THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9740, 5 March 1914, Page 2

THE GARDEN

BULBS IN MOSS FIBRE. Growing bulbs in moss fibre is a form of gardening that will appeal to the gardener who has only a very limited space at his disposal.' The work is very simple if a few small details arc carefully noted, and good results may be achieved by the veriest novice. The main thing to do is to begin potting i\\ at once. Any kind of bowl will do, am: they need not be expensive. Moss, charcoal and shells are the ingredients that form the mixture the bulbs havt to be planted in. Get the moss ami break it up finely by hand, and see thai there are no lumps in it, then line tin bowl with it about half an inch thick The charcoal should be broken up int< fairly fine pieces, and some of tli( nieces should be scattered over the layer of moss on the bottom of tin bowl, also a few pieces of broken-U] shell. When this is done rill the bowi with moss until the variety of bulb to be put in will have its neck-base about half an inch below the level of the rim. Some bulbs are larger than others, and therefore it stands to reason that the bowl must not be so full for them. In putting the bulbs in the moss do not press them down too much, but just pnough to firm them. When as many bulbs are in the bowl as it will conveniently hold without being overcrowded, fill up the interstices with moss, but do not ram it hard. It is important that the fibre should be dightly damp, but not wet. If it is try when bought soak it for a while md then allow it to drain for a day. V cool dark room or box should bo got ready to receive the bowls when they have been filled. The bowls will have to remain in this box or room for ibout eight to ten weeks, and the door should be opened daily to admit air, ind also to allow for inspection to see it' any mure water is required. The main thing is to keep the fibre just moist: if it is too damp the bulbs will rot. If the surface gets too dry the whole bowl may be plunged in warm

•..iter and then stood on its side for an 'lour or two to dry. In the dark room growth goes steadily on. and after a while weak, sickly-looking shoots bcgin to appear. When these are between I'lif and two inches in 'length, the howls must be to the light and air, gradually ar first, until the shoots become quite green. After that the bowls an- inspected daily to see if they need water, and are also given a halt turn to prevent the shoots all leaning one way. It will bo found that after the bowls have been removed from tin dark room or box, that the moss will iry much more quickly than when in the dark. This is owing to the hear •if the room causing the moisture t< evaporate. Almost any of the narcissi family, as well as hyacinths and tulips. may be grown in this way. The polyantha or bunch-ilowered narcissi arc especially suited for this work, the only objection being to them that their scent is rather overpowering when con fined to a small room. Any of tin trumpet daffodils may be grown in this way, and become splendid decorative objects, SOWING REEDS. There are many seeds that, if sown in the autumn and transplanted out before the winter sets in, will make the garden quite gay after the daffodils are over. Anemone seed may be sown now in boxes. This seed is very <as\ to grow if the earth in the boxes if kept moist and the young plants an pricked out as soon as they are large enough to handle. Aquilegia or columbines, as they are usually called, will bloom in the spring if sown now. This seed is very bard, and should be placed in hot water at least twenty-four hoim before sowing. The long-spurred varieties are the most dainty, and should be more extensively grown. Antirrhinums sown now will bloom early in the spring. Canterbury bells, give a fine show in the early summer if sown now and grown in good soil. The cup and saucer varieties are the most favoured, .and there are some very pretty diados amongst them. The perennial delphiniums are easily sown from seed, and will be much more grown when they are better understood. For massbig as a background to dwarfer flowers there are no flowers than can equal them. Penstemons, gaillardias. stocks and wallflowers should also be sown now for the best results. They are all easy to manage, and can be grown without the aid of glass. The principal thing to remember is not to let the plants when they first come up get overcrowded and dry. Prick them out into other boxes as soon as they are large enough to handle, and you will have plenty of flowers in the spring and summer. XAKCISSI DISEASE.

The following article from the Kew Bulletin, and reprinted in the Garden, :nuy give some idea of the disease that is troubling daffodil growers in Holland at the present time: "About three years ago a disease of an unusual nature was met with on various kinds iif narcissus bulbs. During the present season the disease has increased to such an extent that, according to the statement tii growers on a large scale, entire plots of bulbs have been destroyed. The injury is due to a parasitic fungus called Fusarium bulbigcneum, first described in 1887, the host being given as a narcissus bulb. At that time it was not recognised as a parasite. As a rule, the appearance of the parasite is first indicated by small yellowish spots on the leaves. These >pots gradually increase in size, and become brown and dry, and become more or less covered with small salmon-coloured specks, wide;] are at first more or less gelatinous, but soon become dry and horny when exposed to the air. These eolouri d patches are masses of Fusarium spores, which are dispersed by various means and infect neighbouring plants. The mycelium present on the leaf can be traced passing downwards into the bulb, where it grows rapidly in the fleshy bulb-scales. During the early stage of the infection of the bulb the tips of the scales only are injured. The iidury, however, gradually extends to the base and enters the cushion, whoiK-c it spreads rapidly and very soon the entire bulb is of a uniform brown colout. Wlien this stage is reached the fungus forms delicate, whitish sheets

