GARDENING IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22356, 1 September 1934, Page 4

GARDENING IN NEW ZEALAND

, " Practical Gardening In New Zealand." By D. Tannock, A.H.R.H.S., Superintendent of Reserves, Dunedin, assisted by M. J. Barnett, F.R.H.S., N.D.H. (N.Z.); A. C. Pya, N.D.H. (N.Z.), and Others. Illustrated. Christchurch: Whltcombe and Tombs. (7s 6d net.) " The New Zealand Garden Guide: One Thousand, Short Cuts and Practical Suggestions." By J, W. Matthews, F.B.H.S. Illustrated. Wellington: National Magazines.

Mr Tannock’s “ The Manual, of Gardening in New Zealand,” the accepted guide to'thih occupation and'pastime in its particular application to New Zealand conditions, has been out of print for a considerable time, after going through two editions. Instead of merely revising that valuable work, a task which might have proved onerous and unsatisfactory, the author has brought it entirely up to date in the light of the latest gardening exEerience, by a process of revision which as entailed the rewriting of considerable portions, and it is now issued as “ Practical Gardening in New Zealand." In gardening, as in other departments of knowledge, enormous strides have been made in the past two decades; in particular, quantities of new trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, fruits, and vegetables have been introduced, some from wild species collected throughout the world, others as the result.of cross fertilisation and selection by horticulturists, and in this book account is taken of all these developments. Mr Tannock’s recent visit, to the Homeland has proved especially useful in enabling him to bring his classifications entirely into conformity with British practice, in the cultivation of alpine and herbaceous plants, flowers,, trees, and shrubs. This book forme a tribute to bis wide and ; specialised study and practical experience of gardening in the Dominion and is complete in. its attention to every phase of its subject. The list of principal contents gives an idea of ifs scope: The garden in the making; the flower garden; trees and shrubs; climbing plants; native plants; the 1 greenhouse; the vegetable garden; insect and fungoid pests: a calendar of garden work (separate tables for each Island), Each of these sections is divided into a number of subjections dealing with specific varieties and problems that may be encountered, and there is a number of appendices dealing with such questions as fertilisers, special manures, trees and shrubs with brilliant foliage, hardy perennials, and New Zealand ferns. The book is very fully illustrated with photographs, including a colour frontispiece, and contains in the text many drawings which clarify every operation described.

A Garden Guide Of a less exhaustive nature, perhaps, but a book which deals fully and helpfully with the cultivation of all the most popular varieties of flowers grown in New Zealand, and with the vegetable garden, shrubs, and orchards, is “The New Zealand Garden Guide,” by Mr Matthews, who, as "Hoe,” conducts the garden page in the Dominion newspaper. Chapters are deVoted to the growing of bulbs, lilies, gladioli, roses, hydrangeas, iris, sweet peas, other matters dealt with being the making of lawns, hedges, and borders, the rock garden, and the uses of herbs. Tliere are valuable chapters concerning diseases in flowering plants, the use of fertilisers and manures in enriching the soil, and pruning, and the author provides a calendar in which he sets out the work for every month of the year in every department of the garden. The book contains 220 pages, and is well Illustrated. M'G.