HORTICULTURE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6314, 14 September 1907, Page 4

HORTICULTURE

.VX9WEBS TO COUHBSPOXDENTS. - Spri..* I'lowoif/--TUo anemone U ■ni'-nioiie fnlgens sii!kli.‘. 1 ait \v. ■> (ibvalil’n.-, "> Bam ec;> AiVhw. -Vo. -I. «-a.s 100 badly era-hvd i,,. to !■,;!! Hi" variety. 'Hi9 ( R( i.ainc- of n:iH i.'-'.u.i silver Bl’.ovAlbu.s plena' eulpimre’.is. !' \ I,’')(■'Vl VO OPKIIATIOXS FOR TUB month. ..i,ili, r R lee be.-ie-v month in (lie , .|V •) ’ ■ ;-;i- m, rmi ILme will ':,oue or; .in '-wwiag ami jdauung . ’ j-V/.ij sinn’os-j- fii'U autumn. ' Am i>..ilunt> atHihritod m m- i .. .. ■ i:u«y jnHy i',.- j*i-« vavi-AnKi ol ill.'' qycd-lr.-J. Ihei-ov.-. ,j,.V 11,‘r-iV air, and moisture. ■ , ,u‘ t-Uout'l Ik t-OWU only wlr-'JI tll<'7 b'fmv a gcnl k* nun. The i-od -liu »>.• 'ft utlv ']W\W2.li Uli' back •ol‘ tii**- rake upon the mad aiicr bowing. U too cmlv whim the ifi‘o\ui<l is Wi-t, the >-<-M is y..ul to i-ot. li the- gar,irJt ~'-.’*l .-dSicrtv 1-o the inv, it i> a sun*. iia.Uvui ion that; it is too way lor *<vd '-ov : ng. Win fi sown too i>lia)io’.v, in a dry time, then* may not be mmicieut im’iMii re to sprout wed. or it may be • R-.-lrcyotl by tlry and iiot t.e-uthcr alter it luus germinated, or im acLs may dv.dioy iim plants as won is th:yWipi>yar above llm ground. Nf-vor sow >sca broadcast. Wbrn sown in drills or lows, words can bo more easily ibfitroyed, and the ground kept opmi and 100-se. \ cgutable Uaidon.—*iow this month : Jij-oad boarin, t-ariy broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, cress, pens, look. lettuce, mustard, celery, herbs, onion, l*.u>di\y, kohl rabi, parsnip, radish. turnip, MJllUsch. Sow m Hot Frame. —Tomato, vegetable marrow, melon, cucumber, pumpbh. and squash. Riant .Now Cabbage, cauliflower, Jeinsalcm artichokes, potatoes*, horse radish, onion.*, rhubarb, sea kaJe, and herbs. Flower Garden—Sow under glass: .Annuals for bedding out. These may abu lie flown in the open ground towards tin* cud of the month. .Biennial ( aaui p(-runn in 1 lloucis may aHo be sown towards the end of the month, bearing in H ind that they will not bloom till next year. If tui earlier opportunity has not been potriible, all kinds of shrubs, evergreens. and roses may still be planted. An bulb shows arc held this month, preparation of ‘exhibits will take some time. HERBS ASV THEIR USES. In many gardens the cultivation of herbs does not receive the attention their usefulness deserves. Some sorts are rarely required, beyond a small portion of their leaves for flavouring; still, in many cases, the flavour cannot bo obtained from any other material. A lew of tiio popular herbs, such as mint, arc never grown frqm seed, or, at all events, those who venture on tho pastime might certainly do better. Nearly all herbs require a dry soil and a sunny situation. Mint and angelica require a moist soil, but the majority of the aromatic herbs make a better growth on a somewhat poor, sandy soil, than in tho. rich moist borders that prevail in the kitchen garden. Happily they aro not very particular, but sunshine they must have for tho manufacture of their fragrant essences. Seeds of herbs may bo sown in spring or autumn, a border marked off in drills across at ono foot apart will answer very well, because as tho plants rise they can be thinned out to suit their several habits, and the thinnings of those wanted in quantity may bo planted out elsewhere. To thin in good time, to keep clear .of weeds, to plant as needs suggest, and to allow every sort sufficient space for development —those aro the main points in the management of the herb garden, A good many herbs are used dry, as well as green. ” Tho best state in which to gather thorn is when they first come in-

