THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 245, 13 September 1935, Page 7

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.

NATIVE PLANTS. “J.H.S in his excellent notes on the passing Maori customs makes reference to the fact that the younger generation are growing up without the knowledge of our native New Zealand plants and their habits. We quite agree with him that it is high time something was done to remedy this tragedy, for it is very tragic indeed to think that in this wonderful land where once flora reigned supreme the younger generation should be growing up without the knowledge which was once so common with our fathers and mothers. At the same time the late Dr. L. Cockayne tried to remedy this evil when he published that splendid book “New Zealand Plants and Their Story.” This hook is beautifully written and in such simple language that the smallest child could understand it. In fact, as we have remarked before, it is a book that should be read daily in every school throughout the length and breadth of the land. The copy before us as we write is the second edition published in 1919 by the Government printer, and is a much enlarged one of the first edition. There are 99 actual photographs of bush scones and trees which are splendidly executed and also some text figures. “J.H.S.” will find that the above mentioned has a great deal in it which will help him in his campaign for the study of native plants in our schools. We would go further and suggest that the W.E.A. also give some lectures on the subject which we are sure wofild be greatly appreciated by both young and old. Dr. Cockayne in 1923 published a handbook on the cultivation of New Zealand plants. This book is a little more advanced than the other, but once one has got the idea of the value of our flora and fauna imprinted in his brain he will find this book a splendid one to help him out. This book is also well illustrated with explanatory notes. In chapter XI he has a lot to say about growing native plants in our school grounds, and there are things in this part of the book which should appeal to all who have the welfare of children at heart. Listen to what he says : “As for the children’s gardens, the main object is aesthetic. They are not for the purpose of teaching horticulture or agriculture. Still less are they for experiments. They are purely to introduce the children to the wonderful world of flowers and plant fonn.; and the more to impress them, the children are to become intimate with the plants through their work amongst them. All this does not hinder the school collection of plants being used for the purposes of direct instruction. On the contrary, it will serve admirably for nature studv.” Tn our heart of hearts we all know that he is right and it should be our aim to give the children that chance of learning to love our native plants with the love that the passing Maori had for everything connected with his lieritance. THE FLOWER GARDEN.

Spring is here; at least we ha ve had one day of it. The milder and more genial conditions and the drying state of the ground have induced gardeners to regard their plot with less weary eyes. Any planting that has to be done should be done as soon as possible now, because everything has made a start. When plants of a shrubby or perennial nature have once begun to grow it will put them

back if they have to be xelifted and planted. Such plants as delphiniums, perennial phlox, michaelmas daisies, red hot pokers, and so on can be planted with perfect safety now. Paeonies may also be planted, but it must always lie remembered with these plants that they resent root interferference of any kind when once they are in position. Possibly, this is one of the reasons why fewer of these plants are grown now-a-days than in the time of our grandparents. When breaking up clumps of perennial plants to replant, choose the strongest outside pieces and throw the rest away. The outside pieces are the strongest and will give the best display later. One of the best of the perennial asters which is called Frikartii does not divide very easily until it is a few years old, and then good strong side pieces can be got. This plant is a mule and does not have any fertile seed. Those who have rockeries in their gardens can clean the plants up now and cut back anything that has exceeded its bounds. A litle leaf mould, fibrous loam and sand can be used to topdress such of the plants as may require topdressing. Any gaps that have occurred through death or any other cause can be filled up, and the whole garden got in order for the flowering season. There are so many things one would like to grow on rockeries that it often takes a good deal of management to get them in, but by cutting back and replanting spaces can often be found for many of them. A few gladioli can he planted this month in clumps. The primulinus section is a very beauitful one for cut flower purposes, but unfortunately they are liable to become weeds in the flower borders and it would be better to rescue a space in the kitchen garden far them. The larger flowered varieties make a fine show when planted in clumps of from six to ten corms, so that they can be easily staked. A start can be made to plant out some of the hardier annuals when the soil is in a fit condition to work. Try and give them a different situation for that which they were growing in last season. The rotation of crops is always on important feature in gardening, and if this can be done with annuals it will be all the better for them. About the only plants we know of that can be grown in a poverty stricken soil are nasturtiums; the others like good food and cultivation. Given these there should be no difficulty in making a show.

