THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 19764, 14 January 1928, Page 19

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Oar contnbffitor, a. weD-fatown pat-denar, vM tm gbud to answer questions, which must bo roeohed net later than Tuesday of each week, jytnartisetneote fee this ooianm must be handed in to tho office before 2 p-tn- on Friday.

but it will not develop such large fruit as that not affected. Water only when the soil is quite dry. “L.M'Ka.”—l should say your tomato plants have got a cheek, probably through want of moisture. Sink the tins halfway down in tho ground and give them a top dressing. Por the green fly spray them with aphis wash or hot soft soap. Wash with a teaspoonful of added to one gallon of tho wash. Spray it on hot. (2) The lily of tho valley, 1. should say, is in too damp and shaded a situation. They do best in a warm, sunny place. They grow well in damp places, but at the expense of flowers.. The soil for them should be firm. “LA.”—You are anxious to grow escalonia from cuttings. About March take ripe young cuttings about 6in long with a small heel attached—that is, cut out tho side of ripe shoots. Line these out in rows, giving sandy or gritty rich soil. Rut them well down, leaving 3in or so out of the ground. Press in firmly and water to settle the soil about them. They should root all right. H.C.

that all the green stuff is saved throughout tho summer and autumn and not burnt, enough vegetable manure will be obtained to enrich the soil during the following year. A large part of the garden refuse cannot be used in this way. Stalks, primings, and weeds must be burnt; a few big bonfires yield a surprising amount of ash, and this, supplemented by a little bone meal and soot, is used as the fertiliser. Ashes being rich in potash are extremely valuable to the gardener, ami should be scattered evenly on the top spit and lightly raked in. BERRY-BEARING TREES & SHRUBS [From the Gardeners’ Chronicle/ London.]

When planting schemes are being arranged the merits of berry-bearing plants should not bo overlooked, as they add considerably to the brightness of the garden during autumn and winter. Tho Natural Order Rosaceae alone includes many species and varieties bearing brilliantly-colored iruits. Ornamental Crabs are valuable, not only for their brilliantly-colored iruits, but tho fruits are useful for jelly; the best of these are John Downie, The Dartmouth, Victoria, and the Siberian Crab (Pyrus baccata), which is also very beautiful when in flower, and makes a fine, large tree. Pyrus Ancuparia, the Mountain Ash, is beautiful in flower and fruit; and tho new Pyrus Vilmorinii, with rosy-pink fruits, should not be overlooked. Pyrus toringoides, its slender, drooping brandies wreathed with small, scarlet fruits, is also very beautiful. Euonyimis europaeus, the Spindle Tree, one of tho most attractive of our native shrubs or small trees, is very much overlooked by planters, hut the pale scarlet fruits which show the orange-colored seeds, are very beautiful, while the brilliantly-colored foliage during the autumn is an added attraction. Hippophae rhamnoides, with its silvery-grey foliage and bright orangered fruits during autumn and early winter, is a very charming shrub, but a male plant must be planted with a group ot females, as male and female flowers are borne on separate plants.

Cotoneasters include numerous fine subjects, a Jew of the best being C. Simousii, C. humifusa, C. Microphylla, C. frigida, C. Franchetii, C. borizontalis, and C. buxifolia; in the case of the last-named, the birds do not touch tlie fruits, these remaining on the plant until the following spring. The Crataegus family includes_ some fine subjects for garden decoration, notably C. Crus-galli, C. Carrion, and C. coccinca. Pyracantha coccinea var. Lalandei is unrivalled for covering walls, or as bushes in the open; unfortunately, the birds are very fond of the fruits, and quickly take toll of them, but seem to have no fancy for the fruits of P. crenulata, var. ynnnanensis, which produces small, dull-red berries in wonderful profusion, and makes a lino wall covering. P. angnstifolia lias yellow fruits, but requires the shelter of a wall, as it is not over hardy.

Barberries are a host in themselves, and our native Barberry is very beautiful when in fruit, while the newer Chinese species and garden varieties provide some fine subjects, some of the best being Berberis Wilsonae, B. verruculosa, B, subcaulialata, B. Prattii, B. brevipaniculata, and B. polyantha. Viburnum Opulus is also fine, and grows well by the water-side. Symphoricarpus occidentalis and S. racemosus var. laevigata produce their fruits in great profusion. There are many more plants worth planting for their fruits alone, but the short list given will serve to indicate the wealth of available material. DIOSPYHOS KAKI.

