GARDENING NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES.

(By "Experience.") THE GREENHOUSE. Pelargoniums that were cut back some timo ago are by now ready for repotting, new shoots having appeared and grown about an inch or so. Get ready clean pots smaller in size than those the plants aro now in. It is an important matter that the pots be clean. In tho first place' plants do not thrive in dirty pots; tho reason may bo somewhat obscure, but the fact is undoubted. In the second place, if Boil is folt clinging to tho inner side of a pot it becomes embedded in the pores of tho pot, so as to become almost part of the pot; the roots of the plant will take hold of it, and when it is desired to knock the plant out for repotting it frequently cannot be done without rough treatment and much mutilation of roots — in fact, the ball may bo quite brokon up in tho effort to get it out of tho pot. Lastly, if a pot is dirty when a plaut is put into it, it soon becomes much worse, on the principle that like clings to like. A compost should be used of two-thirds fibry loam, the remainder very old manure, either cow or stable manure, and sand, or a portion of good leaf mould if obtainable; a dash of bone meal should be mixed with tho sand before that is added to the compost. Knock the plants out and remove as much of tho old soil as possiblo — that will be nearly all; cut away straggling roots, and repot in smaller pots than those the plants previously occupied. The compost; njist be pressed very firmly about the roots. No water may bo given for a few days after potting, until the plants begin to make now roots. For that reason partly the soil must be in a moi c t state for potting, so that the plants may find some moisture in it as pew roots aro formed ; also because a moist condition will oncourage new root formation; and further, the soil could not be pressed firm if it were dry. No water is at first given, because tho plants having no active roots require none, but if the weather is bright, the plants may be syringed morning and evening, and tho house or frame kept rather close. The syringing will keep tho small quantity of foliage fresh, and a close atmosphere will assist the early formation of roots. Plants that have stood outside all summer, such as azaleas, camellias, etc., should have the drama go looked to. Various things may have- caused the drainago to become choked, and now that more frequent rain may bo expected, it should be put right, or you may find tho pots filled with stagnant water, to the certain injury of the plant. If worms aro tho oauso of tho stoppage, they must be got out of tho soil; this can often be done by smartly rapping tho sides of the pofc with tho knuckles or a Btick, or it may bo necessary to knock tho plant out of tho pot. Cyclamen. — If theso huvo been treated on tho planting-out system they should now be lifted into pots. After potting, place them in a shady frame in a cool position; syringo tho foliage occasionally till they got hold of the f soil. If tho plants hayo Deon grown in pots and stood outside, they may now bo taken in, a cool place with plenty of light will suit them till they are wanted in tho house. Primulas should bo well looked after now, as they aro advancing into flower. Flowers that may be opening now are scarcely wanted, so tho trusses may be cut off to reserve strength. Give the plants plenty of room, so as to encourage good foliage, without which you cannot navo good flowers. If tho soil is very full of roots manure water may bo given two or throe times a week, but not otherwise, for manuro water quickly poisons soil that is not full of roots, and tho plants go siok. Though in the ordinary course the last potting will have been done somo timo ago, there is no rcaaon why plants underpottcd should not havo a shift now, provided always that the plant has not become rootbound. The soil, in case of potting now, in such Circumstances, should have plenty of sand in it, bo that it may bo pressed very firmly round thfi ball. Liboniag that aro growing in tho open ground should havo their roots checked by cutting round with a spade; they mako a largo quantity of roots, and unless some of tho roots aro cut away they require too large pots to hold them. LAWKS. Laying down new lawns ehould be done at onco where convenient. Autumn is & much better time to bow than spring, becauEO it gives timo to get tho ground covered before the spring winds set in To obtain a clean lawn a clean surface soil is essential; therefore it was a wise thing done if the surface was prepared some timo ago, so as to give time for weed seeds in it to grow and the weeds be destroyed. If soil is added for the purpose of lightening the existing soil, or for enriching it, bo careful that it is from a clean source, or yau may get a lawn of weeds. Ryo grass should nevfer bo sown on lawns; it is coarse in blado, and becomes very tough in summer and difficult to cut. The nature of the soil, and its liability as to extremes of dryness or tho reverse, should be considered when selecting the varieties of grass. In fairly good soil, proprly drained, fine-leaved shoep s fescue, crested dogstail, and poa memoralis combined will make a good lawn. If liable to ■bo wet during winter and early spring, as some soils will bo despite drainage, add poa pratensis. If the soil is clayey, or a fine soil added on a clay foundation, as is frequently done about Wellington, then rely mainly on norm. Ihere is more than une agrostis known a* fiorin ; I believe tho variety wanted is correctly named agrostig stolonifera-.it is a fine-!cavod variety The quantity of seed required to sow an acre depends somewhat on the quality of thb soil; if that is good four bushels is enough »A E" i°i v ? ntit , y wiU not cover nuickly, J£ii Brf8 rf" lld be K°? bled if a °- uic>k lawn 'i wanted, or conditions are not too good— 201b equals one bushel. ROSES. The timo for transplanting roses ib now cloho at hand. Tho Eoil is now moist enough to, work with advantage, therefore wherever it is possible the preparation of the soil for rose> should bo taken in hand at once. The period for transplanting oxtends from the middle of April to August; oven later stil tho work may be successfully done when umuual circumstances lender it necessary. The best timo for ransplantmg „ undoubtedly from tho middle of April to the middle of May, because tho plants will bo re-established lefore winter, when they start away in spring as though they had not been shifted It Pay to put the soil in thoroughly good wiH nTn RR ° S n - ar ° grcm M"» ' they Will not do well m poor toil. The proof tho soil. On rich alluvial flats no trenohing is required, and not aiwajs i s manuro requ.re2 at first ; in such cfrcum stances I have grown roses latterly, but this exemption muct not be stretched too wir * ln^ ho ] -' l]ly ground surrounding W ollington there is no soil fit to grow roses without manuring. Trpnching in thrse la=tmontioncd places should bo regarded as a necessity, because Iho depth of loose soil onablos (ho roots to get clown from the dry top-spit. A liberal quantity of manure should bo worked m to tkc full depth of tho trenching If water remains in the soil it should be drained. A general preparation for planting of all kinds should bo pushed forward, for all kinds of tr«i3F, ihrub', and perennial plants aro bent put out in autumn, the growth next scMon b*«insf very much stronger than if the transplanting wcro done in spring

In Iho Ar.hburton dis-trict the mildness of the present ire.a.son is shown by tho apple _ trees, which in a few cases am blooming a second timo, and in one or two in«tances huvo formed fruit, says tho local Guardian. An Ottawa message says that Sir Frederick Borden, Minuter of Militia, has suggested that King Edwaid should confer a medal upon Reynold!!, tlio Canadian Pacific Railway conductor, who distinguishel l himself in the rescue of passengers in the recent railway disaster at Spanish Kiveri