THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10526, 2 December 1916, Page 9

THE GARDEN.

ROSES. When one comes to compare the number oj people who grow roocs with those who gro'w them for exhibition purposes, only the latter are very lew compared with the former; The greater majority prefer to have quantities, but for all that, they tlo not despise quality and would, if they knew bow, have plenty of blooms fit for exhibition. There is one. thing to know and understand shout roses, and that is that they are great, feeders and like to have all the ■■plant loorl they require when they arc strongly. The safest manure for the amateur to use i<, that from the cow-bails if the soil as light and that from stables on heavy soil. These can be used at any time, ol the year, but the autumn is the best time oi all. In the summer time manuring .should lie done by the use of liquid manure. which is very simple to make. Cow. horse, fowl or pig manure can be put into a sack and the sack soaked in a tulj ol water for a few days, and then the liquid can be poured on the ground round the plants at the roie of about two gallons to each bush. Artificial manures can also be used, but unless the grower understands something of their action and use it is much better to stick to animal manures. Bonedust scattered over the roil and worked in with the hoe is a splendid fertiliser. A little superphosphate treated in the tame way. will also do a lot of good, but the main thing is to u.se the hoe often and thoroughly. Even without the aid of manure good rosea can he grown. Rose growers should never waste even the smallest particle of soot, which is a splendid fertiliser used either as n liquid manure or worked into the soil in a dry 6tate when the rain will wash the good parts down to the roots ol the plants. Some roses will not open properly when overfed, but the majority will stand any amount of good feeding. Those that do not can only be found out by experience. Climbing roses require good treatment at till times: unless, this i& given they cannot be expected to make the bett growth. One of the first and main things to aim at with climbers is to get plenty of good strong wood and then you can be fairly sure that the next season's crop of flowers' will be good also. As soon as the- new wood begins to ripen tie the growths into the position they must occupy when the plant is ready to bloom. Tying in early like this gives the buds plenty oi time to grow again next season. Wichuriana roses fchould he pruned alter they have bloomed ami the new growths can be ■jied in then. SHOWS. There have been quite a number of rose shows held in various parts oi the country during the last week. The an- i nual rose show of the Wellington Rose and Carnation Club was hold in the Town Hall on the 22nd last and was a huge success. There are many flower lovers in large cities, and Wellington is especially fortunate in this respect. In and around the town there are many with very small areas; and yet, in spite of many drawbacks they make a decided success of. rose culture. Some very fine flowers wore staged which would be a eiedit to any place. Some of the most successful exhibitors were Mr F. Westburv, of the Hutt, .Mr Penn, of Otaki, Mr' Bock, Hutt, Mr Hirrdiherg, Khandallali. who took most ol the prizes in their respective classes. The champion rose was a good specimen of Gloire de ('. Guihotssenu. A large flower stall in the centre ol the building did a very large trade all the time t\w show was open. At Otttki the show was one of the best that had been held there for many years. Every class was well tilled with splendid blooms, and the classes for a collection of cut flowers and collection of annuals were two of the bestthat have been staged there,. The champion rose was a remarkably fine specimen of Mrs Ed. Mawley, grown by "Air Witch. 11. CARNATIONS. Carnations tire sending up their long' flowering spikes now, and in a great maiiv cases the buds are beginning ui burst and show colour. All these flowering stalks must be tied up or fixed in t-iich a wav that they do not lie about on the ground. A piece of wire-netting made into a ring and placed round the plant is one of tin best ways of keeping the flowers up and docs away with a loTot tying. Many of the stalks carry far too many flower buds for the flowers to develop properly, and some of these are better taken (iff with a sharp pair of scissors. If is rather tedious work, but if good flowers are wanted there is no help for it. When the stalks have been tied up and the ground thoroughly hoed a little liquid manure should be given to the plants. Soot water is one of the very 'test things that can lie used, and should never be darker in colour than weak tea. The bursting ol the calyx is one thing that worries growers considerably, and many ways and means are used to .stop tins. One of the best is to get some rubber tubing, and to cut it into narrow strips and work these, strips on to a pencil from the sharpened end, the blunt v]m\ can ihen be put next to the bud and one ring worked off round, each calyx that it ie proposed to save. The ring must be placed in such u position that the (lower can open freely, whirl) will be aboui half way down the bud. Green fly is one of the most troublesome pests at this time of tho vear. but a spray or two with "Kottakilla" will easily keep tins in check. The greatest thing to assist tlie development of the bud i<s to keep the surface soil well stirred and aerated. If the soil round the plants i.s allowed to become hard it stops the air penetrating ihe soil which is fatal to free flowering. This is about the be.sl season of the year to sow carnation seed. Tho plants will not bloom this season, but those who only grow for

