READERS' PROBLEMS: Some Queries Answered

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22949, 29 January 1938, Page 10 (Supplement)

READERS' PROBLEMS: Some Queries Answered

R.G., Jluntly.—Leaf spot disease Is the trouble with the passion fruit. Spray with •mo sulphur 1 in so at intervals. Burn all :nllen leaves

l'j.G.i., Paeroa.—lt would liavo assisted in the diagnosis of tho disease of tho geraniums if a sample of tho foliage had boon enclosed. Spraying with limo sulphur 1 in 60 will no doubt correct tho trouble. N.G., Rawene.—Grass for identification, J anicum crus-galli, commonly called barnyard grnss or wild millet. It is usually considered u weed and of very little feeding valuo. Glad you find tho gurdon notes helpful. 5.0.L., Cambridge.—Tho disease of the grapes is niildow. Tho vines should be dusted regularly with flowers of sulphur from tho time the fruit is set. It is too late to be much good now. In winter, when tho leaf has fallen, burn all leaves and prunings, then spray with lime sulphur, 1 in 10, A.8., Papatoetoe.—Tho troublo with tho applo trees is luck of necessary minerals. Potash is tho chief deficiency, and this should bo applied in the form of sulphate of potash, at the rate of one ounce por square yard covered by the spread of the tree. Water in if the weather is dry. In bad cases a complete recovery cannot bo expected for a or two. Thanks for your appreciation. G.11.F., llotorua.—Tho seeds sent for identification aro thoso of a species of elm. There must bo an elm of somo species in the vicinity, and certain currents of air carry tho seeds into the position mentioned. As a rule, only a very small proportion of tin seeds prove to bo fertile. I regret that you havo lost your beautiful flowering cherry, but thought it unlikely that it would recover .after such a bad attack. %

"Tomato," Hamilton.—Tho injury to tho tomato has not been caused by any disease, but by scalding. Moisture lodging on Ihe fruit is rapidly evaporated by sun, causing injury to the tissues. The efTect is not seen for some days afterwards. Avoid splashing water on tho fruit while watering, and water only in tho evening so that the plants will have time to dry before tho sun shines on the fruit again.

E.A.C., Mount Eden.—Tho apple leaves are affected with shot-hole fungus. Spray with lime sulphur at a strength of 1 in (10. Tho application of sulphate of potash will improvo the trees and render tlieni less liable to the disease. The peach leaf is affected with silver blight, and, as there is no cure for this, tho tree will gradually decline and die. All tile wood should bo burned and tho slump grubbed out and burned also.

)Wollalon, Hamilton.—(o There are legions of rock plants, and choice depends a great deal on individual tasto. Jf a good

collection is desired, it is as well to avoid the rampant prrowers such iis mesembryanthomums, venidiums and gazanias that aro usually planted on rock work. (2) Some of the easier rock plants to begin with will bo found among tho saxifrages, silvery and mossy; dwarf campanulas; helinntliomums: orodium; arcnaria; primulas for tho shady portion; saponarias; thymes; and dwarf veronicas. (3) You cannot do better than obtain "Rock Gardening in Now Zealand," by David Tannock. " Subscriber," Tauranga.—l. It would bo dangerous to apply the spent oxide on tho path next to a tecoma hedge. Tho seepago of ruin water would carry the chemicals to the roots of the hedge, with disastrous effect. 'J. Routine treatment i'or brown rot:— Autumn: Removo any diseased fruit and cankered twigs from tho trees; apply Bordeaux mixture, 6—4—50, when the leaves have fallen. Spring: Bud'movement, Bordeaux, 5 ■l—oo. Blossom showing, but not open, lime sulphur, 1 in 120. Petal fall, limo sulphur, 1 in 120, plus colloidal sulphur, loz. to ouch four gallons of spray. Repeat each four weeks until 14 days before picking " Bog Orange." Mount Hoskill. —Dusting stored potatoes with lime will, to some extent, keep pests awuy. You mny bo mistaken in assuming that wireworms riddle tho potatoes while in the bags. The wiroworm works only while tho tubers aro in the soil. Tho chief culprit is the potato moth, which lays its eggs on the eyes of the tubers at digging time. Theso hatch into grubs in store und riddle the potatoes with holes. Precautions to take are:—Keep tho rows well moulded up, so that no tubers aro exposed to the attentions of the moth. Leavo no tubers exposed at night after digging, ns the moth is night-flying. Another good plan is to spray the tops with arsenate of lead about a week before digging. This will dispose of any grubs which may have hatched from eggs laid on the stems "Lily," Te K— 1. Hcuchcra thrives best when left undisturbed, but when transplanting it is necessary that this may be done in March or April. Separato the plants into rootod pieces and dig in some very old, well-decayed cow manure into tho site 2. You aw mistaken. No advice was given to plant Christmas lilies in wood ash. Tho species for which the treatment was recommended Is Lillum candidum, tho Madonna lily, one of the few lilies which tolerates lime. Wood ash contains a certain proportion of lime and would therefore he harmful to those lilies I hat are lime-haters. The so-called Christmas lily is Lilium longidorum, and the treatment is not recommended for any other species than candidum. It would bo advisable to take the lilies tip and wawh them clean; then replant in fresh soil. a. As the Lilium auraiaini is

doing so well, leave it undisturbed. 4. Lupins for digging in can be sown broadcast and raked in after lightly forking oyer the soil. 5 Tho gladioli may havo been too dry at the root in tho border by the houso. These plants require generous supplies of water and a good dopth of toil. "Potatoes," Mount Albort.— Tho best way to keep potatoes for winter use is to store in clamps if no shed accommodation is available. Tho clamp should bo made in a portion of the garden not likely to become wot in winter. Dig a trench round the sito one spade deep throwing the soil into the centre. On this soil spread a layer of straw or fern. The potatoes aro heaped on this, then covered with moro straw or fern. Finally bank the whole up with a gojd layer of soil, beating firm with the hack of a spade. Tho clamp can be made any length according to the quantity of tubers to be stored. Ventilation should he allowed for at evory four feet in the top of the ridge. Small drain-pipes or pieces of galvanised pipe make good ventilators, but make sure that tho lower end reaches to the potatoes. Only sound tubers should be clamped. Any doubtful ones should be placed on one side for immediate use. There would bo no harm in cla.nping large and small potatoes together, When lifting the potatoes do not leave them exposed at night or tne potato moth will lay eggs in tho eyes. The result of ttiia is that stored tubers will como out riddled with grubs. " Kowhai," Tauranga.—l. If the puriris are required as specimen trees, they should be kept to u clean stem. Removo tho unwanted side growths a few at a time until you havo a clean stem at tho height desired. It would lie better to wait- until the autumn before doing the cutting. Paint over the wounds with white lead paint. 2. The lasiandra is naturally a trailer. If it is desired to grow them in bush form, pinch out tiio tops to encourage a bushy habit; the same treatment will suit the young lucullas. Theso, as a rule, naturally grow oushy, and any pruning to shape can be done as soon us the flowers are past, if well rooted, the plants can be put in permanent quarter* next autumn. £5. Carnation cnttinga can be put in any time during the next few months, Unflowered shoots of the current season's ; growth, about ttin. or 4in. long, should be inserted in sandy soil 4. The pansies and violas can tie cut hard back nt the present time. Give a good topdressing of sifted soij and sand, with ljaf soil added if possible, Work this well into tho plants with the' fingers; then givo a watering. In a few weeks a forest of young shoots will come up, each one of which mny be detached, supplied with roots. These will make good plants for next Bcasoa.