THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9307, 9 March 1889, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

—&~ ■ — OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 16. Both chryanthemums and dahlias are suffering greatly for want of sufficient moisture. Where water is available these plants should be thoroughly well soaked every evening at the roots, as well as syringed overhead, otherwise tho blooms will not bo up to the mark, Caterpillars are at present doing much damage to the flowers and flower buds. Occasionally look the plants over and handpick them. Attend to tying up chrysanthemums. These should, in addition to other waterings, receive an occasional manure watering. Another batch of early-flowering spring bulbs should now be planted, including anemones, hyacinths, ixias, tulips, narcissus, the different varieties of iris, crocus, &c. The garden is now gay with late-flowering annuals, Philox Drummondii, zinuias, and portulacca, being the best of all for dry weather. These produce an abundant and continuous display when there is little else in flower. Verbenas are also good dry-weather subjects, and amongst herbaceous perennials delphiniums deserve special mention—their spikes of different shades of blue being particularly attractive. Petunias that were cut back some timo ago are again in full flower. Bouvardias are also a feature in the flower beds at the present time. In the shrubbery oleanders are blooming abundantly. These are easily grown and most attractive shrubs. The new double-white variety, Madonna grandiflorum, should be extensively grown for its beautiful purewhite blossoms, which are in season when there are low other shrubs producing white flowers i:i blossom. Some of the spiraeas are also in flower. These, too, should bo more- largely planted. THE ORCHARD. With peaches, plums, nectarines, and pears it is not so difficult to make a selection of the most suitable varieties for general planting to meet the requirements of the table ; but, when it comes to sort out twenty-four of the best apples, it is a difficult task, indeed, as many hundred varieties are now in cultivation, all, or nearly all, of which are good in themselves. But, as stated in last week's calendar, many of them which appear to be, and are, splendid apples when seen gathered and exhibited, have so many drawbacks, either with regard to growth, cropping, and bad blighting capabilites, that they are not worth growing. It is not my object to treat upon varieties best suited for the large orchardist, who grows chiefly for the market, and whose experience soon teaches him the most profitable varieties to plant; but I wish to deal with the varieties that are suited to meet the requirements of those who are unacquainted with the many sorts now cultivated. Peaches : Brigg's Red May, Waterloo, Early Rivers, and Halo's Early. These are without doubt the best of tho early varieties, and I have already given a description of these sorts. Duke of Edinburgh, Noblesse, and Yarra Noblesse are firs£rate medium sorts, bearing large fruit, and of excellent flavour. In late peaches, Prince of Wales is a fine variety, producing large fruit of good flavour. Lady Palmerston is another first-rate late peach, producing fruit of the largest size; Salway, a fine hardy variety. Hobbs' Late: This is a well-known late* variety, fruit large and of good flavour, one of the best. Nectarines Lord Napier and Hunt's Tawny are tho best early sorts ; River's Orange, a good medium variety and a profuse bearer; Stanwick's Elruge and Victoria are the two best late varieties, producing fruit of large size, and zichly flavoured. Plums : Early Rivers, Early Violets, Early ] Orleans, Burdett, are amongst the best early varieties ; Green Gage, Purple Gage, Jeffersons, Diamond, and Kirks, medium early ; Pond's Seedling, Reine's Victoria, Goes' Golden Drop, Takapuna Drop, and Goes' Lato Red, aro all good late sorts, coming in the order named. Pears: Doyenne de'ete, Jargonelle, William' Bon Cretieu, and Clapp's Favourite, are fine early pears ; Flemish Beauty, Louise's Bon of Jersey, Gansel's Bergamot, Marie Louise, medium ; and Gloumorceau, Doyenne du Cornice, Beurre Diol, and Winter Nelis, late varieties. These are all first-rate varieties, and cannot fail to give satisfaction wherever grown. Apples : Keel Astrakan, Irish Peach, Williams' Favourite, Carolina Redjune, and Keswick Codlin ; I have already given a description of these well-known early apples. Chenang's Strawberry : A very beautiful medium early apple, fruit medium large, and beautifully coloured, flesh white, juicy, and pleasant flavour. Gravenstien : A valuable