THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8610, 4 July 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

FLOWER GABDKN. Small plants as well as trees and shrubs chat were recently planted have been greatly beuefitted by the moist weather experienced during the last few days. The month of June, just etoded, has been the driest experienced in this part of the province in the recollection of our oldest colonists. The bright sunny days and cold frosty nights had made the soil unusually dry, and rain was much needed to soak the earth around all newly-planted «hrubs, &c. Owing to the moist summer and autumn, the growth of the various plants was soft and sappy, consequently the check occasioned by the cold, dry weather was very severe, more particularly when any had been recently transplanted. The summer growth of roses being rank and soft, they had not sufficient time to properly harden and mature, and in many cases when transplanted early, as previously recommended, the bark had become slightly shrivelled. There is a great dearth of flowers at the present time, and with the exception of camellias, mignonette, blue marguerite, and an occasional bud or two of some tea rose that may be growing in a warm, favoured situation, there is little else in bloom. The beautiful winter flowering bouvardias have felt the cold sadly, and have ceased blooming in consequence. The plants which present a dilapidated appearance should nob be interfered with until towards the end of the winter, when they may be cut well back, and as soon as the spring weather sets in, they will break afresh, and form nice dwarf, bushy growth. Amongst hardy winter flowering perennials the "Agathca ccelestis," or dwarf blue marguerite, is one of the iiardiasb and most useful, as it flowers throughout the winter without intermission. The different- sorts cf veronicas are also valuable on this account. Daphnes, too, are well known, and most esteemed of .til winter flowering subjects, on account of the delightful fragrance and waxy appearance of the flowers. The foregoing are only just coming into bloom, so that the present, may be said to be the most bare of any period throughout the whole year for cutting. Even violets are not yet properly in bloom, and it is too early for wallflower;? and winter or Brompton stocks. Amongst, tailor growing subjects annual chrysanthemums are invaluable for winter blooming. Lupins are also useful hardy flowering annuals. All kinds of spring flowering bulbs aro growing well. Anemones and ranunculus look extremely healthy and .strong, and should produce a good display. Some of the earliest of the narcissi family are beginning to bloom. There is nothing so useful as a good collection of these hardy and easily -grown bulbs.

[the vinery. . "■;''. If the pruning of late vines has not been already done they should be completed as soon as possible. Even the latest varieties can now be pruned, with safety, without any danger of the canes bleeding. The pruning should in all cases be completed as soon as possible after the return of the sap, that is, as soon as the leaves fall naturally from the vine. To do this it is necessary to prune at different seasons, according to the varieties grown. Early varieties, such as Black Jtiambro , , Foster's Seedling, Ferdinand de Lesseps, and other early sorts ripen their growth, and require pruningmuch earlier than Gros Colman, Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Pinco, and other late kinds that carry their grapes until lato in the season. These early varieties should be pruned as soon as the sap is returned, the season of rest being so short that often a week or two of line weather is sufficient to start the sap into activity, and unless the pruning has been done long enough to allow the cuts to heal over bleeding is almost certain to take place. I have often seen vines of different varieties, lato and early, left unpruned until the latest kinds had dropped their leaves, the result being that all the early varieties, as soon as they j wore touched with the knife, would bleed freely for days before they could be stopped. This is most injurious to the vines. After pruning, the house should be thrown wide open, and the vines exposed to the weather as much as possible. This will help to keep the vines dormant until ready for starting again into growth. A great mistake is often made with amateurs in growing late sorts of grapes, the idea being that the later the vines start into growth the" later the grapes will hang on the vines. I have found the reverse to be the ease. The sooner yon can start tho vines after a fail" season of rest and without the aid of artificial heat the more successful tho grower will bo with late grapes. It is

impossible to keep any kind of grapes lat* in the season unless they are well ripeneo. and coloured, and it is almost impossible to properly ripen and colour grapes if started fate in spring, particularly when the canes are carrying full crops of fruit. I believe the later the variety the sooner they should be started into growth—that is, without artificial heat. Such varieties as Groa Column, Barbarosa, Mrs. Prince, and Lady Downs should be well coloured by the middle of March or they will seldom ripen afe all, and, instead of hanging; late, the canes become attacked with mildew, rot, and other diseases that destroy the berries of unripened grapes. Early vines that ar« being forced will require constant watching. It is no easy matter to keep an even tenv perature in such weather as we have expert enced during the last few weeks. Keep up a good moist atmosphere at all times wher the vines are breaking into growth. When forcing very early vines a good plan is t< place a few good heaps of long stable manure in the house; this throws off i moist heat, and helps to keep up the tea? perature. Kepos.