In the Garden

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1927, Page 27

In the Garden

IMPORTANT CROPS

AFFECTED BY DRY WEATHER &XSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS . Notice to Correspondeuts.—Once again attention is dawn* to the rules governing-corres-* poudencc. ■'* Inquiries cannot bo answered unless tho namo and. address of tho writer is given. A letter was received tills .week with, neither name, address, or norn do -plume. Inquiries on- any subject connected with gardening will be answered, and any matter of interest to gardeners sent In by readers of this column will be gladly received, providing the requirements mentioned are complied with." s "Plums."—The plums sent were inflected with "Brown Hot," one of the most difficult diseases to combat. The correct method of control Is to prune the trees while still In leaf, carefully removing any dead wood or, twigs or branches showing signs of canker. All affected fruits should be' picked and burned as they are liable to spread the disease to other trees. Spraying should be done as follows:— (1) When buds begin to swell, Bordeaux or 1-15 lime sulphur; (2) in early pink stage, 1-15 lime sulphur; (3) petal fall, 1-120 lime sulphur ; (4) one month later, 1-120 lime sulphur; (5) when fruits are half-grown, 1-120 Hme sulphur; (6) just prior to maturity, 1-120 lime sulphur. A phaniphlet (No. 101) issued by the Department' of Agriculture deals with tho disease, and It would be worth your while to get It. ■■■-..

A.B.C.—It is very difficult to get a stiff clay soil into good condition. What it needs probably more than anything else is humusgood strawy stable manure for preference, and if you could put in a crop of potatoes prior to sowing it down that would help a lot towards breaking up tha clay. Lime is useful, but without plenty of working you are sure to have with it cracking when it gets very dry. . Before sowing down the lawn, bo sure the drainage is all right, as if this Is not attended to the. stagnant water lying at the roots of tho grass will preveut the grass from thriving. Another point to be carefully obServed is that such soil should not bo rolled while wrf. It would really pay you to spend a season or two getting the soil into good condition, as once the lawn is laid down it Is intended to "remain for years. .Tho best time to prune camellias, as with air flowering shrubs, is diroctly after floworing. These shrubs do not require much cutting beyond removing dead flowers and cutting out tho inside' growths and generally shaping the tree. Geraniums may bo raised from cuttings at almost any time of year, but the autumn is best. Hake tho cuttings from (i to 9 inches long, cut directly below a joint and remove the lower leaves. Insert in some fight sandy soil to a depth of one inch at most in a sunny position for preference. If tho cuttings are I very- sappy they are better left out of the ' around, for a few hours after preparing them.I Tho;. best time to sow delphinium seed is in August or September, as then the. plants would ! llower the following spring. They may bo sown, now, however, with every chance of success, although the plants would not flower probably for two years. JChalictrum ilipteracarpum may be sown now." Sow thinly and keep them free from weeds until the winter, when tho little plants may be lifted and planted out. As botli these plants are perennial, and are likely to remain for many years in the one position, the ground should be well prepared to a good depth, enriching it with stable manure or other humus and bonedust. "H.N.F.," Kelburn, writes: "I wish to ask your advice as to what to do with a peach tree. This is the third year since procuring it from tho nurseryman; it has flowered freely, but few flowers set, and what did set cither fell or were blown off. It has made wonderful growth, and the new wood is from three to four feet long. Would it be right to summer nruno these branches, and to what extent? To arrest such luxuriant growth and to induce tlie tree to flower freely and the flowers to set, would it be advisable to, root- prune the tree in the autumn? The tree 'is grown against a shed, and is free from blight of any kind. In tho first place i. should bo borne in mind that tho last two seasons have been rather hard on stone fruits, the weather having been cold and boisterous when the trees were in flower, causing much pf'tho blossom'to be spoilt. It would bo wise* in your case to summer prune >o the extent of thinning out lateral .growths them back to base eyes—and short--^EMS:. the. leaders only moderately, say to half ■>r twb-tiilrd"i' vth*etF"lehgthT"*''Thls will allowho sun to get to the wood which requires to )0 ripened. Root pruning is not much encour>Kod now^a-days, it being generally accepted hat a tree requires all its roots to enable it o produce to its limit. The cause of the failure of the fruit to set may be lack of pol.ination. It is always advisable to have two vees of tile same kind, but of different varieties, which bloom at the samo time, to ensure toss fertilisation. You are fortunate in having no dlseaso of any kind. Any large cuts made during pruning or any wounds which may be caused by breakages, should be covered with a coating; of tar or paint, to prevent tho entry of .fungoid spores. ARtEBTCIAL WATERING.

