GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") "W.T.M." (New PlymouLli) writes.—"l h.xvo somo very line specimens ol double petunias which I am auxious to perpetu. ate.- As lliey do not seed, please sayhow 1 tan save them—Dy cuttings or layering?" Petunias grow easily from cuttings. The young shoots strike very readily if they are inserted flrmly in sandy soil and kept fairly moist aud shaded from the sun. If 110 young shoots are available just now, cut'back one or two of the old flowering stoma to within a few inches of the ground, and there will soon be a supply of strong young shootß suitable for cuttings. NARCISSI. The planting of narcissi and othor spring flowering bulbs forms the most important part of the work in the garden at.the present timo. Experienced bulb growers are all on one point— the necessity for eajjy planting. I have already, in a previous note, given details of the method of preparing the ground for the reception cf bulbs, but. I would liko now to emphasise one or two important ooints. It has been proved that narcissi like plenty of moisture when they are crowing vigorously, but that 'they like the moisture to pas? through, and not to be stagnant in the soil. To secure these conditions it is necessary to Hi" thoroughly, not onlv the top soil, but also the sub-soil. Very dry sandy soils cannot hold sufficient moisture. A lsyf-r of well-rotted stab.o nianuru or decayed vegetable lubbish should, therefore, be placed about twelve inches be. low the surface of the soil to act as a sponge. It should also be remembered that, narcissi like some gritty, material, such as sharp sand or road grit; m the soil, and tliev liko wood ashes. These two ■fub«t.aTico3 should be uiixod with the Boil. Although narcissi like dec-ply dug or trenched soil to live in. they; at the same timo resent being planted in loose sou. Hence tho necessity for the early preparation of the soil. Ground (hat, has been only recently dug or trenched should, while the soil is dry. bo well trampled unon to produce the nccesearv firmnoss. As a general rule the depth of soil above the neck t.lie bulb should be ono and a half times the depth of the bulb it-self. The bulbs 3hould be placed on a firm base, and. if -possible, on a layer of sand. The soil should be pressed firmly round the bulbs, and the surface soil should be kept looße. Bonedust is perhaps the safest mjinuro to uso for narcissi. It may be mixed, with the soil at planting time, or -used as a top-dressing to be lightly forked in directly after planting. Expensive varieties aTe best planted in a bed by themselves, ivnd as the_ beds look very untidy when th? foliage is dying down, it is best to relegate them to a part of ••'the garden, where they will rot be too noticeable. For making a show in tho garden, bold clumps of commoner kinds may bo planted in the mixed borders. -where their untidiness at the ripening stage may be concealed by other plants growing about them. i Among the yellow trumpet danooils, F-urperor and Glory of- Leiden are. fairly cheap, and make a great show. King Alfred is a glorious yel'ow trumnet. and every bulb grower should endeavour to 1 secure at least ono bulb of thifl variety., Another good yellow trumpot is.., Lord Kooerts The price of those two faricties is not' prohibitive for the average grower Among the -bi-colour trumpets-, Empress is .splendid for massing in the mixed border, Duko of Bedford and Weardalo Perfection aro fairly expensive, averaging 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per bulb, but they should h« added to. the collection if possible. Madame do Graff and Albicans arc two of the best of the white trumpets. _ In the medio-coronati .section (that is thoso having tho rup less than half the length of the perianth segments), Barii Oonspicuus, although old and cheap, is still indispensable. In this class tho following varieties nro good""and not. too expensive:—Albatross, P.lackwcll. C. .1. Backhouse, Duke of Bucclengh, Lucifer, Vesuvius, and Sir Watkin. ... Among tho more expensive varieties Gloria, Mundi and Lady Margaret Boscawen are beautiful. Tho Lcedsii varieties aro a litUo more expensive, but they are certainly worth more. The following aro good and not too prohibitive in price:— Ariadne, Evangeline, Fairy Queen, Waterwitch, White Queen, and White filavo. Every garden should have at least one representative of tho Poeticus daffodil. Iforace is ono of tho finest of this class, its largo scarlet eyo standing out in great relief in the pure while flower. Bomer. Cassandra, and Virgil nro also worthy of note. Among tho doublo narcissi, Golden Rose and Sulphur Phoenix