THE GARDEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9178, 6 October 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 13. FLOWER GARDEN. Carnations, pinks, and picotees will now require attention. In order to display their blooms to advantage and keep them from becoming soiled, the blossom-stalks must be supported. For this purpose select neat .stakes, the lengths of which must be regulated according to the length the flower stalk is likely to attain. If large blooms are required, it is necessary to thin out some of the buds in their early stages of growth ; and also where there are a number of flowering-stalks upon the one plant, several should be removed in order to give greater strength for those that are left to develop larger and finer blooms. ' Pansies are receiving much more attention than hitherto, and deservedly so, as they may be grown with comparative ease. They take up little room, and the great diversity in the colour and markings of their flowers, and the hardy character and compact habit of the plants, render them most desirable. To grow pansies well, the plants require liberal treatment. The soil should be of good depth, and have some thoroughly wellrotted cow manure and a little sharp sand incorporated with it. Select a partiallyshaded, airy situation, and in planting the, plants may be put in pretty deep, as by this means the roots are kept cooler and more moist than when near the surface. As soon as the flowering season arrives, a good mulching of manure or other suitable compost should be given. This treatment keeps the ground cool in hot, dry weather, and prevents the plant from going off, which is too often the case as soon as the dry weather sets in. Petunias : Now is a good time to plant the different sorts into the flower-beds. These are the most; valuable of all plants for the summer decoration of the flower garden. They are splendid dry-weather subjects, and produce their richly-coloured and highly fragrant blossoms in the utmost profusion throughout the summer season. Of late years great advancement has been made in the production of free flowering double varieties, some having beautifully fringed edges. Recentlysown annuals will now be coming up. I Constant attention must be paid to these to I see that they are not being eaten with j slugs. A good plan to protect them is to I place a ring of zinc around the different J heaps. The surface soil should also be made fine to prevent any harbour for these ! insects. The very minute slugs are the ! worst, as they work without being obj served. The shrubberies and mixed borders i are now gay with many of the early flower I ing deciduous and other shrubs, such as | rhododendrons. Azaleas : These are a mass |of bloom. The hardy deciduous Ghent and I Japan azaleas are most showy, the shades jof colour being most pleasing. These are j comparatively rare here, but when they are ! 'letter known they will be more extensively | cultivated. They succeed best in a cool, | somewhat shady situation. „ Amongst dej ciduous shrubs now in bloom the different | varieties of diervillas or weigelias are the i most conspicuous. These elegant shrubs ; are hardy, easily grown, and free flower- ! ing, and should have a place in every j garden of any extent. Deutzia gracilis, another hardy dwarf-growing shrub, is now a profusion of bloom. This plant seldom grows over two feet high, and is suitable tor mixed flower-beds or borders. Cantua buxifoiia, a very graceful evergreen shrub, is also deserving of special mention, at this season, the tips of the branches hanging with a profusion of long funnel-shaped pale red blossoms. In the flower garden Brompton stocks, gaillardias, senecio, antihinum, calliopsis, annuals, chrysanthemums, wallflowers, and several other hardy biennials and annuals present a very pleasing display.

THE VINIiRY. Indoor vines will now be sufficiently advanced in growth to enable us to judge which is the strongest and best-looking bunches, so that all weakly and unpromising laterals may now be taken out, leaving only one strong lateral to each joint, unless where any of the spurs are dormant, when two can be left on the next joint, to help to fill the trellis with wood and foliage, ob

should be borne in mind that plenty of healthy wood and foliage is most essential to ensure success with vines, though in no case should the foliage become cramped. Every leaf should have full exposure to the sunlight. Tie down the laterals as they advance in growth. This is a very delicate operation, and requires great patience and care; the young growth, being very brittle, snap oft' with the least pressure. It is almost impossible to tie these into position at once without breaking off many of the branches. It is advisable to go over them two or three times and gradually bring them down to the trellis. Earlier vines will now take up considerable time in stopping and tying down, and this must not be neglected. All the vines should be carefully gone over and stopped at least twice a week, taking out all superfluous growths The first stopping consists in pinching the top off the lateral two eyes beyond the bunches. This causes side laterals to push out. These should be taken clean out below the bunch,' and be pinched back to one eye above the bunch. This gives abundance of foliage, which should be carefully preserved. Avoid stopping while the vines are in flower, as it must to some extent check the flow of sap to the bunch. Continue to syringe on all fine sunny mornings and every evening, closing the house until the vines show signs of bursting into flower, when syringing must cease until the grapes are set. The house should be closed at least half an hour before the sun gets off it. This helps to keep a higher temperature throughout the night. Give free ventilation during warm favourable weather. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Viola" (Archhill): The white violet sent is called Swanley White, and was introduced by Cann.ell, of Swanby, Kent, and is without doubt the finest double white violet in cultivation. It is a very free-growing variety, and seems to adapt itself to almost any soil. It is a most profuse "bloomer, and the flowers are very large. The other flower is somewhat damaged, but looks like Marie Louise, a very dwarf free-flowering variety ; grows and flowers well in some situations, though not so freely as Swanley White. "5.G.8." (Mount St. John): The only pruning that Cape gooseberries require is to cut away any dead wood, the result of cold winds or frosts, otherwise no pruning is necessary. Woodlice are most- troublesome when they abound in a garden, and are most difficult to extirpate. They are also long-lived, and increase to an alarming extent. They are difficult to destroy, the remedies applied for other pests being of little value. I have found from experience that fowls are the best destroyers of this pest. They rid the place of them in a very short time; but as the remedy, in many instances, is as bad or worse than the pest itself, other measures must be taken. The best and most effective is to place traps here and there. Take some dirty pots or boxes, fill with dirty dry moss and crocks or light dry decayed vegetable matter. They"soon find here a most suitable hiding place. Examine the traps daily, and the woodlice will soon be reduced to such an extent that what are left will cause very little trouble. Destroy by emptying into a vessel of boiling water. Kepos.