IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18571, 22 December 1925, Page 7

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. (SPICIAIXT WMITTXX TO» "TMK *»I9S.") (Bt J. T. Sixain.) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Exhibition.—The best plan to do with your room plants when you arc away on your .holiday is to piace" them in an ordinary r.inc -washing hath, standing this on the floor in a room getting plonty of light, tut little sun. Pour into the bath water to the depth of one or two inches, sufficient to rise above the drainage in the larger pots. Capillary attraction will keep the soil constantly moist, and the plants will pass the ordeal very well thin. VEGETABLES. Leeks, —As was stated in a previous calendar, it is next to impossible to have the ground too rich for this vegetable. To ensure good specimens, trenches should be prepared as is usually done for celery, and the plants set out at least a foot apart in a single row in each trench. For ordinary use drills can be drawn eighteen inches apart and three inches deep, holes can be made from six to eight inches apart, and the leeks dropped into tlie holes. The soil should not be tightened about the plants as is done when planting cabbages, but the drills should get a good flooding with water which will cover the roots with mud. Leeks are moisture-loving plants, consequently they should never suffer from want of moisture at the roots, and if a hosing overhead can be given, say, once a week, the plants will thrive better for it. Tomatoes.—Plants under glass in cool houses arc ripening their fruit now, and can be assisted by supplying potash, weak and in liquid'form. The removal of laterals and tying up the main stem should bo seen to as required. Plants outside should be given similar attention. A look-out should be kept for black : spot. When noticed all the fruit affected must be removed and burned. Chills, checks, and a humid atmosphere are often the cause of the trouble. Turnips. —In hot, dry weather on shalJow soils turnips are often a failure; on such soils a deep bulbing variety is, perhaps, best for summer use, while on soil containing some strength a flat bulbing root or a round and symmetrical sort like Snowball, may be tried with success. But no matter what soil is at command, or what variety is sown, the bulbs will be hard, stringy, and flavourless unless plenty of water is given. FRUIT. Cherries. —Trees stripped of their fruit should be sprayed with hellebore to destroy the leech which is eating the foliage. One ounce of the powder should bo used to every two gallons of water, and to extract the full strength it can bo made up a day before it. is used. It can bo used almost immediately if a quantity of boiling water is poured over the powder, and be given a good stir up. At the same time water to nt'ako up the balance can bo added, and the mixture applied. Young trees planted last winter can have their growths pinched and regulated to bring them into shape. It is much better to do the work now than when they arc dormant. There is not so much chance of gumming taking place. Older specimens can havo all dead wood cut out, also any misplacod and crowded shoots. Where tho soil is hot and dry a mulch of littery material, after the roots havo been given a good soaking* will go a long way towards keeping the soil cool and moist. •

FLOWERS. Climbing Roses.—Pergolas of repent constructioa should be given a little painstaking attention now, for the roses planted to clothe them are making plenty of growth, and as- on these depends next summer's display, every care should be taken to. prevent them from damage. It is not wise to delay the fastening up of the shoots of climbing subjects, whatever they be, and wherever growing. Until the flowering season is over, the young shoots should be tied in loosely to keep them out of harm's way. Pansies and Violas.—The popularity of pansies and violas is certainly well deserved, for few flowers can bo pointed out which fulfil more admirably so large a number of use 3, whether planted alone or along with other subjects. Propagation may be easily carried out in the open air during spring and summer months, and the strongest plants can, in fact, be struck in summer with the protection of a : wall or fence behind the border,, which will keep the cuttings from being dried or scorched. In taking off young pansy cuttings, a healthy, short-jointed type of shoot should be looked for in every case. Anything in the nature of rank or oversucculent growth should be avoided, for such growths not infrequently prove hollow in the stem, and would, of course, be entirely unlikely to produce the layer of combium cells which provide in their turn the source of secondary or tious roots in the formation of a new plant. The cuttings can be dibbled in sandy soil two inches apart each wav, and an essential point is to make certain that tho base of each cutting rests on the bottom of the hole made with the dibber. A good watering .to settle the soil should be given, and shading afforded until the cuttings "feel their feet!" Pegging Down Plants.—lt is not often that such plants as ivy-leaved geraniums, verbenas,, petunias, and phlox Drummondi are planted sufnciently closely together to cover the whole of the ground. Big bunches ot flowers, with bare patches of soil between, is a common spectacle. The beds have a ragged appearance, and should be connected. Take some long hairpins and peg down a few • growths around the old plants. It will not interfere with the flow.ering of tho plants, for the blooms will still be carried erect, on their stiff stems wherever the growths may be trained. It is so much better to- see a mass of- theso flowers than to see them in patches, and it takes up very little. time to peg the straggling growths in position. Plants of a recumbent nature soon look natural after being pegged down, and the art of training is hidden away. This simple method invariably gives satisfaction.

Weeds in Paths. It is an old adage,-and a very true one, that "ono year's seeding means seven years' weeding," so that to ensure success, the weeds must be taken up and effectively destroyed whencv" they appear, and every effort that will tend to check or finally them must be brought into active force. The best and cheapest mode of keeping walks free from weeds is never to permit ono plant to flower. It is of the Sest importance that their removal should be effected while they arc young, and before the flowers have sumcient time to develop and ripen their seed, otherwise the cultivator ■ will beeon-st-mtlv tormented with fresh batches after every **7 ™ \ f »!% f O Tn aro various modes of keeping down weeds, of which the use of salt is one and it is mosfc c£ective when applied in hot dry weather,' and must be put on thick enough so that it will penetrate a 6 ood depth into tnc sol '* . liehtlv sprinkled on the ground during showery weather, it- simply acts as a manure. g° od dressing, applied an-

nually during dry weather, will prevent the growth of weeds throughout '•"■ the summer, but it must always be remembered that it always shows damp during dewy weather, and makes damp paths damper still. Arsenical solutions, which can be purchased at the seedman's, kill weeds, and; vitriol can also be used. A strong solution of sulphate of copper-(bluestone) is often effectual for years. -All such weedkillers, however, must be handled, with caution,'or live edgings, such as box or grass, will also be destroyed, if not protected from the poisonous properties.