THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

'seasonable WORK. Proceed with the digging and tidying-up of the beds and borders, at the same time cutting back any small shrubs that are benefited by this operation, such as lantanas, ; 'ons, cupheas, fuchsias, ivyleaved an I other pelargoniums, bouvardias, lasiandras, and several other dwarfgrowing shrubs. Michaelmas daisies, or perennial asters, heleniums, perennial sunflowers, solidagos, etc., that have grown into large clumps, should be taken up and reduced in size; they should be replanted in other places to give them a change of soil. Bouvardias. All the varieties of bouvardias with the exception of Humboldtii corymbiflora, the large jasmine-flowered eweet-scented white, should be cut hard back to within 6in to 9in from the surface; when treated in this manner they produce shapely plants with vigorous new growth, whereas when left unpruned they assume an unfurnished, sticky appearance, and are not nearly so floriferoue. Bouvardies are most useful summer and late autumn flowering plants, and indispensable in every garden. They are so useful for cutting from. In digging amongst the plants in the mixed border, particular care must be taken not to interfere with the roots of the many varieties of bulbs that ore interspersed here and there throughout the beds. Bulbus Plants. Anemones, ranunculi, cyclamens, etc., require the surface soil lightly stirred; a pointed stick is sufficient to break the crust that invariably forms after the winter rains. It is surprising the beneficial effect this stirring the surface soil produces upon the gro;v€h of the plants. At this season of the year it should be done

■it letfst once everv week. It also greatly mhances the appearance of the beds and garden genera' The garden is again gay with early flowering daffodils, notably the varieties belonging to the tnzetta, or bunch-flowered section, are' greatly in evidence. The yellow-faced Solid d'Or is a general favourite. Cyclamens are beginning to flower profusely : they are charming dwarf-growing subjects, not only for their _ love' quaint blossoms but for their prettily-marked foliage and dwarf compact habit. The blossoms are greatly prized for cutting, as they come in when. *$here is such a scarcity of" other ftewere. Pansies and Sieclu. Pansies are general favourites now being a suitable time for planting them. The soil for parities should be well enriched with manure. Old cow manure, broken up and mixed with some coarse sand, is the best. Stocks :Of the many seedlings avai'able for present planting, stocks are probably the most useful, as they make- such a splendid display when in flower, and they continue for such a long time. There are a number of kinds to select from,namely, dwarf large-flowered ten-week stocks. Intermediate, Beauty and Brompton sections. The Beauty is' most generally planted. The Bromptons flower the following season, and require to be grown throughout the summer and autumn, flowering the following winter. Some Showy Flowers. Mimulus are extremely showy flowers, that are not genera' I 3' known ; they are very hardy, and suitable for present planting ; they succeed well in moist places. Antirrhinums have become general favourites, and deservedly so on account of their

hardiness and their lovely shades of colour; the pink and terra-cottas are very . effective. Wallflowers, notably the dwarf ' growing doubles, sweet scabious, larkspurs, godetias, nemesias, dimorphothecas, iberia, gibraltica, diantbus, marguerite carnations, calliopsis, etc., may be planted according to requirements. Cannas: Those that were lifted and stored away during the winter should be replanted, and those that were left in the original clumps should be reduced in size. They are better to be taken up and given a change of soil. Being strong growers, they exhaust the old soil. Gl= dioii are must effective bulbous plants, mat produce magnificent spikes of bloom ; a few may be planted for early flowering; arrange them in clumps in the mixed border, about five bulbs to each. The Lawn. The lawn needs constant attention to mowing at this season of the year, -when the growth of the grass is active if allowed to become too long some of the finer grasses become choked and die out. Occasionally roll. After results greatly depend upon the treatment the lawn receives in early spring. VEGETABLE GEOWING. From this time onward there will be no lack of work in this department, particularly if a sum ply of vegetables is to be maintained. The ground for this season of the year, owing to the splendid weather experienced, is in excellent condition for working, so that the sowing and planting of early crops can be carried on wifr every prospect of success.

