GARDEN NOTES.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14758, 30 August 1913, Page 9

GARDEN NOTES.

■ » (By Horttjs.) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Ne'soii."—ln roply to your quory tc green fly on your pelargoniums, the best way for you to m.t r.d of this poet will lie ■to spray the plants with very hot water several ticios. The water to be as hot as ie jx>MiMi> to Israr tho band in it. tTader tho conditions you prow your plants, it would not bo possible to fumigate, which is the most' successful way of getting nd of this pet.i. GENERAL REMARKS. Since last noi-es ouiK'arod tho country has boon deluged with rain. In consequence garden work Ims received a ohivk. The soil in many nlacrs is I very wet, and will not bo tit to work j for a few days. The>o who have thoroughly drained thoir ground will suffer no delay, us the water gets a way at once and no damage will result by working the soil at any time. Sandy .*cils will fc-el the benefit of tho rainfall, and in such sites seed sowing may be started at or.cc. Another fortnight's delay in se<-\! sowing v,:il shoiv by those who gartiou on land which is ot' a cold and heavy character. Next week's notes will give a list of seeds to sow. In consequence of cold wet weather the promise i»f an early snrim; is not likely to be fulfilled. ' Anything that has made an early start has received a check, and until tho soil becomes warmer and drier not much growth will take place. So far tho willows have displayed tho most excited character thus spring, coming into l«if from two to three weeks earlier than usual. Spring flowers such as primroses, narcissus, and crocus have shown greater discretion, and have not been tempted to make an early start. Judging by pearnnces, the bulk of the narcissi should just be fit for the show, which is to be held about the usual date. In passing it is worth noting that oven in spite of roncatw! warnings in these notes to delay seed sowing till the middle of next month, yet renders have been tempted by the hue weather to plant potatoes and sow seeds which are susceptible to wet. Reports to hand state, that wmo lncfy peor»lr> have planted potatoes while the weather was fine, and now have to witness the Ground in which they are set filled with moisture, so wet thnt it cannot be walked n i>oll. Even should some of the sets irrow they will remain weak in , growth all the season and give poor returns. To wait and plant out when the soil is dry and the air warm •will under even poor conditions give more profitable results than the hustling methods adopted by some. FLOWER GARDEN. Dnrinct the week "Hortus" has been asked if it is not too Into to transplant flowering shrubs. In reply it may bo stated that it all depends on this activity and excitability of tho plant. Another factor which will affect tho position is if these excitable plants have been transplanted during tho winter or not. If Cydonias, Primus of sorts. Hoses, and" other, early starters have not been lifted and laid in, then those plants should be allowed to remain till next autumn before transplanting, but if they have boon moved during tho winter they may bo sot out for some time yet. All kinds of overgreen shrubs may bo moved with safety for many weeks yet. This refers to Rhododendrons, Camellias, Escallonias, Laurestinas, Laurels, Privot, and a host of others. As.a matter of fact nurserymen all over tho country are just starting to set out their flowcriug shrubs for next season's sale, and will not complete such planting till the end of October. They adopt the principle of planting tho deciduous trees and shrubs firs£, leaving tho evergreens to finish with. Another question asked is when should violets be divided and planted. Tho reply is just after they have finished blooming. If the plants are lifted and the best crowns set out in a rich soil well prepared, they will got a grip at once and build themselves up for display of blooms for next' season. This. principle should be adopted every two three-years,- arid thus keep tho stools in vigorous health. Some successful violet growers keep up a regular system of making fresh beds and so keep up a succession of healthy plants. Should the plants show signs of being spent they throw them away. Sometimes they adopt the principle of sustaining them by top feeding with stimulant food, and so get . a further continuance of bloom. The best way, however, is to keep up the quantity by making fresh plantations every two or three years. For tho next, six weeks' the spring-flowering shrubs will be, much in evidence. Compared with the varieties grown twenty or thirty years ago, the sorte grown now denote;in a very marked degree the advance that has been made in this branch of horticulture. . To tho plant collector tho world is much indebted, and co-related with his work is thnt done by tho hybridist. When one thinks of the Pyrus family, the Prunus family, the host of Odonias of every shade of colour, tho Spireas, the Japanese Magnolias, the Amygdalus, the Tree Pseonies, and many others of the best spring-flowering shrubs which years ago were hardly known,' but now to be seen in many gardens, it enablesono to understand the progress that has been made among the flowering shrubs. For tho next few weeks flower lovers will enjoy the feast of colour, which will make itself felt everywhere. Any or all of the small plants suggested in last week's notes to be set out at this season, should be held back for a few days till the soil is drier. Such small-rooted plants resent being set out in sticky ground, but will grip at orco when tho soil is free and work-, able. KITCHEN GARDEN. Make all preparations in tho way of working soil, digging in manure, and buying seeds, but do not start sowing for another ten days or a fortnight. This refers to the average garden, where the soil is of a cold, stiff nature. As stated in previous notes, sandy soils and in warm, dry positions these warnings do not apply. In such early spots seed-sowing should bo completed at an early date.

With September in sight the fever of gardening will soon be at it* height, and towards the end of the month few people in the town and country will have escaped its attack. "With some tho epidemic of gardening will not be of a lasting nature-, others, however, will not get rid of it for the season.