DWARFED TREES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6868, 25 March 1929, Page 11

DWARFED TREES

HOW TO GROW THEM. EXPERIMENTS ON AN ORANGE. Sinco dwarfed plants Lave become so popular an adjunct in tlio homo for decorative purposes, many women have visited the ■flbrisrta to ac'quiro-one ’of the miniature gardens which grow in quaint low howls with such delightful effect. There are, hpwever, a number of homes which have to go without these little gnarled trees flanked by tiny bridges spanning, imitation streams, so to give those an opportunity of making the “gardens" themselves without much expense, here is an old-fash-ioned way of stunting the,growth of the troe. Moreover, 1 it should bo an interesting experiment for those who like to tiy something new and rather intriguing. Take an orange, and through a small hole cut in the peal, remove all pulp and juice. Then fill the empty skin with cocoanut fibro, fine moss and. charcoal, stiffened slightly with a little loam. Plant in the middle •of this a date stone, an acorn or the kernel of any tree preferred. When this is done place the orange in a glass or vase near the window, sprinkle the surface with fine wood ashes, and sprinkle occasionally with a little -water through the hole in tho top. When it begins to grow tho tree will push its way through tho compost and the roots will thrust themselves through the orange peel. The roots must then bo cut flush with the peel, and this process repeater frequently for somo time. After the tree has grown a little it will become gnarled and stunted like a full-grown tree many years old. Strangely enough, the orange peel does not rot, and when the roots have been cut for the last time, it should be painted black or varnished. It should be possible to set tho tree in a pottery bowl, and support it with a few stones or pieces of wood without crushing it. It must he arranged naturally, of course, to get the proper garden effect, and if littlo figures and wee bridges aro liked, clever fingers should have no difficulty in makingJ them. '