GARDENING FOR THE WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 15064, 21 December 1912, Page 4

GARDENING FOR THE WEEK

Our contributtar, a well-known gardener, will be glad to answer questions, which must hi received not later than Tuesday of each week. —Roses. — -1 promised last week to write something about roses. On the subject of rosegrowing I at this period have little or nothing to say. It is principally upon new or recent introductions, our Dunedin show, and what .1 have seen in roses since the show took place. As to rose-growing, the public seem to be divided into two classes : one composed of those who think that it is only necessary to buy roses and plant them and leave them to take care of themselves ; the other of those who think that rose-growing is so difficult that they dare not attempt it. Both are mistaken. The rose-grower must not expect anyone to give him credit for his work. People will visit and admire and say “How lovely,” etc., and then coolly say “ What splendid soil you must have here,” “The air is very pure,” or sonic such remark. True, position and soil have something to do with it, but iii rose-growing, as in most other things, success (like virtue) is its own reward. Let me impress upon my readers that it is not diliicnit to attain to respect-able-mediocrity, but to get to the top of the tree a man must be in earnest—that is, if he wishes to obtain such results as 1 had the pleasure of witnessing the other day. It is not the Rose Show lam alluding to just now. but such a show as would fire anyone who has a spark of the love of ilowers in him. My readers will guess where this - rose garden is. • it is that of Mr Solomon. K.C. I was fortunate enough to sec his roses at their beat, and also lucky to catch the owner at home, lie is always pleased to show one a-our.d, and it is instructive to be shown around by such a man as Air Solomon. I question if there is another man in this City so well versed in the names or has so fine a collection of up-to-date roses. I cannot help thinking, alter what I have seen in Air Solomon’s garden and in others, that tho Dunedin Horticultural Society made a very great mistake in not holding their rose show a week later. Though many of ns despaired at one time of having a decent show at all, 1 must confess 'that within the last few days I have seen some of the finest blooms I ever saw in my life. Some of these varieties I am going to name for the guidance of my readers Before mentioning-these roses I should like to congratulate Ah- Al'Loren, of Oamaru, on Iris success in winning the cup for the best 12 at the show. Thev were veryline blooms, though their color was a bit gone, probably through being kept back; but they were very good', nevertheless. Mr Al'Laren also, gained the two premiurships, his Airs E. Alawley being the winner in the teas (a not too easy rose to grow and in this district)', and Dean Hole, a H.T.,_ securing first honors for best HP. This is a good old rose, but not everybody’s rose. I also congratulate Airs At Lean upon the very beautiful sweet pease she took first honors -with. She deserves credit for them, as they wore not great novelties, as some people thought, but good.standard kinds well grown; and as I a.m told it was her first attempt to grow sweet peas for show, all the more credit is duo to her.

