GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2988, 27 January 1917, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

• Correspondents nro notified that no replies to queries can l>e-furnished.until February 3rd. : ROSES.. " : Banililor roses should have-the ehiJots that havo flowered cut out as eoon Us ihe : flowering ie'iovor. Strong new shoots: will then' bo produced, and, as these are tho • '■flowerin'gV/Bhoois of nest suininoiy they ehould "be carefully tied in. Rambler ; roses produce their best fiW.ore on one-year-old shoots; therefore ns soon as the -floworinfl; is over,. no timo ehould be lost , in attending, to tho pruning.- Cut back also any old woody growths 'to a'.strong -young'shoot, and remove weak , Banisia: rosea should'also be pruned during the summer. Cut ;back tho old .flowering stems. to a strong young shoot.-Long young ehoote will then i>6. produced. Cut the tips of theso to-induce them to; throW out .littlo twiggy,, laterals, for it is .on. theso: that tho floirera <vre produced., Briar roses,- also, should cut .'back .as. Bpon'as they;have', finished , ,flowering, for, they, produce .'their flowers -'.on. the shoots' formed during the..-previous snmrner. Tie ; irt the' strong -yoiing shoots, 1 , taking cave ,'iotrtp damage their tips, for.it is on.t tho ends of .'the ..branches that the'best flowers are-produced."'.- ■ ,:'. . ;.. ■ ■ ./The present- is.;a' good timeVior. layering roses. Choose branohes. that will bend down easily;.nhd-peg them secure-' ly to tho ground.. Before pegging down tho branch dig out ; a-.little ; hole and l -fill it with rich loam-and sand'. Peg'thebranch into this, and. cover it.-.with ,a little heap of tho sanVo mixture. Keep moist till roots are, formed. Tho new plants may be separated from the' par-j' ent late in the spring.; i.and will '.-have" such a fino snpply of strong they will probably* attempt to bear a few flowers the first year..: For the sake of the future strength, of the plants, at is -Trotter to nip'off the flower buds the first 6uramer. This is a much quicker and surer way of increasing one's stock than .by taking cuttings. Don't allow roses to .become overcrowded with new growth. Cut out any, weak ehoots; and allow the air to circulate .freely among the bushes. Overcrowded bushes are always more liable to disease than those that aro kept open to the sun and the air. . , Syringe with hot soan-suds at the first, appearance of green fly on the -new shoots, A.suggestion of kerosene (about a couple of tablespoonsful in a bucket of soapsuds), is a great help in fretting rid of nnhides. Cut off doad Hovers without delay, and keep tie roote (especially of young trees) well suppliedwith water. If possible, allow the water to become ,warm in the sun before -using ;it. ■ ." ■ • .. ■' ' " CUTTINGS. , - Cuttings of various plants may, ' be takon now.. Dig up a spare part of a shady border, and then tread the soil firm. ; Mako drills several inches deep for the cuttings, placing in them about one inch of sand, on a firm base for the ends of the cuttings to rest on. ' Cuttings of geraniums, pelargoniums, most flowering shrubs, pentatemons, antirrhinums, ' roses, calceolarias, carnations, pinks, fuchsias, marguerites.., pan6ies, violas, and lavender may all be taken now. ■ In taking cuttings, cut just below a joint, and see that the base of the cuting rests, in sand of a firm foundation. Pentsteraons, antirrhinums, marguerites, carnations, and oalceolarias make new shoots at the base of the flowering stem. .These are the shoots for cuttings. For roses, a shoot that has flowered makes the best cutting. Remove the dead flower and the lower leaves, out just below a joint, and insert the cutting very firmly. Pelargocfium .and geranium cuttings should be allowed to dry for an hour or two before, being ..planted; all,, other cuttings should be-planted as quickly ■as possible. . ■ , Bβ generous with the sand in striking cuttings. Keep the soil fust moist (not eodden), and the cuttings shaded from the .sun. .Press the earth very firmly I round cuttings, especially round the I base of cuttings. |j^;|;--^7; v ASTERS. Astersi-are now branching fairly freely, and unless- the central bud is wanted it 6hould be -pinched , out as soon as it is formed. The plants must be kept well syringed with clean water to keep a'^ay'green, fly. Keep the soil well hoed rand free from weeds. A good , layer of well-rotted manure should, wherever possible, be spread about the-plants, and copious supplies of water should bo given. Weak liquid manure may be given once a week after a good watering. . .'