HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2715, 28 March 1906, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

(By J. Gebkie.)

— Brambles. —

The English and American brambles, or | blackberries, as they are generally called, ' produce delicious and wholesome fruit when tho plants are grown in good soil and properly attended to. Is seems a little strange that mory interest is not taken in tleir cultivation. True .that in many places they become a pest, and are classed under the heading of noxious weeds, but . under cultivation they will give little more trouble than raspberries, and near any of the larger centres will prove a remunerative crop. In America blackberries have for many years been grown for market to an enormous extent. A veteran nurseryman and fruit grower in Burlington County has been an extensive blackberry grower for 46 years. Be has seen 150 bushels of blackberries grow upon -an acre of ground there, in a! single season, the fruit selling for £120. A neighbour of lis planted acres, and one season his yield was 6500 bushols, for which he obtained £4400. These facts and figures are meroly given to snow what has teen done with blackberries in America. Although the blackberry will grow almost anywhere, the best results will be obtained bj- planting on deep, lich, moist soil. In such 60il the growth will be 6trong, and the fruit will grow in clusters of 20 or 30 in a duster. They may be planted in rcnys sffc or 6ft apart, and about 4ft apart in the rows. All the old wood should be cut out in the autumn, and the young wood shortened bsrek to sft. To support the canes stout stakes or posts should be put in at intervals, and a wire etretched along | the top and another about half-way down, so that the young growth can be tied in. It» is then easy to walk between the rows to gather the fruit without being caught on the thorns. They may also be grown on a trellis planted 10ft apart, and will soon form a screen and bear as profusely as by the other method. As it is only the young wood which bears, the fineet fruit, the object of the cultivator must be to obtain strong canes from the root every year. After the first summer's growth they should be shortened to half their length, when they will fruit a little the following . summer, and at the same time make strong vigorous canes, which will bear fully the next season. j ! — Sweet Peas. — , The popularity of these favourite flowers continues to increase, and this season a number of new varieties have made their appearance, and are advertised largely In various horticultural publications. The Gardener of February 3 is devoted entirely to sweet peas, and from it we learn that Etkford's," who are acknowledged to be the premier specialists, are sending out three novelties — Henry Eckford, Queen Alexandra, and Sybil Eckford. The firet is a most distinct novelty, not only in — which is a lovely orange-salmon, with a distinct thin line of carmine down the centre of the standard— but the standard is of a beautiful round form. Queen Alexandra is a giant scarlet, and Sybil Eckford is a beautiful rich apricot and lemon. Mr John Eckford, who is now head of the firm, bae presented to the N.S.P.S. a 50-guinea oup in memory of hi 6 father. It will be given for 12 varieties, so that everyone may compete. Gold and v siher medals go to the first and second prize-winners in th© class. The exhibition date is July 5. j Evelyn Byatt, though not of large size, is a very brilliant sort, and should be- in every collection. It has a rich orangesalmon standard, with wings rather deeper in colour. John Ingman is a rose-coloured flower of enormous size. It gained the prize at Ulverston for the best bunch in the show, and doing that a.t the height of the season speaks volumes in its fa\our. May Malcolm, undoubtedly the most beautiful pink sweet pea, is very rich, and one colour throughout. Mrs Charles Foster, a beautiful grey mauve, is sure to become a great favourite. Beacou is a splendid variety, of great size and substance, colour bright carmine flushed with mauve on a oream ground, wings clear primrose. Helen Lewis, the handsomest of new 6weet peas, is very large, bright orange salmon flowers, usually four on a stem. In Delicata the flowers are very large, and are borne mostly four on a. stem, its colour being a

peach blush throughout. Tbese are a few of the choicest of this year's novelties, but those of former years are not .-likely to be neglected, and from these can be selected varieties to grow either for exhibition ,or home decoration. Many have an idea that Bweet peas cannot be sown until spring. Now is the time to make a sowing. I have always found those sown in the autumn to be more satisfactory than if sown, in the spring, and they continue blooming for a longer period. In growing sweet peas, the ground cannot be too deeply dug and enriched, as the roots go down to a good depth. When they come into bloom, keep picking daily, and they will keep on flowering for months instead of weeks, if allowed to ripen seed. If sown in spring they require large supplies of water during the dry weather; otherwise they will soon go off without having given that amount of satisfaction which was expected from them. Being so easily grown they may truly be called everybody's flower, and they ought to find a place in every garden, no matter how small, and if any unsightly object is to bo screened in a short time, sow sweet peas._ Next to v their beauty when growing their value and usefulness for cutting should be taken into account. They may be cut in unlimited quantities, and it is wise to do so. If , the flowers are not cu.t they fade and produce seed, and the flowering season is a short one. In gathering, the blooms the shoots may be cufc "as well ; no foliage suits them 60 well as their own. And although the cutting of the shoots may look like a destruction of future blossoms, it will really ensure a continuity of bloom. The shoot that is thus stopped breaks out into many laterals, and these are quickly in flower. By hard cutting It will soon be discovered what an amazing quantity of bloom a small row of sv/eet peas will produce. By continual cutting the plants never get too tall, and though the flowers are all cut to-day, before a week is past they will be abundant again. If these directions are carried out, sweot peas will be a source of pleasxire and enjoyment for five months at least.