This deciduous Chinese shrub is a handsome foliage plant, its large, glossy leaves, frequently a loot long and three or four inches wide, being particularly attractive during the summer months. But the object of this note is to draw attention to its brilliant autumnal coloring. It is of vigorous habit and free growth; a specimen planted at the foot of a wall in these gardens in 1916 lias already covered an area of 200 square feet. For a considerable period, and lasting until midNovember, _ this specimen lias been most effective by reason of its intense color. The beautiful leaves are first a rich orange shade, then they turn to fiery scarlet and deep crimson, giving one the impression of a large, glowing fire in the distance. BERBER] S POLYANTHA. Berberis polyantba has become a well-established plant in our gardens, and many people have extolled the merits of this easily-grown shrub, which, has hold its own nr lace of the numerous species which have been found since its introduction by Mr E. H. Wilson in 1904. Although Air A. E. Pratt originally discovered B. poiyantha in Szechuan in 1899, it was left to Wilson to send seeds home five years later, to be followed by a further consignment in 1908. The flowers of this popular deciduous species are produced in Juno, aro yellow, and are borne in long panicles drooping with the weight of from twenty to one hundred blossoms. The fruit is salmon-red in color. B. polyantha, is also valuable for its autumn coloring. _ However, the object of this note is to emphasise the variable characteristics of the plant. When raised from seeds groat variation will bo found in the fruiting capabilities, size of the flower panicles, and size and color of the fruits. Although the type should grow from 6ft to Bft high, many seedlings are of considerably less stature, with thin, weakly growths instead of the long, stout, arching stems usually associated with the plant. If B. polyantha is to maintain its high place in the list of desirable garden shrubs it is necessary to practice a rigorous selection of seedlings, and thereafter propagate by vegetative means. Heeled cuttings of firm wood strike readily if inserted tmvards the fall of the year in pots of sandy soil and plunged under a north wall. As with many hard-wooded plants, it is imperative that the soil be rammed hard and made firm round the base of the cutting so that the heel is in actual contact with the compost. ITEA ILICIFOLIA. '('bis somewhat uncommon evergreen shrub thrives in a sandy, peaty soil, and during the autumn months is decidedly ornamental. The long, pendant racemes of whitish flowers are freely produced and are well .displayed by the wealth of glossy-green foliage. The examples 1 have seen are somewhat dwarf in stature, aud 1 am unable to write of the potential height of this shrub. I. ilcifolia is undoubtedly a very pretty and interesting plant for a somewhat favored situation. The better-known 1. virgiuica, a deciduous species, introduced from North America so long ago as 1744, is characterised by deep green, oblong leaves and small, white flowers freely produced during June and July. ABUTTLON MEGAPOTAMICUM. This remarkable shrub, a native of Brazil, and also known as A. vexillarium, has attracted more attention

than almost any other in my garden during the last five years. There are few subjects which bloom with such extraordinary freedom as it does, for, commencing in spring, it does not cease to produce an unbroken succession of blooms until the first frosts of autumn. The flowers, moreover, are extremely showy, being a vivid yellow, set off with a large and inflated bloodred calyx, and these gorgeous objects swing like Chinese lanterns at the tips of slender stalks. The specimen here is the variegated variety, the ovate leaves being tesselated with bright yellow. This may help to explain the fact that although this shrub has been in the same position at the foot of a west wall for a good many years, growth is so slow that it is still not more than 4ft in height. However, it flowers with tho utmost profusion, and it is so hardy that frosts rarely affect. , HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA.

A native of the South-east United States, this fine plant requires a rather sheltered position, as it is liable to injury during the winter, although it is seldom killed completely. It forms a rounded bush about 3ft in height in this country, though normally it rises to about 6ft, producing numerous stout, woolly growths which die back to the root-stock each winter. The leaves are borne in pairs and are broadly oval in shape, with five or seven large lobes; they are from 3in to Sin in length, dark green in color, the under-sides being covered with rough clown. The flowers are carried in terminals, erect panicles up to Sin in height, the outer sterile flowers being about an inch across, greenish-white when young, changing to a purplish tint with age; the numerous small, fertile flowers being crowded together in the centre. It usually flowers irom June to September, although this year it flowered much later than usual.

