon ; petroleum, $ pint. Place the softaoap and

water in an Iron pan over the fire ;

dDdirniio Uiii MUM tin petroln

and stir bristly vri: n a. svsitclx of twigs till the whole oe thoroughly incorporated ; then dilute with hot water to six gallons, and apply wicli a. spraying apparatus or fine syringe at a temperature of 130a>g, This will destroy all soft " scales," bat not the eggfr beneath the older shells ; therefora it will be necessary to repeat the application as essential to effect a thorough clearance. Once the plane is cleared of tho insects they would not appear again without the introduction of a fresh stock, for they are not bred from nothing."