THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10104, 11 October 1917, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. | During this month there is so much ■ to bo done that some things are often lost sight of altogether. Weeds must lie kept down amongst shrubs and all other plants and the hoe will be found the most useful tool lor. ibis purpose. Roso beds should be hoed over as often as possible. It is not necessary 10 go in for deep cultivation, and in fact' it is often injurious to do so at this linn- ot (he year when the plants are sending out 'myriads of small white tools in every 'direction. tl deep cultivation is attempted many of these will be destroyed, but by shallow surface hoeing these are encouraged. A little bonedusi scattered over the bed will help to feed the plants. As soon as rhododendrons have finished flowering they ."■liouli! have all the old flower bead picket] off. If the seeds are allowed to set .it rerards growth, ami when they are picked off the new growths come away n[ 01101 . Both these and azaleas will benefit from the use as a mulch of sonic well rotted animal manure. It is not necessary to dig it. into the soil, but simply put it round the plants and :allow the rain to wash the nutriment down. .Many other shrubs will benefit jfrom the same kind of treatment, but the great trouble is that it is very hard to get stuff sufficiently rotted for the purpose. Chrysanthemums can be planted any time from now on until the end of next month. If the plants are I not wanted to grow too tall it is better • to wait until the end of November before putting them out, and then to cut them downvabout six to eight inches from the ground. Sow seeds of annuals in boxes under glass and prick off any that are ready as soon as possible. Give plenty of room in the seed boxes and | more room in the boxes they are pricked into; it is better to waste them in the seed boxes than in the boxes they are pricked out into. Next month will be early enough to sow seeds outside in the open ground. Paths that showsigns of becoming weedy should be treated to a- dressing of weed killer. This is the best and cheapest form of killing weeds that can be got. The best time to apply it is after rain, when the paths are still moist. In a few days the woods will begin to turn brown, and after a week or so can be swept u)) and burnt. They should not be put 011 the compost heap, as there may be some poison sticking to them. Take care when using it that the poison does not get on the grass edges of lawns oi- any plants that are valued. BEHIND THE FRENCH LINES. A gardening enthusiast who is serving with the New Zealand forces in France .says: "Lately it has been my good fortune to have something to do at that little place in Franco, which is not marked on the map, 'Somewhere in France.' I have had the pleasure of seeing the French system of intensive farming carried out on a scale titat I never thought was possible, and what is more the whole of the work is being done by women and old men and in a few cases boys. It is astonishing how use is . made of every inch oi available space, and the cop) that are grown not only ii rapid succession but are grown t< perfection'. We used to talk about tin Chinamen, ami how they worked tin land and got the most, out of it. but they are not in it with these industriou. people. The time I was behind th( lines was during the. tour of the Agricultural Relief of Allies Committee which was permitted by the French Gov eminent to inspect the work that wa; being done. In the course of my jour uey I lunched and dined at provinoia centres, large and small, and everywhere there was to be found an abundance of excellent bread, butter, eggs cheese, vegetables and meat. In fat. there did not seem to be a shortage 0, any kind and the prices charged wee a revelation to me after the Lorn 1 >n prices. l merely mention this rot only to show ho v well the people are providing lor themselves, but also a: showing how well the women are p;o----viding. Without agriculture and intensive culture if would not be possible to provide all these things. Tec French people are showing the warmest appreciation of the practical help extended to them by their friends in tin British Isles. The Society oi Fiieiuk are at work on the ruined villages rebuilding .tnd straightening up as they go, iiid the villagers follow a'ier and begin cultivating at ome. The Royal Horticultural Society ' f' Englaed 1 cv< done a groat deal of good by collecting and forwarding seeds to the striekc people and other bodies have contri billed to the work with gifts of machinery and agricultural implements. Tin sturdy British implements aio to i( seen working near t'ie lighter ('ana dian lieltivators all helping with tin work. When I come back I am <_''. nj tn put some of the lessons learnt to ; practical use. and I am su'c 'i>a: tber arc many others who wili do 'he same The boys all say that it is the land foi them when they return; no more drud gory on an office stool, but a id.' 11 tin open air. When I have more tmio ! will send you some more notes of tiiiag; I have seen and the way they eu'livale and manure." QUESTION. "Worker" says: "Would you kind'y give full instructions as to the way in which to make up a chrysanthemum bed. 1 do not want to grow show blooms exactly, but I want to make The plants carry about a dozen good sized flowers that would be saleable for patriotic purposes. I would also like the names of a dozen varieties that would be suitable to get. I have about •me hundred plants in fen varieties, and will add another filly. .My soil is fairly stiff, and has been cropped til-

written for "Standard.") Notbs are published weekly under this heading, asd readers interested in gardening are invited to send in questions relating to matters upon which tfi<w wish expert advice; answer* will be published with the weekly notes.