apple, of first-rate quality. American Summer Pearmain : A very fine and highly-coloured apple, tree good grower, and abundant bearer. Cellini: One of the best-flavoured of all culinary apples, a most prolific cropper. Prince Bismarck: A well-known variety. Scarlet Pearmain : A most beautiful dessert apple, of first quality, tree a good bearer. Late varieties : Cox's O.range Pippin, Ribetone Pippin : These two well-known varieties need no comment. Cleopatra : A very valuable late apple, of excellent quality, and a most prolific bearer. Adams' Pearmain : A valuable dessert apple of excellent flavour. American Golden Russet: A splendid lato keeping dessert apple, one of the best. Grime's Golden Pippin : One of the best of late desert apples ; tree hardy and prolific. Newtown Pippin: A fine late keeping variety, of excellent quality. Ben Davis : An early bearing varioty, and good keeper. Ballarat Seedling: Large yellow apple, with red cheek, a first-rate keeper a vigorous growing tree, and good cropper. Lord VVolseloy : A fine lato apple of the Stone Pippin class, but much superior to that apple. The tree is perfectly blight proof, very hardy and prolific. Pride of Australia : A valuable late keeping apple a most prolific bearer ; one of the best for general planting. SturmerPippm : Another splendid late keeping dessert apple ; the tree is a good grower and certain cropper. Kentucky Redstreak : A very fine dark red apple, and good keeper. Tho above list comprises varieties that will fulfil all requirements at tho different seasons. . ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 01? AUCKLAND. I would remind intending exhibitors at tho forthcoming autumn show, under tho auspices of the above society, that tho time is near at hand for them to determine and get in readiness what they intend showing, whether flowers, pot plants, vegetables, or fruits. The society have made, a. new de-

parture in their endeavour to make this show a success, and, after careful consideration of the matter, have thought it best to charge entrance fees on each exhibit, both in the interest of the general public as well 03 the exhibitors. Being quite a new departure from the old lines, it is difficult to get the exhibitors to coincide with the views of tho committee. Tho committee deserve the greatest credib for their endeavours under the greatest difficulty, owing to lack of support from the general public. It is quite impossible to carry out the shows unless better support is accorded than hitherto. It is a pity, in a climate like this, where the different products of the earth thrive and attain such perfection, that two shows a year cannot bo made successfully for want of patronage. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Ignoramus" (Whangarei).—ln reply to your letter re preparation of the seed of the acacia that is grown for hedges previous to sowing and length of time the seeds take to germinate. The best time to sow the seed is towards the end of the autumn or early in spring. The seeds do not require to be soaked in water, as you presume, but if soaked should not bo allowed to remain in the water more than 24 hours at the most. It is a bad practice to soak the seed when sown during dry weather, as ib hastens tho germination, and the germ perishes for want of sufficient moisture in the ground to keep it alive. The seed may be sown as soon as gathered, but it will lie in the ground until the soil becomes sufficiently moistened with the rains to start the seed into growth. The length of time the seed takes to germinate greatly depends upon tho state of the weather. "H.D." (Parnell). —It is somewhat difficult to state the exact reason why the plum and pear you mention do not fruit better, although they blossom so freely. Had you described the nature of the soil they are growing in and the situation I would havo been better able to give an opinion. The soil may be wet and cold, or the situation may not be sufficiently open to the sun and air, both of which would be sufficient reason for your trees not being more fruitful. The soil should be well drained in order to prevent stagnant water standing at the roots. Pear trees generally take a long time before coming into bearing, some varieties longer than others. Again, there is one variety that has for several years gone out of bearing altogether for some unaccountable reason. The particular sorb that I allude to has a drooping habit. If your tree answers this description, I would advise you to root it out and plant some other variety. Root pruning is the best means to adopt to bring trees that are growing vigorously and not fruiting into bearing. Kepos.