RAISING PLANTS FROM SEEDS. There is perhaps no branch of amateur gardening which appeals more to the average gardener than that of raising plants from seeds. Whether they are trees, shrubs, or only annuals, most garden owners will proudly point out as things of special interest those plants they have raised from seed. Sometimes it is the association of the plant that appeals to them, or the memory of some holiday they may have had when the seed was gathered or given to them. Yet when one comes to think over the matter lie finds that it is very little of the seed that has been gathered that reaches an adult stage, or even grows at all. Sometimes tiiis may be from carelessness, but from experience we believe that very few of these would-be seed raisers are careless. They are too keen on their job to be called careless; the whole secret is the want of a little knowledge of the requirements of the seeds they are growing. Quite recently a very keen amateur gardener told us that she had wonderful luck in raising some choice cyclamen seeds which had been given to her. All the seeds had grown and now she has about three dozen nice corms. The seed was sown in a well-drained pot and very lightly covered. As she did not have a glasshouse, it was stood in a box with a sheet of glass over it. If she had only known at the time she would not have been surprised, as cyclamen like a cool moist atmosphere rather than a hot one. She was also surprised to find that some hakea seeds in a paper bag had begun to grow because the bag had got wet. We have often found that these seeds will grow if placed on a damp surface rather 'tl}an when covered with soil. However, these may be two extreme cases, but in dealing with seeds there are two things which need consideration. If you want the best results, get good seed. Good seed may be dearer than second-class stuff, but it does not require any more patience to raise good seed than it does inferior stuff. Tlie next thing to consider is the medium in which the seed is to be sown. In a few cases ordinary garden soil may be all right, but these cases are few and far between. A soil can be made that will grow most seeds well. Take an ordinary stack of loam and chop it up as finely as possible and into this mix some sharp sand. Ordinary sand that is half-full of mud is no good and will set, but good clean sharp sand wants to retain its individuality and will help to keep the loam open and free. To make the surface of your soil fine, rub it through a quarter-inch sieve and put an inch or so on the top of your ehopped-up loam and sand, and, if you are fortunate enough to have a supply of leaf mould handy, mix a little of this in with the surface soil after first having worked it through “.ie sieve also. When the whole lot has been put in your box or tray, press it down with a piece of board and give the .whole lot a good watering and stand it on one side to dry out. Seed must not be sown on wet soil. When the soil is dry enough, it will not stick to the hand and then the seed can be sown. Sow thinly: it is better to use half the seed than have it coming up so thickly that it is like mustard and cress. Another thing about seed that is sown thinly is that the young plants are easier to prick out and will make sturdy and strong plants long before their weaker brethren. Hard shelled seeds like sweet peas and aquilegias can be helped if they are soaked in hot water or even if they are put between two pieces of flannel, and when they begin to sproutare carefully planted out into a box of fine soil. This may seem a tedious job, but you must not forget that every seed so treated is going to grow into a plant and you will not have any gaps in your boxes. Watering after seeds are sown must be carefully done, and water should only be given when they actually need it. The surface soil of a box may appear to be dry. but the soil under the surface is the thing that counts, and, if this is moist, leave it alone. A paper cover over a box will stop undue evaporation if the weather is hot, but the paper must be removed as soon as the seeds begin to germinate. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. The weather has been fine enough for ground preparation, even if it has not been warm enough lor seed sowing. Broad beans can still be sown, but this should be the last of them. In any case broad beans are not required when peas come in and peas can be put in now in quantity. The main thing is to plant the seeds about two inches apart. If a double row is planted in a drill stagger them so that they will have room to grow. If onion plants have not been put in sow onion

seed at once, thinly in drills one foot apart. A very common practice is to sow a little radish seed at the samo time to mark the rows, and if this is done the rows can be hoed as soon as the radish seed comes up. Sow another batch of turnip seed now, but this will be the last that will bo necessary to put in. Spinach is a splendid vegetable to have at all seasons of the year and it should be sown in succession to keep the supply going. Summer spinach can he pulled up to he cooked because if left in the ground it soon runs to seed and is spoilt. Silver beet is preferred by some gardeners to spinach. It has advantages over it in the length of time .it will go on cropping, and if planted now will not run to seed until next spring, lasting all through the winter. Make a sowing of parsley and thin the plants out to a foot apart. A supply of parsley is always useful and is used for a number of things in modern kitchens.

It never seems to occur to gardeners that such a simple vegetable as potatoes can be made or marred in the growing, but such is a fact. A potato properly grown is a flowery ball and not a'sticky mass something the colour of household soap. To get the best potatoes it is necessary to change the seed when the variety begins to get soapy, and also to manure the land for the crop. This crop requires a good deal of potash in the soil, and it is this stuff which will give the potato its proper flavour when other conditions are right. It is not always the soil that is at fault because when almost any kind of potato has been grown too long in one place it is likely to become soapy. Get new seed at once and give it the potash it requires and it will become a floury ball. If these facts were better known it would go a long way towards producing a better article.

The crispness in lettuces is a thing that is essential to their usefulness, but as these plants are largely composed of water the main thing is to grow them as quickly as possible. It is well known that nitrate of soda is a quick acting material and when used on lettuces it increases the leafage very much and causes them to grow tender and crisp. The main tiling is to use a little at a time and when using it to give plenty of water so that the plant can absorb it very quickly.