THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16497, 24 March 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

».: ) : ■■.••■;..•* .-.■ ~7r.; : " : "- - Thii laying-out / and construction ;:of new I, walks I arid/ the repairing and , : renovating 8 of those 5 / previously : made, should be / at- .-■•. tended to at this slack/ season—to have „ them in good order and condition before. s the wet winter Bets' in. ..Few things con- : tribute more ;to the.appearance, ease, and % pleasure of getting about the garden and; 6 grounds :■ as well-laid and properly /kept y walks.; They should/ be made to.be used; in all weathers without discomfort. I Walks and drives that' thereiis much :: traffic, upon, require to .be-'made with t good solid, foundation;, and in the case of the main < approach that ;is used for d motors, rough stones topped . with scoria; 8 and metal waste. / Fine gravel mixed with ;£• pebbles, and broken shells makes: a spleh- [,: did surface, ; but requires frequent attens tion to weeding, and ...raking. Heavy a flushes, of water are liable to carry/off: r some of tho loose material,;. />• ,/■■',.'' '/. : ' , Tarring and Sanding Paths. ' Tarring and sanding the surface of walks . is greatly in vogue. • This mode is to.. be : commended;' there being many important i points in its' favour, namely, absence of, weeds, durability, arid ' cleanliness at all P times, and--comparative'' safety .; against a heavy i 'rains. < The ■ cost ' of,' making and * materials is also in its favour. A good J firm foundation is-' 1 necessary; to • make a J permanent surface, 'and"keep the material. J from cracking and breaking into holes. : f In tho construction of all walks and paths ' the centres should bo Blightly raised to givo rain water a good fall to the sides. » Need for Water Channels. """* , Where the incline is steep and the run 1 of water likely to be considerable, the I sides of the walks should be edged with . tiles that are made for the purpose. ; This 9 precaution prevents tho storm water overi flowing on to the beds or borders, and washing some of the soil away. Walks in s tho kitchen garden should also be attended t to; thpr are f too -often neglected, not - even being gravelled.- Much more^might ' be dono during wet and showery-"Weather, t if walks in the'kitchen garden-were more i numerous,. and in proper v * condition for, 5 getting about upon them':at/all : times: t ' '£, a Permanent'. .Improvements;, • -\. i j , Permanent improvements, such as topdressing old lawns, the'making of new 9 where necessary, and tho dipoing,- trenching and manuring those portions of the . garden that, need enriching, and renovatf ing, should bo undertaken during the i autumn when tho ground is dry, and con--3 ditions generally favourable for such work.

Trimming Hedges. ; Hedges composed of eltcagnus that have had no attention in • the way, of clipping since the early' summer ... have ; thrown out long straggling shoots. \ Neatly trim, cutting the long growths hard' back;, to/give, tlio hedge a , symmetrical appearance. Elroagnus is nearly, always -in i active growth, and requires trimming about three', times during the twelve months.-. Ligus, : ,. trum hedges may also he trimmed. Te«coma, being in flower, should be left until early winter. Clipping at this season dc-, tracts from the:beauty of the hedges, and is, in a measure, injurious, as it prevents the summer/ growths from ; properly maturing. Good r hedges are often damaged , by, clipping them at'.' the 'wrong season. ■ ■ This, in many instances,: accounts for theirairi-} sightly >; appearance. v|j Cyprus and 'S other hedges composed of • conifers must not be trimmed before the ; middle of June. \ *.*'.■ The Dahlia Season. 1 .-';"*".' The floral display at the present time is both varied and plentiful. Dahlias' havo greatly benefited by the- settled warm weather and.,, dewy .nights.' The.,; many varieties belonging to all sections' make an imposing . and lovely display. The poaony-flowered and collarette sections are exceedingly decorative. Dahlias enjoy abundant moisture during their flowering season, and are •» benefited by; a- ; liberal mulching of decayed manure or spent hops, and ; to receive a good; soaking with water about three times a week—applying in the, evening. : - ; ' , ■;>..''■» : v Autumn Flowers. ' Petunias are now at their best. - The large-flowered giants are a..vast improvement upon -the small old-fashioned varieties' that were chiefly dull purple shades. In-the new strain most, of tho objectionable shades in .colour have, been -climb nated. The iimprovement, in , this •'respectmakes the : petunia one of .the best and" most attractive of flowering '. plants, besides being such good dry,/- weather sub*, jects. < French and African marigolds, sunflowers, ; f phlox," celosias, delphiniums, sweet ,sultans, balsams, ; ?salvias,:* sweet scabious, zinnias, • etc.,' are ; all a ; ) profusion of ; bloom, and render the flower-beds and; borders exceedingly attractive. Summer;: bedding plants, too, are at ; their brightest and best, and contrast; with the flowering plants. ; :' THE VEGETABLE GARDEN,,-. ■I Although onlv ; 'ft few. weeks since the ground was sodden by frequent and heavy rains' a good..shower < would 'now ho ; most beneficial to all growing crons.. It is really astonishing how "uickly tho moisture has evaporate!!, ■■> leaving .the' soil., dry r; and parched/;and; ; where ; cultivation has been \ at all* neglected - ; larger cracks are formed and vegetation checked. ' Frequent stirring .of the soil, in fact, ; deep cultivation, is ■ tho only, V;f means of ;,;.' maintaining ■-.> healthy

