TO CORRESPONDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

" Correspondent."—Name of climbing plant sent to identify, wrapped in soft brown paper, is Eccremocarpuß scuber, an cletrant evergreen climber, with pretty orange-red flowers. It is a native of Chili, and is also known tinder the name of Calampclis scnbia. " Amateur,Blenheim.—Re preparation of small plot for tomatoeß, where the soil is new and of & heavy clayey nature: You have done right in having sown it in lupins, which are now ready for digging in. Apply a liberal dressing of basic slag at the timo of discing. No other fertiliser ia necessary executing a top-dressing of lime when spreading the sand you have on hand and liehtly forking over the surface. The plot Bhouid he in ideal condition for the tomatoes. No further stimulants are necessary until the fruits are beginnint: to colour, when a little sulphate of ammonia or sulphate of potash may be given succcssfullv. " Xvlem." Taumarunui.—ln regard to ornamental firont hedge, teeonia is too tender. Abelia floribunda should answer your reauiromcnt. It will succeed in pumice soil, while it is extremely ornamental, compact-Erowirie. and free-flowering, and requires only one annual prunintt after the flowering. A dusting of bonedusi or superphosphate would be beneficial when, planting, and Inter an occasional Lizkt aoclioation of sulphate of timmonia or nitrato of soda, applied in liquid form or dusted along each side of the nedjre. Escal onia macrantha is a good second choice, being also hardy and ornamental. - • " Beginner," Filzroy.—-Sand in the soil would not cause seedling kuitib planted in May and still in the seed-pans to turn brown as if they were frosted. The variety inav bo too tender, or you mar have g,ven them some injurious substance. From your description of schizimlhua plants wilting in tho pots, collar rot is probabl.v the trouble. If you examine the plants you will find the stems are affected near the surface of the soil. W.K., Penrose.—The beautiful yellowflowering liiy you refer to is a variety of Lilium elegane. The sickly appearance is pr'bnblv due to eel worms or iiome grub attacking the base of the bulb. The excessive amount cf moisture in the coil has been iniurious to many varieties of lilies. From the fact of them being in a sunny place would bo more beneficial than otherwise. , The beMer plan would be to take it up, sh-ike »the soil from tho roots, and replant in fresh ground. Mrs. J.. Hokianga.—To ba successful in transplanting and establishing moat varieties of native tree?, they should be se'ecled, when quite small, from 4in. to Gin. high, the end of May nnd throughout June beinc the best time to perform this operation: arid, instead of trfnanlaritinur t'hem into their permanent places plant them in a bed in rows, about Sirs, between the plants in _ the rows and 12in. between esich row. in a sheltered nosition beneath Ishe shade of some overhangir.tr trees, or protect them with a «''"M roverin? of tes4 r ee on n framework. This is necessary I'or rimu. kauri. riwari"*a. litn'-i mnti, miro. tnnek"iia. etc. The 'hardier kinds. Biich as ltarakas and purins. need not be protected. Pukekohe.—ln estimating 25.000 onion plants s.s sufficient to plant an acre of ground, horde i;u!tivntiori and riving %ne plants amnio room to develop and weeding between them in the rows was taken into account. Interne cultivation and rising hand cultivators would enable them to be planted much closer. As to the number of plants lib. of seed is likelv to produce, this oenends upon time of sowing, state of the 1-nd. germination of seeds, and insects, etc. The number of plants to plant an acre Ift, apart enr-h way takes 43,560 and at- ltrfc apart 19.360. Kepos.