. • RHUBARB. Winter rhubarb, Topp's Winter, should be allowed to rest now before the leaves die down.' The plants will probably make a good growth of leaves and stems after the picking has stopped, but the leaves, if left, help to make the plants strong for next year. As soon as the plants die down, remove about an inch of the old surface soil, and replace it with a mixture of decayed leaves and well-rotted manure, well covering the crown 3 of the plants in the process. The plants of summer rhubarb need constant supplies of water and liquid manure to keep up the- supply of good -stems. Cut away all decayed leaves : at oncej and keep the plants'free-from weeds. Tho following liquid manure is good for rhubarb: —Three-, ounces of soot and six ounces of guano should be tied up in a piece of Bugar bag or scrim, and then allowed to'stand for a few'days in ten gallons of water. Each plant may haro a thorough soaking with this liquid just ■as it is. ~' '• .' ' ~'■ VEGETABLES. , ' . \ . Celery..:-.,-Plants that are growing freely must, during dry weather, have their leaves and stems thoroughly ami regularly' washed "with clear tepid water. If a little quassia chips solution is added to the water it will help to mako the/ leaves dißtastofnl to insect pests. Buy a pound of quassia chips at a chemist's, put a handful in- a pail of wator, and allow it to stand for ,24 hours. Strain : tho liryjid through fine muslin beforo . using it. Where water is ecarce, celery plants should be given one good soaking" and then a light mulch of woll-dccayod stable , manure or road scrapings.' Seeds. Seeds-'that may be sown, whore necessary, tffis wookaro:— Scarlefc/Bunner Beans.—Sow in ground that has'!, been trenchod and manured. Sow. tho'seeds from six to eight inchesapart, and about two inches deep. ■i I'ronch Beans.—Sow; in drills two feet apart, and havo the seeds six inches apart in tho rows. Dust bonedust in the drills at the timo of sowing tho seed, and givo a slight dressing of superphosphate as soon as tho seedlings are a couplo of -inches high. : Radish. —Sow broadcast in rich, firm grbund,' and ;in, a shady position. ' - Carrots. Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Dust bonedust in the drills whon sowing, arid sprinkle superphosphate along the rows us soon as the seedlings are an inch or so. high. Poas. Sow in drills from 2 to 3 feet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and should have wood ashes mixed with. it. Dust bonedust in tho drills when sowing. - .' . ••■ ' Beet. A light,, sandy soil is the best for beet... Sow the.seed in drills 18 inches apart, and in ground that was manured for • ii' provious crop, manure would bo. harmful to the roots. The ground should be deeply dug, and made firm again beforo sowing tho seed. Dust bonedust iii the drills when sowing. • ,-v . : Lettuce. . .Sow. thinly in'.drills 15 inches apart, and- thin out to 9 inches in the rows. Tho ground ehould be deeply dug and onT-iched with well-decayed manure. Diist bonedust in the drills at tho time of sowing. . Turnips. A further sowing of turnips may be made. Tho ground that has been used for an early crop of peas is most snitable. Boforo sowing tho seed, fork over the ground, and soak it with water. Allow tho ground, to settle before sowing the seed. Turnips need very firm ground. Hoeing must be strictly, attended to as

soon as the seedlings appear, and when-' ovor it is possible water should bo givou. Silver Beet. Need well-worked, Jirm, soil, inoisturo, and quick growth. Son- in deonly-dug, fairly rich soil, in drills 18 inches apart. Sprinkle a littlo bonedust in tho drills when sowing the seed, and as soon as tho seedlings aro well up a slight dressing of superphosphate may bo hoed in. ■Thin out tho seedlings to one foot apart in the rows. ' ■ • ■ • Garden Notes 'next week will contain ' seasonable, notes about:—Enrly-floworing spring bulbs, forgot-mti-nst,: and vegetables.-. Messrs. Thomson, Brownj and East, Ltd., -189 Featheretori Street, offer tS those in search of a small farm property an opportunity, of securing a desirable lot of 230 acres. Farther details elsewhere.