THE GARDEN.

Mataura Ensign, 30 January 1915, Page 3

THE GARDEN.

HINTS AND WRINKLES. Notes by “ Amateur. ’* Weeding ceases to become drudgery if the garden-maker does not put it off; hut. if ho does he will find that instead of a time accumulation, of the minutes that should have heen spent in. weeding day by day, there will, bo hours more of it by Jetting weeds get the .start of him. Another thing the garden-maker of 'experience is careful to attend; to is the stirring up of the-soil frequently in order not to let it become like a baked; crust.

■Make a hole in the garden; and rake into it the fallen, leaves, sprinkle, the leaves with lime, cover the whole with soil, and when rotted a good pile of leaf mould will be available for potting plants or spreading on the garden. A most pleasing effect may he had hy combining anemones and pansies. The bulbs of anemones are inexpensive, so yon can afford to plant a good supply of them. , Pansies planted nr the same bed make a carpet that not only adds much to the beauty of the bed when the anemones are in bloom, hut makes the ' bed a ; longer-blooming one. After the anemones, are gone the pansies will stillvhe blooming profusely. Both of these require a shaded place, it.-isn’t,necessary dor the sun to strike them, ‘directly -at all—in-"fact, it will lie much‘ easier ,to .su'eceed with them if they do not; get the .sun.at- all. The anemone bulbs should he planted about' three inches'deep and about six inches, apart, each way. .-When, layering strawberries, carna-

tiqho,' or any other plants. the layers should he left on the old plants so long as,’ they ■ derive nourishment from- the connection.- Layering is.,a very, useful method of propagation, ami it might he eiuployed ;with advantage more than it is. If a branch of any tree is within reach of' the soil,, or the soil in some suitable- vessel-can he lifted up to it, a young plant ,'Citn: he.,secured without much .trouble' or expense. Some p'ants are difficult to propagate from cuttings, hut la vers, very rarely fail. Apple aud pear trees that are hearing heayr cuvps should he thinned of ail uiiwxiftssary fruite, for overcropping not .only .spoils -the .si?a? ■■ and* quality of iho jf uit- but also injures the prospects of a reasonable crop the following year. When.-' thinning tin* fruits the character of the individual variety .-.hot?ld be: studied, lor in the case of a small fruits; iug kind a larger number may be al-i lowed to develop than should be permittedl with larger varieties. S

Roses should have all faded (lowers removed* as soon as possible. When* there are no flower-buds on the stem they should he cut off to the first good hud . below -tho flower. If dry, give copious supplies of water and a little guano, and tlie second blooming will be almost a a good as; the first. 'The time for budding roses must depend on the ■condition of the stocks and on, tlie season, hut generally the next fortnight will he found a .suitable time. Showery weather is favorable for rose-budding, and should the weather after the buds are inserted- he hot and dry they must he frequently sprayed with clear water. Roses are propagated l readily from cuttings, and a great many varieties succeed, better on their own roots-. The shoots root well in an old spent hotbed, and-should-be shaded from bright sunshine. DAHLIA CULTURE.

A.u 1 ideal habit of growth for these plants is upright and branching, in which case training the growth is easy. For the present we -have simply ro put a. stout stake to each and tic* the main stem to the same. The tie must not be tight. Flower-bud.,? will soon show, hut it trill be some lime before they become developed; meantime, side branches should be plentiful. Maybe for show blooms it would bo advisable to remove these first- flower-buds, ami thus direct the energies of the plant to making strong side stems. At any rate, where the. plants are well cared for tlie first blossoms may open hy February. The- points- of’ the plaut.s should he taken out when about a- foot high to induce them to make stout side branches. From four to li.all"-a-rloz,en of these are taken up, (he rest removed, excepting those quite at the ha.se of the plant, which remain and are found useful in providing.- -blossoms- when the. main branches are over. The growth is secured by a triangle of three sticks and string put around as required. Rarely do plants so tied become damaged by winds.

While the plants are comparatively small they should not need much water At the roots, hut a sprinkling overhead morning end evening on line days will he of benefit. This prevents attacks of insect pests to a very great extent. 'The hoe should■ be. used regularly to keep down woods and conserve moisture. Later, too, it may become necessary to mulch the ground with litter, or the mowings from the lawn.— something light rather than a cold manure dressing. Probably the easiest of dahlias to grow are the Pom-pons. These are, in fact, spoiled if the treatment. of them be over-generous, their chief charm being the .small button-like form. They require little thinning of growth, except late in the year, when soft, gross shoots may appear. Singles, again, and Collarette's may he fjjipried but little; the only item is to keep decaying blooms off tile plants. In respect to the big double forms, as well as the cactus varieties, a- natural growth is hardly' desirable with most varieties, as they produce a superabundgocp of leaves if the light he not let iii by t'hp pepioval of soft branches which appear under hlossom-hucLs. When welt on into hushes tpe.se plants take a great deal of moisture, and in moot seasons it is necessary to give water. Even in' damp weather •their ample leafage not infrequently prevents rain from going near the root, and soakings of a thorough nature are advisable at intervals .in preference to the littlo-and-often method. Tt is a good plan to scoop out a hollow in the yoil around the stem of the plant; then when sy-fter is given we know that the roots get it, and manures in a liouid state should be the rule when flowers are developing. It is said against dahlias that the blossoms do not keep we}l in water 1 when cpt. There, should be no difficulty if the time of putting is chosen. They will certainly droop quickly if taken from the plant when the sun is on them, but not if cut in the early morning or evening. See to it that the stalks do not remain out of water long, and if the flowers do not flag at the time they are put in there will he no troithle. But when once the h'ef/jls droop, it is not easy to revive t bein'. Warm water may do so in jome Instances, hpxypyPf...