GARDEN NOTES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15512, 12 February 1916, Page 2

GARDEN NOTES.

WORK FOR THE WEEK, ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Amateur. —Tb«> apples you sect are cot attacked br seal© but by scab, which is ono of the worst fungus diseases with which the apple grower has to contend. It ;s too late to do much good by spraying this season. The fruit is £0 badly crac!wd that it will not keep, and the best thins you cm do is to us© it for cooking purposes, burning ail the diseased parts as they arc cut off. "When the leaves drop rake them all itn and burn them. Spray with Bordeaux mixture in winter, and njain in riiXT before the buds burst. Then again when the petals fall, and at intervals of about three weeks afterward#. This is the only cure. A.L. —The di. ; ea. c -> attacking your a-sters i* commonly called "Collar Rot" cr "BlacI: ;:<ck." It attacks the plants from the seedlii;? stase, until they flower. Difi..;r ;;; ;t U' aillOUnt o! SOOt SOmC time before s*t'in;r out the plant 3 is a preventive, although not by any mean~ a sum one. Nothing you can do now will save your plants. Ast-ere should never be p;or.W twice in succession on th 3 same piece of ground, and you must give them fredh quarters lies* season. When sown where tliov are to flower the plants are not «> subject to the disease as vhen rai-"<l in heat. All your plants that are affected should be pulled up and b"? burred, as the longer thev aro left in the soil the more chance has the disease to spread. VEGETABLES. Current Wort.—Continue to plant out kale, savoys, and cabbage as ground becomes vacant. Although late in th<? season leeks set out now will eomc in useful in late spring. A good breadth of spinach lor autumn supply can ijo put in- There is still time-to plant cauliflowers for early winter supplies, il' a sheltered position and a variet;such as Early London .arc sclcctcd. Continue to make successional sowings of lettuce and radish for salads. Globe artichokes should have all mature licads cut off. and be well supplied with water, both clear and liquid. Runnc beans' should be relieved of the pods when these are large enough and. if the flowers arc dropping badly it is a sign of cither lack ot moisture or plant food. Celery can be gone over and have all small basal leaves and suckers removed j to give it a nutty flavour a slight sprinkling of salt can be given, and be wel] watered in.- This, as well as being a manure, is also a moistureretainer, and is of special benefit to this semi-aquatic plant. .Ridge cucumbers should be encouraged by weak applications of liquid manure at least once a week. Do not allow the fruit to become too old before cutting. FRUIT. Ground for Strawberries. —For some time past the cultivation of strawberries has undergone a change. Formerly planting was always done in autumn or spring., but it has been found that bylayering early and planting some time this month larger and earlier fruit is secured. Not only that, but a $c&son is saved. As the plants should be set out in a few weeks' time, attention should now be paid to the preparation of the ground. As to whether manure or not is required depends on the condition of the soil. If in good heart, and if it was well manured for a previous crop, nothing further is required. Cow or pig dung are best for sandy soils, whilst -those tTiat are heavy and tenacious are best treated with road scrapings—free from tar —coarso gnt and liorso manure. The position should be an open one. &nd if the fruit is wanted early a .border with some shelter from the- south-west, is a good one. The strawberry is a deep-rooting subject, and good results c tin not 1)0 obtained on «v shallow soil. The ground should have been broken up to at least the depth of two feet during autumn or winter, and a crop or potatoes or early peas taken off. This gives the site time to consolidate, for, although the plants need a deep soil, they do best in a firm one., If it is necessary to trench the ground now, it must be well trodden before putting out the plants. Another point to be remembered is that at this season newly dug soil soon becomes dry and requires a copious supply of water to penetrate a good depth. Except when the fruit is ripening strawberry ground should never be stinted as regards moisture. and a good soaking should now be given the site it is intended to plant. Growing strawberries in barrels or casks is a method which may appeal to those who have small gardens. A 40gallon cask accommodates about eighteen plants. Four plants can be planted on the top, and three-inch holes for tW others will need to be bored round the sides. " Plenty of drainage should be given, good loam must be used, and a perforated tube or piece of threeinch drain-pipe can be let into the soil ap filling in proceeds. This will greatly help the watering of the lower plants. TTie soil must he made fairly firm, and be of such porosity that water will get freely away. If the barrels have contained oil the inside should be charred so that the oil will not exude from tho wood and get into the soil, and possibly do harm to the roots. Runners for planting out next autumn and spring may still be layered, and, as mentioned a few weeks ago, care should be taken to layer only from fertile plants. When the runners have rooted they can be laid in nursery rows until required for planting out. It is, of. course, too much to expect these runners to bear fruit next but as early planting is not convenient to some, who may not have .the ground ready now, and cannot for some time to come, autumn and spring planting is the only alternative. Although watering the layers put down now is not so imperative as is the case with early layers, roots will be emitted sooner, and the plantlets be more robust, if the soil about tnem is kept nicely moist. Small pots for layering into are not so essential now. and small flat stones are better than pegs. Always utilise the first plant on tho runners—that is the little plant nearest the parent. Three or four at most are enough from each parent plant. Early Pears.—During the next few weeks early pears, sach as "Williams's Bon Chretian and Jargonelle, will require attention, as they are near the ripening period. When left too long on the trees the centres soon become soapy after they are gathered. FLOWERS. Taking the Bud.—An important point in chrysanthemum culture, particularly when large blooms are wanted, is that of "taking tho bud." It is a term employed among chrysanthemum growers. and some have thought it' means pinching out the buds. It really means pinching off the growth shoots which form round the bud, and when these are removed, which should be done gradually, it leaves but one flower to develop on each stem, and the whole strength goes iqto it. It is impossible to grow large, deep, full blooms, suitable for exhibition, unless the buds are retained in good time. This detail of culturo must be observed, oij and off, for several weeks to come. Buds must be retained in February almost invariably, if the resulting blooms, are to reach a high standard. Incurved varieties, which take about )a. week less to open from the time they show colour, •■an be secured early next month. As a matter of course, this process only applies to flowers of large dimensions, though something of the kind is at-

tempted in the case of plants intended for conservatory decoration, when it is thought wise to remove some of tho buds, that the flowers of those remaining may become finer in consequence. Schizanthus (.Butterfly Flower). —Ihis is widely grown as a pot plant, although not so extensively as might be, seeing how easv is its cultivation, and how moderate its needs. Everyone who has a greenhuose from which frost can be excluded during winter should sow some seeds now in order to have flowering plants late spring. Sow the seed sparingly in pots filled with a light porous compost, cover slightly with fine soil. Place the pots in a cool frame or house, and keep close. Lay a sheet of glass over tho pots, until the seedlings show through tho soil, then keep tho pots as near the glass as possible to prevent the seedlings becoming drawn. Later transplant singly into three-inch pots, and some time during late winter transfer into six-inch pots. Always keep them iiT"a light position, water moderately in tlie winter, and freely in early spring, when they begin to grow strongly. Pinks. —Pipings or cuttings of these which have rooted should be pricked out at once six inches apart in good light soil, and grown on until iho final planting in their, flowering position in April. Dahlias. —Tho effectiveness of one s display depends wholly on a few simple details of culture. To begin with, there is the feeding of the plants. Then there is the question of supplying drink: they must be watered very liberallv indeed in dry weather. Then there is the removal of withered flowers, which should be done regularly, for there are few flowers more unsightly than a spent dahlia.