THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 294, 9 November 1934, Page 12

THE GARDEN.

Notes are published 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.

ROSES. Next week will see the beginning of the rose shows in this province, and those who are thinking of competing are already up and doing. That little bit of liquid manure is adding size to the flowers, and soot or sulphate of iron will give that lustre to the blooms that judges like to see. Shades for the yellow and cream roses are necessary to give a heightened colour, but do not cover the red ones unless the weather turns cold and wet. So far the season has been a good one and we hope it will continue so. The rose is a cosmopolitan flower and is one that brings all people together. There is the chance to learn something new or to brush up something you have forgotten. A word or two to intending exhibitors, especially new ones. Cut your blooms with a good length of stalk early in the morning and put them in rain-water right up to their necks immediately after cutting. They should have two or three hours of this before they are packed up to take to the show. When you get there, get them into water as soon as you can. Some shows use vases and some boards. When vases are used the stalks can be longer, but do not allow them to hang down. Wiring is permissible at most shows. When they are put on boards, the stalks will require to be shortened, but make the blooms stand up 60 that they can be seen. Many a prize has been lost because the judge could not see the bloom properly. A first-class show bloom is not a fully-blown rose; neither is it a tight bud, but should be one with the guard petals down but still retaining the high pointed centre which is a part of our modern-day roses. Those with broken or quartered centres do not count for very much when they are up against the modern high-pointed ones. Another thing, it does not matter what your flower was like a couple of hours ago or what it will he like in a few hours’ time. The thing that counts is what the judge sees when he is judging it.

When staging, put the largest and best shape at the back, trying to mix up the colours so that each will 6liow the other off. A deep red and a yellow side by side enhance the beauty of each other. Study the catalogue before leaving the flowers to see that you have not made any mistakes. A trifle like two of one sort in an entry of six may lose the prize when a glance over would have shown you that you had made a mistake. If you select your flowers at home for certain classes, take them to the show in seperate boxes. After you have staged them you may be able to see where you can improve this one or that. Be careful to remove all ties before you leave them.

WHICH IS WHICH? “An Exhibitor” says: “There is a question I would like to see settled before the shows begin and that is the difference between an annual, a biennial and a perennial. I have seen exhibits of annuals passed over because there were wallflowers or antirrhinums in them. Then again, an exhibit of perennials was disqualified because there were lilies or gladioli in it. I do not remember which, it may have been both, but the judge said they were bulbs and as such did not come under that heading. Can you throw any light 'on the subject.” in the first place, we can only give the Royal Horticultural Society's ruling on the subject: An annual is a plant sown and bloomed in the same season and then dies out; example, asters. A biennial is a plant sown in one season, bloomed in the next, and then dies. Wallflowers or Canterbury bells can be taken as a type of these. A perennial is a plant which will last lor several years and throws up new stalks to bloom each season and then dies down; for example, Michaelmas daisies.

The whole question is a much debated one because the behaviour ol plants in some localities is very different from their behaviour in others. Take the antirrhinum for instance: Plant it in a good open situation and it will flower directly from seed and, if allowed to mature seed, will die in the winter but at the same time a plant poked away in a corner may continue to bloom for two or even three seasons, and yet we think it should be treated as an annual. All good gardening practice points that way and surely if it is good gardening to treat it as an annual that is enough. Certainly those who pick their blooms from two or plants would never see tlie way those using flowers from the younger would go. Biennials are seldom asked for in schedules, but when they are the best advice we can give exhibitors is to look up every plant they are showing to make sure that they belong to the right class. We have seen Sweet William in these classes, but strictly speaking this plant is a perennial, but is one of those that can be grown as an annual. Mignonette is grown as an annual, but we have seen plenty of this plant with decidedly perennial leanings and yet we thjnk it would mean disqualification if it were shown as such. Cinerarias are perennials in some places and annuals in others, and yet vou will find that they are all given as perennials in gardening dictionaries. Most judges would let them go as annuals, and we think rightly so. Salvia bonfire as we grow it is an annual but in its native state and in countries it has adopted it is a perennial and is looked upon as a noxious week.

Now w© come to perennials. The definition given certainly does not exclude bulbs or corms. Lilies anu gladioli go on throwing up shoots each year flowering, and then dying down. The definition is clear enough on that point and these plants should have been admitted. Nicholson in his dietionary gives them as perennials, ana his work is looked upon as the last word in these tilings. There are times when the schedules are so loosely compiled that judges are often at a loss to know what is meant and have to trust to their own discretionary powers to interpret the clauses. We would like to see every horticultural society publish a list of those plants that could be shown in each class, particularly the annuals and biennials. The perennial class stands out on its own and there is no need for confusion here. As long as there is no cooperation amongst societies there will be the same thing cropping up year after year. These shows are a splendid thing for a community, and prove that there are people who can make the best use of the soil they have at their disposal. They also go a long way towards helping growers to try to do better. Those who are successful will always help their 'less fortunate brethren and so the good work goes on; a little is gained at a time, and we say '‘Long may the local shows flourish.” The small trials that are caused by the difference between the classification of the plants will always V s ’- )ut ' lodges are honest and will do their best in all cases. ■

