IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21622, 5 November 1935, Page 8

IN THE GARDEN

—<►— WORK FOR THE WEEK (SPBCIALLY TTBITTIK 108 THS F*E3fl.) IBy W. J. HUMM.] ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Interested. —There are several preparations which will exterminate woodlice. The most effective is phosphorised pollard, the same as used for exterminating rabbits. Place the pollard in shallow receptacles; cover from the rain, and put in positions where the pest congregate. Arsenate of lead powder mixed with bran will also destroy them. As both these preparations are poisons, make sure that animals cannot get at them. Dusting about the plants with Hortnap will also drive the pest off. Large numbers of woodlice may be destroyed by placing a few old bags where they congregate. Examine these each morning, and destroy the woodlice with boiling water.

Orari. —The bloom sent for identification is allium roseum, a species of the onion family. It is a native of Spain. Elmwood. —(1) The fungoid disease on the rose leaves is sercospora rosacola. Remove and burn all affected leaves, spray the plants with cosan colloidal sulphur, using one ounce to four gallons of water. (2) Polyanthus plants may be divided as soon as the flowers fade. Avonside.—The soil lacks humus. Grow and dig in any green crop. Cape barley and blue lupins are good. In late autumn dig the ground deeply, and leave it as rough as possible, to weather during the winter months. Lime the surface, using not less than six ounces to the square yard. The winter rain will wash it in. Use Robin Adair potatoes. Petunias, dianthus, salpiglossis, antirrhinums, geraniums, wallflowers do well in sandy soil. Grafting.—Yes, a flowering cherry may be grafted on to a wild one, although the proper stock for these plants is prunus serrulata. Your best plan would be to graft the stock below the soil, and the grafts will then make their own roots should the stock not suit them. Cut the scions off whilst the trees are dormant, not later than the end of July. It is too late this season. Store in damp sand. Cut the stocks down, and do the grafting about the last week in September. Yes, rhododendrons and azaleas may be grafted, but the practice is not recommended. Both of these plants do far better when on their own roots. Grafted plants are prone to sucker. Layering and seed is the practical way of perpetuating them. Stock and scion affinity play a most important part in all grafted plants. Both rhododendrons and azaleas have a mixed ancestry, and it is difficult to get. a stock which suits them. A primulir.us bulb should bloom from 70 to 80 days after planting. It is difficult to advise what treatment to give the kowhai without seeing it. There must be a cause for the leaves and flowers to be black. Is it growing near silver birch trees? Kowhais should have full exposure. They require all the sun and air possible. They should have good drainage, and be away from the influence of large tree roois. VEGETABLES

Should the weather be fine, take full advantage of the recent rains. Seeds and plants will soon respond, now that the soil is moist. Before sowing or planting, lightly fork over the surface. This will allow the air to penetrate and will sweeten the soil before the crops go in. Do not allow weeds to make their appearance amongst the crops. If a garden is cultivated as it should be, weeds would never have a chance to be above the ground. There are" not many who fully realise the detrimental effect that weeds have on a young, growing crop. Some of the most obvious ways in which they do harm are by robbing the crops of space, food, and water, and of light and air, all of which arc necessary for proper growth. Weeds need food the same as the cultivated crops do. Usually weeds mature much more quickly, and therefore the crops have little chance to make headway if weeds are present. It is surprising how quickly weeds will use up the moisture in the soil. They transpire or pump moisture up from the soil and pass it into the atmosphere by their leaves. Many weeds also have a poisonous effect on the soil, and cultivated crops cannot compete with them. Too many weeds act as host plants both for injurious insect and fungi pests. Where they are not kept under control much of the crop value is lost. Almost any of the vegetables may now be put in. Make small sowings of lettuce, radish and onions—these will be useful for salads. Plant cabbage, cauliflowers, and lettuce plants. Make sowings of the main crops, beet and carrots. For succession, make sowings of carrots, turnips, peas, and beans. Only the robust varieties of peas should be sown now. Those previously sown should be well staked. Air and light play a most important part in the podding of peas. Where peas are left unstaked, air and light only reach one side of the plants, and therefore only half a crop is produced. Continue to plant main crop potatoes.