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

garden purposes will be astonished at the number of blooms each plant will carry next vear. A large proportion ol the seedlings will be worthless when judged from a flower point of view, but if good seed i.s got ti 're are likely to be some sjood Bowers nmongsj them. The best wav to raise the seed is to sow i; thinly in a box thai i.s fairly shallow and has been filled with a compost of light sandy soil and a light leal 'mould anil to cover in box with a sheet ol pane,- and u glass end to put it: ill a I rain.■ As soon as the seeds begin to .-boot remove the paper but keep the box shaded for a little while. As ,soon tie the plants are large enough to 'handle prick them out either into pots lor into other boxes where they will have ' plenty of room. PATHS. Verv often much ol the time that should be given up to weeding the garden has to be devoted to keeping tho paths clean and free from weeds. At this time of the year this means a serious loss of time because tl the path!; are weedv it takes some time to roll them down agaMi aider they have been cleaned. It is si much better plan to use a good weed killer and clean the paths up with it than to destroy their surface with the hoe or pick. Mix the weedkiller according to the direct tons on the tin am! be very careful not to pon, unv of it on the mass edges or plants in the borders, fn about three days von will find that the weeds, are beginning to turn brown and die; in a little while these can be swept up and carted awe,'. Where weeds have got a stion- hold it is often necessary to give them one or more light doses atterwurcls but the value ol this method of treating paths is that the weeds do not come again very quickly, and tlio paths' surface has not been destroyed. \ board placed alone an edging or border will keen the mixture lrr.ni going on to the edges. It i.s bo.-i applied with a wittering -■ ■" specially set apart tor the work. WATERING PLANTS UNDER CLASS. •Greenhouse" say,: ■'Would you kindly give a few hint- aboui watering plants in a glass house. Ibe hott.se is t 1,,,..-to facing the north-west and gets verv hot during the middle ol the day. |„ 'it necessary to shade plants ma glasshouse, and what is the best thing to user I have geraniums, pelargo!lilim,.. azaleas, and begonias, also an assortment of cactus and other plan sThp |' oU6e is uot very large (filteon by t P „) but I find a iiioat deal ol pleasure t„ he got from it, and there arc always plm.lv of ilowet-s to keep it gay. AM the hard wooded plants in your greenhouse should be grouped together, ami those witli the softer stems in another „,.„„„. The hardwooded paints require extra cure in their watering, ami i the soil in them is allowed to get veij (Py the onlv wav to moisten ii again thoroughly I, to stand the pots ma buth ol water for some hours, &oi wooded plants will stand the so.lt little drier .ban the others, but do not kr-ep ti always in a saturated sta.c. \ewlv potted plants must not be given as nlncb water as when. «hc plants have beet, potted up some time and he 1 0 V are lull of roots. In very hot, dr 5 Uather it it often necessary to wattu both morning and evening, fading » necossavv tluving the hot month, o slimmer: and there are very lew plants t hat v ,-iii stand without it. he best thing to use is to mix si little slaked lim( . n . ifc h souk. Bkim milk, and ulen tho sodimem settles, to the nt om, paim the dasson the inside w.tl.. th.s. ()r. if more convenient the outside ot the -lass can be painted oul with the ,am«rmaterial. There are ~a n bc bought for the purpose. A house l.uill against a wall as yours is wiM be eonsiderablv hotter than a detaCited ,;;;; in ,!,'„ s ., rf lon. Give all bouses nip,-.!.. „|- vent da; ion during the hottest part of thr day. Riant, that are pot, !„..„) w m l,e found to grow much better! | given a little weak manure nccasioiiiilly. VKGRTABLK.'*. Tho warm humid weather lias boen .splendid lor bringing on vegetahltv ol all sorts, and also lor weeds. A>. M«m it clear, up enough every bed jj ~e w.,,,1,,1 and cleaned SO as to allmv plenty of room lor growth. bun;.;want'almost daily attention ... the ol stake* and tying up and pinching o the side shoots. \\ Ihmi these sule shoo s are left too long much ol the nouuslinmnt that should go to the fruit gtoesw the plants and ,s wasted, ll bioccol seed have not been sown yet they should be got in at once. Some ol WK ti, , .-.rieties are best for 111.-- time ol C vear This ts about th .best time' to plant out those varieties ,} v m come to .mil urity earlier ... the season. If possible put them ... a new French bean,, lettuce, and vau'Sios 10. f;l , •ces.siott. Potatoes should be hoed and earthed up as soon as they are ,-eadv Marrow,-- and pumpkins an n : k ,;„ nootl growth, and the ea. th l -vorkedan, ( a l ,;.-tt.ben,aslon, as tt i- possible. It is not too late to BOW a marrow seeds .1 thee base bTt lien ;hi: whole .ot. These, if oplace ul lookpcl niter, will give lenlvoi vegetables later on in he Reason Plant out savoy cabbages now, ■uul fliev will gel a -nod start before the dinnfnnd-hacW moth attacto thorn Manv crops are lost every year through this'rest hm nut them m now and [hen when the moth begins to appear. ! have'some tar water ready and spraj ;.pg U "larlv. This will keep them away • and the'cabbages will grow.