HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

(Bx J. Gebbie.)

MEADOW SAFFRON. j In the language of botanists, the meadow saffron is called colchicum. It is a class of ' hardy bulbs which spring up into bloom during the autumn months when other flowers are on tbe wane, and where planted in massss they aro as effective as ordiuary I crocuses in springtime. They are natives of Britain, and are commonly called autumn crocus, as the flowers are much alike, j though th« colch'cum is larger and wore j ridicata :n: n colour. The leaves appear :n and die off during summer, the j flowers appearing later on. A few days i ago, in a frien-d'e garden, I saw some I clumps of the common variety in beautiful i blcom. Th^se were on the m-argin of a shiubbei'y border, and were very effective. They grow well in any ordinary garden soil, and when their season of blooming cc-mss round they will flower whether they are in the soil or lying dry on shelves, i There are many species and varieties in cultivation, but only a few are to be ob- j tamed in the colonies. The genus has a somewhat wide distribution, the majority being natives o£ centr-.il and Southern Europe,' while others are found in Persia, Northern Africa, and the Himalayas, the common meadow saffroa being found growing wild in Britain. ANEMONE JAPONICA. These are showy, hardy, perennial plants blcoming during the autumn months, and if planted in the neighbourhood of water, or in a damp situation, and fairly ■established, they will yield immense quantities of bloo,-n for a long time, which will be found very useful for cutting. For many years only three forms of Anemone Japonica were known, but now there are several in cultivation, the colours of the bloom being crimson, white, and pink, and a few of the varieties produce semi-double blooms. The blossoms are two or three irehes across, very freely produced, and in •, favourable situations the plants will attain to 3ft or 4ft in height. It is needless to plant it in a dry situation. Unless liberal supplies of water can be given to it, in such situations the blooms are worthless; i but an the banks of a creek or pond it will attain its full beiuty. The common varieties are Anemone japonica alba, pure white, and A. J. iosea, lose-coloured flowers. i Of ths newer varieties A. Lady Ardilaun and Lord Ardilaun are improvements. The first has very large pure white flowers, is free-flowering, and of strong growth ; the other is an improvement on the- preceding, th« flowers being 1 semi-double and pure j white. These, if potted up in the autumn. J make grand ornaments for the greenhouse, biooming profusely far on into winter. CURRANTS. . The red and black currants are natives of many parts of Europe, and found wild in many localities in Britain. It is thought to have been originally imported into the country, but by whom or when there is ro certain account. It does not appear that i the Romans, who introduced many of our j now common fruil6. did us this service, for neither they nor the Greeks seemed to be acquainted with it. Our name of currant is evidently from thp great likeness of the fruit to (he small grape of Zyante, or the currants of the grocer*. They have, however, been long cultivated in our gardens, and are an extremely useful fruit. Their medical properties are considerable, and their fruit is esteemed wholesome and refreshing. Black currants abound in the woods in the North of Russia, and in some regions of Siberia, so that it is probably . a native of that country. In Russia a palatable wine is made from the juice of ' the fruit, sweetened with honey. They also put them into brandy, as in England is done with cherries. The varieties of : black currants are not numerous. In 1830 i six varieties were catalogued, and since ■ ', then a few new varieties have been added. . Those in cultivation now are of superior , merit to those first cultivated. Only one , of those first cultivated finds a place in l our collections to-day, and that is black • Naples, which is a grand old variety, very > prolific, and with a mild, sweet flavour. ■ Carter's black champion is another variety " of great excellence. It is a heavy crop1 ping kind, with fruit of the largest size, 1 ana is good for market or garden cultiva- ' j tion. Lee's prolific is said by Hogt?, an I authority on fruits, to be the best of all the ! j black currants, being very prolific, largo. ! tender, and sweet. I The newest addition to black currants is \ the Bcskoop giant. This variety is highly spoken of by growers in Ei«/--and, and being i more robust in growth than the othep, it \ will be better able to withstand the borer and other pests. Messrs Nimmo and Blair r are offering this novelty at a reasonable t price, so that colonial fruit growers will be . able to test its adaptibility to our climate i ere long. A moist soil is desirabls is tije

cultivation of black currants. Although they may grow and fruit in a dry situation they will in no way compare with those which have the advantage of moisture at th« roots. As the black currant bears on the wood of the preceding year, never spur or shorten the young cr side growths as in other currants as tne crop is always produced on the young wood. A certain amount of the old wood should be cut out annually, and by keeping the roots in an active condition, by giving some fertiliser, the bushes will be always well furnished •nith vigorous fruitful wood. Red currents also comprise several varieties, differing in colour, size, etc. La "Versaillaise is one of the beet for all purposes, the berries and bunches being -very large, and it is also a prolific bearer. Fay's prolific is an abundant bearer, the berries being large and not so acid as some, while the bunches arc unusually long. The old common variety, although very prolific, does not compare with these two varieties either in size or Iserry or bunch, and, therefore, is not so largely planted as was formerly the case. White currante are not much grown. The white Dutch and white imperial are two good sorts. The former has been cultivated since 1830, or earlier. The red and white will do well in ordinary garden soil, providing it is enriched with manure. It always pays to treat them liberally after they become established, when they continue to yield heavy crops for years. The pruning of these varies considerably from Ihat of black currants. When once the bushes are properly furnished with main branches all side shoot 6 must be stopped to^form tpurs, and when this has been accomplished the growths from these spurs should be out back to three or four buds every winter. It is a good plan to remove an old branch now ana again, and to train a young one in its place. This keeps the bushes in a healthy condition.

Mr W. Jaques, the fruit-canning expert, has returned from an extended visit to the North of Auckland and Tauranga. Speaking of the north, he mentions that small canning faotories have been established recently at Wau-kworth (applols and pears), Birkenhe&d (apples), Whangarei (pears), Port Albert (app!e3). and Hokianga (peaches). The Tauranga district, Mr Jaques says, is splendid for fruit-growing, and he hopes in time to see large canneries in operation. More protrrffis has been made during th© past year than during the whole previous history of Tauranga. The Government station which has been established has given the industry an impetus, and growers in the district are planting the best canning varieties.