Miscellaneous Notes. APPLES FOR EXPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 8

Miscellaneous Notes. APPLES FOR EXPORT.

Speaking with reference to the shipment of fruit which recently arrived in London from Canterbury, Mr W. J. Palmer, Government pomologistj.in the course of some remarks at Wellington, said that Cox's Orange apples "should not have been sent, as their keeping qualities are not good enough to make them suitable for export to such a distance. Mr Palmer also said that the average prices realised by the apples were not sufficiently high, to make export to England preferable to selling in the local market, taking all things into consideration. He added, however, that it should not be forgotten that New Zealand produces much finer apples than Tasmania. Were fruit culture in New Zealand put on a proper basis, this country should be in a position to be a large exporter of apples and other fruits. At present the general system of fruit culture was by no means what it should be in a land so highly favoured by nature.

A GOOD LIME-WASH COMPOUND.

Lime-washing trees is advooated by all our best authorities, and doubtless does a great deal of good. The lime should be freshly slaked, and to every four gallons of wash, a quart of kerosene, a pint of common salt,and a pound of softsoap should be added. The softsoap should be dissolved in boiling water first, and the lime mixed with the liquid. The salt in the mixture helps to kill any- insects coming in contact with the % woshj and -also assists the preparation to penetrate | deeper into the J>ark. ' The kerosene makes •the -tr^ee distasteful to -all insect life for a long time, and the softsoap imparts a certain greasy nature to the compound which resists the action of rain, and thus makes it last fresh co much longer. Very few of us lime half enough in fruit culture. Dusted over the trees a few times it is unquestionably a firstrate thing, and if il does no other good its rnanurial properties on reaching the soil are worth considering. WANTED, BLUE ROSES AND OTHER SPORTS.

Few peojole are aware of the peculiar vagaries or eportfj which occasionally appear in flowers.

For instance, a- plant which usually produces white flowers will suddenly, and without any apparent reason, bear a yellow, red or other coloured flower on one of its shoots — the other shoots on the same plant bearing flowers of the normal colour. The plant is then said to have sported, and the gardener immediately proceeds to perpetuate the sport by means of cuttings.

These sports are very uncommon, and the reason for them is yet a puzzle to horticulturists. They are \isually identical in everything but colour with the parent plant, and in many cases prove to be very valuable additions to the floral worjd. Take our national emblem, the rose. ,One of the varieties, named Catherine Mermet, a flower of an exquisite- rosy flesh-colour, has sported 1 no less than three times : the first, named /The Bride, '& of a -lemon- white colour ; the second, named -Bridesmaid, being" of a lovely pink shade- ;V^ and the third, named Muriel Graham, is almost pure white. The popular chrysanthemum Autumn Queen has a peculiaz tendency to sport, and many of the best varieties at the present time are the result of this. Take the pure white variety, Madame Oarnot, without doubt the finest chrysanthemum. I'or several seasons growers were very anxious to pbtain a yellow pport from this variety. This was obtained three years ago, and, ' curiously, it sported a golden-yellow flower in. two places over a hundred miles apart, and also a sulphur-yel-low flower named Mra Mease, in ' the same season.

These cases of simultaneous sporting are very rare ; but this season a variety is announced to have sported a flower of the same colour in six different places at once- all over the country, which is undoubtedly a record. The value of these sports can be seen from the fact that they were sent out tho firßt year by the leading chrysanthemun9 specialists at the price of oue guinea the rooted cutting, and as probably some hundreds wcre-^listribu-ted at that pr'oe, a nice little sum was the result.

Many of our leading growers and special 2 ists hold the opinion that it is only a matter of time and experiment before cultivators will be able to make a plant sport at will. There is a nice little fortune awaiting anyone who can find out the way to do it.

