TALK TO GARDEN CIRCLE MEMBERS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 21, 19 October 1938, Page 6

TALK TO GARDEN CIRCLE MEMBERS

“If the rose is the ‘queen of flowers, I consider the earnation the 'princess royal.’ ”• said Mr. YV. H. Scummell, Karon, in a talk on the growing and propagating ' of carnations to the garden circle of the Hutt Valley Horticultural Society. , The picotees enjoyed a long flowering season, flowering all the year. he. said. They required a light, warm, sandy soil, preferred open spaces and dry air, and disliked being crowded. The ground should be well trenched and half a pound of lime, basic slag or bone manure to the square yard applied. The plants would not thrive in waterlogged ground and should be planted firmly. They should be given a topdressing of leaf mould, burnt earth or soot in reason, or a carnation fertiliser. If the plants were propagated by the old-fashioned layering method, done properly, few would be lost. lie had found the planting of cuttings quicker and easier and most successful. Iropagating bv seed was risky and frequently only one good plant resulted. The first and 'Second-year border carnations were the finest; after that they, deteriorated. If third-year blooms were to be of any size or quality it was necessary to bud them well. Bamboo stakes were most, suitable for first-year blooms or a wire.support with a hoop at the top, but ti was difficult to get the wire to stay in the soil. A wire spiral was a good support for the flower stems. For big plants in the second or third year wire-netting was the bent support. be considered in show blooms were size, colour, marking, form, vigour and perfume. On the motion of Mr. S. J. Cook a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Scummell and on that of Miss M ilson a vote of thanks to the men members of the circle who provided and served supper. Miss C. Fraser, secretary of the circle, presented Mrs. Hansford-Johnson with a bouquet of variously shaded wallflowers in recognition of her assistance to the circle. Miss Fraser was then presented with a tall vase ami a P<*?y of heliotrope clematis and maidenhair fern by the president. Mr. YV. Smith, who said he felt the circle could not have earned on without her, as she had arranged most of the talks. . Mrs. xY. R. Gower, an active member of the circle, was welcomed home after, a tour abroad. ■