THE GARDEN

Otago Witness, Issue 1784, 30 January 1886, Page 7

THE GARDEN

SHOW FIXTURES. SUMMKH. Tapanui. — February 12. AUTUMN. Oamaru.— March. Tateri. — March. Dunedin.— March 11 & 12. , Balclutha.— Miu-oij . Koslyn. — March. S. Suburban.— March !,". L'HIiYSANTHKMUM. Christchurch. — May. Dunedin. — May I.'!. Oamaru. — May. (Secretaries are invited lo forward particulars of forthcoming events.) ANSWBES TO COHKISSPONDI3NTS. Minnie.— Although it. may be difficult, (o £et a root of it in New Zealund.'t.hc iisphniiul (Xnvllieeiuni) is a common wild plant in Gmifc Bril.ain, growing generally on wet heather. Oiip poet writes : " And pure as blooming asphodel." IxquniEK.— The disease from which your apples are Buffering is undoubtedly a fungus,' but, the small specimen of the skin which you forward ia not sufficient to enable us to come to a decision as to its particular nature. These iuugus almost invariably provp that there is something wrong at the root, and as you cannot euro the truifc itself, we would recommend you to litt the ti-pes atter the fall ot the leaf, and examine closely for the cause. The trees w ill be none the worse, but will rather be improved, for ljping shifted, provided you give them well-prepared fresh soil on replanting, aud stake them iirmly. You might get tiio opportunity nt sending one or two ot the apples whole, when we would be better able to advise you as to what course to pursue. A. 8., Waimate — (1) The best plan you can adopt, with the cherry stones is to put them at once in a box in looses, irep, or sandy s>oil, ■which should be kept moJei'af.ely damp. As the young plants of the cherry aie mo'-e easily injured by frost than some other stone I raits, a slight, covet nig of scrim or calico will protect, them, unless you keep the box in a house. Piicklheni oui. oareliilly in spring, when the risk ot injury from bust is over. If the fruit Ims been well ripened almost every stone will grow. (2) You should 10-se. no time now in sowing onion seed, the ground having been picvionsly prepared — rich, open, tree, trom Rtnguant water, and dceplv <lv;;. Sow in drills hi iuehou ap.irt. and pinssl.he soil firmly afler sowing. Thin out and keep clear ot weeds, and apply, if possible,

plenty ot liquid manure. By firming the ground the chance of the plant being thrown up by the frost is much lessened. The onion will stand nny fio&t we have in this country. PHLEUNO. — Your specimen grasses are to hand. Both are agrostis, but different varieties. As we are in correspondence with one or two parties iv reference to this matter, aud expect to x-eceive specimens ot other varieties, a delay of a week in answering your question will not be of any disadvantage. — In common with " I'oa," whose letter appeared in last week's Witness, we regret exceedingly that the evidence given by experts, both theoretical and practical, at the celebrated Tumai trial was not published. From all accounts some of the opinions given were of a surprising nature, and would cause quite a revolution iv the trade it' they turned out to be correct.