growths. This is , the more necessary: after such a long period heavy rains, - as the soil naturally .becomes hard s and 5 caked. Any :*: ground from which the crop is cleared should be at once broken up and allowed to be rough arid become sweetened for future cropping. ?' /.. ,'■/?.' '■' When to Plant Cabbages and Cauliflowers. > After the first heavy rain plant* of,cab- . base and cauliflower should /bo k put, out. Beforo planting, "dip, the plants in "a solution of McDougall'B insecticide, to destroy ; the |. fly/ i and / caterpillars that -' infest % the foliage. Kumaras are still growing rapidly. The runners should be occasionally lifted, to prevent them tatting root and checking the 'growth /of the' tubers; / Tomatoes are "still suffering from /disease.': A »6oA plan is " to : gather /the fruit; as'; soon as it shows, signs of colouring, placing the fruit m a dry situation until it is matured. 1 | THE VINERY. " , /" >; Early-forced vines from which the fruit 'has been cut will still require special attention. It is during the autumn, ; when the leaves are showing signs of decay and when the sap is returning, that the vines require most liberal treatment. It is at this time (if the borders are in good condition) that healthy, fibrous roots are made, and when the vines recoup their strength and store up food for the production of next season's crop. This, I know, is sometimes questioned, yet even the inexperienced grower must know that vines are often started (and when forced with heat) that fruit is formed in winter, when ~ tho outside borders are cold and where there is little or no root growth. This, of course, is more noticeable and convincing in colder countries, where vines are being forced while the outside may be frozen or covered with snow. Manuring Vises, At this season plenty of good stimulating manure should be applied. If liquid manure is not obtainable a good mulching with fresh stable manure, spread over the border and well watered, so that the manurial properties is conveyed to the roots, will greatly assist root action. ' All vines require some assistance after two or 'three years cropping, no matter how carefully and well th© borders have been nreparod. Vines are very gross feeders, and when heavily cropped year after year soon exhaust the soil. '-* Keeping up tha Foliage. / It is important, even though stripped of their fruits that the foliage is kept in as healthy condition as possible, until it falls naturally through the return of the sap. All tho time the leaves remain green root action is going on brisklr, 8 that the Doss of foliage prematurely, whether caused by neglect, insect pests, or diseases, is certain to cause trouble and

bring failure sooner or later. Too often ■the vines receive no attention whatever after the crop is harvested, and is the cause of many failures in grape culture. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ■"Farmer," Westport: For regiafting, ;cut!!or head back fruit tre*es earlv* ik ' August, and at tho same time graft those ■you intend upon them. As to removing before grafting, much depends upon their ..ago and size. Those that are over three years of age should 'oe worked where they stand, and, if necessary,*, be removed the following winter. Younger trees may be partially headed back in —ay, and planted where you intend and grafted .towards the end of. i August.; .•■**.: "S.lt.;" Hamilton: Chestnut trees are subject to the attack of root fungus. If you examine the roots of those that have died- you will probably^ find fungus upon them and the fibrous roots rotten;. Tho borer might injure the trees, but would not cause them to die in the manner you state. Boring holes in the skins and inserting fluids would do more injury to the* tree than the borers. A liberal dressing with limo, mixed with flour of sulphur, over the surface soil around the trees for the rain to wash in is the best treatment tho winter can suggest, "Notice," Westland: Re Vermont*, tho writer has found this fungicide somewhat erratic in its effects, especially upon tho flowers of fruit treed and the young foliage. Bordeaux is muoh the best and safest for summer applications. For black .spot,, apple scab, and ; bitter-pit spraying the trees in early spring, just as the buds are swelling, with cauatio soda at the rate of one pound to twenty gallons of water is a most effectual and . cheap remedy, and is also the best for destroying mussel and other scales. Two dressings wo necessary, one soon,after tho leaves have dropped; the second as stated above. .In doing so. the operator should be careful to dJefsall parts of the tree. If the spraying is directed from the side in the winter, spray from the other in spring. .. -■ -.>."' *$■'■ Wbitikau,'* G'isborrie:, Re -Eucalyptus corymbosa. ; The ''bloodwood" is a; tree of moderate size, and should succeed' well with you . at; an altitude of i 1200 ft. Comparatively little-is known of. how it will thrivo here.' y Eucalyptus : coriacea . attains a height of. from 80ft to"lOOffcj and is very ! hardy.. ■: Under the name■ amygdalina two species are known here. '.One, the narrowleaved kind, which -is. a very handsome tree of moderate ; size.! The other 'is said to attain a great height, 300 ft and more. Norway,spruces attain ROft to 100 ft in height; larch, 50ft to 80ft; Scocth fir; 80ft; Austrian pine, 75ft. I The larch is an ornamental; deciduous ,tfeo,'; with horizontal spreading branches ; Norway spruce is > evergreen, ; upright habit, with 'horizon-' tal, : drooping -.branches. The 'Scotch:- and : Austrian pines are of ..somewhat similar branches: /upright and ft clothed- with numerous, short fine needles. "'■'■' Kefos. '-