IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 23 December 1924, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN.

I WORK FOR THE WEEK. \SrtCIALLT TOR "'IHI PEISS. ; (Br J. T. Sinclair.) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Shrub.—(l) The cabbage fly you mention i*, I t&lce it, tho diamond moth. This pest, in dry season?, makes its apr ,earaECC after rscw Year, and is about its worst at the end of "Jfirch. I-) Tree Lucerne /cytisus prrjiifcrus) does rot transplant too well, but is easily raised from seed, and grows 4 or 5 feet during' the year. Tbe shrubs you mention tUI Stow quickly. So do Portugal laurr-is, olearia Fosterii, and ewal!oni» macTantha. I do nnt think you will c.ft manv pl»-nts iivo or si:: feet hifh to start, with. Better consult a nurMrvroan. Coniferous (rec3 do not traiis.}laot w«l! without special preparation when they are over your yeare old. Christinas.—Orer and übove removing V*® r-.ntres of tho blooms I do not know 'i any means of preventing tno per- . fume of Christmas lilies and other flowers. VEGETABLES. Celery.—The plants of this should now be ready for planting in the trenches. Put them out nine or ten inches apart in single or double rows. Take the plants from, the bos with a ball of soil attached, and make them firm in the trench. After planting, a thorough soaking of water should be given, and we here repeat that right throughout its growth the celery plant requires an abundance ol' water; perhaps this was one of the reasons why deep trenches and planting became general. Now, however, it is found better to supply water from above than depend upon the supply from beneath, except in the case of deeply cultivated soils. If it can be managed, shade from hot sun for a few days; this will prevent undue flagging till the plants become established. Seakale.—This must be well supplied with water and manure. Suit, soot, and nitrate of soda can bo applied with the best results, cither as a liquid, or be sprinkled over the ground and well watered in. Leeks. —To obtain the finest sample of leeks the best method is to prepare trenches in the same way as for celery. Previous to planting, the trenches should be taken out one foot deep and fifteen inches wide. Break up the bottom of each trench with a fork, and place in it about six inches of well-deeayed manure or garden refuse. On this place about three inches of the best of the excavated soil, then the trench is ready for the plants, which should be planted one foot apart in a single row. Do not allow them to suffer from the want of water at any time. In Scotland they grow leeks as carefully as celery, and obtain incredible crops, earthing them up gradually, and so securing a long stretch of "white." At times tho growers not only feed them with gruesome liquids, but make brown paper collars for them. For exhibition and other special occasions that may be worth while, but for ordinary purposes it is enough to make a deep drill in well-manured, deeplydug soil, and make a hole four inches or so deep with a dibble; stand the leek seedling in this, and water down heavily about two inches of soil, making it into a black mud over the roots. As the leeks grow, more soil can be pushed into the hole, liquid manure and water being applied freely meanwhile. FRUIT. Cherries. —As soon as the fruit is gathered, the trees can be pruned. By doing the -work at this season there is not the same chance of gumming taking place as when pruned when dormant. Trees planted last winter should have tjie growths pinched and regulated to get them into shape. Old trees need little more dope to them than thinning out crowded and misplaced shoots. Immediately a tree is relieved of its fruit, » good spraying with hellebore should be given to rid the foliage of the slug. FLOWS?®. Hose Cuttings in Water.—The rose roots in water almost as readily as tbe pussy willow. This is a speedy and interesting method of propagation for lady readers during tho summer months. Wide-mouthed, squat bottles or jam jars make excellent vessels. These can be filled up ivith water (rain water for preference), uitd to keep the water pure and sweet a few pieces of charcoal can be put in each bottle. Select nice shoots which have flowered, from six to nine inches long, remove all the bottom leaves, allowing three to remain at the top. If a heel of the old wood can be removed with the shoot, so much the better; if not, make a clean cut just below an eye, and use a sharp knife in doing so, in order not to bruise the stem in any way; place tjie cutting to about one-third in water. Jveep the bottle away from direct sunshine, but keep it in somp warm position. When a nice lot of roots are emitted, pot tho plant very carefully in a small pot filled with a nice porous compost. Shade the plants for a few days after they are potted, and when fresh growth is apparent, give plenty oi' light, air, and moisture. The plants can be set out in their permanent position during winter or spring. Biennials and Perennials. —This is "the season when sowings should be made of plants that enter into tho spring and summer gardening schemes, as, for instance, aubretias, forget-me-nots, wallflowers, hollyhocks, Canterbury bells, sweet Williams, and violas. The geeds may be 6own in low, wooden frames, or in a semi-shaded border out of doors. The surface soil should be raked as smoothly as possible before tho seed is sown, and after sowing a watering should be given through a fine-rose can. Prick out the seedlings directly they can be handled, either agaiu into frames or in well-prepared beds in comparative shade. The plants can be planted in their permanent position in April or May. Cyclamens.—Some of theso can now be put in their flowering pots, using a compost of two-thirds fibrotis loam and one-lthird lof-mouli/, with a liberal addition of sand. An important factor is that the. roots and ball of soil should lie iu a moist condition when potted. The corms shonld be partly out of the soil, and in potting they must not be pressed into it, but a hole should be made so that the soil remains rather ioosc beneath them. This will enable the roots to penetrata better. Place (he pots in a cold frame, and keep the plants shaded from bright sunshine qud syringe under the foliage as much as possible. Water must be applied sparingly until they are well rooted, or the soil may become sonr. If the soil becomes dry, sufficient water should be given to penetrate through, and then withheld until it appears dry again. During summer, cyclamens do well in a cold frame.