WALL GARDENS

The clothing of u wall with attractive plants is a fascinating enterprise fraught witii much interest, but its success depends on many factors (says the ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ London). The furnishing of an existing wall is a much more difficult problem than that of planting a wall about to be built. Moreover, the purpose of the .structure, whether it serves as a retaining wall with an earth slope behind providing it plentifully with moisture, or whether it is merely a dry buttress unable to collect moisture except from rainfall or atmospheric conditions, must influence the planter in tho choice of plants. That oven the dry buttress wall is capable of sustaining some plant life is often demonstrated by Nature. It is no uncommon thing, for example, to see a colony of our native Linaria Cymbalaria growing freely on tho side ol a brick or stone wall where one would imagine none of the finer plants could exist, yet it is obvious that tho material of which the wall is built must retain sufficient moisture to enable to the plant to draw its sustenance from it. When planting such a wall, however, much may be done to assist tho plants in establishing themselves by making holes in the material and filling them with rich compost containing plenty of humus. For such walls no plants surpass the Sempervivuras, but once they are established many other plants succeed to a remarkable degree, and it is quite possible to attain success with many of the species of Dianthus, Antirrhinums, Artemisias, Achilleas, Aethionemas, Cheiraiithus, Onosmas, and Hieraciunis. The plants used for the purpose should bo young and small. Autumn planting is preferable to spring planting, as the plants have a chance of establishing themselves before the dry conditions of summer arrive. Where difficulties arise in establishing young plants it is sometimes possible to begin by pressing portions of earth containing seeds into crevices in the wall. Furnishing a retaining wall—with a bank of moist earth behind it—is a much less difficult problem, and makes possible the use of a far wider range of plants, but here also success is much more certain if building and planting are carried on together, for it is ini portant that tho roots of tho plants are laid well back to give them access to the moisture behind—an almost impossible task when the wall is already built.

Many plants may be used with good effgct for clothing such walls, some of which seem to do better in this position than in any other. The Acacnas, Auhrietias, Phlox subulata, and its many varieties, Androsace januginosa, Dry as octopetala, Fragaria lucida, Gypsophila. prostrata, Lithospermura, Prostratum, several of the Polygonums, the creeping Thymes and the Helianthcmums, are excellent subjects for draping the wall with curtains of foliage and flowers. Some of the Saxifragas, such as S. snneta and S. apiculata, make fine cushions, while in certain positions where conditions arc not too dry, oven those ol the mossy kinds thrive. Awmtholimons, Erodiums, and Sileues suecoed and make excellent clumps, whdo such old favorites ns Arabis alb'da, Alyssnm saxatile, Iheris gibraltarica, I. sempervirens, Cerastium tomentosum, Nepeta Mussinii, and Santolina incana grow witli remarkable freedom on a wall and cover large arena in a comparatively short time.

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE

MEANS OF ERADICATION The Californian thistle, also known as Canadian thistle, is a pestiferous wood that is extremely difficult to destroy. Many schemes have been devised to eradicate it, but none of them works as effectively as desired. Referring to this troublesome pest, an American paper states:—One of our Illinois subscribers recommends sodium arsenate to ten quarts of water. The solution is usually applied with a regular sprayer about every ten days for several months, beginning as soon . s the plants begin to grow. It is important not to permit live stock to have excess to tho treated patches for at least thirty days after tho last treatment, as the solution is poisonous. When possible to cultivate or use a hoe, probably this is the most efficient means of eradication. It requires persistency, and means frequent cutting so that there will not bo sufficient growth Ifibove ground to keep the roots alive, fl possible, plough the field before the thistle forms seed. Keep the field cleanly cultivated the balance of the summer, and the following year plant corn in check rows. Some men have been able to get results by seeding to lucerne,' not so much as a smother crop, but for the frequent cutting that keeps the thistle from going to seed, and so weakens it that it is more easily killed when the field is put into in intertilled crop .

