THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16234, 20 May 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

Heatt rains shave sadly interfered ■> with the j. floral ; display. Chrysanthemums aisd dahlias have had their flowers badly damaged. Dahlias, with" exception of the tree varieties are about over for the season; .root out those that have been marked to discard, hat" •a'fiow the others -to remain until the tops have partially ripened off. In few weeks they will be ready to take up and place m. their winter quarters. The two varieties of tree dahlias, Leslie and Imperialis, are conspicuous with their tall spikes laden . with drooping bell-shaped blossoms. Imperialis has white flowers and Leslie lovely mauve flowers of the largest size- These two kinds are worthy a place in the mixed borders or shrubbery. Dividing Gannas. „ Uanaas having completed their flowering may now be taken up and divided, saving sufficient for next spring planting and consigning the balance to the rubbish heap. 'Those that are selected may be planted- | closely together in a dry place, there to j remain until time for replanting. . Taking i up cannas gives the garden a tidy appearI ance, and enables the . ground they occuI pied to be manured and dug and planted j frith suitable winter flowering plants. I -' Candytuft and Stock. Candytufts are most useful plants for J whiter, and . early spring, flowering. The ] large giant spiral white is largely grown and much prized for cutting. > The other varieties of candytufts are hardy, and produce a good show of bloom. Virginian stock, although useless for cutting, is an excellent hardy annual for sowing along near the edges of the walks, and has a pretty effect when in full flower; every ] seed grows, consequents da not sow too i thickly. " | Selecting Chrysanthemums. j Chrysanthemums have provided a great 1 profusion of bloom and made our gardens ' gay throughout the past six weeks, a few I of the late flowering varieties being still in bloom. A" revision of the lists is annually necessary for the purpose of eliminating those .".kinds' that have not done well, and including some of the recent novelties that are of superior merit. For this purpose, notes must be taken throughout the flowering season as a result, the ■writer' recommends the following : collection arranged in about their order of merit, all of which may be grown for exhibition blooms and also for general garden decoration. A List of Chrysanthemums. • Best varieties of : "chrysanthemums for next season's planting are.- Lady .Talbot, light yellow; Annie Hamilton,, pure white; Mauve Beauty, mauve; Wonder, a lovely shade of chestnut; Woodside, splendid yellow; Mrs. H. Turner, dark crimson; J. S. Lloyd, primrose j . Daily Mail, buttery yellow; Gwen Felling, pure white; Lady Stanley, mauve pink, silver reverse; Wm. Turner, pure white ; Daphne Hay, splendid yellow ;> Karadow, chestnut, gold reverse'; Pockett's crimson, rich crimson Mrs. C.Benfold, amaranth, crimson reverse;- Boy, rosy crimson, tipped gold; Mrs. R. Chugg, terra cotta pink,; White Australia, pure white; Mrs. W.' Mitchelson, pinkish Heliotrope;"" Reginald Vallis, purple, amaranth; Strella Wilson, chestnut red; <). H. Perry, .purple crimson, silver reverse; Mrs. : David Syme, white; Miss Arietta Henley, ■ pink, streaked white; Mrs..Wm.'Backhand deep yellow; Mystery, heliotrope; • Sunshine, richest yellow j. Sir Rider.Haggard, buff shaded rose; Mrs. P. B. Dickenson, crimson, «straw re-' verse; MeUdonV BHgfc^, "gink, silver.:«r verse; Mrs. Hughes, 'rosy lilac; MissMiller, golden yellowy , John Keystone, rosy red; Alfriston, maroon red, yellow reverse; Trine. Harris, yellow, flushed, brownish red - Buff Globe, buff yellow; Amelia, deep rosy crimson.