THE NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. We have been privileged to make some notes about the National Rose Society’s Show held in the Chelsea Hospital grounds on June 29 and 30. This account was written by a visitor to England from these shores who visited the show i.n company with one of the officials : "My luck was decidedly in when I presented my credentials to the secretary who said ‘Why, here is Mr G — just going to the show and would be pleased if you .would go with him.’ Naturally I jumped at the offer and we got there before the crowd and I was able to see some of the famous growers arranging and putting the final touches to their exhibits. I cannot tell you what a wonderful sight it was, but old hands told me it was the best show for years. The Dicksons, McGredys, Princes, Easlea, Wheat-croft and all others were out to do their best. The pillars and baskets were truly superb and I am thankful to say I did not have to judge them. There were roses everywhere of all sizes and colours, and to pick out the best amongst this motley collection was more than I could attempt. I was admiring a row called Peach Melba when someone handed me a bloom of it. This rose is pale gold with a true peach pink centre and to my mind was one of the best. I saw the novelty exhibit of new blooms and the gold medal rose Phyllis Gold certainly deserved its award. It is a rich yellow colour with beautiful strong petals. It is a decided exhibition rose, but also will be good for garden purposes. Other good blooms which got certificates of merit were Betty Prior, of the Dainty Bess type; Caress, rose tipped with rose pink; D. McGredy, scarlet and a good shape for exhibition; Lai, pink; Leading Lady, milk white, flushed rose pink; McGredy’s Orange, orange and of good form: McGredy’s Pride, peach pink and amber yellow double; Mrs A. C. James, a yellow wichuriana; Mrs E. Woods, creamy yellow; Regent’s Park, medium pink, but will make a splendid show variety. The bud is long and well formed.” Leading Lady was awarded a gold medal at a later show on July 13. QUESTION.

A correspondent writes: —“I would be pleased if you could advise the reason and possible remedy for turnips running to seed instead of forming root. Snowball and garden swede turnips, both planted at the same time and under similar conditions of ground, weather and fertiliser, are both thriving remarkably well. However, a large percentage of the snowball variety are running straight to seed, while the swedes are developing only root. The ground was well limed a month previous to sowing. Superphosphate, sifted wood ashes, and a suspicion of nitrate of soda were hoed into the seed bed—together with some sand. The soil is naturally heavy with a clay substrata at about fifteen inches. I would be pleased also if you can suggest a method of raising carrot and parsnip seeds. I have tried several methods of sowing, with tested seed, but never a seedling appears. There is one point of interest to amateur gardeners upon which practically every gardener guide is silent. What is the normal time of germination of ordinary garden seeds under average conditions. If, sometime, you were to publish such a list, I am sure it would be much appreciated.” We have never come across a case where all the plants ran to seed instead of forming roots. /Sometimes a few plants in a bed will do this and is generally put down to faulty seed. There are otner things which might also do it, such as poor dry soil. Turnips to be or any use must be quickly grown and, therefore, should have good ricn soil. You seem to have treated your bed with care and should have got results. Try another row or two with fresh seed. They should be up in ten days. AVe have not had any trouble with carrots and parsnips this season, and have taken very little trouble with soil preparation. The main thing about these seeds is to sow them when the soil is dry. They do not like a wet clammy soil. A little sand mixed with the seed when it is being sown is a help to even distribution. Cover the seeds lightly with fine soil and they should be alright. It takes carrot seed about twenty days to appear. Parsnips will come up in fifteen to eighteen days. Re point of interest which you mention, namely, the normal times of germination, we could prepare a list but there is always a slight variation in different seasons; we shall see what can be done in the matter. Most vegetable garden seeds take from ten to fourteen days to appear above the ground. Carrots and parsnips take a little longer.

"A Gardener” complains "that hi? onion plants are inclined to run to seed and wants to know if they are worth leaving and what is the cause.” One of the principal causes of this trouble is that the plants are often raised in rich soil and when they are transplanted they will bolt. Do not pull them out but pull the seed heads out of them and leave them to form split bulbs which they will do. These may not keep as well as good solid single ones, but they will be useful and can be used up before the single ones. The onion crop is an important one ftnd must be looked after.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. During the spring the vegetable garden naturally takes up a great deal of one’s time and it is necessary to keep the soil well hoed to give the plants a chance to_ grow. Thin out all crops that need it; parsnips for instance never do well if they are left too crowded. One grows into or around the other. What is wanted are perfectly straight roots without twist or twirl. Lettuce can never head up properly when they are crammed together. Thin them out to a foot apart and they will make good large heads. Keep on sowing them for succession.

The hot weather Is coming when a good crop of salad plants will be very much appreciated. The soil should be made as inch as possible and even then they can be helped with manure water. Plant out tomatoes but not more than you can manage to look after comfortably. When they are grown on the single stem system they can he eighteen inches apart in the rows, and the rows should be four feet apart to give room for working in.

Pumpkins, marrows, cucumbers, and all plants of this kind can be planted now that risk from frosts is practically over A little manure worked into the soil is better than a lot dumped into a hole and the plant or plants put on top. Sow runner beans in rows so that thev can be staked. These beans are tall growers and will climb to a height of eight or more feet if they are allowed.