Tomatoes may now be planted out. If the weather is cold there may be frosts, and it would be as well to give the plants protection at night. Make sowing of cabbage seeds for the winter crop. Blair's Phenomenal, savoys, broccoli, and curly kale are those used for this purpose. Those who require maize should get the seed in within the next week or two. The secret of growing this crop is deep cultivation and a warm, well drained soil. Maize will not grow well when the ground is cold, and for this reason it should not be sown before the soil is warm. When preparing the soil for this crop do not use animal manure to excess as an overrich soil tends to produce fine foliage at the expense of the heads. A dressing of lime some time before sowing the seeds will be to their liking. Superphosphate dusted in when the plants are well up will be of the greatest assistance to the plant. Cultivate between the plants frequently, and should the weather by dry give the plants plenty of water. The drills should be two inches deep and three feet apart. Clumps of seed may be sown every 20 inches or so in the drill, and when the young plants are growing freely, the strongest plant only in each clump should be retained. Do not leave rubbish heaps about in the garden, as they are harbours for insect pests. Wood-lice, snails, slugs; and earwigs protect themselves in such places where the birds cannot find them.

FLOWERS Work in the flower garden is now mostly confined to setting out bedding plants, chrysanthemums, and dahlias. For all these, see that the ground is well cultivated before the plants are set out. The majority of bedding plants require fairly good soil, which has been well stirred. Annuals, like other plants, have two distinct periods of growth, the vegetative or growing period and the flowering period. They have now only a limited time in which to develop and be robust before their flowering period arrives. Remember that their function in life is to mature seed, and this they will do even if they cut short their vegetative period, which means a diminutive plant with fewer flowers. Therefore, plant out good, strong plants in wellcultivated soil, where they can grow to their full development quickly and produce a liberal crop of flowers, the result of which is for the production of seed. By keeping these seeds off, the plants will continue to flower until late autumn. Roses are looking well this season and promise a good display of flowers. If fine specimen blooms are desired it is advisable to thin out where several are developing on the one stem. Retain the central bud and nip off the smaller ones below. All the strength to the shoots will then be concentrated in the support of the remaining bud, and a fine bloom will be the result. All weak or stunted

growths should be removed from the plants, as they are of little value to the plant, and are a rendezvous for aphides, grubs, and other rose pests. Retain only, the strong and healthy shoots, and then there will be less risk of insect and fungoid attacks, and, moreover, the plants will produce finer flowers. After this rain mildew may be expected to attack the plants. As a preventive measure spray the plants with colloidal sulphur, using loz to four gallons of water. The green rose maggot will soon be making its appearance. This pest does much harm to the foliage and buds of roses. Therefore, carefully examine the bushes daily to see if any are present, and if so, remove them by hand. Take particular note of any rolled leaves. Open them, for they are sure to contain one of these pests. Arsenate of lead is effective if applied early, at the rate of one teaspoon to the gallon of water. This may disfigure the foliage for a while, but it will get rid of the pests. Aphides or green fly often make an appearance just before the roses bloom. These insects increase at a great rate, and if not controlled at once will seriously cripple growth. There are several excellent prepared insecticides on the market, and a stock of one of them should always be kept on hand. Hot, soapy water, heated to 115 degrees, and sprayed on while hot, will clean the pests off. Never use water hotter than one can bear the hand in. Now that roses are growing freely and beginning to bloom it will improve the health of the plant and the quality of the blooms if liquid manure is given. In preparing liquid manure from animal droppings always place the quantity required in a coarse bag. Place in the water, and let it steep for at least three days before use. Soot water is also an excellent manure for roses. The soot intensifies the colour of the foliaee and adds brilliance to the colour of the flowers. Apply once a week. Another good liquid manure is made by a mixture of ioz of superphosphate, loz of sulphate of ammonia, and loz of sulphate of iron, wiih three gallons of water to each. Apply once a week. Delphiniums are now making rapid growth. See that they are securely staked as high winds will do great damage to them. Their stems will not withstand much wind pressure. SHRUBS A frequent problem in garden planting is the selection of shrubs suitable for dry and arid positions. Such places are, of course, not congenial to the welfare of the majority of floweringtrees and shrubs usually found in gardens. There are, however, many beautiful flowering plants which not only thrive in these dry and windy places, but often succeed better there than when grown in good soils. No better subject for dry, draughty, or exposed positions can equal the Cytisus or broom family. In nature these plants are found growing to perfection in dry, hungry soil, where other plants could not exist. All the Cytisus family have very few leaves. Branches take "their place, functioning in the same wav as leaves do, only there is less surface for rapid transportation to take place, and therefore the plants can exist without much root moisture. Like all the pea flowered family they develop special root organisms that produce nitrogen nodules; these add greatly to the fertility of the soil, making it possible for the plants to grow in arid positions where the soil is hungry and poor. There are many fine flowered species in cultivation and in the past these have been made good use of. During recent years manv new hybrids have been raised, we now have Cytisus or brooms as they are called with crimson rose, pink, mauve, lilac, cream, white, and variegated flowers. Some only grow a few inches high, while others may grow to more than eight feet in height.