TO CORRESPONDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 5 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

V.M. f- Napier.—The slender-growing native orchid ia Pterastylis longifolia.

S.S.. Taupiri.—The insects aro the parent 3 of the beetles, the grub form of which ia the destructive grass grub. The only remedy is to spray tho trees with arsenate of lead or else place a sheet under tho trees they attack and jar the stem to cause them to drop into the sheet to be destroyed. In the beetle form they feed upon tho foliace and in tho larvae state on tho roots underground. E.P.L., Hawera.—Watsonia sletroides is tho name of tho bulbous plant, a variety of the bugle lily. Dicentva formosa (beautiful) is the name of tho other, which <s a herbaceous perennial from North America. " Leaf Curl," Ngatea.— I The spray for peaches and nectarines attacked with the curl and in leuf is soluble sulphur, lib. to 10 gallons of water. Phosphatic manures promote fruitfulness and early bearing in fruit trees. Nitrates rank growth. Apples begin to crop fairly well about four years from planting and pears from six to seven years. English plums: Much depends upon the kinds. Damßons bear freely at lour years after planting. A few of the English plums are early croppers. The majority take several years. For a utility an annual dressing of phosphates _is essenti'al. viz., basic slag, with kainit, in tho autumn and super in the spring. Apples require Line or a liberal dressing of basic slag. " Manuka," Waverley.—Loptospermum Nicholsii, the red-flowering tea-tree or manuka, is, from your description, the plant you require. There aft) other kinds. L. Chapmani has pretty pink flowers. There is a double white variety. " Inquirer," Poroti.—French beans, being very tender in tho foliago, aro difficult to treat with sprays. Your best plan will be to destroy tho plants with yellow foliage and make a fresli sowing with another variety. Canadian Wonder is a reliable kind that grows and bears freely and keeps free from diseases. Taumarunui. —Ro soft pod. with formed fruits, with no other fruits on the Burbank tree growing under good conditions and which blossomed well: This is difficult to account for. During the winter spray with lime-sulphur, and. as tho buds are swelling preparatory to flowering, with Bordeaux mixture, the 6.-4-40 formula. Adverse weather at the flowering, time may account for the blossoms not setting. R.S.. Palmerston North,—Apple leaves are badly attacked with scab, forming the dark spots of various sizes, the result of the fungus fusicladiurn. Spray with Bordeaux mixture, tho 6-4-40 formula at this season and the 6-4-22 formula in the winter. Ammonia carbonate of coppor is also recommended. The scab fungus not only attacks tho fruits and leax;es, but also the young shoots. Some varieties are more susceptible than others. J.C., Remuera.—Galium aparina is tho long-trailing weed with sticky, glutinous foliage .that is entwining itself in jour hedgerow. " Blue Lupins," Okaia.—Lupins should bo dug in when they are flowering, before forming mature seed pods. . Cut them with a scythe or sickle, evenly spread ill the trench, and chop up with the spade. Seeds may be sown and plants planted soon after tho digging.

M.S.—Mint is easily got rid of. In the early autumn, when the plants havo attained their mature growth, cut the tops off and grub the roots up. Do not transplant the young sumach or rhus until nest winter, after the leaves have fallen. Azalea that is' not doing well may be transplanted now. Make a good hole and fill in with some nice loamy, fibrous soil and leaf rubbish. " Ti Tree," Point Chevalier.—An arsenical weed-killer may be prepared by boiling lib. of white arsenic and Sib. of washing soda in a gallon of water until dissolved. Make up with water to 10 gallons. Seed o£ the white tea-tree (Leptospermum erecoides) are ripe in the autumn. When the seed capsules begin to open sow the seed as soon as they ripen.

" Chrysanthemums." Mount Albert.— 1. Although not necessary to pinch the tops of the plants, out after they start into growth when growing for exhibition blooms, it is advisable in order to promote dwarfer growth. 2. When only one flower is wanted to each plant, it is advisable to save two laterals in case anything goes wrong with tho top shoot. T,ate-planted plants, specially trained, generally produce ono large exhibition bloom. 8.. Manurewa.—ln the culture of ihe passion-fruit the best time to sow tho seeds is in the spring. Sow in plant trays not too thickly and prick out into other trays when the seedlings are largo enough. They may alßo be sown in the open ground in a warm position. Always plant permanently in the spring, using good healthy one-year-old plants. Planted in the autumn, slugs, frosts and winter rains aro destructive. Stable manure, well rotted, is the best fertiliser. Failing this, bonedust, with basic slag and. a little super, may be worked into tho soil when preparing it in tho autumn. Kepos.