HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebbib.

OAMAEU FLOWBE SHOW. ffh« lately re-organlged horticultural vooiety held its first chow lait Wednesday Wdd Thursday, 2nd and 3rd, when a oredltWhi« dlflclar ot pot plants and cut flowers wrb

made in the Wear street Hall, Although the weather has been very unfavourable to out- j Bide growth, still the ebow of cut flowers was very good; and the pot plants, especially those cent in by amateurs, were very fine. Messrs Cottrell, W. W. Daweon, and J. Ireland were the largest exhibitors of pot plants. Mr J. Ireland staged about three dozen plants in 12 distinct genera —some beautiful folisge begonias, ferns, and pelargoniums of the show, fancy and decorative classes, were the admiration of all visitors. Mr Cottrell's collection consisted mainly of pelargoniums. Some of the specimens in Bin pots measured Bft across and were full of bloom. \ Some specimens in smaller pots wore marvels of cultural skill. Mr Dawson'a collection comprised ferns, palms, asparagus, plumoea, sedums, isolepis, and several others, all nicely grown and in the healthiest condition. Mr J. Mitchell also exhibited a few nice plants. In the gardeners' classes Messrs Edward?, Forsytb, and Bradbury were the principal exhibitors of greenhouse plants, and Mr T. Stephens of fernß: The table decorations, as is usual on such occasions, attracted a considerable amount of attention from the ladies, Miss Murdoch's table, which took the special pri?s, being ornamented with Shirley poppies and grasses. " ' Miss Tempers and Mrs G-lynh both had vety tastefully decorated tables .which were mnch admired. Taking the show as a whole, it "was equal to the Dunedin enow of last December.' Unfortunately the attendance of visitors waß small owing to the . excitement over tbe elections. DOUBLE NASTURTIUM. This plant, which is flowering with us in our public gardens, is pronounced by the many horticulturists who have seen it in bloom to be the best introduction of late years. With me it is a hobby to have something new, and when I obtained this plant, which was imported from the old country, I had no idea that it was such a fine thing. The habit of the plant is the same as the common climbing nasturtium, but the flowers are perfectly double, about 2^-in in diameter, and the colour is a rich orange scarlet; It is very good for cut flowers and other purposes, and will be a fine plant for bedding out. HEMEROCALIS. These are hardy herbaceous plants, producing blooms that last but one day ; hence j 1 the name of day lily is given to them. Two varieties flowering just now are really worth j ' growiDg. These are Hamerocalis flava, a email-growing species with yellow sweetscented flowers, and H Sieboldii, another dwarf variety, with yellow and brown flowers. They are of the simplest culture, and grow readily, in any soil. Another variety is H. disticha, with double orargecrimson flowers, which bloom later in the season, and H. fulva variegata, a variegated leaved plant which makes n fine pot plant. OISTUS LADANIFEKOUS. All the plants of this family are remarkable for brilliant but evanescent flowers. , Nevertheless they form compact evergreen shrubs, and are very gay when in bloom. \ The subject of this note grows about 3:t high, and during the hot weather of summer is covered with a profusion of large blossoms which measure about 3in across. These are white, with a black blotch at the base of each petal. They like a dry and sunny situation, and in suoh a position form attractive objects. They are propagated from cuttings or by eeod, which in some seasons ripen freely. Public Gardens, Oamaru. MISCELLANEOUS. IBISES ON DKT BANKS. j Lately, as often before, we have been struck by the beauty of the larger irises on dry and arid banks iv France, and even on the tops <<f | walls. Tbe larger irises do so well and bloom so freely in good loam, one would not expect \ this result ; yet we have the most hopeless soil on ,r ail way bankß growiDg delightful groups of irises.— Field. PERSIAN CYCLAMENS. There are few, if any, dwarf flowering plants to equal the Cjclamen persicum and its variei ties for decorative purposes during winter. When well grown they are wonderf nlly effective, whether arranged in group?, lines, or singly among other plants. For affording cut flowers in quantity and over a loDg period they are invaluable. A large mixed packet should contain "bufficient seeds to meet the requirements of most private gardens. Use well-drained pots or seed pans ; fill these to within an inch of the rim with a finely-siited • mixture of loam, leaf-soil, and sand. On this I the seeds should be sown, pressed in, and covered ; with about a quarter of as inch of floe soil ; t then place .them in a house where a temperature "of 50deg to 60deg is maintained, and water them through a fine-rosed pot if the soil is at all dry, covering them with square? of glass. As soon as the seedlings appear they should have a light position to prevent them from becoming unduly drawn, and by the time they have made a couple of leives they will be ready for pricking off into pans. KEFAIBING A GARDEN HOSE. If any of your readers desirous of repairing a garden hose will provide themselves with a few feet of ordinary compo pipirig (used for gas or 'water), the outside measurement of which is equal to the inside measurement of hose, they will only need to cut the hose thro, gh where there is a leak, and also cut a piece off the piping and insert and bind together with copper wire or string. •As will readily be seen, the compo piping is preferable on account of its being easily cut with any ordinary pocket knife. APPLYING LIQUID MANURE. Never apply liquid manure to plants in pots or in the ground when the soil is dry. If pot plants are dry, well moisten the soil first with water, and apply the manure an hour or so afterwards. It is also essential that soil outdoors, if dry, should first be well moistened with water before applying liquid manures. PRESERVING CUT BLOOMS. Even people who are fortunate enough to have flowers all the year round will be pleaped to learn of a simple method of keeping cut blooms in good condition. To preserve a bouquet sprinkle it lightly with fresh water, then put it Into a vessel containing some soapsuds, which nourish the stems and keep-the flowers as bright as new. Repeat the process every day, and by observing these rules a bouquet can be kept bright and beautiful for at least one month, and will last still longer in a very passable state. GOOD LIQUID MANURES. Boot and guano' make a suitable liquid manure for soft-wooded plants if 2oz of the tatter and a handful of soot are mixed with 3gal of water. This is quite strong enough for such subjects, but for vegetable crops it may be made one-third stronger. Cow manure is one of tho easiest stimulants to use in a liauid form.

| If mixed and allowed to settle, it may be then . diluted to suit any plant. Horse droppings should ba mixed and the liquid allowed to settle some time before it is used.