THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

AUTUMN ' GARDEN EFFECTS. j Autumn effects are already conspicuous upon many varieties of deciduous trees and other plants. The recent cold snap with cold nights and fine sunny days all hasten the descent of the sap. Autumn appears to be setting in earlier than usual. The gorgeous leaf tints of some trees and shrubs present a greater diversity and brilliance of colour than if the plants were a profusion of blossoms. The Virginian creeper (Ampelopsis hederaoea) and its sub-species, notably Veitchii, are amongst the most conspicuous for the brilliance, of their foliage. Lagerstromia indica is the first among shrubs to turn colour, the leaves assume the brightest crimson. The foliage of persimmons is also beginning to turn colour. They too, are remarkable for the many rich and beautiful tints thebefore dropping, contrasting wrth the yellow and red fruits, rendering them indispensible for planting near the edges of the mixed shrubbery ' and other ornamental plantations where! they have a telling effect. They are also, valuable for their rich and luscious fruits which.are in season when other soft fruits are scarce. The different varieties of rhas or sumachs are extremely beautifill and interesting, during the late autumn months the colouring of the foliage being extremely brilliant. Leaves for Compost. Palling leaves are already beginning to litter the garden and give the walks an untidy appearance. This will continue for many weeks until the last leaf has fallen. Every shower of rain and gust of wind brings a fresh batch down to add to the general litter. However, in order to keep the garden as tidy as possible, the leaves should be raked together and gathered up at least twice a week and removed to the rubbish heap, there to remain and decay, and in time to produce leaf-mould which is an invaluable compost for mixing with potting soil and also to dig into the borders, especially those where azaleas, rhododendrons, kalmias, and other plants are growing that thrive best when leaf-mould is applied to the soil arouna them. Never bum any leaves as is so often done to get rid of them. Save them all and mix with weeds and other debris to be treated as above mentioned. Alterations and Improvements. Proceed with any alterations that may be required to improve -the garden and grounds. Some changes will generally, be found necessary to enable" the laying out and formation of new beds and walks and. Jo change the disposition of some of the shrubs and other plants. The laying o"t of new gardens and grounds should;':be hastened on and completed in readiness for planting before the weather breaks. Digging and trenching vacant spots and portions that have ', been in ; grass and require renewing by manuring and resowing to produce a fresh sward—or for sowing down in oats, prairie grass, or some other cover, crops to be dug down towards the end of the winter—to add 7 humus : and generally improve the land ( and ,I keep down weeds during the winter, should receive present attention. The final levelling of recently made lawns should \'- be attended to in readiness for applying the necessary'". fertilisers,■. such as ; ,basic.;;, slag and , bonedust. Sow this' '.'. first ■> and-/ the grass seed next; rake both in together. The faking must he properly done in order to well, bury the seeds; when lightly covered small birds have a better chance of taking the seeds. •' General Work. ' . ' A considerable amount of cutting' back and ; :: .trimming up is necessary at •*'; this season. Seedling weeds, too; ; have come up very thickly. A v timely hoeing when the surface is dry ; of. light digging : 'h will destroy weeds and secure a clean surface for some time. Seedlings 1 that were sown in the open ; beds and bonders as previously recommended have been ' favoured i;>, with ' exceptional weather conditions : and V are healthy and vigorous.!. Any > thinning out that is required should :be done at once; this is important in order to - allow - eaoh individual plant sufficient room to branch out and properly develop.. Flowers, notwithstanding the recent cold snap, 1 are in plentiful supply, especially: dahlias which are in the greatest profusion of blossoms. Chrysanthemums are; beginning to i flower. Being the best of all autumn flowers they keep the garden gay 3 and t provide a plentiful supply of flowers for cuttings. 0 this purpose they are probably the I best'. of flowers as they are exceedingly showy, and last a long time when cut. Bouvardias are now about at their best and are also most useful for cutting. > The more' they are cut from the better they flower. ; f.."'. ■/■■■:■ ■ V ',;■ ~:.'. •'.. •?■:.; ,'\-\- \- ..■-, ■■ ■'■'..'•■ -v.

ASPARAGUS ; BEDS.

