GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 251, 17 July 1920, Page 9

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") HOSE PEUNINQ. Roso bushes havo readied a stage when thoy are looking untidy and far from happy, and many of them, aa if to make up for the shabbincss of their loaves are making a brave attempt to prolong their flowering season. The .gardeneV, too, feels that they are spoiling the effect of his trim and tidy winter garden, and in mild districts pruning has already cominonced. It gives one a distinct feeling: of satisfaction to Bee the businessliko look of the newly-pruned rose bushes, especially when they have been thoroughly Bprayed, and are Burrounded by clean, freshly-turned soil. Growers should make themselves familiar with the mimes of their roses and also with their class. That is, whether they are hybrid perpetual, hybrid tea, or tea roses. ' Tho hybrid porpetuals and hybrid teas are pruned first; the teas may be left for another fortnight. Except in mild dirtriots, August la early enough for pruning. On the other hand, in districts subject to sprinj and summer drought, it is sometimes advisable to prune early in order to get the necessary growths. One runs the risk then of late frosts or cold winds spoiling the first crop of flowers, but at least one gets sufficient growth to carry the bushes through the summer drought. , .--

By deferring, the pruning; till August we keep back the growth. The trees may be covered with a fine growth of young foliage when .you go to prune them, but this foliage which is borne on the old wood could never produce fine, lung-stemmed flowers. It has Its uses, however, because its production keeps the buds at the bane of the .trecß dormant.' and theße are the buds that are to produce our now, stronnr growth for this seasonl When pruning, see that the knife or secateurs aiV sharp. Make the rat just.aboye an outside bud or eye. Make a slightly slanting cut, aod have the highest, nart of it just above tho hud, not on the side of the branch nway from the bud. 1 After pruning- lightly prick into, the soil a dressing of tone-, .dust. PEUSING. First, cut away : all Towths that are crowding the centre, and then.cut right out all weak growths. Now ' cut the Btrong- shoots back, leaving only about four to six eyes, and making the cut above an eye that points outwards. Yery strong < shoots may be left with six eyes; weaker ones should be cut back to four eyes. '

To beginners it seems strange that weak growers should be cut back harder than Strong but the point ia that a rosebush must be allowed to 'have only as many shoots as it has strength fo Bunport, A weak-growing rose can support fewer shoots than' a' strong grower: therefore, it is out hard , back, leaving perhaps three or four buds for it to concentrate its strength into. A strong rrower, on the other hand, may be left with as many as six buds, and will have sufficient strength to develop them well. Some roses send out an occasional long, shoot. This should be cut hard back. Newly-nlnnted roseß 'should be cut back <it pruning time, leaving only fcur eyes. It is most important that this should be attended to, as it affects the future vigour of the plant. In vcrv oxnoscd Hardens, ten. roses may be left till the middle of August beforo being nruncd. i Climbing roses .should be treated in the same way 'as dwarf roses' when newly planted. That is to say; the shoots should be cut back to four eyes. You will then net fine, vigorous growth as a Btart for your plants. In subsequent years climbing roßcs need careful handling that they may produce a* pood supply of flowers.. The beat flowers are produced on shocYs that are one year old. Pruning thim 'consists in cutting hack, directly after flowering, some of the older .shoots that have flowered. Try to keep a climbing rose'to joung Bhoots growing from as near tho : I ase as possible. So many climbing roses have lontr, bare stems and all the growth up at the top. By pruning ■ hard back at planting time •ono gives the rose o good start in this direction.

Rambler roses should have the shoots that have flowered out out as soon as the flowering is over. This encourages the plants to produce new shoots, and it is on one-year-old shoots that the test flowers are produced. Therefore, to have a rambler a maBS of flowers, pruning irust take place a year previous to itcwerlnc That is to say, pruning must be done as soon as flowering is over.

Eanksia roses bloom on the twiggy growths. As soon as the flowering is over out baok the. old flowering, stems. All that ■ia needed after this ia to take the tips off the long shoots trat are produced.