Early' Potatoes. The planting of early potatoes should first claim attention. For these a nice sunny spot should be selected, where the , soil is comparatively dry and where it is not likely .to be affected by late frost. Plant the sets from three to four inches deep and about two feet apart from row to row, and twelve inches apart in the rows. Other crops such as peas, beans, turnips, summer spinach,, and other varieties that mature quickly should be sown at intervals of a few weeks, and only_ in sufficient quantities to meet requirements," so that a succession of crops can be maintained. Spring Vegetables. The sowing of French (or dwarf) beans should be deferred until the end of next month These require warmth in the soil j and little is gained by sowing until such , conditions exist. Sow carrots, parsnips, , lettuce, beet, parsley, radishes, mustard ■ and cress according to requirements. , Onions, these are in request throughout , the year, both in the green <tute and when matured. Autumn sown onions will soon he sufficiently advanced for transplanting for early crop. Autumn sown plants when transplanted in reasonably good soil invariably produce by far the finest bulbs. Rhubarb Beds. Rhubarb beds should be dug or lightly ' forked over at the same time applying a good dressing of well decomposed manure. To keep up a good supplv of this i vegetable the beds require .to he renewed j about every two or three years. The ground to be planted should be deeply I trenched and thoroughly manured. in • planting the crown should be kept level with the surface as in trenched ground there is a tendancy of the crowns sinking ; below the surface. i ! Cabbage and Cauliflower. Cabbage and cauliflower may . still be I '. planted, while established plants should l J bo earthed up as they advance in growth. I : Autumn sown crops are now making good ■ i growth and will need frequent weeding and keeping the soil well stirred. i I GRAFTING FRUIT TREES. j Attention should now be given to re- ! grafting any .fruit trees intended for re- | newal by this means. For plums, peaches, i and other stone fruits the present month lis the best time for this work. In every case the scions required for grafting I should have been selected at the time of I pruning and, when the trees were in a • dormant condition. By doing this and ! keeping them in (or covering them over j with soil the grafts are kept comparatively ; dormant and take more readily than when : left on the trees until required for use. Experience has proved beyond doubt that ' the greatest success is attained when the [ stock is in advance of the scion ati the : time of grafting. | When to Graft. 1 The first to require attention are the peach, nectarine, apricot, plum and ; cherries as they are the first to start into j growth. Apples and pears are not so forward and can be worked successfully quite a month later, although the scions of these, too, should be secured and kept : ;is dormant as possible. Although the ; peach and other stone fruits are somewhat ! aiffirult to graft successfully, no time ; should 'xj lost in making the attempt. ' j The fact, of heading back the trees is ! j certain to result in abundance of young ! . shoots starting to grow, so that if the i grafts fail, they can be successfully budded dining the summer. In selecting the scions for the peach and' kindred i varieties, choose well ripened hardened I wood, or better still, a short well ripened ( shoot, with a piece of older wood attached, the old wood being cut for from the graft, j Methods of Grafting. i I Although there are many methods of .rafting that are successfully performed j by those thoroughly experienced in the ( art, the two simplest methods are sufficient j for the amateur's needs, these are what is termed whip or tongue grafting, and the j other rind grafting. The tongue grafting i is done by making a clean upward cut in the stock, about an inch long, and a j corresponding cut in the scion. A slit is then made in the stock, and a similar one in the scion. This when inserted downward in the stock forms a tongue, hence the name tongue grafting. If the trees are of large size rind grafting is the simplest and best, and makes the best union. Rind Grafting. In the rind grafting a smooth clean cut is made in the scions; a slit is then made j in the bark of the stock and the bark on i one side slightly raised and' the graft inserted. If the stocks are extra large two or more may be inserted on each branch to ensure success, if more take than is needed to form a tree some can easily be removed. As soon as any grafts are inserted - they must be securely tied and the wound sealed over with grafting wax or prepared clay, or failing these, thick Sour paste will often answer requirements. Success in a great measure depends upon quickness and neatness of union. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A. A. W.. Whakatane: Re most suitable hedge plai:* for your light, sandy soil and climate where moderately heavy frosts occur during the winter, there are a number of kinds that will succeed, namely, escallonias, coprosma beanriana, olearias, and ligustrums. A mixed hedge composed of the first three species, with a few tecoma. at intervals, would be most ornamental and denee-growing, and easily trimmed. Pittosporums require a heavier class of soil. Acmena floribunda, intermixed with cupressus, acacias, and ligustrum sinensis and some bamboos would make a good shelter break. The acmenas would require to be planted late in the season, after frosts were over; they would then have time to grow and become sufficiently hardy and established before the following winter frosts. The plantation could be thinned out later, allowing the acmenas to predominate. _ A few slow-growing conifers, such as picaes and abies would enhance the value of the plantation by giving it a more varied and ornamental and permanent appearance. " Small Orchardist" : The system of cutting the roots of apple trees very hard back by slicing them off in a slanting direction from the underside is against the rules of nature. The good old svstem of judiciously removing any roots that may have been injured by the spade in lifting, and . shortening back the larger roots, is still . the best. Some of the hairy, fibrous roots, ! may be cut off. All young fruit trees reI quire to be cut hard back at the time of j planting or shortly after. For the first ! three or four years the trees should be carefully pruned to produce a good framei work for the future head. This specially refers to apples, pears and plums that are :of a permanent character. Peaches and nectarines grow rapidly from the start, and are short-lived ; a different system of prouning is necessary for these. The tendency ie to over-prune. j Kspos. ! HINTS TO GARDENERS. I Land which has long been unused, or , 1 land in lawns, is apt to be sour. To . remedy this condition apply evenly lib of ! air-slaked lime or 21b or ground limestone to everv oO square feet. The lime should . i be applied and raked in to a depth of two inches when the seed-bed is being prepared in the spring. Instead of lime 21b of unleashed wood ashes may be used. At times, even with the best of planning, a gardener will find that his garden has matured more of some varieties of vegetables that can be used immediately. None of this excess should be wasted and there is no occasion for waste. If there is no ready market for the surplus it should be prepared for winter by either canning or drying. By modern methods either canning or drying may be done with little expense of time, trouble, or financial outlay. By using the cold-pack method as small a quantity as a single can I or jar may be pat up in a short time. With proper instructions it is possible for the housewife to dry a handful of peas or : beans, sweet corn, a few sweet potatoes or turnips or small quantities of many j other vegetables with practically no ex- [ penditure of her time-