THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17459, 1 May 1920, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

CULLERETTS DAHLIAS. The,varieties belonging to this section aie exceedingly floriferous and most distinct and very effective for garden decoration and cutting. Their very attractive single-flowers have a collar or circle of rocondary petals around the centre, giving them a most unique appearance The following is a select lot named in about their order of merit Obi, brilliant crimson, yellow cellar; Medallion, yellow enormous size; Autumn Tints, reddish orarge, yellow collar; Geant do Lyon, crimson maroon, white collar; Lily, pure white; Souvenir de Chabanne, yellow, t'nved crimson, yellow and white collar; Herald, rosy pink, white collar; Taurus, maroon, wh.te ollar; Mascot, rjsypurple, edged white; Skerynore, bright scarlet tipped gold yellow collar; Warspite dark crimson, white collar; Valentine, rich yellow faintly 'flaked Maurice Riroire, crimson and magenta, white collar; Dora.F.sher, lovely shades of pale pink, white collar; Canary Queen, deep yellow, diadem rose white collar; Ermine, pure white; Regularity, purplish crimson' white collar. Tender Carpet-bedding Plants. Alternantheras, iresints, mesembryanthemum tricolour and other tender plants that are used for this purpose soon begin to feel the effect of cold night*, and to lose their effectiveness. Sufficient of the altjrnantheras should bo taker, up and planted in boxes or in pots and placed j in the greenhouse or framed to provide

for next year's requirement*. Cuttings of the iresines and others may la taken off : and inserted in boxes or in p;t*. and the old plants thrown away the cuttings strike freely. Cinerarias thai are planted it the opes require to be protected during frosty nights otherwise they are likely to be destroyed. An empty flower pot placed ever them or a little dry straw or other litter will answer the purpose. A careful watch must' be taken to save the foliage from the ravages of black caterpillars which are still in evidence. Cinerarias are extremely useful .Jid showy flowering plants when grown in pots. For this purpose they must be potted in rich soil and kept growing from the start without a check and repotted into larger pots when necessary and to receive an occasional watering with liquid manure as they »re gross feeder? when in full growth. Plover Beds and Borders. These require an annual overhaul preparatory to the commencement of the winter. Conditions have been favourable for the growth of seedlings and other weedj and as the surface soil has been too moist for effectively getting rid of these weeds by hoeing, the best plan is

to dig them do»n. taking carp to fork out sorrel. :witch grans, dm kg and other deep and ruiinitiij tooling weed*. Nigging the weeds und.-r wherever possible also decaying rubbish and the tops of annuals thal'are past punches, keeps the soil (no end adds humus that, is so essential i" old gulden*, wheie it 1.- dilhVu.lt to oh--I.m; and dig in stable manure. Ad the d'Cging prneeds. take care not to disturb t.:lis that .■!•• just coming up. Garden Walks and Paths. 'Ihese .i...M'.l Im- put into ' I' 1"!"' 1 state f,'. repair hei..re lb.- wet viva lit i sets in Nothing adds »■> much to the plea*ur-8 ol the garden and enables the getting ..bout, in mrofurl dm in;: .ill weather- as pi-perly laid down and kept walk.- 'those 111 the kitchen garden ate as important as "' the lliv-ei garden Varans edgings of rr-nrretc ttnr.r.f. all final tiles <>riving pi.nti are rmph.ved to dchne the nalkS (nd prevent the loose s.i.l from cashing on in them. Rounh ffuie edgings are litrtirli.id serve the purpose well. J he formation of the walks should be such as to allow tne surface water to fall In the lide« and quickly draw away Attention to Sowing. l-.,'rr,s ne<d .-pen! attention at this *rasnn. lie gram must he regularly pv-iwn t>> maintain a rb.M« sward. The. pus on recently sowa lawns w« oviser