THE USE OF GARDEN WASTE

Nowadays it is generally recognised that the best, results in the cultivation of flowers and vegetables cau only be obtained by the use of plenty of manure, both natural and artificial. In the summer a pile of lawn mowings will constantly be accumulating, and those should be spread over the soil among the plants to check the weeds and to keep tho ground moist. Not a scrap of green stuff should be wasted, but should be thrown on the heap to be used as manure. The borders should !>o trenched in the autumn. That is, the trench should be two spits deep and a thick layer of the manure and decayed vegetable rubbish forked into the bottom spit. This keeps the soil rich and damp throughout the summer mouths, when the plants send their roots deep into the ground to find moisture. Provided

SEASONABLE WORK

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Tito cutting season for asparagus is now past. The best thing to do now is to encourage the tops to make as strong a growth as possible to build up good crowns. There is always a clanger of these large fern-like tops being broken oil' with strong winds. A good plan to protect them is to drive a stake at either end with binder twine stretched along, and tho heads tied to these for support. iioo between tho rows to keep down weeds. At this time of tho season it is very necessary to keep down weeds in all parts of tho garden, for it is surprising how soon they will cast their seed; consequently it is almost impossible to have the hoe in use too frequently, particularly among growing crops. Plant out asparagus in trenches, and water those plants previously planted. As 1 have so oftou said, celery will not endure droughts at any cost, and the more moisture given them the better they like it. The late or third division of broccoli should bo planted as soon as possible. This section will como in at a time when vegetables are scarce. Continue planting out other winter greens. In warm situations, where early frosts arc not likely to appear, a successive sowing of peas may be made, hearing in mind that early dwarf marrowfat kinds should be used. Stake up earlier-sown kinds to give them proper support. Pinch off the tops of broad beans that have set a fair crop. Tin’s will encourage beans to develop much nearer the top than if they were left unchecked. Leeks should bo planted out as previously advised, but see that the crop is properly thinned and keep the surface soil well hood between the rows.

Spinach should be sown to come in for winter use. Tho prickly spinach is the most in favor for this sowing. Lettuce should be sown for succession, giving thin, rich, and well-man-ured ground and the coolest part at command for this sowing. The more rapidly lettuce is grown the crisper and better will be the quality. Vegetable marrows should bo in rapid progress, especially those planted on lots of manure. These should not require watering, but whore they are planted on common soil they should be watered occasionally to keep them growing. THE FRUIT GARDEN Is ail or tie in shoots of peaches and nectarines on walls and pinch or cut out surplus breast wood. All these should be kept removed except those required for filling in blank spaces._ it is important to do this in good time, because if neglected till the fruit begins to ripen tlie real advantage of doing this is lost. Standard trees are too often left to take care of themselves in the summer months, but good gardeners attend well to them, as with wall trees. Nor is there any reason why this should not he done. 1 believe that it more than pays to judiciously prune, stop, and remove surplus wood to encourage tho full development and ripening of the wood left; stopping that means pinching back the points. For instance, take a young tree that has only been planted a year or two. Often there will bo found one shoot growing away much stronger and much out of proportion to the rest. _ If we pinch out the points of those this extra Jlow of sap is at once diverted into other channels, thereby strengthening the weaker growth and checking these strong shoot causing the whole growth to be more even and regular. A much better shaped tree is offered, and it is mre fit to carry a good crop of fine fruit. . , . Strawberries. —Now is the time _to prepare young runners for making fresh plantings. In ray young days the custom was to fill small 2in pots with rich soil, and place one under each first joint runner, press it down in the pot, add a little more soil to hold it in place, and sink the pot in the ground, if watered they will soon fill these little pots with roots, at which time the runners are cut away and the plant is then ready to plain out or pot up into larger pots for fruiting under glass. Properly managed. great crops of fine fruit are secured in this way, and naturally command a high price in tho market, coming, as they do, under glass very early in the season. For ordinary planting out purposes for new beds get a bucket of rich, gritty soil, and drop a small handful just at tho back of each young first-shoot runner. This will hold the runner in place, and it will soon root into the fresh soil and mako fine plants for planting out later. Tho sooner plants are got in in the autumn the better chance of a first season s crop of fruit. New ground broken up and a crop of potatoes taken off makes ideal ground for strawberry planting. If the ground has been previously well manured very little more will be reqUircd’ THE FLOWER GARDEN Carry on the work of budding roses as previously advised, Examine those previously budded, and where failures have occurred insert another bud on some other part of the stem. Remove dead flowers and seed pods, shorten well back, and give the ground a good watering with liquid manure, or apply artificial manure. The object is to get strong growth and good blooms for an autumn display. Carnations.—-Stake and tie carnations and disbud for good blooms by removing the small side buds and leaving the centre or crown bud to develop. Layering; This work may be done at any time now, but tho best time for layer" ing carnations is just as they go oil blooming Firstly, remove all dead leaves from the plants and some of the lower leaves from the shoots that have to be layered. Clear this all away and tho loose soil about the plants. Suvround the plants with 2in or 3m of fine sandy or gritty soil or loam. Then make a cut with a sharp knife through a joint and upwards and about halfway through the stem. Peg down firmly with thin wooden hooks or small pieces of bent wire. Cover the stems with lin to 2in of the same gritty soil and keep the soil moist by occasional waterings should dry spells occur after layering. Transplant or prick out into nursery rows stocks of tho East Lothian and Brorapton or giant flowering variety, including wallflowers, sweetwilliams, etc., for planting into their flowering quarters later. Bulbs that have ripened off may bo lifted now. Frecsias should be lifted and thoroughly dried off in the sun before planting in autumn. Hoe and rake flower beds and clip verges to give a general order of neatness. Mow and roll lawns regularly.

