TO HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 4 (Supplement)

TO HOME GARDEN.

THE FLOWER OF THE • ' .. SEASON. ROSES AT THEIR BEST. ... . The flower of the season is undoubtedly the rose. Most of the varieties are in the full zenith of their glory. The present spring has been most favourable to the growth of the plants their strong vigorous shoots' arc clothed with luxuriant foliage. The flowers are of remarkably good forrr.' substance and lasting qualities. The cool moist weather has brought out the true shades of colour and greatly prolonged the lasting qualities of the flowers.' So far the plants have been remarkably free from mildew and other fungoid troubles. Green fly has been more prevalent than usual but this is easily controlled by an occasional spraying with one or other of the most approved insecticides. Both for appearance and prolonging the flowering period "all spent blooms should be picked off every morning. This is only practicable to a limited extent "with the strong-grow-ing climbers that produce such a profusion of blossoms.

SUCCESS WITH ROSES. The success of the rose garden in a measure depends upon the manner in which the bushes have been pruned. Inexperienced pruners are too prone to cut all varieties hard back irrespective of their individual requirements. As a rule the varieties belonging to the true tea section, notably Lady Hillingdon, Marie van Houtte, Safranop, Peace, Comtesse Festetics Hamilton, ctc. need but little trimming, and many of the hybrid teas such as General Macarthur, Margaret Dickson Hamill, Red Letter Day and other equally vigorous growers need spare pruning, the object being to produce large-sized bushes that will carry an abundance of blossoms. Frau .Karl Druschki is another kind that should be sparsely trimmed. MANURING ROSES. Provided that the beds have been properly treated in the autumn and in the case of new plantations where the land has been deeply trenched and has received a liberal application of basic slag and stable manure, the soil is sufficiently enriched not to require any further stimulants during the flowering period excepting perhaps a surface mulch of short manure or a dusting with one or other of the artificial fertilisers around each plant. The rains or artificial waterings soon convey the manurial properties to tVs roots, having an appreciable effect upon their health and vigour in a very fewdays. The old system of watenr.,/ the bushes with liquid manure every week is liable to make the ground too sodden and sour and is not practiced to any extent except by the old school. CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND DAHLIAS. Complete the planting of all varieties of chrysanthemums, nip the tops of those that were previously planted when about a foot high and keep a good look out for black aphis and syringe immediately after any have made their appearance. Black leaf 40 is the best ansecticide to destroy this aphis. v In hoeing do not hoe deeply near the roots of the plants. Dahlias as mentioned in last week s notes should be Wanted towards the middle and end of this month. CULTIVATION TOR DAHLIAS.

The ground . dahlias should be deeply, worked or where each plant is to be planted dig out a circular hole, well loosening up the subsoil to a depth of at least fifteen inches, replace. the soil that has been taken out, mixing some- stable manure with it or some bonedust. The proper preparation of the. holes and . manuring sustains the plant, which is a coarse feeder, throughout its, growing and flowering season, and prevents the soil becoming hard and dry and enables artificial . waterings to penetrate. • All dahlias require to Be securely staked. This is best done at the time of planting as- when left until the young plants are a. foot high driving the stakes often interferes with the new tubers. Dahlias require ample room to develop and show to best advantage arranged in the mixed borders.. The pompoms are suitable for round beds or for plaiv ing near the walks. . V PILLING THE BEDS AND BOBBERS. As advised in last week's notes "platting ; up should be .attended to fill all vacancies. ' Early . flowering annuals such as ' candy- ■ tufts, linarias, nemesias, anid ' several others that' have completed their flowering should bo dug under and the ground they occupied replanted with suitable varieties of summer and autumn flowering annuals. Beds occupied by narcissi .may be planted with phlox or other shallow rooting plants that , will have | completed their season of 'flowering by the time the daffodils begin to restart into ■ growth during the. autumn. By this means a succession is maintained, otherwise there would be bare spaces. Petunias are also suitable for planting among the narcissi. This is the best time for planting scarlet salvias; to produce a good display, they should be grouped or massed. Dwarf French marigolds have become very popular and deservedly so, as they produce the greatest abundLance of attractive flowers throughout the summer and autumn. Cosmoea are best for large ' gardens or for planting in < out of the way corners that afford protection from the winds. The double flowered forms are exceedingly pretty. Although their season of flowering is'comparatively short cosmoea are prized for cutting and. their wealth of blooms. ' Zinnias have become general favourites, the elimination of the old fashioned purple shades having brought them in to prominence. Celosias and portulaccas are suitable for planting right up to the end of the year. ° FLOWERS IN PROFUSION. Our gardens and grounds are bedecked with the greatest profusion and variety of flowering plants including many bulbous kinds, stocks, antirrhinums, nemesias, pansies, lobelias, poppies, sweet scabious annual aiid perennial larkspurs and other annuals. Besides a general assortment of dwarf flowering herbaceous and preennials, also amaryllis, sweet peas, and many deciduous flowering shrubs, also The rockery is clothed in varieties of plants for the purpose, many of which are in full flower. '

PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT. IMPORTANCE OF SPRAYING. A short time ago attention was drawn to the importance of having everything in readiness for spraying fruit bearing and other trees and plants that are. subject to the attack of insect pests. Moat fruits are now swelling rapidly so that no time should be lost, if not already done, in applying the first dressing. The first to receive attention should be'-'apples, pears, quince and other fruits liable to be affected bv the codlin moth. At this time the fruit is in the best possible condition for spraying, and if the material is properly applied, the eye of the fruit is almost certain to receive and retain sufficient ot the poison to destroy most of the early brood. Up to the present the weather has certainly not.been • too favourable for this work, the frequent and heavy showers naturally weakening in some measure the material applied." Arsenate of lead however, is of an adhesive nature so that where it has been applied, some good must result. To be thoroughly effective, however, the fruit should be sprayed' at reasonable intervals from the Present time until the fruit is almost matured. WORK IN SMALL ORCHARDS. In small orchards it is by no means a difficult task to spray all trees as the material and implements for spraying can be obtained at any of the seedsmen at a small cost, and as badly affected trees are liable to be condemned, it is advisable for all growers,to. attend to this . work. The advantage of spraying however, is by no means confined to the i destruction v of codlin moth, as beetles, leech, and other

pests that attack the same trees afetffiil stroyed by this means. But, in - add?*?* to pip fruits most other orchard trees Attacked by destructive, leaf eating oesf? and of these the leech and brown beetl, or what is commonly known as grub are the worst enemies. DESTROYING LEAF LEECH. H The leech is without doubt rest*»,»ai for many of the failures with pf umg iSt other trees it attacks. These are oft* allowed to commit their ravages tm* checked until the foliage is quite stroyed and the growth cheeked. v "TV* usually results in the trees breaking inu weak autumn growth, and often develop ing flowering buds that should unfe natural conditions remain latent until ib proper time of flowering in spring. Th..! is little difficulty in destroying the n and keeping the foliage healthy until fall naturally through the return of th sap. An occasional spraying during 'tii summer with the arsenate of lead soln*i«« will keep trees free of this p est U ° a THE BROWN BEETLE. The brown beetle is a difficult nut to deal with as their ravages are by ml mean:; confined to fruit trees— fj? there appears to be but few plants or tr»« that are distasteful to them. Spravi™ however with the arsenate of lead join tion is the best means of protecting 4f£ foliage of fruits or other trees from°th£r attacks. Any trees that are subject £ the attacks of leaf eating pests should £ occasionally sprayed as it is important (even though there may be little or « | fruit) that the foliage be kept as clean and healthy as possible until he'naturi decay of foliage takes place. • BLACK APHIS AND SCALE. I For black aphis that often attack <1,. young tender branches of peach, r>\Z and other trees, spraying with Blar* Leaf 40 is an effective remedy. OranmwT lemons and other citrus fruits are mS subject to the attacks of the black 3? There presence, however, are soon servable by the smutty, unsightly ance of the foliage caused by the S from these insects. Occasional sprayint With lime sulphur solution or red' applied at summer strength will soon dS the trees of these pests. qr* BUDDED AND GRAFTED TREES Attention must still be given to that have been budded or grafted. a soon as the union is complete the Ha. must be finally removed or thev are i; B u to cot into the wood and dSfS grafts. Remove from time to tim« a » young growths that grow out below £ the grafts or buds are inserted. .THE VINERY.

development of grapes; Most indoor Tines are now at a Stan when every care and attention wUI-S needed to keep pace with their manv requirements. The warm, moist weather experienced for some time past' has en abled growers to keep up a nice cen>ri! temperature, • while the frequent -we up to the present kept the borders supplied with su.fi-fte.it moisture without Irving to .esort to watering. ■; To waist in retaining the moisture at the roots, the borders, if not already done, should at once receive a. gcnd mulching with good stable manure or other : saitabfe material. Mulching assists -' to arrest' evaporation and encourage the roots to come to the surface and influence of the sun. • ' \,<i yss GENERAL WORK IN" THE VTmSN. ' It should be borne in mind that vines never thrive so well as when the 'surface! of the borders are well furnished with healthy roots, and the berries rarely fail to colour when the vines are in such con-; dition. At this time vines grow more rapidly than at any • other season, when special attention is needed in stopping the' lateral growth and •• in tying up! and . regulating the lateral;!, m wa& as thinning out ' the . bunches (ji||ffri|®fe|| thinning it should always be bqrns |a mind that vines .can only carry and perfect a certain" number of bunches, 1 and to exceed this is almost certain to result in v failure, for, even should the vines ripqn this season's crop, which is always doubtful, it is usually at the expense of next season's crop. THINNING THE BEBBIES. 'As stated in previous notes, no" hard - and fast rule can be laid down" for thinning, as ( the ; grower must ■be guided by , the condition of. the vines,' the .-Varieties' grown, and the quality of fruit' aimed ' at. The thinning of the berries " : should f .fircommenced as soon as possible after the grapes have set, thus ; relieving thebunches of many of the berries : until the final thinning can be performed. The laterals will now be growing rapidly, and will need frequent attention in' stopping and removing : superfluous growth. Ia tying up th© laterals allow no gaps 'in" the trellis, " but tie in sufficient v. growth to nicely cover the trellis , with foliage without overcrowding. THE QUESTION OF TEMPEBATTTBE.