THE CITY OF PARIS FLORIST

The City of Paris is probably the greatest florist in the world. Ever since 1855 vast conservatories have been maintained at Passy for the cultivation of. plants and shruberies to embellislwthe parks,- promenades, and street gardens of the capital, and now a still more oxtensive establishment has been organised at Auteuil. Borne idea of this magnificent and perfectly-equipped -homo of the flowers may be gained from, the following figures : During a recent twelvemonth there, were furnisheri, from the gardens and greenhouses of the establishment, for parks and public buildings, 244,188 autumn plants, 32,865 of spring, and 595,960 of summer. About 100 men, including the o\-erseer, are employed there.

DESTROYING TREE STUMPS

Mr J. Miller, of Ruxley Lodge Gardens, often talks of his experience in tree stump destruction with the aid of dynamite, . which ho used to obtain from the neighbouring collieries when at Clumber, many years apo. When big Btumps had to be removed holes were bored into the centres of each with a stout augur, and a charge of dynamite, to which a fuse was at tachecT inserted intc each. As the force of dynamite in exploding is chiefly downward, there was no, danger attached to the operation if ordinary caTe was exercised in vemo\ing far enough away after tho fuse was igniied. The effect of the explopion was (o literally lift the stump out of the ground, and also to rend it into peveral piece?. That method is far more effective and expeditious -than is the burning stumps out as advised so frequently in answer to queries. — Journal of Horticulture.

CULTURE OF DUTCH BULBS.

Hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils (as well as many other bulbs) all need time after they are potted to form strong roots before they are exposed to the light, so that after they are placed in boxes or pots of soil, they should stand in the open air well covered from the sunshine by fine ashes, sand, or dry spent Foil -from the potting bench for some weeks before the point of the bulb is uncovered, and allowed to make growth in a greenhouse or window. If planted in pots, etc., they should be placed near the surface, and a light covering of clean moss laid over them, so that it is easy to remove the covering of ashes or sand without disturbing the bulbs, when five

I or six weeks have elapsed, and it is necessarj ta examine the contents of the pots, etc. i Grubs and snails are very fond of eating { Vubs, so that the covering moss should be jr Aa-shed in very hot water before using it }•■> destroy all the eggs, etc., of insects, and fine coal ashes which have been exposed tc the rain and air for some weeks are the best and safest upper covering, laying them ovei the bulbs to the depth of six inches. Fresh ashes sometimes contain injurious gases, and it is therefore- desirable to spread them out of doors for some little time before using them to cover bulbs, but as they effectually exclude slugs, etc., they are then safer than soil or sand. The soil for bulbs should not contain fresh manure ; good loam, with a little leaf -mould, sand, and soot, makes a suitable compost foi them, or if the loam be poor, some very old hotbed stuff may be added. Many amateurs place in too rich soil, and bo rot them, for no bulbs can safely be placed in contact with fresh manure, and a little Band is th« most desirable thing for the bulb to -rest on where any animal manure has been added to their compost. Jadoo is the greatest comfort to the town-dweller, who is unable to select soils at will for various plants. All bulbs thrive in it, needing to have the jadoo thoroughy moistened before using, when they will need no more water until they are uncovered. When grown in soil it is sometimes necessary to uncover the bulbs and give them- a soaking in very dry weather, for they must not suffer from dryness yet at the same time if rain should fall in moderation they will not need this attention. The soil in which they are placed should be thoroughly moistened when used, after which no water will be needed for the first month if they* are well covered, but it will be well to examine them then and ascertain that they are not dry. When the points of pale green show the covering can be taken off and the pot 9 placed in a cool greenhouse. Neither hyacinths, tulips except Due "Van Thol), nor narcissi do well if too quickly forced into bloom, stnd a gradual increase of temperature is far bettei for them than a plunge into a hothouse from the open air. When the bloom shows, however, they will stand. more warmth,' and may then be placed over the hot-water pipes, their pots plunged in a box of damp moss, which should be thoroughly wotted through with warm water every day. At this 'time the. bulbs will nee<J an abundant daily supply of luke-warm water too, and the damp, warm air as it ascends will nourish the buds and make them fine, whilst it helps them tc open Quickly. t Where no greenhouse pipes are available a tray of moss, moistened with hot water daily, in a sunny window will suit the growth of all the foregoing hulbs. — R., in Amateui Gardening. -