GARDENING NOTES. (By Experience.)

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 47, 25 February 1911, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES. (By Experience.)

THE GREENHOUSE. Primulas should be given as much air as pos&ible, but it is not advisable to expose them to full sunlight. The very fact that the primula flowers throughout wintor in unheated houses should show that it is not a very tender subject, it flowers in tho low temperature of winter, it is evident that a great amount of heat is nob necessary to its growth in summer. Hardy treatment at tins time builds up a strong plant, yofc t'uis must be done without oxpo&ing them coo much to the drying influences of sun and wind, or too frequent watering would be necessary, which would tend to impoverish tho soil, and cause clanger of want of water leading to enfeeblement of the plant. Cinerarias must have as cool treatment ; as can be given ; protect them from strong sunlight by judicious shading, maintaining during tho day a moist atmosphero about the plants, throwing off the shading as soon as the sun is off them, and exposing them to the air as fully as possible. Persist in maintaining about thorn a strong smell of tar, which has proved so effectual in warding off tho leaf-miner moth. Frequent syringing with quassia water also should bo resorted to; it tends to keep away greenfly, and any method of prevention is better than a cure. Cyclamon should bo re-potted. If they are young plants that have not rooted, they should be ready for a shift to flowering pots ; if older plants, they should now be coming into new growth. In tho former case it is merely a shift on, in the latter the old soil should mostly be removed. The best place for tho plants is in a frame in a cool position ; a place where the sun will shine on them £or a few hours in tho early morning, then pass off during the heat of the day, will suit them best, so that they get cool treatment without shade. Failing this, it would bo bettor to plunge tho pots in the open ground than to grow them in a hot placo. owingto tho dry time we have experienced, it will requiro a good deal of care to keep thrip off the plants. A dry, hot atmosphere encourages their increase; counteract this condition as much_as possible — the free use of quassia water is a great help. When the presence of thrip is delected, no time should be lost in clearing tho plants of it. Plants with stout, hard leaves may bo v/ashod with Gishurst's compound, but many plants cannot bo so treated — gloxinias and achimenes, for instance, both of which are liablo to be attacked. Fumigating with tobacco cr X.L. All two nights in succession will clear them, and is tho best remedy if the attack is bad; spraying _ with nicotine may be resorted to in mild attacks, and where fumigating is not convenient, it must bo persisted in till the insects are dead. If a small instrument like those used by barbers is employed, an exceedingly fino mist is formed, and a much stronger solution can be used than would be safe with a coarser instrument. Among other things, look well to your azaloag that are summoring in the open air; a very little neglect in the way of watering may cause great injury, loss of roots, and consequent enfeeblement of the plants, while thrip is more than likely to attack them and may almost denude them of foliage. They require as constant care as plants in the house. I frequently hear of people losing their musk. .This is caused by neglect in watering ; if the soil gets dried up the roots die. People with greenhouses usually put the pots under the stage, on their sides. They will keep all right there ; or stood outside in a shady place they usually survive without much attention. The best plan perhaps for those with no greenhouse, and who grow the plant for room decoration, is to knock the plants out of their pots and plant them out in the open ground; , plenty will come up next spring. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. I am constrained to say once more that it is useless to plant cabbage' plants now ; it is too late. The most they would do would be to make loose loaves. Time in autumn and winter counts different from time in summer. Plants established in time continue to grow more or less during the winter months, but plants put out too late make no headway, and eventually run to seed in spring without hearting. I know of thousands upon thousands of „ plants that have behaved in that manner," and can claim credit for many large consignments sent to market by men who had previously failed because they planted too late. Vacant ground is better filled with turnips ; any of the garden varieties will do well if sown within the month. White Stone, Snowball, and Golden Ball are good sorls to sow. The yellow-fleshed varieties are firmer in texture than the white, and will stand longer before running to seed, they are also of excellent flavour. It is too late to sow swedes. Spinach, if sown at>once, will do well. Gardeners usually prefer the round-leaved variety to the other* or prickly ; though tho former is known as summer and the latter as winter. The summer variety is perfectly hardy in our climate, and the leaves are 'larger than most of the winter variety. Even' though tho soil may bo dry do not delay sowing, or it •will bo too late. After • sowing the seed, and before closing the drills, well water through the rose of a watering pot, then draw the soil over the seeds ; this will keep moisture long enough to bring tho plants -up. The plants {•hould afterwards be thinned to not less than eight inches apart, so as to give every plant room for perfect development. This is not the market grower's plan — he does not gather leaves because he could not fix them in bundles ; he pulls the entire plant, therefore 6ows thickly and thins r.s he goes. Those who buy their spinach get but a very poor article, with" nothing of the succulence of well-grown leaves. Marrows and pumpkins are not promising such large crops ps usual, the dry condition of the soil restricting growth. To make the most of the plants do not; allow the ripening fruit to remain on the vines too long. 1 notice the usual practice with most people is to let them do as they like ; this would not do for the man who has vo get a supply of vegetables from little space. When the rind of the fruit becomes so hard as to be hard to cut with the thumb nail, it is ripe enough to keep, and should be taken off : the plants^ are then relieved of the strain of growing: sped, and can divert 1 hoir energies towards grooving more fruit. The fruit can usually be mo 3(, easily taken off by lifting them, and giving: them a twist backward. They generally break oft' against Hie vine ; the stalk is very hard and difficult to cut. Celery should not be moulded up while very dry at the rooK for if that is done the hanks of soil will prevent rain from reaching the roots, and tho stalks will bcoome soft and oiihy. Givo a thorough watering first, or wait till after a good fall of rain. The dry; weather is hard on tomato plants oven, and size of fruit is below average. For home use I like to see the fruit ripened on the plants That is the only way to get flavour ; but more can be got from a plant it the fruit is gathered ilb soon as it begins to colour, and if the supply is likely to be short this may bp done Growth is, of course, less rampant than i usual, but theie is more than ordinary need not waste any energy, so keep waste growth complete^ in check. THE FRUIT GARDEN. Fruitfulness cannot be obtained by crowding the branches of trees — light am! air must have access to every part. Tho habits of trees vary so lnuclf that, a general rule as to pruning can only apply when one or two rigid forms of training are adopted. Even then j there may be some difference necessary. | Both pear and apple trees exhibit marked difforcuccs in habit of growth and size of foliage, so that a number of branches that would leave one variety with a proper distribution of bearing wcotL. properly exposed to light, might with another make a crowded tree. A treo that is too open will be better than one too crowded. This is a good time to rectify errors ; now the foliage is on it is easy to see where a treo is cro\valr»d, and tho removal of branches that art: in the way will do a vast amount of good by developing spins otherwise shaded. The only pruning to do now is, ho\ve\er, tho removal of branches, not <&orteuing shoots.