LIGHTENING SOIL FOR SEEDS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30447, 22 May 1964, Page 6

LIGHTENING SOIL FOR SEEDS

Can you advise on th* control of the disease that Is attacking the leaves of the enclosed specimen of Protea barbigera? A.B. (Cashmere). The "disease’’ is in fact a scale and it can be controlled 1 by spraying with malathion. Our section is on heavy clay and much hard work is necessary to make the soil into a fine enough state to sow seeds. I have been advised by one person to use sawdust to lighten it, and by another to use sand. Could you suggest a remedy and when should it be carried out? Would it be advisable to sow a green manure crop as I have done in previous autumns?—"Dallington Gardener.” While both sawdust and sand would help to lighten your soil. I feel that most benefit would be obtained from using sawdust. This would increase the organic content of your soil, besides helping to improve its condition. Fresh pine sawdust should be used and. this can either be lightly worked in or applied as a mulch and then worked in later when it has decomposed. Apply the sawdust immediately while the ground is still reasonably dry or' in the spring as the soil begins to dry out. It will be necessary to apply some additional form of

nitrogen to aid in the breakdown of the sawdust and it is suggested that you apply four ounces of sulphate of ammonia to the square yard at the same time as you apply the sawdust. If nitrogen starvation symptoms develop, further applications at lower rates may have to be applied. If you decide to use sawdust I do not advise the sowing of a green manure crop. Could you advise me what to de with my roses which are exhibiting the disease symptoms as on the enclosed specimen? They are both from the variety Superstar which has developed long growths. The disease begins at the top of the stem and travels right down. I have cut back well beyond . the signs of infection but with little success. The other roses had appeared healthy but now there are spots of the disease showing on them. —A.F. (Sumner). 1 Your roses are suffering from one of the cankers of which there are a number which attack roses. The disease eniers through wounds such as pruning cuts so whenever blooms are being cut. or the bushes pruned or dead headed, seal the cut surfaces. All infected wood i removed should be burnt. Ap , plications of Bordeaux are said Ito give some control. Much of

the trouble Is Cue to unbalanced feeding, for the shoots suggest that there has been too much nitrogen applied and thia has produced long, soft and sappy growths. A dressing of sulphate of potash at one ounce to the square yard will help to counteract this and also help to impart more resistance to the bushes against the disease This year for the hast time my camellia “Lady Loeb” has a aumber of seed capsules on it. Can I use the seeds to raise new plants and if so. will the resulting plants be the same as the parent? Could you tell me how I should proceed to sew the seeds’—"Lady Lach" (Christchurch). You can raise .new plants from the seed but the chances of them resembling the parent are extremely remote. Camellia japomca is a very variable species and there are rarely two plants the same in flower, from any batch raised from seed Collect the seed as soon as the capsules show signs of bursting and sow the seed Immediatelv in a lime-free mixture. preferably in a glasshouse or in a sheltered place out of doors. Germination may take some time and the seedlings should be singly potted as soon as they are large enough to , handle. Do not allow them to ! dry out and grow them in a < shady position.