must continuously tor the last twelve years. It is well sheltered and drained, and has been trenched." To prepare your soil tor growing chrysanthemums as you describe get some- fresh turf and open drills across the part you have selected for the bed about a foot wide and a foot deep. Rut the turf in these and chop ii up as finely as possible covering it over with a little of Ihe soil taken out. into this work put plenty of lime and hoe the whole bed iver several times before' the plants .ire set out to sweeten it well. r Jhe - rows should lie about three feet apart mil the plants eighteen inches to two feet from plant to plant. When the plants are put: out Lop them so as to induce more growth to break from the main stem. Keep four of these, and when the first crown bud appears pick it out and allow the shoots round it to grow removing all others. In this way you should have twelve good shoots, which will all break into bud, and in this case the bud must be kept and the shoots removed. The brandies must all be tied up to sticks or string stretched along the rows at the. required heights. Tin 1 success or otherwise of your venture will depend upon the way you spray for rust and look out for caterpillar pests. The latter can lie killed by spraying with Kaftakilla regularly every few days as soon as.the plants begin to hud. The former can be kept down by using sulphide of potassium or Bordeaux mixture at sumi iner strength, 3—l-/50. This must be used regularly, and should be begun on the slightest signs of rust appearing on the leaves, which it docs on the undersiders. When the plants are first set out they should be well rammed into the soil and a dusting of basic superphosphate will give them a good start into growth. Sturdy plants are much to be preferred tall ones, and the only way to get good sturdy plants is to give them a good stiff soil to giow in and to see, that they do not suffer I from blights and pests of any kind. The branches must be kept tied rp< as they grow, or the wind and rain will; break them down. Some good reliable sorts lor this sort of work would be Annie Hamilton, white. Mrs W. W. Duckbanr. amber yellow with red linos. Molinda Borrett, creamy white, Rosy i Morn, wine crimson, Mrs 0. 11. Totty, pink, Mrs R. Lux ford, red with a golden reverse, Good Gracious, shelf pink, Mrs W. Knox, bronzy yellow. Pocketts Crimson, red with golden reverse, Mrs Phillip*, crushed strawberry. F. S. Vallis, yellow, and Airs W. A. Read, searlet-, crimson. The above would all make, good flowers grown as you intend doing, but. there are any amount more that are equally as good, and in some cases may be better. When the blooms were reaching perfection it will be necessary to cover them with some material that would keep the'rain and dew away from the flowers. A skeleton shed erected over the. bed ' could, be Covered with calico'when the buds are showing colour. A little liquid manure to which has been added a 'quantity of soot water will be found, to. brighten rile foliage and' to give"more colour to the flowers. VEGETABLES October is the Tiest month to begin sowing French beans. The soil should be well worked and in good heart; a little artificial manure .sown, witfi the seed will help it along as soon as it is readyto grow. When sowing lie careful not to sow too thickly; if the plants are six inches or even more apart they will give better results than when sown closer together. Seed should be sown at regular intervals .so as to give a succession of beans in the same way that peas are planted for a succession. in well sheltered gardens some of the tallest varieties of peas are. worth growing. They give larger crops and crop tor a longer period than the dwarfer sorts. It is also necessary to stake them, because they will not'grow well if allowed to lie over on the soil. The main crop of carrots and parsnips can be sown now. If the seed is sown fairly thinly much labour will be saved when it comes to the work of weeding them and thinning out. Sow savoy cabbage, broccoli, curly kale and autumn cauliflowers for planting out later on. It is useless to think of growing any of these unless you are prepared to spray them regularly during the drv \ weather after Christmas, when the dia-mond-backed moth is so troublesome. Tomato plants can be put out in the more sheltered parts of the garden. Before setting them out it is well to think out bow they are to be trained. Some do not train them at all, but this is a lazy idea, and only means that you are inviting diseases and pests. The single stem system is the best because you can then get all round the plant to spray and prune, and the plants can be grown closer together than when two or more branches are trained from each. Vegetable marrows, pumpkins, pie-melons and cucumbers can be sown in the open ground. They do not send their roots down to a great depth unless some green vegetable matter is put there which will keep moist while it is decaying. A little superphosphate sown with the seed will induce quick growth. Slugs are very fond of all these plants, and will have to be watched for. Seed of the winter varieties of rhubarb should be sown at once in good rich soil. This is such a useful plant that it. is a wonder it is not grown in every garden, large or small. Sow in rows about 80 inches apart and put a few seed in spots one foot apart. When the seed comes up thin out and leave only one plant to each spot. When growth is well forward remove every other plaid- so as to have the plan Us two feet apart, and give a good top icjilch of manure,