TO CORRESPONDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20508, 8 March 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

" Inquirer." Hinakura.— Recently imported tulip bulbs should be allowed to flower naturally after being planted. J.D.M., Warenga.—Specimens eeijt _for identification are:—l. Gaultheria antipoda, the snowberry.' 2. Epacris paucifolia, the bog epacriß. C.Z.M., Warkworth.—Cape gooseberries may be grown from seeds or grown seedlings. The crowns of carrots, beet and parsnips must not be covered with eoil. P.R., Mt. Eden.—Defective pollenation is the cause of your persimmon fruits dropping and not setting Procure one of tho pollenating varieties and plant near by. C.A., Te Awamutu.—The nectarine is a form or variety of the peach and only distinguished by the appearance of tho fruits, which always have a smooth skiri. The same tree will occasionally produce fruits of both kinds. A.H.J., Pokeno.—The apple sent to name is so badly affected with .the scab, that it is 'lifßcult to accurately identify it. For treatment see reply given to L.G-.ti., Bombay. Spray with the caustio soda solution during the winter " Correspondent."—Dried specimens are: 1. Olearia furfurdecens. 2. Panasx Colensoi. 3. Podocarpus totara, variety ballii. 4. Fuchsia exchorticrita. 5. Drivnys' colorata. G. Grislinia littoralis, tho broad wood. 7, Weimannia racemosa. 8. Veronica salicifolia, L.S.M., Hawera.—The twig sent for identification belongs to the tilia europea syn. vulgaris, tbe common lime or linden tree of Europe. It is on exceedingly ornamental, hardy, deciduous tree, greatly prized for street and avenue planting and for its wood, for various purposes. " Worried," Kopeopeo.—The sample apples are too badly deformed with black spot to accurately identify the varieties. Treat as prescribed in answer to L.G.L., Bombay. Spraying to be effective has_ been very difficult owing to frequent raina The plant with blue flower is trachaelium cacruleum, a hardy perennial native of Italy and Spain. " Neptune," New Plymouth.—Ripe or brown rot is the disease that has attacked your nectarines. It haa been very prevalent and difficult to control, owing to so much rain and damp atmospheric conditions. Winter spray with Bordeaux-r-the 6.4.40 formula—and agiin when the trees are swelling tho flower buds in tho spring. When in leaf spray with Boluble sulphur. 101b. to 100 gallons of water. Apply at intervals of about 14 day b. A. A. Brixton.—To form and sow a lawn on new ground, first obtain the levels and insert tho drains if necessary, using field tiles with 9in. of scoria on the top of them. Next deeply dig over the whole surface. If uneven make excavations and filling to produce a uniformly level surface. Always 'reserve the top soil for the final surface. Apply a liberal dressing of lime. Sow the seed early in April with tho best lawn grass mixtures. At the same time apply n surface dressing of bonedust and superphosphate in equal parts. Well rake the seed and fertilisers in, and, lastly, rolL Where the original surface is level and the soil is of fairly good qunlity the work is easily performed.

H.M., Mangapapa.—The quality of the soil is probably tbe cause of your failure with crops of gold coin and Dakota red pota'toes, especially as the tops were not blighted. Too heavy dressings of lime produces scab. New eoil should be ideal for potatoes. Kindly furnish particulars as to quality of the eoil. Does it contain iron? " Auratum." Epsom.—lt u difficult to account for lilium auratum flowers differing from the type, excepting that variations in this species occasionally occur. Take, for instance, the abnormal broad, flattened stems. There is no risk of affection spreading on tbe other bulbs. Offsets are liable to vary, some being inferior, to the type. Plant those that differ separately and watch results during the nest flowering season. E.8..F., lit. Koskill.—Bordeaux. mixture is made by dissolving blueatone in water and adding fresh quicklime. For use in small quantities the beat method is to purchase tlio prepared article in the form of Vermorite or Cooper' 3 fungicid, and use according to the instructions on the packets. Tbe trumpet lily grows readily from cuttings. Cocksfoot grass is altogether unsuitable for lawns or other ornamental grass plots. " Reader," Masterton.—You require directions for storing and wintering tubers_ of gloxinias and tuberous-rooted begonias. After the flowering and foliage, begins to mature gradually cease watering. Tbe tubers may be taken out of the pots and placed in empty pots or cardboard boxes with a littlo dry sand, or the pots with the tubers in may bo turned on their sides and placed under the potting shed bench or on shelves. F.J.L., Mauka.—Specimens sent for identification are:—l. Ornithopus. per susillus. 2. Escallonia Monte Viden6is ; 3. Cafalpa bignonoides poinsettia pulcherima will succeed with you. It should be planted against the house on the sunny side. It requires no special attention, excepting in the spring, before growth commences, to cut the previous season's flowering shoots back. Ornithopus is the bird's foot, from Scilly and the Channel Islands. A.S., Itemuera.—To gradually rid the lawn of clovers and weeds dress tho surface with sulphate of ammonia, lib., to every 40 square yards. To equalise distribution mix about Gib. of dry sand to tho pound of ammonia. If the weather is dry apply, well watering three days afterwards. Give soveral applications at intervals of four or five weeks. The sulphate may burn some of tbe grass off, but it will come again. No other manuring will be necessary, as the sulphate will produce a. vigorous growth of grasses. Lime and basic Blag always promotes the growth of clovers. L.G.L., Bombay.—Apple trees in your orchard may bo cleansed from tbe common fungus disease (fusicladium dentriticum), black spot cr scab, that causes tho black spots, cracks and abnormcl deformities of tho fruits by proper attention to winter spraying. An improved spray may be made by dissolving 2llb. of caustic soda in water ana adding one gallon of red oil to 60 gallons of water. The caustic .Boda alkali solution, full winter strength, is effective. Bordeaux mixture—Gib. bluestone, 4lb. of lime to 22 gallons of water—is also recommended. The caustic soda wash, at a strength of 2lb. caustic soda disolved separately and lOoz. of softsoap added to every 10 gallons of water as a winter dressing, is the most effective, with an application of Bordeaux — the 6.4.40 formula—as the buds are swelling in the spring. Kepos.