Transplanting Work. .The soil is now thoroughly saturated and in excellent condition for transplanting purposes. The mired border should be gone through and thoroughly renovated before the wet winter weather sets in. Several of the shrnbs will require thinning out and pruning back others that have become too crowded should be taken out. Herbaceous perennials and some of the ornamental grasses that have done blooming should have the old flower stems cut off to the ground. Michaelmas daisies, golden rods, and golden glows that have grown into large clumps taking up too much room may be reduced in size. Storing Bulbs and Plants. Lily bulbs should be left in the ground. Gut off the old flower stalks-and place a label or stick to each to denote their whereabouts. Dahlias will not be sufficiently matured for lifting, .but may have a portion of their top growth removed to give the border a more tidy, appearance. Zinnias and cosmcea that have completed their flowering may be pulled up. The yellow cosmos Klondyke is at present in full bloom, and must not be interfered with. Andranthus, celosias, phlox, and several other annuals are past and may be pulled up. • Preparing Ground for New Beds. After attending to the > pruning and clearing of debris, next proceed to dig over the ground, turning under all weeds excepting sorrel and docks/which must be taken out. Leaves also may be dug under, but any sticks or branches must be removed and burnt. Should the soil require to be enriched apply, a liberal dressing of. manure evenly spread over the surface to be dug under. Any plants cr shrubs that it is intended to lift may be taken up as the work proceeds and transplanted in different positions. KITCHEN GARDEN. One of the. most important operations in this department consists in keeping the ground clean between all growing crops. The moist weather experienced during the last few weeks has produced such an abundant crop of seedling weeds, and these owing to the mild weather and warmth in the soil grow so rapidlv that young seedling crops soon become choked unless the ground is frequently hoed and the crops hand-weeded. Thinning out of seedling crops, too, is important. No greater mistake can be made than to allow plants to remain crowded during the winter months. It is at this time they require ample light and air to enable them to develop good root action and prevent too much top growth.

Vegetables to Plant. The soil is still in excellent condition for planting out cabbage, cauliflower lettuce, and other plants. Another sowing of turnips should be made for late winter use, the yellow variety being the best for this purpose. Now is a good time to sow a bed of onion seed in order to have good plants for transplanting in spring for the production of a good early crop. Potato onions may now be planted The sets should be placed in rows about 2ft apart from row to row, and about 18in apart in the rows. Shallots, too can be planted. ' Asparagus Beds. Asparagus beds should now be thoroughly cleaned free of weeds. The tops are now thoroughly ripened and should be cut off close to the soil. Pumpkins marrows, and piemelons will now have sufficiently ripened to allow of their being harvested with safety. As soon as the land is cleared the ground should be well manured and deeply dug over, and any that is not required for immediate croppmg sown down in oats for the winter. The advantage of this is that it prevents tne surface from becoming hard and battered by heavy rains during the wet season, and assists to keep Aovra weeds and if not required for green feed the digging in of such crops provides humus and plant* food for' future crops

.' tree Pijunnro. - s , ||| The season fbc planting. fruit, shelter, and other- trees is again nigh, at hand. Before planting- evergreen trees, however, they should have previously been well •wrenched and prepared, so that the plants when lifted will have formed a good ball of fibrous roots. Though wrenching is necessary -with all classes of evergreen trees and shrubs, no such preparation is needed-in transplanting fruits and other deciduous trees. The main thing with these is to lift and plant only when the sap,has returned and when the trees are in a dormant condition. Long periods of drought, followed by warm autumn rains, often result in many of the trees retaining their foliage late in the season. A few i»ld. frosty nights, however, quickly cause the sap to return and the foliage to fall. - System is Planting Trees. Planting itself is a very simple operation, providing the soil has been well worked and prepared, the holes dug, and the sites marked where each variety is to be planted. In laying out, the ground it is important to keep the different varieties as much together as possible, though where a .large quantity of any variety is to be planted it is advisable to plant every third or fourth row with some other kind to assist fertilisation. By keeping the different varieties as much together as possible, their requirements can be better attended to where a mixed orchard is to be planted. Varieties in Proper Order. The trees should be so arranged that the most hardy varieties should be placed in the mere exposed positions. Varieties, for instance, such as quinces, apples, pears, plums, peches, should follow each other in the order named. By this means the more hardy trees will afford some shelter to the more tender kinds- In planting, the trees should be placed as straight as possible .id the,tows, and at regular distances apart, so that the ground can be conveniently worked without risk of injuring the trees. The distance to plant the trees apart- will depend in -some measure upon the varieties grown and the.. class of _so.il.where planted. In every case, however, ample space should be allowed for the trees to develop I without • overcrowding, as plenty of light and air is necessary to enable "the wood to thoroughly ripen.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

K.G. : Perennial • delphiniums, seedlings of these, are better to be kept in during the winter and transplanted where yon require them'in the springearly in October they hare started into growth. If planted now they remain dormant and are "difficult to keep weeded, besides slugs "are so partial to delphiniums that they eat off the shoots as soon as they start; whereas, when planted towards the middle of October, they can be kept free from weeds and better attended to.

