HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 10

HORTICULTURA L NOTES.

Bt J. Gerihe.

■ — Rhodanthes. —

These are beautiful, half-hardy annual", whose flowers are as delicate as tho most elegant artificial flowors. The petals ajp stiff and dry, and if gathered when in prood Older will keep in a cut state for a long time, and arc useful to mix -nibh other everlasting flowers. The seeds arc best sewn in pets or Ij-oxe«, and brought up in ihe garden fraivK- or greenhouse, to be afterwards planted out in the borders in patches about the month of November Being dwarf, they must bo kept near tl»e frcixt of tho border. In warm situation? the seeds may be sown wheo they arc to flower, covering tho cceds lightly. When in blooir, few annuals can compete with them for clcgunoc of lonn Exiicl IkeuUx of

flcw-er. They a.ro great favourites in the Gld Counlry with market growers, many thousands Icing grown in pots for wkido.v liecoration. During tli3 cpring and early summer months the white and pink blossoms arc favourites with many for tho decoration of windows and tables. For j this purpose sow in shallow pans or boxes. ! When they come up, pick off four or six into a 3n> pjt, afterwards transferring into 1 a 5m pot, which is the most convenient size iov house decoratijn. Until they oom-e ! into flower they should be kept near the gla<-s. and have plenty nf air in mild I weather. —Petunias. — For outdoor 1 decoration or house culture few t>iants equal the petunia in effectiveness/ They commenre flowering early, and continue a sheet of bloom throughout tho whole season until killed by frost. They arc easily cultivated, only requinng good coil and a sunny position. Many strains of these are offered by seedsmen, but those known as gimts of Clalifornia are far Superior to all Others in beauty, size, aucj luxuriance. They arc of large size and beautiful shape, deep-throated. and of varied and brilliant colours. The double giants of California a. re superb, but although seed is saved from the most, carefully 0 hybridised flowers, only a small pc-r-ceuta.ee of double flowers will be obtained, tho balance being tingle of unusually fine quality. Tho weaker seedlings should bo carefully saved, as these invariably produce the finest double flowers. — Sohizantfcus - Tho«e are beautiful animals fitted either i for pot or border culture, and have been frequently called the poor man's orcnid, on account of their easy culture and resemblance in form a-nd variety of colouring to some of the rare and costly orchids. Ihe plants are of branching habit, and well covered with bloom. Sown in the open borders they bloom the more dwarf in proportion as the soil is poor; but the best way is to raise them on a hotbed. When large enough to handle, prick them out in note a few in a pot- A month or six weeks later select as mamy as is wanted) for growing indoors, and pot them sin sly into 5m pots. Turn the rest out, with the ball of soil whole, to form patches in the border.' When those in tlie sin pots become well rooted, they may be transferred to Bin pots, when they will flower beautifully. Meainwhite those in the border will make a great show, and from the variety and combinations of colour the patches will look better than they would if tho flowers were all of a colour. A large number of fruit trees have been planted in Hastings this season. In extending the Frimley orchards some 60,000 trees have been planted, mostly peaches. The bluegum blight has begun its ravages in the Oamaru district, and as Professor Kirk says the trees are rather tall for spraying, they will have to be left to their fate. In various places locally (says the Ensign, Gore) weeping willows are to be seen bursting into leaf before the dead foliage of last year has fallen. " This goes '.o strengthen the pTophecy of Mr M. Murphy, the well-known Canterbury horticultural authority, that in a few years the weeping willow of New Zealand will be an evergreen.