Ito flower. At that stage their peculiar I flavours have culminated. All herbs should ho dried quickly on open trays in a fiot room, and, as soon as they are crisp, rub or grate them down to a 1 powder, and store them away in bottles ■ closely corked. Kept thus, clean and air- , tight, tho strength and purity of the | flavour is preserved for years. With ; the bottles closely corked ami sealed, or , biaddered like preserves, a dinner liberal- ; ly flavoured with herbs will he.within i reach any season, summer or winter, j Angelica—The blanched loaf stalks are [ oaten ar. celery, or candied with sugar • as a sweetmeat, and the seeds may he | used for flavouring liquors. . Anhf —The seeds being aromatic and I carminative*, aro largely employed in . -medicine, and the leaves arc useful for i garnishiiig. ; Ihilm us chiefly used for making balm j tea oi - wine for feverish affections. ! Borage—The flowers arc used for garI .rushing and for tho claret cup, and tho • young leaver as a salad. As bens aro l exceedingly fond of this when in flower, i it should be extensively grown by bec- ; keeper*, ‘ Carraway seeds are used in the distillation of bpiriis and for medicinal purjpus.s; tho leave,* are highly recommend- ! od for flavouring soups, i Fennel-—The leaves are used in sauces • for hsli, tho stalks for salads, while tho i seeds produce a liquor much esteemed in confectionery. iioronouiul has long been considered ono of tho most popular cures for asthma and coughs, possessing both and laxative properties, it makes an esteemed beverage known us horehound beer. Hyssop—An aromatic evergreen; the loaves and young siioots may be need a-.-j pot herbs; the tops and flower-spikes are used medicinally as an expectorant. Lavender is esteemed for its aromatic flowers, which arc preserved for wardrobes; by distillation it produces the favourite lavender water. Marjoram leaves are very aromatic. They may be used either green or drieu :or seasoning soups. Mint is mostly used for the distillation of extracts, and also in sauce eaten with roast lamb. Parsley—For garnishing and flavouring both meat and iisli sauces; dried parsley docs equally well as fresh for flavouring. . Rosemary is ono of tho most popular garden favourites; sprigs used as a garnish ; the leaves make a drink esteemed for relieving headaches. Rug is a very powerful medicinal agent, to be used with caution; tho taste is bitter and pungent, and thev loaves so acrid as to blister the used as a romedi' for roup in fowls. Sago—A decoction of tho leaves may bo drunk as tea; it is also much used in stuffing and sauces. Savory—The aromatic tops aro used for salads and soups, also for boiling with beans and peas, to which they impart a nice flavour. Tobacco.—Too well known to require description; a soothing herb, largely resorted to by gardeners generally. Thyme—The young leaves and tops arc used in stuffings, also in soups and sauces. Wormwood—Ono of the finest tonics when taken as tea; it imparts a very pungent, bitter taste to drink.

NATURE STUDY HOW PLANTS FEED. Plants obtain food from the ground, through their roots, and from the air through their leaves. The food, ■which must be in a dissolved state, enters tho root through tho fibres and root-hairs, and, gradually passing up the stem, finds its way to the leaves; here tho water is evaporated from tho surface of tho leaves, and tho mineral and other matter carried by the water is left behind. From the air the plant obtains a supply of carbon-dioxide, which enters the small openings or pores on the leaves, and which in the sunlight is decomposed into carbon and oxygen, the oxygen being sent out into the air and the carbon retained*; tho air, in fact, is tho sole source from which plants draw their supplies of carbon. The food which lias been brought up from the root, and tho carbon derived from tho air, are next manufactured by the loaves into the substances required by tho ' plant, one of these being starch. These substances then pass back from the-leaves into the stem, and are cither used at once by the growing plants or aro stored up in tho stem, root, or leaves for future use. The food which, finds its way up the stem consists chiefly of tho elements, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur; and tho combining of these elements into substances suitable for tho nourishment and support of tho plant is known as assimilation. f