BOUVARDIAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

BOUVARDIAS.

PROFUSION OF BLOSSOMS.

The different varieties of bouvardias are Dow a profusion or blossoms. These extensively cultivated plants are among the most useful for planting in the mixed border or in separate beds for the production of a continuous supply of flowers for several months in succession, continuing well into the winter. They are of easy cultivation and when the plants have become well established they may be grown for years in the same places without being removed or renewed. Bouvardias need good cultivation around the plants and a liberal manuring at least once every year. Old plants should b© pruned hard back every spring before they break into fresh growth. The variety Humboldtii corymbiflora and rnagnifica should be pruned sparingly. For the others hard pruning is essential' to produce bushy, well-furnished floriferous. • plants. Neglect in this respect _ results in illshaped, poor flowering bushes.

VARIETIES AND COLOURS. Thftf® are single and double-flowered (Varieties. Alfred Neuner (purest waxywhite), Hogarth flora pleno (bright coral red), President Garfield (pale pink), Flavflsceno flora pleno (yellow) are the best of the double-flowered kinds. Others are President Cleveland (crimson scarlet), Beauty of Brisbane (snow white), Miss Ida Cheeseman (delicate pink), Rosy Morn (flesh pink and rosy salmon), Zeajandia (white shaded pink), Favescens (yellow). The two varieties of Humboldtii (snow white) and Friory Beauty (satin rose) are among the most popular and best of the single-flowered sorts. Bouvardias may be planted when the plants aie in flower in the autumn. BOUQUETS AND BUTTON-HOLES. For bouquets, button-holes and other Cut flowers bouvardias are invaluable. Two of the varieties, namely, Humboldtii and rnagnifica, with pure white jasminelike flowers, are deliciotisly scented. All the varieties are extremely floriferous, every plant supplying a succession of flowers. The more they are cut from the better they flower. Grown in the open air they keep remarkably free from insects and are not injured by slugs. Where frosts are too severe to grow them in the open, thev are cultivated in pots.

CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES.

HINTS FOR GROWERS. Layers of carnations and picotees that ♦cere put down in December should be sufficiently well rooted to take off. Either pot them singly or plant into a specially prepared bed to establish and be ready to transplant into their flowering places in the beds and borders. Prepare a raised bed three or four feet in width and long enough to hold the required number of plants. Raise the bed 6in. above the surrounding surface and enclose it with a 6in. ■board to keep the soil at the sides in place. Fill in with some light soil intermixed with some lime. Carnations delight in lime, arid it controls insects. Plant the rooted Jayers closely together in rows. This system keeps the roots well drained during the winter and enables the stirring of the soil and weeding and also controls slugs without treading upon the soil. Frequent dustings of lime over the foliage prevents rust and other leaf diseases. By this treatment strong healthy plants are available for bedding out in early spring. PERPETUAL FLOWERING. Free or perpetual flowering carnations ftre more easily propagated from cuttings inserted in shallow plant trays or put in the open ground, the simplest method for the amateur. It is not too late to take off and put in cuttings now in the open, the soil being in good condition after • being well soaked by recent rains. Mix some coarse sand in the soil before inserting'the cuttings. Select cuttings without flower Sterns. CHRYSANTHEMUMS. ATTENTION TO PLANTS. The foliage is extremely healthy and clean and remarkably free from fungus, giving every prospect of good results at the flowering season. The secret of success is to keep the foliage free from insect pests and fungoid diseases throughout their various stages of growth. This so far has been more easily accomplished this eeason than usual, the rust fungus, the worst enemy the grower has to contend with, being less in evidence. Leaf-roller caterpillars must be watched for and hand picked or the plants sprayed. Every attention must be paid to taking the buds and pinching off all shoots "that si art below the selected buds, and also to regulating and tying up the shoots. A stimulant of liquid manure applied about once a week after watering with clean water is beneficial, especially to plants that are at all backward. An ideal liquid manure can be obtained by dissolving each of phosphate of potash and nitrate of potash to tho gallon of water. Cowdung placed in a barrel of water, with some soot added in a bag and diluted until it is the colour of weak tea, i 3 an excellent stimulant.