THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 19550, 7 May 1927, Page 18

THE GARDEN

SEASONABLE WOBK THE VEGETABLE GARDEN The best advice I can give in this department just now is to hasten on all digging, trenching and manuring as - speedily as possible. Not a foot of ground should be left undug at this season of the year. Spent crops and dead leaves should bo cleaned up and dug in as this work proceeds, and care should be taken, particularly with heavy sticky soil, to leave the surface as rough as possible for the winter frosts and rain to operate upon. As soon as asparagus tops have ripened off cut down the tops and clean the beds, after which they should be given a good thick dressing or rotted manure. This may _be lightly forked in or a light dressing of soil spread over the manure to retain the moisture, or the manure may bo flattened down with the back of a fork. It matters very little which way it is done, as the rains will wash all the good from the manure down to the roots of the asparagus, and the forking in may be done later, in the spring. Caro should be taken to remove all weeds from the bed before the top-dressing is applied. A sowing of broad beans may be made now without fear of failure. Peas that are well through the ground should have some soil drawn up about them to make them secure for the winter. There is still time to make a sowing of peas, but care must be taken to sow the dwarf early kinds. Celery should have its final earthing np. It will not grow much after this, and it must be allowed time to bleach before the severe winter weather sets in. Onions should be pulled, dried, and roped or bunched, and stored away for future use. Leeks should be earthed up, if this is not already done. Parsnips are better loft in the ground until they are required. Where the ground is carrots should be dug and stored in pits, and covered lightly with sand, otherwise leave them in the ground and dig them as required. Spinach: By keeping spinach thinned and it will still continue to grow, bearing in mind that only the leaves are to be used. Stir the soil by hoeing among cabbages and cauliflowers and other winter greens. Cabbages may still bo planted out for next summer’s crop, but the sooner they are in the better. THE FRUIT GARDEN Pick and store apples and pears, placing them carefully on shelves and not more than three or four deep. Prepare the ground for future planting by digging at least two spades , deep, and as soon as the leaves of small fruits have fallen, such as currants and gooseberries, they should be pruned and planted whilst the weather is good and the ground in suitable condition. Strawberries should be planted out. The ground for these should bo deeply dug and enriched with manure. The surface soil should be made open and free by the application of burnt garden rubbish, wood ash.es, or old garden rubbish. This is suitable not only for strawberries but for nearly all other kinds of fruit. THE FLOWER GARDEN The glory of the flower garden is on the wane, anS" soon it will have a wintry appearance. Meanwhile keep /the beds and borders neat and clean by the timely removal of dead leaves, faded flowers, and weeds. Lawn grass mowing will soon be a thing of the past for this season, although it is a bad policy to allow grass to remain long at the end of the season, for the reason that if it is not kept short it will, when mown at the beginning of the season, have a yellow appearance j and it will take a considerable time for the grass to come back to its natural green, consequently it is well to mow until growth has stopped for the season. Rake up and store all leaves in to rot. Pnt them in a place where they will not blow about and become a nuisance.