are exquisite. AURICULAS. Wliilo making, our plans for the spring garden wo. must not forget to find a place for a few auricula plants. One naturally 'associate's "with tlie early spring garden: flowers that sire dainty and swcci-sccntcd. Violets, primroses, polyanthus, narcissi, scilla, mußcari, and freesias fill our gardens with tho sweetest of scants, wliilo narcissi, crocuses, and forget-me-nots delight our eyes with their pure and dainty colours. Tho auricula is one of thoso delightful flowers that combines beauty of form -with intenso fragrance. Tho alpine auricula is a delightful plant, early flowering, sweet scented, and of beautiful- colourß. Seed may be sown now in shallow pans containing plenty of sand. Auricula, seed is very slow to germinate, somo of the seed of tlio best plants taking several months. Place tho seed-pan in a, sheltered comer, and cover it with a sheet of glass. For the rest, keep the pan weeded, tho soil fairly moist, and possess your soul in; patience. New plants may bo purchased from nurserymen, and old ones may now be broken up and replanted. Auriculas grow best on tho shady side of a lioubc, or tinder the shade of a deciduous tree. In the latter position they get the sun during wintor, and shade during summer, and that is what thoy like. Before planting auriculas mix- with tho soil plenty of loaf-mould, river sand, arid well-rotted cow manure well broken up. Each year after tho flowering is over tho top inch of soil should bo removed from round auriculas, and should be replaced with a mixture of loam, leaf-nwuld. sand, and broken-up cow manure. This will give tho plants a new rooting ground, and will help to build Tip strong plants for the next season's flowering. SEED SAVING. . It is so difficult now to obtain really good seed of many plants that amateur gardenerß- would be well advised to savo seed from their own plants. . While tho plants are in flower, mark those that are strong, healthy, and free-flowering, and' that bear flowers of good form and pure colour. These are tho ones from which to gather seed. New Zealand is essentially a_ seetiI producing country, and instead of importing seed from other countries v;e should bo sending it to all parts of the world. The seed should be gathorcd, as it ripens, during the dry, sunny part of the day. The pods of such Beeds as antirrhinums, poppies, larkspur, godctia. etc., may be lifted carefully into paper-bags. If the bags are held shut, and then shaken violently the seeds leave the pods easily. The empty pods may then be lifted out, and . the seed labelled and put away. VECETABLES. SILVER BEET. ' 6ow now 6eed of silver beet for winter use. .Beet like a deeply-dug, fairly rich soil. Make the drills about eighteen inches apart. Sprinkle a little bonedust in the bottom of the drills at the timo of sowing tho seed. As soon aB the seedlings are up thin them out to about ono foot apart. Keep the plants well hoed, and feed regularly with weak doses of nitrate of soda. FRENCH BEANS. French heanß are not as a rule given nitrate of soda, but at this timo of the year a weak dose, will be very beneficial to them. First water them thoroughly, then apply the nitrate of soda at tha rate of Joz. to 1 gallon of water. Hoe again aR Boon as the ground is dry enough, aud keep the hoe going. MARROWS AND PUMPKINS. Marrow and pumpkin plants that are malting long vines bearing non-fruiting flowers should have the ends of tho vines pinched off. Side-growths will at once bo thrown out, and most of these will produce a fruit-bearing flower. It i» an advantage to peg down, the vines here and there into some fairly rich soil, at tho same time heading some good rich soil over the vine wlierevor it iB pegged to the ground. Keep the plants well supplied with water without causing sourness of tho soil. "Garden Notes" next week will contain seasonable notcß about. Outtingß, routino work, and vegetables. Messrs. .T. IT. Bethune and Co. advertise a sale to be held at their rooms, FeatherRton Street, February 27, at 2.30 p.m., when they will sell under instructions from the Registrar of the Supreme Court, two sections on The Parade, Island Bay. Full particulars may be obtained from tho office of tho Registrar, the auctioneers, or the mortgagees' Bolicitorn, Messrs. Quick, Ward, and Wylie, 164 Featherston Street, A young man called upon a maid; "Come down, my pretty, love," he said. "I can't" said she, "I'm bathing dear," And I have no proper clothing here." "Oh, slip on something; aren't you game She slipped on the step and down she came, And but for Woods' Great Peppermint Cure The cold she caught would for ajo endure.—Advt.