Asparagus beds are often at this season the most weary part of the whole vege- v table garden.; Too often after • all usable shoots are cut, the beds receive little or • no attention until the tops • ripen, V and. are' ready for : cutting down. This in a great measure is no doubt due to the difficulty in hoeing between - the : plants, for in most well-established ' beds no matter how carefully tlie wort is done, there is always -a risk of injuring the :i crowns in the operation of hoeing. To fallow the beds to become . covered with weeds, however, is at any -: time harmful %to the crops, as weeds not only; rob the plants of moisture, but impoverish .the* soil. Hand weeding *is at all times V the safest,; unless where the crowns have been placecl wide apart to allow of hoeing without risk of injuring the": crowns. As soon : as the tops have become yellow and ripened, they should be cut down. The manuring and top-dressing, however, should be deferred until the heaviest winter rains are over. By adopting this method - the roots are not so liable to rot as .when a heavy mulching is applied in autumn. < On the other handy manure applied toward the end of the wettest season, , qurrsiy finds its way to the roots, and 'creates healthy root action. ; Asparagus -roots do not agree with' too; much moisture, and if the soil is at all inclined. to be heavy, the beds should on no account be mulched before early spring. •

„ ' THE , VINERY. ] As the season advances increased, difficulty will be experienced in keeping late grapes in a sound condition. The weather now < prevailing, with its fluctuating temperature, is certainly anything but favourable for keeping up a sufficiently dry atmosphere and i even temperature ,to ~ prevent ; decay of . some of the fruit. In such weather,, ventilation cannot be applied without risk, while too , close :. an atmosphere results in excessive moisture and decay of berries. No late grapes Vara proof against decay when unfavourable conditions exist. The more .imperfectly ripened, however, are always more liable to decay than well-coloured and ripened fruits. It is seldom friers is -any loss through the decay of berries until the present month, and it is only with the latest varieties that any difficulty is experienced. Much, of course, depends, upon --. the conditions of culture; houses, for ' instance, that are in a warm sheltered position, vent undue evaporation by covering the and where efforts have been made to prefloor of the house with concrete :or asphalt, are more' easily managed than those where the soil is sodden with moisture. Sudden changes of temperature and increasing moisture;; tend to encourage mildew to,:attack the foliage and fruit, yet, "without clean, healthy foliage the J fruits cannot be kept free from decay. The i branches should be frequently; looked over i and -.-.i aav damaged•"■•", or f, decaying berries' I pwaovdl,■'.; er :tac ■■disease'.-, will /* quickly '•> spread &; »r.<s &&&nj a tb*> whole j : bunch:' But .even' after the i fruit is cut attention . > to the vines must not ;' cease.

In far too many instances, particularly with the earlier varieties, little or no-at-tention is paid to the vines after the fruit is secured, insects and diseases being al- ; lowed to increase . unchecked, until the : foliage becomes so damaged as to cause premature decay. One of the chief secrets of success is to keep the foliage in a clean, healthy condition until the leaves fall naturally from the vines. If the vines are in a healthy condition the natural decay of foliage only takes place upon the return of the sap, and when the wood is well matured. It is during the autumn when the sap is returning that the vines require liberal treatment, as it is at this time that abundance of healthy fibrous roots are made and when the vines recoup their strength and store up food for their next season's crop. At this time plenty of. assistance should be given, the borders being supplied with good stimulating manure. In most instances vines are very heavily taxed and require all the assistance that can be given to enable them to continue to produce and mature anything like good crops. Manuring Borders. No matter how carefully the borders have been prepared, the manurial properties that are essential to healthy growth and fruitfulness are to a great extent absorbed after three or four years, and must be replaced if success is to be maintained. Although this cannot all be done at one season of the year, it is most essential that the roots should be supplied with some stimulant during the autumn when the sap is returning. Manure in a liquid form is best to be applied at this time. All the time the leaves remain green root action is going on briskly, so that the loss v of, foliage prematurely, whether from in- '. \ sects, diseases, or in fact any other cause, cannot fail to injure the fruiting capabilities of the vines. For this reason every effort should be made as soon as the . vines are stripped of their , fruits to rid '" them of every pest. This course is no easy matter, but every possible means l\ ' should be used to attain