broken up not too fine (about the size of nuts), three parts, with one part of clean, sharp sand well mixed with or without one part good leaf mould. Scrub the pots quite clean, and let them dry. Then place a few clean broken crocks on the bottom of the pot. Turn the old plant upside-down and give it a rap on the "bench with the edge of the pot, holding it with the left hand, and vou should be able to lift the pot clear of the plant. Take out all the crocks, then lay the plant on its side. With a chisel push it down between the thick fleshy parts, and wrench the whole asunder, then divide as required. In potting, place a few lumps of the turf on to the crocks to prevent the finer material running into the drainage. On this place the divided plant and work down the finer soil among the roots, pressing it well down with a blunt stick. Make quite firm, and fill the pot to within 2in of the rim of the pot. Never fill a pot full the way some amateurs do, because this does not allow room for watering. Sprinkle > the plants overhead to settle the soil and to remove dust or soil from leaves, and the work is complete. H.C. JAPANESE PERSIMMONS Among small-growing fruit trees the Japanese date plum or persimmon cannot be surpassed for ornamental planting, being a most valuable species for this purpose as well as for its fruits. When interspersed among the other subjects in the shrubbery, and in suitable situations in the mixed border, and as a single specimen in the lawn, it cannot but attract special attention, especially at this season, when small trees may be seen laden with bright yellow and orange-colored fruits which often hang on until after the leaves have fallen. In summer the foliage is of a bright, glossy green, gradually changing, in the autumn, previous w) the dropping, to various shades of red, yellow, and crimson. The fruits, as well as the foliage of the different varieties, vary in size and appearance. Persimmons are well worthy of cultivation, if only on account of_ their ornamental appearance. There is also a North American variety .called diospryros Virginiana, the fruits or which are golden yellow, the size and form of a common plum. This variety grows into a tree 20ft to 30ft in height, HEW FLOWERS FROM THE EAST Captain H. Kingdon Ward, the botanist and explorer, has just returned to England (says ‘ The Times ’) alter a twelve months’ journey to Burma, Assam, and Tibet. The object of the expedition was natural history in general, and botany in particular. it was linanced by the Royal Society and the Percy Sladen memorial tund, and has produced about 6,000 specimens of plants, birds, and insects, which have been forwarded to Kew Gardens, Edinburgh, or the Natural History Museum. Discussing his experiences, Captain Ward said that once the safety of the valuable results of months of labor was endangered by the action of a number of coolies. They were ill-clad, and became frightened at the heavy snow on a 14,000 ft pass between Burma and Assam. Suddenly they went on strike, threw down their loads, and ran back to Burma. However, with the aid of his servants and four coolies, who remained staunch, the abandoned loads were salved, and they eventually reached the nearest populated area, five days’ march from where the incident occurred. Describing the ground traversed, Captain Ward stated that up to about 10,000 ft he encountered almost impenetrable forest. This was succeeded by a sort of Alpine country for 4,000 ft, and finally there was practically bare rock. In the Alpine country was discovered a mass of beautiful flowers, presenting a riot of color, in which blue, scarlet, and crimson predominated. Here Captain Ward spent a considerable time in gathering and arranging specimens, many hitherto unknown. THE GLADIOLUS A yearly publication, ‘The Gladiolus Annual,’ has been issued by the British Gladiolus Society, one of the latest special societies devoted to a particular flower, says the ‘Gardener’s Chronicle,’ and as a first issue the society is to be heartily congratulated, for it is an excellent journal, full of informative articles on the gladiolus. The aims of the society are to stimulate interest in an dpromote the cultivation and improvement of the gladiolus; to publish reports of its activities, and other items of interest to gladiolus growers; to encourage the production and propagation of worthy new varieties, and to hold a public exhibition annually. Much of the history of the flower is given by Mr James Kelway in a lengthy article entitled ‘The Gladiolus.’ He gives the origins of the various sections and the chief raisers, both in this country and on the Continent, and refers in detail to the important work of Messrs Kelway and Son, and especially of his namesake, James Kelway. Mr A. J. Macself writes with his usual first-hand knowledge of the gladiolus of the past and present, and gives good advice as to what should be done by the society besides holding shows. FASGIRATIHfi FEBHB In almost every garden there is a corner where the sun’s rays seldom shine, the despair of its owner, and the home of the voracious slug (says a writer in an English paper). There never was a situation, however, in which Nature failed altogether in providing plants to suit it 5 and these almost sunless corners are the ideal abidin o' places for certain hardy ferns. Their requirements are of the simplest character, and they provide a study not one whit less interesting than do the rare tropical plants in the hothouses of the wealthy. I recommend this branch or gardening especially to readers in large towns, whose efforts, perhaps, with flowers have achieved mediocre results because of the lack of sunlight. In preparing a home for ferns the first and most important thing to consider is the drainage, for, contrary to the prevailing idea, most ferns will not flourish in soggy soil. AVOIDING STAGNATION.

