THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17335, 25 November 1916, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Subscriber," Timaru, writes:— "Last year I was very unsuccessful with broad "beans, very few of the flowers coming to pods. This year the same thing is taking place. I havo several rows of strong plants about eighteen to twenty-four inches high, full of blossom, but the flowers are simply dropping off, leaving stems Avith nothing but leaves. Is there any remedy? My garden is very much protected, with but little wind fo disturb the growth. Is this the cause of non-fertilisation? Reply: Sorry to say we cannot explain the cause or suggest a remedy, nott having had any experience of the trouble you have with your broad beans. Wo have known the blossoms to fall after humble bees have bitten the keel in search of honey. "Amateur," St Martins, "I shall be much obliged if you will inform me through the column of Garden Notes the correct treatment for marguerite daisies, so that they will bloom in winter. I live on the hills, and so escape the severe frosts; if tho daisies have to be cut back, when is the right time and how much should be cutaway?" Reply. Cut the plants fairly hard back early in January., and if the ground is very dry water tho roots once a week until the autumn rains fall. If the plants send out tow many shoots, reihovo some to give those left plenty of room to grow strong. E.M.G., Chatham Islands, asks:—(l) Are Rymor applo trees different from other "apple trees in their needs for pruning? Tho enclosed illustrations make them to be quite on t\w ground like a hedge tree and growing like a briar patch. (2) The best way to store fruit (apples), not for shipment, but for keeping for home use. Reply: (1) No Rvmer applo trees need the same pruning as others. Australian nurserymen cut their one-year trees off quite close to the ground to make , tho branches start as low as possible, and when the trees begin to bear the weight of fruit bends the branches down nearly to the ground. (2) The best way to store apples is in a well constructed fruit room, "a dug-out'' with a thatched roof, where the temperature is low and even, the atmosphere moist, and with ample ventilation.' They can be kept in clamps the same as potatoes or stored in small boxes and put on tho south side of a building or fence. H R W writes: Could you give some sucgostioii f ™ - dealing with the brown, winged grub? It is swarming in tens of thousands at present just after sunset, and settles for the night on the young shoots of the fruit trees Reply One of tho best methods is to get some strips of canvas or tarred rope, dip it in oil. stretch it between two posts and set it on fire. Fix tho flare about a foot from tho ground. I he moths will fly into the flame and fall dead Try several and report results. Tho point is to make the material up in such a way that it gvyes a gooo flame for a long time. The longer it bums, the more moths are killed. WORK FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN. Seeds to Sow.—Bcnns. beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, leek, lettuce, melon, onion, parsly, peas, savoy, spinach, turnip, vegetable marrow. What to Plant.—Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leek, lettuco, potatoes. . ~ •Mulching garden crops is a question that deserves much more attention than is given to this important practice, because it is one of the be:-t aids to garden crops during the hot summer weather. A mulch of some six inches of half-decayed manure serves several purposes. It wards off the intense heat of the sun and conserves the moisture in the soil, thus neutra ising the extremes of heat and drought.; it maintains .an even condition of the soil about the roots of plants. Tins means that they can keep on growing without the result of too much heat aniTtoo little water. It is good lor established trees, especially if the mantiro is rich, because its nutritivo properties are washed down to the roots, feeding them. Currant and gooseberry bushes, plum, applo and cherry trees all benefit from a liberal mulch, especially those 1 trees that are carrying a heavy crop of fruit. Watering crops is another item of rmrden work that requires attention, and we caution our readers against the '"little and often" method. This is the worst system of watering, because in many cases the little water does not penetrate more than an inch or two. The ground below this will remain dry. The result is that the roots of the plants crow upward to got the moisture and when the surface dries under the hot sun, the growth flags ami wilts. This is not only a check to development, but gives all the insect pests their opportunity, which they make good use of, and soon there is much trouble from these. When any plants are watered, give them a good soaking. If only a few are watered, leu the moisture soak lower than the roots are, to encourage them to gp down deeper. Such a soaking is lasting and more helpful to tho plants than a dozen driblets. After watering boo tho surface. If it is left as washed by the water, it will cake and crack, but it hood it will crumble and lie loose, with very little loss of moisture from evaporation. Anplv the water slowly, so that it can soak in as fast as it fall* on the ground. If watering with a hose, do iibt turn the tap on full—only enough to force the water through the rose. If. the full force is opened the stream of water soon washes a hard surface and the water runs off to the lowest point instead of soaking into the soil. Thin out seedling crops of vegetables as soon as they are big enough to handle. Dust young carrots, turnips and parsnios with sinked lime. This will help to keep insect ests away. Give the onion bed a liberal dusting with soot. This will feed the plants and hero to keen insect pests away. _ ' Cucumbers in frames are growing fast and need daily attention. To keep them in a condition for supplying, cucumbers all through the season, pinch the lateral shoots, and when these are too numerous, cut sonie cut to give' room to the new fruiting growths. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Roses are making a fine display this spring. The first buds have escaped injury from late frosts and our gardens are gay with roses. Several varieties have developed " mildew " at this early part of the rose season —fortunately, only a few—and seeing that these are ever subject to this trouble, no matter what the weather may be, one is tempted to ask, why keep them? Many years ago, when tho number of good varieties were fewer than they are today, there was the excuse that there are none of the same shade as good, but since the numbers of varieties have grown so big this reason can no longer bo urged. Therefore we suggest that these varieties that are so persistently effected with mildew should lie marked at once, and in the autumn dug up and burnt, and others of the same shndo •in 1 in their places. If you want th 'dints to go on making (lowers, dorr' feave the. seod peds on the plant/*, but remove 'hem n- soon as the petals herein to fall, and w!;or<? rosrs arc growing in the mix:-! border, sac >.('■ it that pom of the other pl-ints crowd against a rose bush, because this will be fatal ' good blossoms in the future. Tho rose bush should be kept quite free from any other plant, so that light, air and moisture can get at the base of the plant, and new growths push up from tho ground line. This is now the bush is kept young, by fresh shoots replacing the old. Therefore, see to it that all growths are kept away. Keep the lawns cut as close as possible. The moth that lays the larva*'

of the "grass grub" is on the wing, and lays its eggs on the stems of blades of grass. If we cut these close, tho iarvae is taken with the grass before it can get into the soil. Garden.fertiliser dusted over the lawn will minimise the trouble. The moths don't like the pungent odour of the manure. Another preventative is to make the surface damp early in the evening with the garden hose. The moths prefer a dry place for breeding. They hunt until" they find one. This is why a raised terrace is so often full of grubs. Bedding out should he about finished (salvias excepted). These do better if planted at the end of this, or early, in next, month. Be careful in watering plants just set out. Too much is worse than too little, but unfortunately many will water, water, water immediately after planting, before the roots have had time to recover from the shift. Keep the ground between them stirred bv frequent hoeing, and spray them overhead in the afternoon should they show signs of flagging, but don't over water at the roots, becauso this retards recovery, and tends to turn the foliage brown. " When the plants show signs" of new gro.vth, that is t\w time to give them more water.