IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17321, 6 December 1921, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN.

WOFtK FOR THE WEEK. t ■ • • ■ • (WICUIIT WEITTEK FOB "iHH '•«»■•") (By J. T. Sisclais.) ANSWERS TO CORKESPONDENT& House Plants.—The small dark insect* on your house p'.ants are ptobaoiy thrips, and the- beet thing for their d-estruction . is.to sponge the l«a.ve3 with some approved insecticide. Repeat this in a . fortnight's time. Ivy.—April and May are the best months in which to take cuttings. Self-layered pic«vj of -ivy con be iifttd vrith :pots aiid planted ajnioet -an;- time so Icng- as the. loots are not allowed to dry up. ~ VEGETABLES. ~" Carrots.—There is always a great demand for yoiing carrots, especially of the short-horn type, during the ' whole of the year. The first sowing is ready for drawing, and another Should be made at once tp keep up the succession. A spot free from wire-worms is of the. utmost importance for this crop, and a frequent dusting of spot, helps to keep off greenfly. Potatoes.—The potato crop generally is looking better this season than lor some years .past, but the recent weather, 'although it has led to a very rapid and showy growth, also seems favourable to the development of-disease. It therefore would be well for growers, as far as possible, to take all possible precautions and spray ihe plants, with rlordeaux mixture. The spraying should be done at least twice—once in December and again in January. Tho mixture can' be bought at the seedsmen. , When spraying, care should be tiken to wet the undersides of the leaves as thoroughly as possible. The application shoVd be liberal, with a view to damp-: ing all the foliage, and if it can be; done" in the evening .when the..air is > quiety it-will be more effective. The idea is to prevent disease appearing, . and tq stimulate healthy growth over a.longer period. It does not follow that there will be no disease in a sprayed plot; but there will be less than in' an unsprayed one, and the crops' -wUI be larger, as well as cleaner. .. ' ".Although: most growers ere this have earthed up their potatoes, many main crops remain yet to he dealt with. In making the ridges, e3peoially if the soil is heavy and moist and the weather wet, some effort should be made to get.. them as pointed as possible; and to leave as few holes'as may be into which water can drain and perhaps etnmd. 'Such holes facilitate, disease. A very good, system of earthing up w;hcre the haulnis are 'abnormally strong' and the plants are in rows wide enough.to do. .'it. well, is that bmployed. in some part 3 of Britain," and; I. believe, very; generally in Sweden.'. Jhe soil is drawn up slightly on' one side, and the haulms laid carefully, over in that - direction; then the, soil'on the'other side is drawn, up higher,.'so that the plants lie .at. an angle from the roots. By this means it is thought the .tubers. are freer from disease, • possibly, because any diseased haulms wjll '• not. stand immediately over them, and.'partly because the tubers, whilst well .covered to prevent get a freer: play ; of light arid air. r. ■ .-■■ •' '-- Tomatoes.—.Plants "growing .outdoors will require regular attention from now onwards until tho crop is ] gathered.' Since ..the',recent' rains the, plants.will have made a good .start.;. "Keep:;,the-. side shoot picked. cut at all tinies from plants trained, to stakes. Attend, regu-fai-l.v^to.' tying,land,-'J'if x pltints'are; a'ga'inst H'waM 'faciiig nor'th,; w'ater'-M'ilr be;'need6d J_',"■.'■■> ['■.'}■ •Peaches.—The final thinning, or-.tne fruits must how be done, its leaving tod many all tlirpiigh thb : 'stoning .prqces.s is. a grbat ; tax on' the trees;, :No'Jiard fl.hd'-fa'st lines', can be- laid.-dbwTT as' the-nurubor: of frhits to.leave on :eacntre'aj- as spme; are; capable of cairying more fruits ' than' others. '"For trees showing signs of becoming too' vigorous there is- nothing better than allowing them to carry; a good .crop of .fniit, to keop-.tlieni.in check. Trees on walls should have the. young growths thinned soih"ewhat,..and' the' othe-i's-' tied in;- and caro. mtis't bb' takin not trf r fe;tain more, than are, necessary • to' furnish,the trees with fruiting'wood /for-nest season: Keep the roots/ well supplied with water, and syringe.th e foliage now and again to keep |t free.frorri insect pests. During • the., 'final' -swelling of- the friiits, ,iho surfa'ce'.of the; soil .should be sprinkled. with a/ good ■ artificial fertiliser. : ; --' ""..,-.' '■ •' '■'■' '' '-.-'■ ■ According to Reports, pears and plums willuot muoli tliinnihg in some districts this season. Apples appear, to be-a more general crop.' Whe?e-tho fruit 'clusters"are."thick""soifte" thinning should: be dohe, as trees -which are overcropped require at least t?ne season.to .recuperate.. -.- -' .-'..•'•'• FLOWERS ; . ,/

Carnations.—Extra fine blossoms; may be obtained by removing "the snVaUer sitte buds before any or" them.snow colour.. ike central; ; ,or. crown, bud;, altfays'cleyelops into the largest flower, possessing inore , petals than .the side ones; oven when all are left to develop. But when.the side buds are.cut btf the btvengthvQf tb e . plant is concentrated m thc.one bud on each stem, and so we get -a .big W'oom.-;Of course, this is only necessary when we want "trie blooms for r any " special purpose, for :exhibition for instance, 'lor ordinary decbration the plant can be grown vnatura%:./'"'' .. '. • ".;.' :,: .... • Chrysanthemums.—Growers will now be anxious to get their plants, which are to carry large blooms, into the pots in which they will flower, and th e work I should be done as goon as possible. The size of pots to use are those which measure from nine to ten inches across the inside at the top of the pot. The larger size should be used for all the vigorous growing varieties. New pots should be soaked in water an hour or eo before being used. As the plants bore to stay in the pots for a considerable time plenty of drainage must be given. The final potting should be firmly done, the soil being rammed about the root of the plant with a blunt stick. This is the only way to get short jointed growth... A loose,, rooty, medium causes the growth to he sappy : and tall. -Keep .the plant in the centre of "the pot, and take care .not to break off th e lower leaves in potting. ■'_ Water the plants in the 6-inch pots an hour or so before Dotting, and do not water the newly, potted-, plants, (for. several days afterwards, or .the-soil "will get sour, but . syring©. overhead several .times a day.- .'■•-. •;• - • For ,a week or so after-potting the pots can be. bunched, closely together, but'-after that time they, should be placed in rows in the open, where they will have full light and ; ah\ The rows should -run north and south sb as to get the wood well-ripened,, and if .the ■pots are :stobd on--'sifted ashes worms will not give much trouble,, and super-, fluous, water will get away .easily.- Moreover/the plants" like, a cool; root, area, such as is afforded by! ashes.. Eighteen inches should be allowed between the .pots, and 2ft. between the rows. If ihere are more than two" rows of pots -leave" a path" from .4 tio 6 feet between the 7 dbuole row■'., of. plants. Staking be seen to.-in time, as a .broken shoot now means -the loss of at, least one'bloom. To-prevent the pots being blbwn over with strong winds, J the sta&s.in the pots should be tied to-a wire stretched : between stout stakes driven 'well'intol the grounds