GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 July 1925, Page 8

GARDENING NOTES.

(By Warat-ah.) AZALEAS. There are two kinds ol azaleas ine evergreen or ludran azalea-. and t - u deciduous kind, known as azalea mo-lm. Both kinds flower piotuseiy in spnng. and. look well phunted near ihuaudendroms. eHpeaiailv il planted in gtoups of .a»bout half-a-dozen. To do them justice the .soil should he jwopenly piepared by tueni-hing the ground to a depth, of at least two leer.' -Manure should) not- bo added to the sod, nut d leaf-mould Is available some may bedug in with advantage. Azaleas object to the prase lie.e, ol lime and stiong nutnures in the soil, though when "ell established a little thoroughly ueeoinp,i!ised miamiie- may he used as a top-ikess-ing ito- keep the .soil in a. mm-i eoirdiition during the sum-mer months. They-should be hbeia.lly watered in ury weather ami occasion:!l!y syringed ouihead with clean water to keep red spider an<l ithrips in cheek. 1 hint only whew illisoil is. in -suitnide condition, as it- must be made very firm round the root's, which is not possible when sod is very wet and sticky. Be earc-nd not to damage the roots or disturb the ball of soil. The ground round esitanlishedl planits ,should not be dug. Alt thalt is necessa-rv is the removal ol weeds by hoeing, and an •annual topdressing' of leaf-mould or well-decayed manure applied in spring. Azaleas may also be grown i,s pots lor tame decoration, and are often invaluable when euit flowers are scarce. RI I.O'D 0 B'EfN I >B 0 N S.

There are several] distinct- sections of dhododendro-n-s. The port i cum hybrids ■are the hardiest. but the Himalayan species and varieties are rpiitc The flowers aro superior in size, colour, and perfume, and in. small gardens where only a lew .shrubs can be glown sliould be planted. in pioteience to- the c.omimon kinds. Rhododendrons praler a cool, moist soil, free from lime. They thrive best- in soil containing plenty of 1 eaf-mouild or peat, and benesHx- b-\ an annual mulch of leaf-mould or welldecayed manure. Though a slight shade is an. advantage; it is not absolutely necessary, and il growing in too dense .shade the shrubs will not flo-ue-i t*cf, .freely, ripened. Eour good .Hi.iiitfvhtyciii- ihododendros are: Countess of Haddington. with blush-white scented flower.s. freely produced, good grower; .1 ragnatiisisinia. highly perfumed white flowers; Princes® Alice, white flowers tinged pink on back of petals, scented, free flowening, -bushy habit; Vi.rgin-al.is. large, p-nre white trumpet-shaped flowers hio’hlv isociiitecl. dairk foliage. SOIL FOli CULINARY PEAS.

l:t< diss not advisable to sow peas or beans on newly dug :soil, and theground in which it is intended' to sow pe-ais or 'beans in spring ,should' be prepared ,a few weeks bel ore sowing to allow time for the soil to oon.so'lukiite. Peas need a deeply-worked soil. A trench should be taken out three feet wide, the length of the row. Big the ground two ispiibs deep and put in a good layer of well-decayed manure or compost from a refuse heap between the top a-ncl bottom .splits. Light soil should be made firm by treading as it is put 'back in the trench. Later on. just before or at- the time of sowing, apply a good dressing oil lime to the .surface of the soil, pointing it* in lightly with -a fork. It is not advisable, to apply lime in winter, -ais heavy rains wash it down too deep. SHALLOTS. The dial lot is a- very useful vegetable, and .should be grown in every garden. They miay be used lor every purpose for which onions arei used, and are excelleiiit when pickled. Ip, gardens where onions do not grow satis,fantorily they should be grown sir a isuhstiitute. Shallots -can bo grown from seed in. a. similar manner to oiiioriis, but the usual method is to plant small bulbs. They do best in a- piece of ground that was heavily manured for a previous crop. The ground -should li.ft.ve a sprink.lii.irg ol lime before planting, -and the bulbs planted din apart in rows not less than L2iu. apart-. The bulbs should be pressed into the soil with the top visible above the ground. Later on when (the bulbs are about half-grown the soil should be drawn away from .the bulbs, ais the clumps -swell better if thus is done. When the foliage turns yellow land the bulbs are matured' they should ibe taken up, dried, and stored in a cool, dry pliaee. when, iif properly ripened, they will be found to keep much better than onions. ROUTINE WORK.

Prune fruit trees, currant and gooseberry ibui-shes. Plant ornamental shrubs, fruit trees, roisi&s- and hedge plants when soil i.s in suitable condition. If very wet heel the plants i.n until, the ..soil i.s in a condition suitable for planting. Sow under glass lobelia., sweet peas, tomato, cauliflower and cabbage for .planting in spring. Prune and clean grape vines. Puit early sorbs of seed potatoes in. boxes to sprout ready for planting later on. They should he ,placed crown end uppermost in shallow boxes and exposed to the light in some frostproof place. Two, or at most three, of the thickest ,sprout-s. should, be allowed to grow on each land the others rubbed off. The yield is earlier and usually heavier when they have first been sprouted.