GARDENING NOTES

Northern Advocate, 9 January 1926, Page 9

GARDENING NOTES

VIOLAS AND PANSIES. Pansies and violas are charming -dwarf flowering plants for the spring • and summer decoration of beds and 'borders. They make attractive edging plants to a border or a bed, are also most effective when grown in bold mass- « 3 in beds or borders; and are ideal ■ subjects for ''carpeting the surface, of the soil in which carnations, roses or gladioli are cultivated. Of the two Jtypesj the viola or tufted pansy is undoubtedly the most delicate, chaste, refined and beautifql so far as the eoltmrs and shape of their flowers are -.concerned. Moreover, they are children of the sun, whereas the ipore gorgeously coloured pansy prefers to - grow away from its scorching summer blaze. Some people frequently asjk “what Is the difference between a pansy and a. viola? Well, a viola is a pansy ; and a pansy is a viola, for both belong -jto the same genus, and differ only in habit of growth and size, shape and ■ fcolour of their flowers. A pq,nsy is of (Vigorous growth and has large blooms with very rich or gorgeous colours. JEhe viola, which is really an improved form of the pansy, has a dwarfer or more sturdy habit of growth, smaller and more delicately coloured flowers. 'fEho present was originally obtained by crossing an alpine species, named viola cornuta, with the pansy.

[Violas should be grown in a sunny - . position, and in deeply dug, well T manured soil. Heavy soils should have plenty of leaf mould and well rotted manure added to them. Some grit or Sand might be added. On lighter soils, decayed cow manure should ,be§freely added to supply plenty of humus, and at the same time conserve the moisture and maintain the soil in a cool, moist condition. Young plants reared from cuttings should be planted Sins, apart each way. The plants may appear to be very small* when they arrive, but they will soon make headway and form handsome tufts covered with flowers by October. [Pansies require a cool, moist position where the mid-day sun cannot reach them, such as an east border. If the soil is heavy dig in plenty of grit, .burnt refuse and decayed manure. If on the light side, add decayed cow manure with a free hand.. Remember that pansies will not grow successfully in poor, light, or hungry soils. Plant ySin. apart each way, and in ’ summer mulch with decayed manure. VIOLAS AND PANSIES IN SUMMER These have their flowering period and will be looking shabby with the development of long pieces. All the old shoots that have flowered should be taken off, and the ground about the plants should be with the addition of a little lime; and a little soil should be sprinkled over the old centres which are left, with the object of encouraging new growth. These may or not flower again during autumn; that will depend largely on the weather conditions. In any: case the main ob-ject-of the treatment is to produce new and vigorous pieces for pulling off and transplanting in autumn. This practice is specially recommended in the cases of those plants that one desires to keep true to type. Otherwise the plants may die out after a good flowering season. ; ! 1

, bkompton stock:. These stocks are little grown in ■warm districts, the beauty stocks being more suitable; they have a wide range of colours, and if sown in February and March, will make a line show in spring. However the Brompton variety, being taller, and having very fine heads are favoured by a small garden they occupy the ground too long if sown in late spring or early summer; most gardeners recommend sowing in early January, spraying occasionally with arsenate of lead to keep off the fly- • They must be planted in a well drained sunny position in a good rich soil, and they should be kept well watered and growing to get good results. These stocks sown last January did poorly, probably owing to the long dry autumn followed by an abnormally Ion" winter. Normally they should do fjyj-te well sown in early January. They

(By “Tainul.”)

are biennials, x and if their -flowering season has been delayed on account of late sowing, they may be kept over for flowering the following season. But if they grow well and bloom well their first season, they are generally not worth keeping for another. ■ THE CABBAGE FLY. The Diamond Black Moth or cabbage fly does not restrict its attentions to cabbages and cauliflower.s It attacks a great number of other cruciferous plants, as for example, swedes, turnips and many cruciferous weeds, i.e. weeds of the cabbage family; but is is probably most damaging to cauliflowers. Insignificant enough in the individual, its cumulative effect is very much in evidence. The parent moth deposits the eggs on the under surface of the leaf, and. the larvae, which hatch out in a little over a week, feed voraciously on the succulent leaf tissue. These larvae appear to be nervous little organisms; for if disturbed by a sudden agitation of the leaf on which they are feeding they drop to the ground, suspended by a fine silken thread, which they use to regain the leaf when the cause of alarm has parsed. The larvae mature in a little oyer a mo-nth. They pupate on the leaf, lying dormant in a little silken bed, emerging as perfect insects in from two or three, weeks; and then the whole cycle of operations goes on again. There may he two or more broods in a season. Natural enemies of the pests are rain and birds.

•Many growers try and get ‘ their cauliflowers well forward before the advent of the moth in early mid summer. The worst month is probably January. So long as the small terminal bud remains intact on the plant, it will break away with the departure of the moth.

As an artificial measure on large areas, a bundle of brush or scrub is sometimes drawn between) the rows, with the objects of first disturbing the larvae, and then severing its support. A similar method might well be praeticod_ on a small area. Spraying with tar-water, dilute carbolic acid, or kerosene emulsion has also been recommended. The two first mentioned deter the moths with the odours they emit. Kerosene emulsion acts, in addition, as a contact insecticide. The spray should, as far as possible, reach the undersurface of the leaves. A good sharp hosin-g at frequent intervals is also a useful measure. It not . only serves to harass the insects, but it is also a stimulant to the growing plants. Probably as good a measure as any is to sprinkle a little Hellebore powder or tobacco dust into the hearts of the plants, repeating at intervals of from a fortnight to three weeks.