Briar roses also should be cut back as Ktcli ■as they have finished flowering. These, roses .also flower on-tho wood that Is produced during the previous Bummer. Do not shorten the tips of the shoots on briar roses, -as it jb on the ends of tho , branches that the best flowejs are produced. *• Do not mulch until tho fummer, as during spring, the roots of roses want all the warmth of the sun that they can get. ROUTINE WORK. It sometimes happens that a very freeflowering climbing rose exhausts all tho soil around it to .such an. extent that new soil is necessary. Carefully fork out the Boil from '-about the roots, taking care not to damage them more than can be helped. Out off with a sharp knifo any roots - that are damaged during the process, and any very large old roots. A clean cut soon heals, and the removal of any very strong roots will encourage the growth of fibrous ones. In place of the old soil, supply a mixture of good earth, decayed leaves, and ashes from aV rubbish fire. Ram this new soil well under and around the roots. Proceed to cover all the roots, pressing the soil firmly about thorn, for firmness Is n.ost essential. The old rose, if the old wood is cut out, will, tako a new lease of life after this treatment. N Rose-pruning affords a chance ot securing some' good rose cuttings. These should bo inserted very firmly in soil to which plenty of sand has t eon added. Insert the cuttings where they can be left for about a year beforo being transplanted. A shoot that has flowered makes the beßt cutting. Remove the dead flower and the lower loaves, cut just below a joint, and (Insert the cutting very firmly. !■' SWEET PEAS; The time will soon arrive when wo must think about making the spring Bowing of sweet peas The ground whore they are to be grown should be prepared as soon as possible now Itemove the top 60i. and thoroughly break up tfco subeoll, working Into it plenty of manure. •It animal manure is not to be had use decayed garden rubbish, dead leaves, or even green manure, and ashes from a wood or rubbish fire. Mix this rubbish thoroughly with, tho subsoil, and al6o a good sprinkling of boacdtist. The sub-' soil should'so worked to a depth of at least two feet, for. sweet peas pre deep rooters. As the spring-sown peas have to' endure tho hot summci weather, the o7 op % 1S d c ?° lci " cho :«>ot-ran the moro lit. will the plants keen. Heturn the top soil, \vnd thoroughly blacken the surface of the soil with soot.. After two or three Jays hoe this well in, and again blacken tho Burfacowlth soot, hoeing it in as before. Continue this treatment .till the time arrives for sowing tho seed.

VEGETABLES. ' Seeds that nay bo sown in the open eround this week arc:Poas, broad beans, and carrots. heeds that may bo sown in pans are:Cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce, , llant out autumn-sown onious, leclfs fettuce ' cabbaEes - ca «liflower, and

A small plantinsr of i otatoes nay be made. If the tubers can l;e surrounded in the trenches with dome dry netting soil, or some soil from a compost heap they will have a better chanco than if surrounded with the cold Boil of the "csetable garden. b Plants of parsley, thyme, mint, and .sasrc may bo put in now. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about :-Gerbera, Argentine pea. and vesetables.

WOMEN AKfTIEARNING. /tt^ o ,' S lank ? 0 "' * wa,l t HEENZO (Hean s Essence), and nothing else I ■nave already tried Heenzo, and if it cost double the price I would willingly pay that prico." The proprietor of HEENZO' (Hoan's Essence) had just stepped into a shop where patent medicines are sold, when a lady customer was using the words above related. Ho was unknown to either shopman or customer. Apparently the lady had formerly tried HEiEuVZO (Mean's Essence) for making her own good family cough and cold remedy, had proved it good, and desired to purchase another bottle.

The man behind the counter wanted to sell her something else—probably he would make a, little more profit for 'him solf-but his "just as good" substituti' didn't appeal. Certainly the lndy was clearly within her ridits. She had asked plainly for HEIENZA (Hean's Essence), and because she had formerly proven its quality and money-saving raluo. insisted upon set. ting that which she wanted—HEENZO. She left, the shop with HEENZO and satisfaction in her hand—she was a wis* woman.