ANSWERS

“J.G.”—The toiuoto leaves forwarded are badly affected with mildew, or tomato blight. Reduce the foliage by cutting off all yellow leaves and about the half of each leaf higher up the stem. Rake up and burn them. Give plenty of air on hot days. Spray the plants with summer formula of Bordeaux mixture or atomalen dust. The mildew will not affect the fruit,

PEONIES IN THE GARDEN

HARDIEST OF ALL PERENNIALS ■ Apart from their exquisite blooms and handsome foliage, peonies rank supreme among herbaceous subjects tor their hardiness, immunity from disease, resistance to pests above and below the ground, and adaptability to treatment in all soils (says the London ‘Sunday Chronicle’). , . It is therefore not surprising tout each recurring season brings a host of new admirers of this noble plant when it is considered what little trouble is involved in its culture and the remarkable range of delicately tinted and scented single and double hybrids which specialists have evolved and arc still evolving. Plantings may be effected in favorable weather right up to the end ol March (September in New Zealand), but roots put in the ground earlier arc more likely to develop sufficiently to produce liowering stems in. May or Juno (November and December). Positions should be prepared by digging at least two spits deep and incorporating liberal quantities of well-de-cayed organic manure, leaf-mould, and loam. The crowns should be set three inches below the surface, and one yard apart each way is a reasonable space for the future development of plants, and sufficient for carpeting subjects to be introduced between them. TENDING THE PLANTS. Peonies are moisture-loving plants and gross absorbers of nutriment, and they will produce better blooms if a top dressing of old manure is given a month or six weeks after planting, and another in early spring, followed byperiodical doses of manure water until the flower buds begin to burst. The novice should remember that, the beauty of these plants improves year by year, and they should not be disturbed for five years at least. If then they ar© considered unwieldy in size or if the soil shows signs of having become exhausted, the roots can be lifted, divided, and planted afresh. - A MODEST SELECTION. One can pay as much as £5 for a modern creation, so a choice of the newer varieties is naturally limited to the capacity of one’s purse. There arc, however, quit© a number of excellent single and double specimens possessing charming tints, delightfully fragrant and most useful for vase decoration, which are reasonably priced. A few examples are; — Doubles; Adamson, a rich shade of crimson with short petals in the centre; Agnes Mary Kclway, light rose guard petals and yellow petaloids with a rose tuft; Alexandre Dumas, bright rose with cream, large and fragrant blooms; Hutton, dark rose guard petals with light centre; Lady Pocock, an early flowering variety, soft flesh white, with narrow central petals; Morne, plum color showing anthers. Singles; Autumnus, purple; Genera! Wolfe, a choice deep rose; Lord Morley, deep crimson purple.