It is pleasing to note some now exhibitors in the rose world also. Though perhaps not sof successful at the exhibition taMe as they would like, they must just put their shoulder to the wheel and say lam going to win.- It will come off all right.” Air Solomon had a fine table of roses at the show, containing as it did, and as tho visiting public testified, such a great lot of well-grown and beautiful varieties. Good as they were, they were far exceeded by the blooms T saw afterwards in his garden. lam net going to name those on tho tabic, but some of those in his garden, though the table contained many "of the same varieties. The varieties I Urn going to name are really first-class, up-to-date” and good-growing roses, and unde? favorable circumstances should charm and delight the most exacting. Here they arc ; Cynthia Ford (lemon yellow), Chateau de Close Vougot (one of-the beet dark roses ground, Beauto dc Lyon (orange shaded hybrid brier). Duchess of Wellingtno (saffron yellow!, Duchess of Westminster (rose madder), Aladamo Melanie Supnrt, Mada me Segona Weber, Alts Longworbh, Airs Harold B rookie bank, Airs E. G. Holland, Leslie Holland, General Alacarthy, Florence 11. A’eitch-. Airs Gw. Preston, Margaret, Dr Hogg, Edwin Alawley, Mrs David M'Koo, Triumph. Lyon Rose, Madame Ravery, Lo ITogieA, Airs A. It. Waclole, Juliet (hybrid brier), Rainbow. Liberty, Molly S. Crawford, Frau Karl Drusdiki, Airs Foley Hobbs, Hugh Dickson, Aliss Alia de Rothschild, AH’S Corn wallis West, Lady Ashtown. Answers.— “D, .fames.”—There are two or three causes of onions going to seed. inferior seed, deep sowing, coni ing into direct contact with manure, bed not being made sufficiently-firm. Either of these will cause them tobecome necky, and then grow upward instead of bulbing, thus growing ro seed. It is no use your bending over the heads to make these tuber unless they have already formed good bulbs This tending over- is to finish them off. To tend them oyer in-that state-would break their necks. Aou ask a remedy. Dig up the ground early, give it a dressing of lime, salt, and soot (equal parts of .soot and lime, and half salt), scatter it over the surface after- diging up roughly, and let it lie for a few weeks; then rake down line and tread tho surface hard before sowing, and sow very shallow. “ Roslyn ” wishes lo know what-is causing bis rose buds to remain in a stunted condition. The buds forwarded appear to be of that old type- that is very much sul>jected to undeveloped buds. Old bushes, partly exhausted, are very liable to go in this manner. Spraying with hot water and black soap is of no use whatever for this trouble; it is from tho roots. The wash would, however, tend to keep down ire-vet, pests. Give me sonic particulars re soil, situation, and the age or thereabouts of the plants, then I shall be better able to advise vou.

“Tomato” wishes to know how to grow j asparagus ferns from seeds. Understand that this takes 12 months to come up. It, is getting too late to sow. seeds unless you have heat- .The proper time to sow is in the spring. Soak the seed in warm water for 12- hours; then sow in pots or pans with good loam, old manure, and sand well mixed. Give good drainage. Sow f,in deep. Cover the surface with a thin layer of clean, sharp sand. Cover the pot with a square of glass, then, if possible, plunge the pot in some warm manure, and keep it in the wannest position in the greenhouse, and grow on in as warm aod moist a position as possible. You also wish to laiow if it would be advisible to cut holes in tbe sides of the kerosene -tins that tomatoes are growing in, to prevent the roil from going sour. No; it is better when growing tomatoes in tins to cut the bottoms ont and set the tins on the ground. Water can then soak away ; and the roots-get through. “ Sweet Pea.”—You have a good lot of sweet peas, very strong, and about 6ft high, and some of the blooms are turning yellow and dropping off. What would be good manure tor them?—By the appearance of the buds I should say that they do not require . any metre manure, especially liquid ; this woul daggravate the trouble rather than cure it. This falling is generally caused' by excessive moisture, or ever-feeding with liquid manure; either will cause the trouble. The other extreme—a very dry position, want of moisture at the roots'will also cause them to drop. In this case give them a top dressing or mulching with manure. The growth of your peas does not point to the later'extreme.

“C.K.” has a young olearia hedge, and asks what pest is it that is eating it away. I do not know; it is,hard to say without seeing it or its work. If I saw it or' the leaves; I might bo able to advise. You have sown a terrace down in rye grass, and-it is far too rough and hard to cut. Could I recommend a. softer grass? By* is for too rough for thie work; it

would bo better to sow it over again with good lawn grass, -‘with a little white clover. “ AI.R.M.”—You eay'your seedling vine is growing in an unprepared border, the soil 2ft deep. Jt will depend upon the nature of the ground—if-it''be cold, wet, clay bottom, and if the water from Die bottom has free access—whether or Lnot you will be able to ripen its fruit when you have it. If you have been pinching and stopping the young side-shoots as advised in my notes, that is all you can do with it this season. Prune and stop as advised in future, and give it another trial next season. ; It is possible you may require to shift and replant it- in a better prepared bed.