SEED-SOWING THINNING OUT PLANTS BANKSIAN ROSE CORRESPONDENCE POLICE SIEGE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 150, 27 June 1935, Page 25

SEED-SOWING

THINNING OUT PLANTS

BANKSIAN ROSE

CORRESPONDENCE

POLICE SIEGE

TO OBTAIN BEST RESULTS

IN BOXES OR THE OPEN GROUND ,

The wise gardener will be making every effort to have his various plots in good condition for seed-lowing by proper preparation-of the ground. It is not wise, hbweveiytq sow too early, as although the .Weather is quite mild in spells, at this; time, the worst of the winter; weather invariably conies after the shortest day. It is therefore better to have; patience and postpone seed-sowing in the ; open ground until later, when there is more warmth in the soil. "When sown too-early many seeds rot- in "the ground through the lack of warmth which is necessary for germination. 1 Where it is." desired' to have early seedlings they.should be raised in boxes under glass. Suitable boxes may be made by cutting benzine cases in three lengthwise. It is not advisable to have the boxes too deep. Benzine tins may also be used, but these should have plenty of holes punched in th 6 bottom to ensure good drainage. The making of seed boxes is a suitable wet-weather job when outdoor work is. impossible. The soil for the .seed boxes should be a good sandy loam containing plenty of humus, and it should be pressed clown firmly before; .the se^d 'is. sown., In many cases the failure of seeds to germinate, and the poor growth of the seedlings which do come may be traced to the soil being too loose. There are three external requisites to the germination of seeds, namely, moisture, free oxygen, and a definite temperature. These requisites are. demanded in different degrees and "jsroportions by seeds of a different species, or even by seeds of the same species when differing widely in age or in degree of maturity. It is necessary that the seeds shall not be planted too deeply, that the soil is porous and not overloaded with moisture. Moisture and temperature, however, must be carefully regulated. The soil should be simply very slightly moist, never wet. Seeds should always be watered with care; drenchings usually weaken or destroy them. The earth should be merely kept damp. To prevent too rapid drying out the soil should be firmly pressed about the seeds. The boxes should be given a shady place or some covering may be supplied to check evaporation. A pane of glass! is often placed over the box, being tilted, a little, at intervals. to allow of ventilation and to prevent the soil from becoming soggy or sour. A thin covering of fine moss is sometimes used or a newspaper may be. placed over the soil. ' '■' ■ . For sowing in the open ground only a naturally ;dry and,well-drained soil should be chosen for all ordinary seeds, especially, for such as are sown in the autumn or remain in the ground a long time before germinating. Soils which contain a liberal amount of sand or fine gravel are especially suitable for this purpose. To prevent drying out in outdoor culture it is important that the soil be well'firmed over the seeds: Variations in temperature exercise less influence upon seeds than variations in moisture. Seeds wijl endure greater extremes of temperature when dry than when moist. This indicates that germinating seeds must be kept in a comparttively uniform temperature. Partial or complete shade serves the double purpose of preventing too great heat A and too rapid evaporation. The proper depth for sowing seeds varies directly with the size of the seed. The chief advantage of very fine soil for small seeds is the greater exactness of depth of covering which it allows. Very fine seeds should be sown upon the surface which has been previously well firmed and levelled, and then covered with a very thin layer of finely-sifted soil or a little old or dead moss rubbed through a sieve. This covering should be scarcely deeper than the thickness of the seeds; that is, the seeds should be barely covered.

For the proper development of the plants it is necessary that vegetable crops should not be unduly crowded. Best results, according to a grower with much experience, are secured if the final distance, after thinning has been carried out, is approximately that given in the table below. The first figure indicates the distance between the plants in the rows and the second figure the space which should be allowed between the rows themselves: — Beans, broad, 6in by 24in. , Beans, French, 6in by 24in. Beans, runner, 12in by 24in. Beetroot, 9in by 12in. Broccoli, 24in by 24in. Brussels sprouts, 24in by 30in. Cabbages, 12in by 15in, or 12in by 18in. Carrots, 9in by 15in. Cauliflowers, 24in by 30in. Celery, 9in by 48in. Endive, 9in by 12in. Kale or borecole, 24in by 30in. Leeks, 12in by 24in. Lettuces* Gin by, 12in.