this. end. „As soon as the fruit is cut, all secondary laterals should be shortened back to the main or fruiting lateral to allow the free s '-• access of light and air, and assist to ripen and mature the wood. : .. v Fighting Insect Pests. ; During the autumn and winter stronger measures can be used for the distinction of pests than can be applied when the vinos . are in full • growth and furnished .with " young sappy shoots. ; Much can .be done during the winter when the vines are dormant, to so reduce their numbers that j- L.much less difficulty would bo felt, in keep-* - ing ■ vines frees from their attacks during tho growing season. The free use of the hydro-cyanic gas for- fumigating the house has done wonders in keeping under control that horrid parasite mealy . bug. as well" as ; in destroying thrips, leaf rollers, and'"';' other insects. During the..'summer, how-•".';'. ever, greater care is necessary in its; ap- ' plication, as it must hot bo applied at the same strength when the. vines are furnished with . young,' 'tender foliage, as- - when the foliage is ■ well matured.; or , when•/.;'•'•' the vines arc in a dormant condition. : l , ' , Bed Spider. < , Red Spider 'is : hut little affected by ti this gas. This is ;a ; formidable pest and,' once established in the -house is not• easily eradicated. The best moans of„. dealing with this pest when the; foliage is "J~.. attacked is to freely dust' the leaves with/ fine sulphur, distributing the; sulphur jso that both'sides of the foliage are well? cov-. ered. : To deal with these and other pests every part of ;i the house ■=, should >; have a • thorough overhaul, during , the, winter when vines are, dormant. Not only should, , the .vines he.' cleaned and dressed -with , insecticide, but A the woodwork, trellises, and in fact every .part of the house.: All 1 leaves should be gathered up and burnt as they 'fall ■', from the vines; ";■ an earthen , ■floor is always. a harbour for pests as numhers:secret: themselves in the soil, whereas :••; if covered with , concrete or other hard sub- :-.';.■ stance it can be kept; thoroughly , clean and free from .destructive pests. ..•■.'■ :",'/.:--'-:-;: : .t: / : ,-,-:.;', ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ,VA.B.. Neudorf.—ln answer, to your queries and to -; settle argument: ;j Apples are quite '•■'- good and nutritious ", : feed for ? cattle. Cows. ; - > eat, them greedily. • - The ■' only - L danger is ;in vr :giving them; 1 whole; ! they are likely to choke !; them. • * All above a certain -size u should be / mashed i.- up ; to prevent any :' danger of choking. ). ;.■:.■ ■ a t " Puzzled," Tarato, Ta.fanaki,r-i-Re ridding' your garden |of . couch-grass % (agropyron), jof 4 which :; there ,< are ;.; several v kinds: - The '<■' only' f■' remedy is; to thoroughly ■ fork it out, eradicating every root: the f least piece, -iff left in''.:," the; ground, will grow, consequently sit ■- willi::' take , some time ; ; to i cleanse ■; the ; - ground of ■■':'' this troublesome pest. Hieing is of no :■,.-'■' avail. It is an excellent lawn . arid pasture ' r a grass, but;- a' troublesome weed'.* in -any';--garden. .« -«, , '• ■ ' "«• "Amateur," Takapau, H.B.— coldi southerly ;.i aspect.v well drained J/ but very AY'frosty and ; shaded .' from ,; the '■. sun in winter,: the following varieties Sof shrubs and i> her. Wi baceous > perennials' should • succeed:—A belia"•'•-" ■••■ floribunda,'"Azalealmollis/i,Berberiß';D£rwinii, : '■■:■ Choisy a i ternata, & Cydonia :;.; japonica.; a *-; few i > ericas, •; escallonias „of sorts, ; Brachyglottis;-f repanda, * "Hibiscus ■" syriacus, ■;■--' hydrangeas,,. •'. Lauruß ; nobilis, Nandina domestics, i or lilacs, several veronicaß.deutzias,'' PanaxV arbprea, pittosporums, ! plain; and variegated .; hollies, .; phormiumv of S'sorts,; Olearias. ; jas- E *.'<• mmums,, LoniceTa ; japonica, Philadelphia, ; ;'. : ;' etc. f * Of dwarf ; herbaceous i and other 'peren-': L: nials # the following are- suitable:—Anemone ,: japonica, perennial asters, heleniums, Shasta ; v ; daisieus,;-; polyanthus :■; : and cowslips, ',: Eupa.- '•• torlum riparium crinume, violets;' primroses. f ' Phlox. , Nelsonii. solidago, j Arthroppdium-*cir--rhatum, agapahthus; 'several species of 'iris, * • saxifrages, ; ; ■ Vittaderia •. - triloba.' 5 ,.;,; Spireea'".;-' japonica,; aqnilcKias, Stokenia; cyonus,'' tnalio '.''-. trum, several > campanulas, • gentians,, knipho-,' : as. .etc., and> several varieties <of ; s ferns. ;;- ..':■■..C.F.H.. .Nelson.—'prevent'' the damping off- of asters, antirrhinums, stocks, tomatoee, etc., Cheshunt : ; . Compound is recommended, '> consisting of, copper sulphate 20z., pow- l v • dered ' ammonium •' carbonate lloK. - ; intimately imixed and ; kent for at least 24s hours. ; >'/ One. :r " ounce of ,'■ " this ; ; i mixture -i dissolved ' in:, two vV gallons of 1. water,; may be -watered' on grow- ; :- i ins plants without > ! . injuring 'them,; in the & ■ least, and will destroy'-.the damping off; oi»- :,; ganisms. '! This : formula has appeared twice before.'.- but :■-, has t evidently escaped < your -.; notice. ?'

