CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 30

CORRESPONDENCE

CUTTING BACK CAMELLIA. J.H., Ellice Avenue.—As you wish to cut back the camellia, which has got too tall, the best time would be in the spring when new growth is about to begin. This severe cutting will mean the loss of a year's blooming, but it will allow as long a growing period as possible for the new shoots to develop. FINES AFFECTED WITH SCALE. Vinavler, Kilbirnie.—The scale is, I I think, that known as "Mussel scale," which, unless checked, will spread to all the vines. Spray with either red or white spraying oil, obtainable from any seedsman. The containers give full directions for use. The white oil would be safer to use while the vines are in leaf. I LEAF CURL, ETC. j J.H., Johnsonville. —1. Leaf curl is very common on peaches and nectarines. As a preventive spray ( with Bordeaux mixture when the buds are showing pink next season. You can do nothing for it this year. 2. The Australian mint bushes should be pruned lightly after flowering. As yours has become too tall try cutting some of the branches back, but leave some in case they do not shoot out. I am not sure whether they will stand cutting into old wood. New plants may be raised from cuttings taken in the autumn. 3. Lilacs may be moved while dormant in late autumn or .viater. They are often very slow to bloom, and a move would probably give a further check. If it is a common English lilac grown on its own roots, thin out most of the sucker growths, leaving three or four of the strongest; this will probably encourage it to flower. RASPBERRIES ATTACKED BY WHITE SCALE. "Amateur," Lower Hutt.—The rasp^ berries are badly affected with white scale. Spraying them with' ordinary boiled starch is as good a remedy as any, or you may try any of the proprietary sprays. You seem to have been having a lot of bad luck. From what you say, it seems that there is something wrong with your soil. It is quite a usual experience for an odd shrub or plant to die now and then, but you are losing too many. You would be wise to apply a soil fumigant, such as horticultural naphthaline, as evidently there is some fungus present. The soil fumigant would also get rid of some, at least, of the grass grubs and slaters. A WINDY GARDEN. "Northland."—For very windy positions it is rather difficult to know what to recommend. Nothing really likes wind, but, of course, some plants withstand it better than others. Carnations, gaillardias, gazania, geums, erigeron, heuchera, and nepeta (catmint) are all perennial and hardy. It is impossible to give a complete list here. For the corners of the lawn you might try heaths or some of the hybrid brooms. I am sorry I can't help you about the rock plants. This is a branch I know nothing about. HYBRID BROOM.

"G.," Island Bay.— The hybrid brooms rarely sprout well when cut down to the old wood. The nature oi; most varieties is to grow upright and even. If yours survived the cutting back as you suggest it would not spread over the bank you wish to hide. You would be well advised, I think, to cut only part of the bush at one time, and then if new growth comes away the balance could be shortened alM>.