> L.P., Newton- Ards rover is still the best dark red climbing rose. Mis*. Marion Manifold, an Australian-raised seedling, is another reliable -and vigorous-growing climbing red rose; Climbing Richmond and Gross an Teplitz are exceedingly bright and showy. Among €he wichuriana and polyantha section there are quite a number of reds and pinks, notably crim-' son rambler, Dorothy Perkins, Excelsa, American Pillar. Lady Hillingdon is probably the best yellow for general decoration; it is a good grower and free bloomer, flowering at the present time. "Inquirer": For tall screen some of the "varieties of eucalyptus or-gums would be most suitable. They are exceedinglv ornamental and of quick growth; do not include Eucalyptus globulus, the blue gum, as it is not ornamental when old. The varieties amygdalina, longifolia, obliqua, cotrvoides, punctata, Macarthnriij and viminalis • are all beautiful -trees. Eucalvpts should be generally planted, "being useful and ornamental The extensive planting of the common* bluegum in the early.days,winch is the least ornamental 'ha*: tlifopght- disflavoi* upod the gum species." „•'•'" -hZ " ' - '""."•' * Kepos. HINTS to gardeners. *

Where salads are appreciated, lettuce and radishes- may also be'raised on hotbeds of manure. Radish seed should be sown 1 broadcast along with that of carrots, and the -radishes -will be ready to draw just at" the time when the young carrots require more room. Choose early .turnip radishes for earliest uie. Lettuces are best in boxes and pricked out on a hotbed, where they will develop- rapidly

. \ Garden refuse is a valuable source of manunal supplies in any season, but more particularly at the present time when our •tisual supplies of potash manure have been cut off All garden primings and refuse should be collected and burned or charred - and when a fire is once well lit, it is surprising how much waste material can be converted into valuable manure. The ashes should be stored, if possible, in a drV place until required, when thev will be found beneficial to all crops, more especially to root crops.

In sowing seeds of such as' pansies a space of half an -inch should be left between them In the case of such seeds it is advisable to water the compost in the pans or boxes before sowing the seeds and after sowing them to cover with sifted soil to a depth of nearly a.quarter of an inch, but do not again water immediately for large seeds like those of cannas and sweet peas the compost must not be as fane as for the smaller seeds, and it mu*t be deep in proportion. A covering of soil nearly an inch deep is advisable. Large flat seeds do not require to be buried so deeply.

An interesting operation is that of raising terns from spores, which can be obtained by shaking the mature ferns over a sheet of paper, and often Y-erv charming varieties are the result. Procure seed pans or boxes, and having well crocked them, fall them with light loamv soil or peat leaving about hall an inch'of space at the top. After sowing, dip the pans in water, until the soil is thoroughlv wetted, and then stand them in a shady "corner in a, warm house. The soil must be kept constantly moist, but should rot be watered overhead. To check evaporation a piece of glass may be put over each pan. men the tiny seedlings begin to show their proper fronds, they can be pricked off in little clumps, into other pans or boxes- Later on these clumps can be broken up, and the young plants potted

Most of the almond trees are either budded or grafted, the stock employed being usually 0 f the , bitter variety, The finest almonds are selected and placed in layers -in wet sand m the autumn. In the following spring they are sown about 2in deep in nght, rich soil, being placed about * 100. apart with a space of 2ft between the rows. At the end of the same summed the young plants may be budded with a dormant bud about 3in above the surface of the ground. As a rule, however, the almond is trained a a standard or half standard in which case the seedlings are allowed to grow for a year or two longer 2hZu? k" g^ ftrd at a hei S hfc »fim 2ft to 4ft above the ground. In the spring following the budding or grafting the young trees are cut back «d Pouted out in their permanent place.

As a late-flowering plant for the rockgarden r. LarpenUe is highly prized, and its fine deep blue flowers, which are borne m trusses, are always admired. It & quite hardy, and is not particular in regard to aspect; but a light soil, with a portion of grit or sand incorporated, has a tendency *° render it more floriferous than when grown in stiff ground It is semi-prostrate in habit, and in most rockeries it would be an easy matter to find a suitable spot, where it "would thrive and display its lull beauty. The stems a™ losing leaves during * nd winter months losing its leaves during the winter months It attains a height of about 12in. Division is the usual mode of propagation. It %Sf*3 pekl a : e beeo ** & - ■*•