." Gardener," . Mangere—Gas :.--. lime sufficiently strong; to ; kill the grass grub would destroy .the grass.' _v A dressing: of Bait and ; rolling with a very heavy roller after rain ;'■" would destroy numbers of the grubs and ■ greatly benefit the grass; ;.; This' is -the most : effective • method of . treating this grub.,;... '-.- \ J.L., Albany.—Passion-fruit seeds may re* '■ mam in the cases until they shrivel and dry up.,. They ;i' may; be -.-; sown , : almost -at *'; any time. The seeds from those that fall and f become • buried in the ' soil germinate >in % th» - spring. ".- ; The best 'method of extracting. the ; seeds of a acacia decurrens '■ or black' -wattle. ' is to place them in - a f sugar : bag ; and beat ~i with a round .stick. They "should; be al- ■•' lowed';: to ■> thoroughly •: ripen '■■■ on '■■■• the . tree* before gathering, v. ; ' *" '/ /V- ---" Orchardist."— best time to 'apply' the ; first dressing with the caustic-soda solu- ' tion is when the leaves have nearly all fallen, the ;• second V application being i given when the sap is on the move and the buds beginning to swell in the early spring. > " Inquirer," ■'. City.ln '•' reply to your inquiries about the avocado pear, its botanical name, origin, uses, and degree of hardiness: Perse* gratissima (most grateful) is the botanical name- The alligator or avocado pear belongs to a large genus comprising 'many. v. specie*. ; , It' -is ■'-;■'* '•;■ native '~•.." of tropical and subtropical Asia and America. The commercial possibilities of > avocado -: pear-growing ']■ oiler '■•■ great induce-. meats in the near future. "■ There are three, races of avocadoes— '.* Weft Indian, Mexican, and Guatemalan. The Mexican ii very hardy, but the fruit has a thin skin and is of small size. The West Indian, pro* duces some of the finest fruits," but :is very '- •'- tender. ■ The Guatemalan has - a tough skin,' and- many of the varieties are very fine. -.-. Avocadoes may be divided into two groups— the thick and • the v thin-skinned : varieties. , The thick-skinned, i are the best for com- ' mercial growing, >owing ■■>' to their large < size and carrying . qualities. The thin- . skinned ■' are ■-.- ,. 4 generally ~\ .;■ more -' hardy. and suitable ' for k cooler climatic' conditions.. Avocadoes , are san absolute i food, containing. '. up to- 30 per cent, of vegetable; fat, and are rich in mineral and' protein matter, ranking with' milk and eggs, and equal to lean meat, with medicinal properties of a soothing > lax- ■'■-, - : ative character. ;■ .The flesh has. a L rich, nutty v ' flavour. and buttery • texture so .rich': and,:•'.; mild that pepper and salt are .mostly used, ■ also wine. and sugar, to give ■; it poignancy, ~. In S California the possibilities "of this ■ fruit M are :so .; great that. an Avocado Society ? has -'.' been formedJ to thoroughly > exploit • it* value, V to obtain the •■ best varieties and best methods' lof propagation, and general cultivation. The yV nlant branch ;of the Auckland Acclimatisa- ; ! tion Society is fully alive to the ornamental , fii'>. ! and ' commercial value ;of; the - avocado, and is■&'?■: obtaining ,>. information as to A the varieties 'U% .'.that;? are -i sufficiently hardy *;to-; grow ; here. H ;. Introductions 7 have t already ij been made,, ' the : young plants appear to ibe thriving ' well. xTjurot*