Both ■flowers and vegetables are getting very; scarce,: due to the failure of early summer-planted subjects as a re.mlt of the long spell of dry weather. Artificial watering is an.impossible task i in* extended gardens, and unless done I regularly-and .thoroughly is liable to do more harm than good. To water plants when the ground is so hot induces -rank sappy growth, which is bound; to suffer unless th,e treatment is continued. As far as possible the gardener's energies along these lines should !;bp concentrated upon the more import- | ant crops; It is better.to do what is possible. to save the winter.- vegetable crops, even at"the expense of present crops, iather than to attempt the impossible task of saving all. The same applies to the flower garden. Most of I the summer flowering annuals—-with the \ exception, of zinnias, marigolds^ and a [few others which withstand droughthave proved st failure this season, and ' very little can- be done with them. The late summer and autumn flowering plants, such 'as chrysanthemums, dahlias,: etc., may, however, be saved by judicious and regular-watering and by keeping the surface soil loosened up. Summer flowering, bulbs—Belladonna lilies, nerines, brunsrigias, a*nd valottas —which a,re: just -commencing to come into bloom, should be kept moist throughout their growing season. If allowed to sufler from drought, the blooms will be poor and the foliage will die off too quickly, not giving the plants a chance to build up good bulbs for next season's blooming. BED SPIDER. During dry spells Ted spider becomes very troublesome on violets and many otner plants. These pests, which are really mites, shelter on the undersides of the leave*, where they form webs, causing the foliage to turn a rusty colour. They hate moisture, and only flourish when dry conditions prevail. Keeping the plants moist will get rid of them, but this is impossible under present weather conditions. Spraying the plants with lime sulphur solution will destroy the pests' if the spray can be made to reach them. With violet borders it is best to remove most of_ the foliage, fork over the surface, pricking in a little bonedust at the same time, and to give a good watering. The water will carry the bonedust to the roots, and new growth soon comes away. Affected leaves which are removed should be burnt. Seed of wallflowers, cinerarias, stocks antirrhinums, etc., as mentioned last week, may be sown now. It, will bo best to make the seed beds in a position shaded from direct sun, and they must bo kept j moist, otherwise the seed will germinate and the tiny seedlings be burnt up before they are able to get their roots down to moisture In all cases seed should be sown thinly, and the seedlings thinned out as soon' as large enough to handle. If allowed to remain crowded in the aeed beds they become drawn and spindly and seldom make good plants. The planting of spring flowering bulbs should be continued as previously advised. The earlier theso are in the better, as this | gives them a chance to make good root growth before they start into growth above ground. ! THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. As the onion crops ripen—that is when the tops turn colour and start to dio off—they should be lifted and laid on tho ground to thoroughly dry off before storing. Turn them over occasionally to ensure thorough drying on both sides. The beds should be kept

By "PRACTICAL

free from' weeds until the crop is harvested. Carrots, parsnips, and beet intended for winter use should be thinned as early as possible. Where the crops have failed, and tMs is very liable to occur during such an exceptionally dry season as the present, or where sufficient provision has not been made, a further sowing may be put in at once. {These will not got very large, but should attain a useful size. French and butter beans may still be sown in localities which are frost free. Lettuce .should bo sown in drills thinly and then thinned out when large enough to 9in apart. The pulling of rhubarb should cease, and the beds bo" dressed with. stable manure where possible. Any flower heads should beremoved as .soon as they appear.

Asparagus beds should receive attention. .Cutting should have ceased before this, and as next season's crop depends upon the growth made during summer encouragements should be given the plants by thprough watering occasionally during dry weather. A dressing of loz' of /nitrate of soda to the square yard', applied before watering, and followed by a good application of liquid cow manure, will have good results. ''■■■?■. '-:: '■( : ':■ : '■"..■ Tpniatoes. inquire constant attention. Spraying should': be done'regularly with Bordeaux ■ mixture to- keep the 'plants, free from blight, and with the Bordeaux spray should, bo, added arsenate of lead >to keep- down the grubs. Lateral growths should be rubbed .out as they appear. Undue development of these is made at the expense* of the fruit. The tops of the plants may be nipped above th-v fifth bunch of fruit. In the warmest parts, celery may be planted- iintil-'the, end of. this -month. For latteplaii ting the self-b.leaching varieties are th,e -best, as they, mature., quicker." - * ' • ■ '.'■'■ ■_' ' vPumpkins ajjd 'marrows; are.makingrank growth where sufficient water is available. These plants'"require to bo kept within .bounds, particularly where space is limited. If allowed to grow as they wish, they quickly over-grow other crops, and take possession of the garden. The 4nain growths should bo shortened, and growths generally trained in so that they may be kept within bounds. Potatoes should be ready for lifting. Nothing is gained by allowing ttiem to remain in the ground after the haulms start to die off—in fact, much damage may be done by so doing. As soon as rain comes the tubers start again into growth, and when this occurs their keeping properties are much impaired. . If it is intended to save seed, good shaped tubers, about the size of au egg should be chosen. These should be allowed to remain in the sun for a few days to green, after which they may be placed in shallow boxes and stored away in a light, airy shed. '