IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22345, 8 March 1938, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK (SPECIiU/r WaiTTEH FOB: THB PEESS.) [By W. J. HUMMJ ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Grateful.—Sow lawn grass seed at the rate of one ounce to the square yard. Armagh Street.—The plant sent In for identification is Grevillea ALpina var dellachiana. Kaiapoi.—The botanical name of the New Zealand red beech is nothofagus fusca. FLOWERS The principal work in the flower garden at present is tidying up. In many ; cases'plants past flowering present an untidy appearance. Seed pods, withered stems, and foliage should be removed. It does not require many withered plants to mar the effect of the whole garden. Keep the surface soil well stirred, as, after autumn rains weed seedlings will germinate very freely. ' If these are not destroyed while quite small they will be difficult to destroy. Vacancies in the borders and beds may be filled with such plants as sweet Williams, pentstemons, wallflowers, hollyhocks, Canterbury bells, carnations, and Iceland poppies. Polyanthus and primroses are showy arid useful flowers. They flower for many months during the spring. Prepare the sqil for these now; plenty of well decayed manure or leaf-mould dug in will suit them. Brompton and .East Lothian stocks may be planted now. Sow hardy annuals to stend through the winter. Keep wallflower plants sprayed with arsenate of lead to destroy leaf-eating grubs. Take cuttings of geraniums, as these strike well now. Plant as soon ] as possible all early flowers: bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, scillas, and all those which make a spring effect. The best results with sweet peas are obtained from autumn sowing. Select an open position in full sun where the drainage is good. To obtain high quality blooms, dig the soil deeply and place plenty of well decayed manure in the bottom of the trench. This will keep the plants working when they have to maintain their full crop, of blooms. Work in at the same time above the manure a sprinkling of blood and bone manure and a little carbonate of lime. Do not sow the seeds until the soil has settled, as no seeds germinate at their best in loose soil. The sweet pea still retains its popularity as a cut flower. A single plant, if it is properly cared for, will give hundreds of flowers through the season. Each year new and better kinds are raised. This yearns list of novelties contains many beautiful and distinct varieties. The following can be recommended as the best of this year's new sorts:—Bonnie Ruffles (pale cream pink), Burpee Blue (clear blue), Cream Gigantic (rich cream), Crinkles (coral pink to cerise), Flagship (deep navy blue), Life (scarlet cerise), Lilac Time (pale soft lilac), Princess Royal (salmon cerise), Red Rover (rich red maroon). Simplicity (chamoise pink on cream), Sextex Pink (clear pink on white). Startler (scarlet cerise). If any early flowering gladioli are needed, do not wait until spring to plant the bulbs. To give the bulbs a chance to produce high-class flowers they should be planted T not later than the present month. Ne Plus Ultra Peach Blossom, and The Bride are distinct colour gladioli. VEGETABLES All vacant plots, if not required at oresent should be sown down with S green crop for digging under. These green crops, wto decomposed will form humus without which the soil cannot be maintained to its fun fertility. Lime, top, aids m no small degree to the soil's fertility. .Unless there is sufficient lime in the soil wheie vegetables are grown oyer a period of years, it is not possible to keep it in a sanitary condition. Autumn is the natural season for weed seeds to germinate. Keep the hoe going and destroy these before they get any size. Continue to sow all salad crops from now onwards. Any radish that are sown should be the black Spanish variety. These are much hardier than the If not already done lift and store the earliest carrots. If allowed to remain in the ground they often split.. Dry sand is excellent to store them in. A sowing of lettuce should be made now. Plant savoys, broccoli, and cabbage for winter and early spring supplies. Earth up the early batch of celery and be careful not to cover the growing centre growth. Carry out this work while the soil is workable. Lift potatoes as they become fit. After autumn rains a second growth often starts in the tubers. Before storing, see that the tubers are dry. Leeks would be improved if liquid manure were given occasionally. If the onions have finished their growth, lift them, dry them, and store them. Prepare ground and sow onions to stand through the winter. . Sow a line of prickly seeded spinach. Young carrots are always useful. Make a sowing - of a stump-rooted kind now. Keep runner beans up to their work by giving liquid manure occasionally. Dust all the cabbage tribe with Derridust to control grubs.

LAWNS

Those who intend sowing lawns this autumn would be well advised to get the work in hand as soon as possible. The soil is at present in a splendid condition for seed germination. If vie ground was deeply dug last spring and kept well cultivated during the summer, no difficulty should be experienced in getting a good strike. If a crop of potatoes have been grown give the ground a shallow working. Level it as far as possible and make it firm. After the first good rain, do the final levelling and put the seed in. All the heeling and rolling that can be put into it will not settle it down as solidly as a Pood rain. There are many seed mixtures used for sowing lawns, and seedsmen can be trusted to make up a mixture suitable for any class of soil or for any purpose. When a fine grass'lawn is needed, a mixture that gives excellent results is one composed of chewings fescue and brown top. Sow this at the rate of lib to 15 square yards. The mixture should be 91b of fescue and lib of brown top. Mix this "thoroughly. If the seed is dusted with red lead before sowing, the birds will not take it. FRUIT For the control of codlin moth and leaf roller grubs spraying will have to be done for some time yet. Many of the late fruiting kinds are not yet free from the attacks of these pests. Use arsenate of lead at the rate of loz to four gallons of water. All fruits infested with codlin grub should be destroyed. . ti ' .. Stone fruit affected with any fungus disease should be. gathered and destroyed. Leaving these on and under the trees to wither is a great mistake. As soon as the fruit is gathered spray with colloidal sulphur. Raspberries should be gone over, cur out the canes that bore the fruit, and burn them. Spray the young canes that are to bear the fruit next season with arsenate of/lead at the strength of lib to 4 gallons of water. Plant out strawberries. Dig in plenty of well rotted manure or leaf-mould as strawberries will do best when the soil is acid. ■„■"■,';. .. ± Those who intend to plant fruit trees this season should get the ground pre-

pared for these as soon as possible, so as to give it time to settle before planting. Trees cannot get a root hold if the soil is full of air pockets.

SHRUBS At present many blue-flowered shrubs are effective. Ceanothus Burkwoodii and Ceanothus Gloire de Versailles are still in bloom. Both these shrubs are well worth planting. Ceratostigma Willmottiana, and caryopteris mastacanthus are two /blue-flowered shrubs which bloom it the present time. Both of these are suitable for small gardens. Pruning consists of cutting out the old flowering wood in the spring. This will encourage the new growth to develop at the base of the plants. On this growth will be borne the flowerj .next autumn.