Strike cuttings of bedding calceolarias in a close frame, keeping them cool and shaded until they are rooted, which they will soon do if they are put into free sandy loam. Propagate also by cutting zonal and ivy geraniums in pots or boxes, giving them any free open sandy soil. Strike cuttings of hedge plants, such as olearia, escaleonia, and others of that kind.

Berberis and other flowering shrubs may also be propagated by cutting. Take up, divide, and transplant herbaceous plants.

As soon as the beds are cleared of annuals french them up, manure, and add new soil if necessary. Plant bulbs. Hardy annuals, as previously advised, may be transplanted if they are strong enough, including wallflowers, pansies, violas, antirrhinums, scabious, phlox, primulas.

Where alterations are contemplated they should be got on with without delay. Herbaceous plants will now require attention. All that have done blooming should be cut down,_ such as hollyhocks, Michaelmas daisies, and suchlike.

Hoe and rake up the beds, and make them neat and clean for the winter.

As soon as the ground has been properly prepared for roses they may be planted. Cuttings for stock to work roses upon may be got in now. The true dog rose makes the best > stock for roses. It is easily distinguished from the sweetbrier by its large thorns and smooth •wood.

Cuttings of climbing and rambler roses may be got in now, also cuttings of some of the strong bush rosea, such as Caroline Testout, Hugh Dickson, Frau Karl Druschki, and others of that class. It is a mistake to attempt to strike cuttings from the weak-growing trees. Some kinds it is next to impossible to root without bottom heat. In such instances the game is not worth the candle, for in any case they do batter and give finer blooms if budded on a good hardy stock. It u a good plan to prune climbing roses now. The best time to prune climbers or ramblers is immediately after flowering, so if they wore not pruned then, prune them now. Planting will soon be in full swing, and if the ground has not already been prepared to receive the new plants the sooner it is done the better. AXSWERB «E.H.A.”—You wish to know the best way to divide and pot palms. I presume you mean aspidistras, as you cannot divide a palm, for the simple i canon that it has only a single stem. I feel sure you moan aspidistras. Firstly, spring is the best time to divide and pot up aspidistras,' just as gvewth 1® on the move again. To divide and pot them now, unless the wwk was very well done, might do more berai then good, because growth is at a standstill during the winter months. The first thing to do is to prepare some stood potting loam* good rotted turf*

If the fernery is_ lifted about a foot above the surrounding soil the opportunities for surplus moisture to dram away will be increased considerably. Some sort of containing wall, therefore, must be built, and nothing can better big lumps of porous stone for the purpose. . After building the wall, got inside the enclosure and dig the soil over as deeply as possible, if it is very wet it would be advisable _ to remove the ,top spit and replace it by a core of broken bricks, returning the excavated soil afterwards. Even then the soil will still be a long way from the top of the wall, and it is here that we should take care to see that the remaining po’l is of the k : "d in which a fern simply must grow;