areas should first be cut with the scythe subsequent cuttings being done with the mowing machine. Obnoxious weeds should be eradicated as soon as they make their appearance, The success of the lawn greatly depends upon tho treatment the <{rass receives during the autumn and early winter. THE GREENHOUSE. The heavy rains experienced during the last few weeks have afforded a good opportunity for potting, cleaning, and giving this department a good overhaul. At, this season of the year every available plant that can be brought into use is needed to fill up vacancies caused by the decay of many of the most showy summer and autumn flowering plants. Tuberous begonias, gloxinias, achemencs and other bulbous and tuberous rooted plants have practically ceased flowering and will soon die away. At this stage water must be carefully applied until the tops have decayed away, when the pots should be turned oik.their side, or stored away where drips cannot reach the soil. Tender Plants. Some of the mere tender varieties of plants too, will need more careful attention. \«ith these water must be carefully applied, giving only sufficient to keep the plants from wilting. At this time the more tender plants should be placed in the warmest and driest part of the house. Tho more hardy and free growing varieties will require more liberal treatment, but even these should only bo watered when they show signs of dryness, but not watered when the noil is already saturated. At this season the whole of the plants should he gone over, and all dead or decaying foliage removed, and the soil around the surface of tho pots |

loosened. The pots too should be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned. All plants thrive much better during the winter in clean pots. Repot any plants that require it, but with any but. the most rigorous growing kinds, the plants should be confined to as small pots as possible, as over-potting at this season is often fatal to many plarts. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Subscriber," Westown.—Name of thistle is Carduus pycnocephalus (the slender thistle). J.J.8.. Parua Bay.— specimen of plant to name was too much cruehed and too meagre to identify. Kindly send a more complete specimen, T?ith root attached. "Mount Eden."—Fig trees often produce Aid ripen two crops, the early crop being very sparse and the second, or main, crop abundant, and usually ripe now. The variety you refer to is the Whit? Adriatic, that does well on the volcanic soiis. Loquats, when budded or gWted. begin to bear vhen guile young, three-year-old tree* fruiting. They ■begin to r:pcn early in November. "Rosarian."—The Queen Alexandra, rose is described as the best of tho 1918 novelties and everybody's favourite. The colour is intense Vermillion, deeply shaded with o'.d .gold on the reverse of the petals. Every 1 Moom comes perfect. It is conspicuous anywhere, and will be a glorious bedder. The

gro-. i is healthy and visnruus. It is lifter ie «ty ; " (I J.. vt. I, it in ik more beautiful, .n.'i il'*b not <: ■(! lour. Every bloom is perled and lmil.na " Cur <it ■ ' liry- phy'lunt (.'lytinum is the name of the air plan) you have sent specimens of A" you remark the leaves '.hat fall on the ground take root, and plants crew up (mm ll.rin The oilier variety ii lynp'oi.s caiianer.vs. » very distinct and pretty flowering pant, native of the Canary island', also known as d.iritalie <anarien»is. " Ma'er.' C.levedon. L..y of the \a,lev when once planted and established the i rowns keep en increasing without anv cpecial attention. Pc v d-d they receive a (up dressing of manure or It'll soil in the autumn. Toil may have umil'rd tins hence the paucity of flowers. Apply top-dressing <i| well-rutted manure now. KM— Weeds upon lawns are often due to tin.- poverty of the soil and allowing the sward to become thin in patches through Willi! of proper attention. Lawns suffer for the want of water through long periods of dry w<alher. ami Home of the liner grasses die and weeo< tome up in tlic.r places. These defect* can mo.it eai-.y be remedied by the ..pi '.!<»' ion <-i viiiianle art lit I manure? corah.ned with a light top-dressing ol noil that if Ire*, from the seeds of weeds, and the sowing ol a little fresh seed. Coarse sand IS suitable for top-dressing, and is itenerary 'reo from weeds. Nitrotfonous manures are the hot. »' potash and phosphates encourage '.I"" growth of < lover and other leguminous plants. ti B Epsom.-The crass you send to identity I* the liidiau duobj, or twitch, Cynodon dactylon. It i* a useful grass for sonic lawns, but an obnoxioiis weed in tbo flower or vegetable garden No. ■> 18 Bt»PS Tuckeri, a verv ornamental specias; No. 3, bromus' nnoloiden (prairie crass), «. useful Mind (or Tinier nam and lot «i«S"l¥ 'infi*r to imp's** worn-out Mila. JSAros.