GARDEN NOTES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15751, 18 November 1916, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES.

VEGETABLES. Boans.—Make another sowing of broad beans for a late crop if wanted. Scarlet runners may yet be sown, and will give a useful crop in autumn after tho crop from the early-sown lot is past. Marrows.—Slugs are tho arcli-enemy of these plants when very young, and it is most annoying to find them eaten and spoilt when just coming through the ground. It is a good practice to keep a mall heap of old soot and limo (mixed in equal quantities) in a dry corner of a shed. This will be found handy to sprinkle over and around young plants. Slugs will then not do the plants much harm. Late Broccoli. —It would be a difficult problem to supply the table with a continual varietv of vegetables during late October without tho help of broccoli; but too often only one sowing of one variety is made, whereas at least two sowings should bo made and two or three late sorts sown. The latter part of October is certainly the best timo to make the main sowing, but if a suecessional one is put in now tho plants from it will give heads all next October. Late Queen, Latest of All. and Yeiteh's Model aro about the best kinds for lato use. Peas. —A sowing of a main crop kind can bo put in. and should tho soil bo dry the drills can be lilled up with water a few hours before the seed is sown.. Plants podding up must not suffer from want, of water, and tho crop will bo much bettor if a littio superphcspliato or guano is sprinkled along the rows and is well watered in. Savoys.—A successional sowing of this should be put in at once, anil another in about three weeks' time. This is ono of the principal sowings of the year, as the resulting plants arc ready for use during winter. To get plants of a sturdy habit tho seed should he thinly sown. Keep tho bed well supplied with water until tho plants arc set out. Cabbage and Cauliflower. —These should be sown and planted as required, and hero again the drills should be well watered somo timo before the plants arc set out. Plants set out some time ago. and aro assuming the hearty attitude, can bo given some nitrate of soda. Eartliing-up should bo seen to in time, so as to induce stoinrooting, and copious waterings must be given during dry weather.

FLOWERS. Carnations from Seed. —This is about the best time to raise a stock of border carnations from sued. Those who have grown only plants from layers would be astonished to see tho slieaf of bloom which conies from a seedling plant. True, a small proportion of these seedlings conic singlo, and these are comparatively worthless. But the proportion is small if hand-fertilised seed is purchased, especially if it is procured from a firm which specialises in this flower. Seedlings are generally vigorous, and the quality of the fiowcrs, too, is splendid. Tho seod should be sown in' shallow boxes filled with light, sandy loam. Cover very lightly and lay a sheet of glass over the box, place in a frame, and shade from the sun. A large boxcan be used in place of a frame, but should, of course, bo covered with glass. Gloxinias. —Young plants raised from seed sown in August and afterwards pricked off into boxes should now be large enough for putting on into pots. Tlioy will need shading and plenty of moisture in the atmosphere. Older plants that are further advanced will benefit by occasional waterings with liquid manure. As they come into flower they will not require quite as much moisture. Tulips.—When these are left in the same piece of ground -several years in succession they are liable to become diseased. One of the best means of keeping the bulbs healthy is to lift them every year. Late varieties should be well enough matured by now, and can be lifted, although all the foliage has not died down. For a time the bulbs can be kept in a box in a shed until the foliage lias quite gone, when they can be well dried off and stored in sand till next autumn. St. Brigid Anemones. —These can be sown now in boxes, which can be placed in a cold frame in the manner described above for carnations. If sown outside, the border must be well dug and get plenty of leaf soil or well-dc-cayed manure worked in. A position with partial shade suits this plant admirably. Feeding the Roses.—The number of exhibitors in comparison with the multitude who grow roses for the sheer delight of seeing them in bloom in their gardens is infinitesimal. Tho vast majority prefer quantity, while not despising the delights of. quality. To get the best results from the bushes they must be fed. The amateur soon comes to realise that the rose is what the professional gardener calls a gross-feeder— that is to say. that it likes its stimulant often, especially in the case of established bushes. If one knows enough about the constituents of chemical manures arid their special properties-, oue can use them to the best advantage as food for roses. But if one does not, it is far safer to depend upon animal manures, and to use them in liquid form in summer. Sheep, cow, horse and fowl manure arc all good for roses. Any of these can be tied in a coarse piece of sacking and put in a tub of water. It should remain in the water about three days. Some can be put in the watering-can and be diluted with clear water until it is the colour of weak tea. This can then be poured round tho bushes. In showery weather, if tho soil is moist, tho liquid manure will soon penetrate to the roots, but in dry weather it will be necessary to moisten the ground thoroughly with clear water, and then to apply the liquid manure in the manner suggested. Soot is a splendid fertiliser, especially in its power to intensify the colour of the blooms, and. it is a good plan to add a little soot to each of the manures as they are placed in tho bags. A quarter of an ounce each of superphosphates and sulphate of ammonia can be used to a gallon of water; these are both excellent stimulants.