From this time onward a genial i moist temperature should be : maintained, the floor of the house being frequently damped . down during the day, and the vines V well sprayed at evening when closing the house. The time -is|araia; approaching when that diminutive but insiduous pest, red spider, . will; again be busy, and no means should • be spared .to} protect the vines from its attack. - - The free use of the syringe, and maintaining a nice moist atmosphere, will do much, to keep this pest in check. ,In a hot, dry; atmosphere it thrives and increases rapidly, while moisture on the other hand 1 acts as a deterrent. > ■

TO CORRESPONDENTS. ■ G.S., Te Awamutu. —Second specimen, hand. Nam© is Syringa persica (Persian),, the smallest species of the genus. * * " Citrus." Ellerslie.—Spraying lemons, oranges, and other citrus trees with the caustic poda-soap solution at a strength, Hot., caustic soda, ■with a little soap.' to one gallon of water, will thoroughly your trees from scale insects. You should:; have applied this remedy before the J;9Un*< growth started. ■ "Curious," Newmarket.-i—The' insecticide* hellebore i« the powdered rhizome or root stalk of the Veratrum album, and ■flUit* different to the Helleborus nifjer, ,or Christmas rose. It is a powerful poi£° n on insects, but should bo used freshly.;; ground, as it is apt to lose its virtue by keeping. It was once largely ; used to destroy the chcrry bug or leech. Arsenates of lead now greatly displaces the - use i °f{ hellebore, and acts as a combined y SOTW? for other insects. ■£*.'Vsog E.P.A.. Wa^hi.—Fruits and portion, of branch of gooseberry to hand. This variety is generally known as rough red, , and Jj| useful on account of its free hearing. apdS; adaptability ,to our climate. The 1 varieti** of gooseberries are very numerous: they art. divided into classes, distinguished from other by the colour of the fruits and t A'' 'absence or presence of hairs on! the The book Gardening in New Zealand, hy M. Murphy, treats briefly on the cll 'ji vation and Pruning of gooseberries currants. " Puller's Small Fruit Guitarist , J covers the whole rang* l of small fruits."Inquirer," Newton.—The name calliop®*;; has been, largely dropned in' favour 01 coreopsis. Previously the hardy summerflowering 'annuals were classed as calliope'*- j This name is still applicable to them.' The name coreopsis is derived from koris. a bu *!s| and opsis like referring to the of the seed. They are natives of the UWHJ'i States ,of America. They are exceeding showy. The -perennial variety <rrandiflor» (large-flowered) is now in full flower much in evidence for table decoration*; old-fashioned flowers, nemcphila, collißMlt. eilene. cilia, acrocliniums, .Thodsntnenigella. bracnycoine, are conspicous th>jir absence in our gardens. They extremely interesting . and pretty. " But; tn»|s present-day tendency is to grow ouantitt'•_» a few special kinds, thus greatly limiuiw the variety. ... " Hedges," Newton.—The clipping of !>*• hedges, whether composed of evergreen is or deciduous subjects, is an important vora.j: and should be done at the proper time-* a* j general tendency is to prune the ' le ®sv when the? are in their young spring grow* This greatly weakens the plants, and m »»« case of the flowering kinds cuts on w shoots that produce the flowers, which aadjWß the charms of escallonia. ' abclia, and teccm»4 in the early winter. The continual cuum# of teComa: is in a measure; accountable n» the dying in places and unhealthy - apw£|; ance of old hedges.; Allow the roW *i l },Y? mature. Early in January is * suttaoi" | time for the first:.trimming and the.eetoj]?,'.; late in , the »utumn or during «•«»»»•$£ winter. Conifer; hedges, such as cuprew«?j ; i shoulds', only be treated when the ifJyTjjS, is dormant, July being thej best montn w : cut these. '• ■ ' i. ■ I /