HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. GrisiH.

The Timaru Horticultural Show having altered the date of its annual show from December to March, a few horticulturists connected with Trinity Church took the

matter up, formed a committee, and decided upon holding an annual rose show. Last Wednesday, the 25th ult., the third show was held under the name of the Trinity Rose Show, and proved to be in advance of its predecessors both in the number and quality of its exhibits, roses and sweet peas being the special teature, and other hardy cut flowers being well represented. There was good competition in every section in the schedule, in 6ome instances as many as 15 entries being made in one section. The champion rose bowl, valued at 20gs, brought out eight competitors, Mr Lewis, nurseryman, of Timaru, being the winner with six superb blooms. i These were: Lady Ashtown (a beautiI ful rose shading to silvery pink, and | possessing- that essential to a modern show ■ rose— a high-pointed centre; this rose was introduced into commerce in 1904-, so is comparatively a new variety) ; Mrs Conway Jones (creamy white flushed with salmon | pink) ; Mrs W. J. Grant (pink, of Rood form, and an exhibition favourite) ; Media (lemon colour with a canary centre) ; Comtesse de Xadailiac (deep pink turning to coppery colour) ; and Hugh Diokson fan intense crimson shaded scarlet belonging 1 to the section of hybrid perpetuals). The others were teas and hybrid teas. The champion rose in the show was Lady Ashtown. The display of sweet peas was good all the best varieties in cultivation beu-g-in evidence. Some of tho exhibits ir* size and texture of bloom were a'l that could .be desired in these popular flowers Among the hardy cut flowers I noticed several spikes of the feathered hyacinth, ?? in i erestinff bord « r pknt with ameshyst blue flowers arranged in a curious frizaled cluster sin to 6in long. Clematis, iris, peonies, rhododendrons, and the beautiful ■ Veronica haulkeana were conspicuous in many of tho stands. For the best tab'c decoration 14 entered, and the arrange- | merits of the competitors showed a variety of taste and design, some being light and graceful, others rather dark and heavy. Table decorations have becotuo peneral ar horticultural exhibitions, and each competitor vies with the other in inak.ng tlie best and daintiest display, and these pret-tily-arranged tables never fail to attract a crowd of admirers. The keenness of the contest often makes the task of the judges a. difficult and far from enviable one. "is j in all else, fashions vary in this, the piesent beinjr for low centrepieces. The tall epergjie whioh was the fashion a few years ago has been discarded, as however graceful and pretty, it obstructed the view across the table, and often made general conversation impossible. In the arranging of a table the size thereof and 1 the convenience of the guests should first recei/e consideration. THINNING CROPS. One of the greatest mistakes made in the- cultivation of vegetables is neglecting-^ to thin the crops Overcrowding should be avoided, and each plant should have apace ito develop. Peas are one crop that in almost every instance are sown and pvi- ! mittod to grow too thickly together, with ; the result that the plants crowd each I other, and consequently yield a poor crop, and soon become exhausted. Thinning i should be commenced as soon as tuo *ee»J lings are large enough to pull out, and such crops as carrots, turnips, onions, parsnips, and beet should be gone over -v,tf thinned out twice, thus giving the crop left sufficient space to develop. 1 SILVER BEET. I This is a most useful vegetable in supplementing the ordinary kitohen garden crops. Sown at the same time as other beet, but in richer soil, and thinned out in the same way, a crop of large succulen: leaves is obtained which is an excellent substitute for spinach when that ve^able w difgcalt to procure. The large, white, fleshy mid-ribs are also cut up and cooked like asparagus, and are said to be a good substitute for that vegetable. Jf «own about midsummer it will stand the *into.uninjured, and come in, useful until other vegetables come in. The first crop of leaves m ay be gathered a few months after sowing the seeds. CYTISUS. The common yellow broom, Cytisus scopaiius, is too well known to need description, but although a neglected plant and in many instances a nuisance, there are places, as dry banks and the edges of plantations, where its bright yellow bloom during the spring months would be vory effective. Its variety, Cytisus andreanum, is a beautiful flowering shiub, at the present time flowering as profusely as the common variety. The flowers are crimson .-i.d yellow, rendering it tho most conspicuous of the flowering brooms. This is rather a difficult plant to propagate, as it will only produce- from- seeds a few plants true to colour. When struck from cuttings they are liable to go off suddenly a year or two after through the base of the stem rotting. The most satisfactory way of propagating is by grafting on the yellow broom. The white broom (Cytisus aibus) is a good, fraeflowering shrub, seldom seen. It is a strong, quick grower,- and prodnoing pure white flowers in nrofusion. The Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) Js a striking plant during the late summer and early autumn months, its comparatively large, gold-yellow flowers, which are fragrant, being freely produced. Brooms are difficult to transplant, so that they should be grown in pots until planted permanently, or, what is better, transplanted annually in the open ground either in early autumn or late spring. For the first two or three years they are best cut down 60 as to induce a bushy growth.