TO CORRESPONDENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21314, 15 October 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS

" Curious," Hamilton.—Tho twig with flowers is the Prunus pseudo-cerasus. or Japanese flowering cherry. F.H., Te Puke.—Tho narcissus bulbs are free from disease. They have suffered from the dry spell 111 August, which has caused the soft spongy effect. The flowers were too withered to accurately identify. " Aahlea," Tokomaru.—The shrub is Azara microphylla, a very hardy, ornamental species from Chiloo and Valdivia, South America. It attains a height of about 12ft, Iho flowers are followed by numerous small orange-coloured berries. " Weed," Buckland.—Thp weed is hedge mustard {Sisymbrium officinale). It iB sometimes confused with wild turnips. It is an annual, with a tap root. Mowing off the tops before it seeds or spraying the young plants with Hodium chlorate will keep it controlled. II is not n bad weed. J. 8., Opotiki.—Fresh fowl manure contains from 18lb. to 251b. of nitrogen and Gib. t.j 12lb. of potash per ton. When ullowed i to dry in the air its value is about double | that of the fresh droppings. Turkey manure j should average about the name. It is worth j nearly four times as much as farmyard | manure. Tung oil trees must have shelter | and a good averago rainfall. They will j stand about as much frost as oranges. W.L.M., Waiuku.—The peach leaves are badly affected with curl. To prevent curl on peach and nectarine trees, spray with Bordeaux mixture ns the blossom buds aro swelling at a strength of 10lb. Milestone and Gib. lime to 40 gallons of water, and when the fruits have formed with soluble sulphur, lib. to 10 gallons of water. There is no cure after the fungus has established itself. The curlei leaves will fall off and be replaced by new growth. Spray with the soluble sulphur. " Amateur." Opotiki.—To destroy borer on citrus and other fruits, penetrato holes with thin wire or inject kerosene. Paint the infected purta with soft eoap reduced to the consistency of thick paint bv tho addition of washing soda. Applied with a brush, it dries and forms n tenacious coating. To prevent leaf curl, (reea should have been sprayed with the Bordeaux mixture, 10lb. of bluestone and Gib. of fresh lime to 40 gallons of water, as tho flower budß were swolling. Spray now with soluble sulphur, lib. to 10 gallons of wator. M.A., Remuera.—To effectually prevent leaf curl on peaches and nectarines, tho trees should be sprayed with a strong solution of Bordeaux mixture, namely. 101b. of bluestone (best brand) *ind Gib. of fresh lime (not tho agricultural ground lime) to 40 gallons of water. As a rula too weak a formula of the Bordeaux mixture is given. Apply it as the flower buds aro swelling. As a .further precaution against brown rot sprnv with soluble sulphur about 14 days after tho peaches have formed and at intervals until they are noar the ripening stage. The strength of the soluble sulphur should be lib, to 10 gallons of water. •' Puzzled," Ngatea.-—I. The soil conditions where tho roots have penetrated are evidently unsuitable for lilac. 2. Diclytra (bleeding heart) succeeds best in the open border in a loamy, moderately-moist soil, and is propagated by divisions. 3. Flowering cherries are not easily propagated from cuttings. Budding or gralting is the usual system. 4. The dyin,} back of tho Burbank plum after flowering must be caused by uncongenial Boil conditions at the roots. Kindly state duality of eub-soil ond whether stagnant water exists at any time. 5. Cut off long, trailing wistaria growths at the base and shorten back some of the longest shoots. The lower runners may be cut off now. (>. Your soil should be ideal for bamboos. The varieties you have tried are probably too tender. Frosts may bo too severe in your locality. Obtain Bambuaa auroa and japonica, two very hardy kinds, that aro sure to thrive w'Jhout any • special treatment. Now is a good time to plant them. KBtos. '