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A SATISFACTORY SOIL, Have you ever examined the soil in woodlandsP It is peaty in texture, with sandy patches mixed with it. This is the ideal to aim at, and to equal it you will require plenty of good loam, which is the soil immediately below old turf, a bushel or so of peat, and a similar quantity of leaf mould. Mix these together, and add a barrow load of sharp sand. If you have any old bricks lying about, pound them up and add them to the heap. Bonfire ashes will improve it, and limestone chippings, too, in liberal quantities. Most of these materials can be had fairly cheaply from a nurseryman, and it is just as well to be thorough in the beginning. . Do not be in too great a hurry to stock it all at once, but proceed gradually and add to it from time to time. HEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS MR A. K. WILSON’S SEEDLINGS. At the Canterbury Horticultural Society’s autumn show, Mr A. K, Wilson, head gardener to Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, was awarded five first-class certificates for some very fine single chrysanthemums raised by him from seed. These five seedlings are named by Mr Wilson as follows‘ Mary Jameson Irving,’ ‘Enfield,’ ‘Mrs Stewart Holmes,’ ‘ Minnie Murray,’ and ‘ Elderslie Pink.’ These seedlings (says the ‘ Sun ’) are quite the finest of their types and colorings yet seen at one of the society’s shows and the experts state that they are a very distinct advance on anything yet raised locally or imported from abroad. Mr Wilson was formerly headgardener to Mr T. K. Sidey, and was a frequent exhibitor at the Dunedin flower shows. SEED POTATOES The selection of potato tubers for use as sots is an important one, and one which each year seems to become more important (says a writer in the ‘ Gardener’s Chronicle’). It is now generally recognised that the factor which has most influence on the yield of any given variety is, whether or no the stock is free from disease. Of the many diseases affecting the potato, none is more deceptive than the one known as leaf-curl. It is because of this disease that the selection of tubers for seed purposes is so important, and it is unfortunate that there is not a good sign to help us in our selection of tubers from a sample of which we do not know the history. The greatest aid in selection is a knowledge of how the stock behaved the previous season. It does not follow that because a stock cropped well in 1926 it will do the same if planted in 1927. Gardeners have to satisfy themselves that their stock is free from leafcurl, and this can only be done by careful examination of the haulm during the actual growing season. The question of saving one’s own seed or buying sets is not one that can be left until lifting time, because if leaf-curl had attacked the crop late in the season there would be little indication of the attack in the crop; for the crop was there before the leaf-curl.

Tho setting up of seed tubers in boxes and sprouting them is a very great help in selecting healthy tubers, but one should remember that it is only a rough and ready way of selection, and at the best can only show the presence of tubers which are carrying a heavy load of infection; so heavy that the tubers fail to sprout at all or only do so weakly. When the seed tubers have been boxed it is important that those which are only pushing weak shoots should be removed and destroyed as early as possible. If this is not done and aphides are present on tho sprouting tubers, loaf-curl will spread throughout the whole sample before the potatoes are planted Until quite recently there was one item of gardening operations which 1 felt absolutely sure about, and that item was tho boxing of seed potatoes. In the post I have had no doubt that the advantages of boxing tho sets were many. I do not feel so positive about it now, and I am inclined to think that under certain conditions boxing the sets and exposing them to the light is not so good as 1 thought. I have a certain amount of evidence which goes to show that when the stock of seed is healthy it reduces the crop to sprout the tubers in ligH before planting. It makes an interesting experiment to-*ob-tain two equal numbers of tubers drawn from a healthy strain of new Scotch seeds to sprout one lot in light in the usual way, and to sprout the second ip darkness; covering them with moist soil is a good way of doing it. I have found that the tubers in light are not always superior; in fact, they lose so often that I shall now plant new seed without boxing it, unless I desire to forward the crop, in which case I should box the sets and cover them with moist soil, leave them to sprout, and then plant them in the usual way. When treating the sets in this way great care has to be used when planting because the growths are more brittle than those exposed to full light, but if unbroken the brittle shoots crop best. I shall, of course, continue to box home-saved tubers because it is such a valuable aid in the detection of diseased and weakly tubers. The question of a good stock of any particular variety of potato is of great importance, and is not always taken into sufficient consideration, and it is in this connection that I am inclined to disagree with the findings of certain people who run potato trials. Plots are laid down and planted with a certain number of varieties of potatoes. The plots get the same treatment, cultivation. organic and inorganic manures; at lifting time the crop is lifted and weighed, and the results sent out. The result will probably read something like this: No. 1, King Edward, yield seven tons per acre; No. 2, Arran Chief, yield eight tons per acre; No. 3, Great Scot, nine tons per acre. The results are often meant to read as meaning that under the conditions obtaining in that experiment Great Scot is the best variety to grow for that particular district. ‘ I find that, if instead of using three different varieties I use three different stocks of tho same variety 1 get much tho same set of figures, which appears to me to point to a valuable lesson—i.e., good stocks of any variety give good crops. Bad stocks of any variety mean reduced crops. If more attention was paid by growers ‘.o the question of obtaining a good, health.- stock of seed tubers, and then to keeping the stock healthy, better all-round results would be obtained.