(Specially written for "Standard.") Notes are published weekly under this heading, and readers interested in gardening are invited to send in questions relating to matters upon which they wish expert advice; answers will be published with the weekly notes.

between the bulb scales, and numerous •esting spores are produced on the mycelium present in the substance of the scales. These spores are globose, colourless, with a thick cell wall and are produced at the tips of the branches or >ccur in chains in the length of the mycelium. The Fusarium spores are borne in clusters at the tips of short branches, and in the mass are tinged salmon, but are colourless under the nicroscope. They are throe-septate tips »ointed and slightly curved. When a utlb becomes brown it commences to lecay, and its complete destruction is lastencd by the attacks of other fungi, md by eelworms. No directions are jiven for curing the disease, except hat growers are recommended to lift mnually and not to plant bulbs again :i land that has produced a diseased rop. No kind of dressing would be ikely to kill the spores directly, but luring spring, when they are germinatng and producing secondary spores the after would be killed by a dressing of ainit or sulphate of potash lightly vorkod into the soil. The disease was mown in Holland as far back as 1887, Yom where, quite unintentionally, the liseaso may have been introduced into

England by mems of slightlv infected uilbs." THE ROSE. There is something about the fragance and even contour of a well-grown rose that appeals to the heart of every neieber of the English speaking race, md the cultivation of the flower has long been regarded as one of the most ascinating pursuits in large or small .■•aniens alike—"The Garden." We are rapidly drawing near the time ,vhen rose growers will be anxiously i vatehing the post for their bundles of •oses, ordered some months ago. They nay be wanted to form new beds, or hey may be wanted to take the place >f some old bushes that the grower is ioing to discard for various reasons. N T ow, few growers realise the iniportineo of making preparations beforetand to receive these parcels: It must >e remembered that if ioses are to ;row, and do well, the soil must be ich and free, and stagnant water must lot lie about either on it or in the subsoil. It is easier to enrmh and drain he land before t] ~> r - roses are set out in t, than ic will ever be afterwards, and .v beginning early there is a chance hat the work will be properly done, loses are deep-rooting plants, when he\ arc allowed to be, by having some jood rich material below them to send heir roots into, but if the manure is riily on the too of the soil, then their oots will stay to be parched by the sun and wind during the summerime. (liven a deep root run, they will end their roots down and will be free Von! the vagaries of the wind and weaher. Any soil will grow roses provided hat it is worked deeply and enriched vith manure, or even the top spit from •ome waste land. One of the first hittgs to do when choosing a site for a '•use-bed is to see that it gets the full benefit of the morning sun. Roses will .jrow without this, but unless you want ill wood and U'\v blooms the morning ,nn must shine right on to the bed. To do this the bod ""ill face the east, and u many ways tins is an ad\antage, as i screen may be put on the western ;ide to keep the heavy winds away. •such a situation would be an idea! me, (specially if the giomid sloped gently to fie east. "When drains are nit in tiles are the best to use. and hey should be about thirty inches below the surface. The distance apart chat the drains will need to be depends i lot upon the nature of the sub-soil, which, if very heavy, holds the water, in such a case as this the drains could be put at least twelve feet apart to advantage, but in looser, more friable soil, the drains may be much further ipart. When the drains are in the work of trenching and manuring should bo taken in hand. Open a trench the whole width of the bed, and take the surface soil off and barrow to the end where it is intended to finish the work. This will he there to fill up the last trench when the bed is finished. After this has been done, cover the sub-soil with manure or compost, and work it up thoroughly with, the subsoil. Break this soil up finely, as it will be impossible to reach it when the roses are planted. The next strip of surface soil is put on top of this, and may be left in a rough state to weather. The subsoil is then broken up with manure as before, and so the work goes on until the bed is finished. Give the surface a 2,00 d coating of lime, and leave for a few weeks before hoeing in and break-

ing up the surface. VEGETABLES. Caterpillars are playing havoc with the tomato plants this year. They do not seem satisfied with spoiling good fruit, but burrow into the steins as well. The only way to check them is to spray the plants thoroughly with arsenate of load. The same thing is on all over New Zealand, and growers are complaining of the extra amount of work entailed. Onions for spring planting may be sown this month. Ailsa Craig is the best to use for this purpose, and if large bulbs are vanted for show purposes there are no varieties that equal this one for size or mildness of flavour. The bed for the seed should lie well worked, and some )ld rotten manure worked in with it. Hie main thing is to have good strong plants for setting out when the time comes. A few carrots may be sown now. Many people prefer carrots in their young state to well matured roots. SPRAYING APPLES. The following extract from a letter speaks for itseh : "I must thank you for your hints on apple spraying. Last vear my apples were completely spoilt by codlin moth, and I was nearly destroying the trees. However, I happened to read your notes on the subject, and thought I would give them another chance. I have nine Sturmer Pippins and three Jonathans, and they' have always borne well, but this year they are breaking down under the weight of fruit. I sprayed four times, :.s directed, and with the exception of one hole in a Jonathan, have not been ible to discover another spoilt apple. One pound of arsenate of lead did the lot four times and I have some over."