Onions, 6in by 9in, or 9in by 12in. Parsnips, 12in by 15in. Peas vary with height. Dwarf kind should be 2in by 24in; medium," 4in by 48in; tall, 6in by 72in. . s Potatoes, early, 9in by 24in. Potatoes, late, 12in by 36in. Savoys, 12in by 15in, or 12in by 18in. . Shallots, 6in by 12iri. Turnips, 6in or 7in by 12in. Vegetable marrows.—Each plant should be allowed a space of three square yards.

DEQLINING POPULARITY

Seldom does one see the Banksian rose today, "'says a writer in the "Gardeners' Chronicle." But even today, in spite of its diminished popularity, in its own realm the Banksian rose has no peer; that is to say, it is pre-emin-ently the best rose for covering the lofty, bare walls of a dwelling-house or other building. The reason for its fall from favour is not hard to find; it Is due to the inexperience of ]the people who have^failed to flower it successfully. It will bloom freely and beautifullyif it is pruned correctly. A valuable addition to its many qualities is the evergreen persistence of its mildewproof foliage throughout the winter. With the Banksian rose ,the flowers are produced on the sublaterals. At pruning time (which is during the summer months) rods not only of the current season's growth will have to be retained to provide the roses two years hence, but also a number of stems of the previous season's production which at the time of pruning bear the laterals that will produce the flowering sublaterals in the following year. The degree,of pruning necessary will depend upon the area of space to be allotted to the plant. ; Where this is circumscribed, prune back to the point of origin many of the rods that have borne flowering wood, but retain a sufficient ■ number of vigorous new growths to provide future flowering wood. Where, however, the available space is extensive and normal growth will not cover it for years, the lighter the pruning the better will be the.result. Simply remove weak or badlyplaced wood and retain as much of the twiggy growth as will be compatible with a well-furnished appearance.

KUMERAS. "Sustenance," Otaki.—An article on the above subject, covering your iri- , quiries, will appear in this column during the next week or two.

AN IRISHMAN'S HOM£ a

Large crowds behind cordons of police watched exciting scenes at the house in Botanic Eoad, Dublin, of J. O'Kelly, a well-known Republican author, on whom sheriff's officers attempted ito levy a distraint for £15 income tax, says the "Daily Telegraph." A similar attempt failed about a fortnight before. Three sheriff's officers, accompanied hy a large force of Civic Guards, attempted, to enter, but found-the front door barricaded. As O'Kelly refused to admit them' the officers tried to burst in the door with hammers. They were repulsed by O'Kelly and his wife, who struck at them with walking sticks through the glass nanels which had been broken in the previous attempt. ~ There was a lull for some time. Police reinforcements arrived, till 150 surrounded the house. Then the sheriff's men "procured a pole about 10ft long, which they used as a battering ram. Again £nd again they drove it against the door, and - broke part! of it. But then the pole was caught and held by O'Kelly and his wife, and at the same time a shower of crockery, pictures, clothes, andl brushes were thrown through windows and the broken door on the heads of the sheriff's officers and the guards. BATTERING RAM. About noon the daily supplies of bread, meat, and milk were brought to the house and taken in through the broken panels, and the siege continued. The two sons of O'Kelly could be seen. wielding sticks inside the houße. The sheriff's men returned the missiles, and the drawing-room window was broken. Eventually the besiegers retired, leaving the pole in the possession of the defenders. Later a party of detectives arrived with a pole about twenty feet long and soon battered their way in. O'Kelly and his sons were led from the house, while the police seized a quantity of furniture. O'Kelly, who has been editor of the "Catholic Bulletin," Gaelic; journals, and educational publications, has taken an active part in the Gaelic League, of which he *was president from 1919 to 1923. He was member for Louth in the Republican Dail of 1919, of which he was Deputy Speaker and Minister of Education. From 1926 to 1932 he was President of Sinn Fein.