CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 131, 30 November 1933, Page 22

CORRESPONDENCE

POTATOES FROSTED.

"L.A.8." (Ngaio).—The effect which frost will- have on the crop of potatoes will depend upon the extent of the damage. "Where the foliage is entirely destroyed, growth will cease in the tubers, but where the foliage .is* only

partially damaged the tubers should continue to swell ami the results bo very slightly affected. . KOSES NOT OPENING, ETC. "Buds" "(Miramav). —Somo varieties of roses have this bad habit, the buds refusing to open. As the adjacent trees are quite normal, it may safely be assumed that the particular variety you 'mention, "Earl Haig," is unsuitable for your locality. I think you would be wise to replace it with another similar in colour and which you know does well in your district. ... He anemone seed:'As you remark, there is always (rouble with seeds in the summer, as the surfaco s6il dries out so quickly and the tiny plants aro scorched up before they aro able to put their roots down into cool and moist soil. It is rather late to sow now in any case, better wait till April or May, when they may safely be sown in the open ground. REPAIRING WORN TURF. "Hayseed."—ln the autumn cut out the worn, bare parts and replace with turf as nearly the same as tho original as you can obtain. If some good soil is put in to place the new turf on, so much the better. Be careful to get it level with the surrounding lawn. . . . Leaf mould is a collection of decayed leaves and may be made, where deciduous trees are plentiful, by stacking up the fallen leaves iv autumn and winter. It\is really best to m&ke a shallow pit and place tho leaves in this as they are then less liable to blow about. A sprinkling of cdarse salt over each layer of leaves, will help the heap to decay and also destroy insect pests. Plenty of water may be thrown over the heap, which should always be kept moist to hasten the rotting. .. . Soot water may be mad ; c by placing some soot/in a sugar bag, adding -a halfbrick or a stone to make it sink, and plunging this in a tub of,"water. The

resulting stock solution should be diluted to the colour of weak tea before use... CARNATIONS AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS* "Amateur Gardener" (Miramur). — 'Your carnations are slightly affected with purple spot, a difficult disease to treat; indeed, it is doubtful whether there is any cure. The plants may grow out of it as the season progresses. Much of the trouble with carnations is caused by over manuring. They do. not require any stimulating fertiliser—give plenty, oflinio and wood ashes. . . . The chrysanthemum foliage seems to be affected with rust, and this may be checked by l,spraying the plants with Bordeaux mixture. RUNNER BEANS NOT FORMING. . "Inquirer."—The probable cause of the llowcrs of your "scarlet runner beans falling and pods not forming is that they have flowered too early. They are summer vegetables, and do not ■usually come till well after, the dwarf beans., The dropping of the early blooihs of swfeet peas is common, but unexplained, and probably the same conditions prevail with tho beans. You will almost certainly fiud that there will be j no trouble later in the season. I don't think that you should blame the bees.

For the first time there were uo horses or carts for sale at the annual horse'fair, which was "cried" • open,! according to ancient custom, at Great Hanvood, England, recently.