HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The fortnightly lectures on practical horticulture v -u-e continued at the Technical School cii the 19th, the subject dealt with being " Potatoes," by Mr E. Eeilly, and " Tomatoes," by Mr D. Tannock. Mr J. G. Thomson occupied the chair, and apologised for .the absence of the -writers of the papers, which, however, -would be read to members and might be discussed. Mr Beilly's paper on " Potatoes " pointed out the great use of the potato crop in clearing land of noxious weeds. The most favourable conditions for growing them were to select seed from stools which gave a good crop of medium-sized,- wellshaped,. dean-skinned tubers. After lifting, he recommended leaving potatoes on a piece of fallow land until the end of April, turning them over about once a week to ripen. Early in May he would move them to a warm, sheltered spot, turning tlhem over every fortnight to prevent sprouting. Land that had been in grass for a considerable time, and was fairly well manured by cattle, yielded the best Jesuits with a minimum amount of labour. On land lying well to the sun and fairly drained it liberal allowance of farmyard manure gave the beet returns. If land wa6 lighter, cow manure was better. On lea land he recommended 3cwt blood and bone manure, 3dwt prosphat© of ammonia, lewt sulphate of potash, all well mixed and applied broadcast. Weeding by harowing on a warm, windy day was generally sufficient, and afterwards ridging up with a horso Planet, junr., grubber. The varieties that he- found save the best results were Henderson's Imperial Early Puritan. Snowdrop, British Queen, Breeze's Prolific, Early Rose, and Myatt'e Ashleaf. For second earlies. Up-to-Dates and Princess Victoria. Mr Clarke, in duscussing the paper, regretted that no mention had been made in Mr Reilly's paper as' to t!he distance apart for planting. He (Mr Clarke) would reoommend 2ft 6in or 3ft from row to row. He also strongly recommended sprouting tubers before planting, for by that means each tuber would give two good strong eyes. He did not agree with the chemical manures recommended in the paper, and had occasionally found them destructive to plants. Mr D. Tannock's paper on " Tomatoes explained that all that • was required to grow excellent crops of tomatoes in tho open air was a sunny fence or wall and a fairly good season. If the fence were tarred, so much the better, as a black fence absorbed" more heat than a white one. The soil should be digged over and 'mixed with half-rotted horse manure, but the soil should not be too rich. Strong plants should be put into 6in pots until the weather was favourable for. planting out when the first lot of flower buds were showing, but should not be allowed to get potbound. The young plants should be tied io sticks at once when planted out. After cultivation consisted in pinching out all side shoots, but leaves should not be removed until Ih<» fruit was fully developed, then a few might be cut away to let in the eun to hasten ripening. Whew the plant had 6et five bunches of fruit, then pinch out the top two leaves above the laat bunch. Water should be given twice a week and liquid manure, after watering, once a week. Liquid manure should be prepared with a sugar bag full of fresh ;ow manure and another of fowl manure. Puf both into a barrel of water and keep it full and dilute to half strength. Mr Clarke pointed out that there was nothing like warmth for starting the seeds of tomatoes, and stated that he had received seed from a steamer on Friday, and on the following Monday evening the seeds were tip. He advised raisinor 6ce<3s in box<;a with orocks at the bottom, coare-c lurf next, and fine soil on top,' well pressed down. As soon na two or three rough leaves showed they should be pricked out into other boxes. He strongly urged pressing" down the soil well, for then plants could bo got to flower yvhen 7in high. Wood ashes and turfy soil mixed with sand was be3t for tomatoes. When finally

planted out they should be in rows 2£ft apart and 15in in the rows. Plants should be trained to "wires, and liquid' manure should be given once a week. If made from sheep manure, that was best of all — much better than artificial manures. • Votes of thanks were heartily accorded to the contributors of the papers, and to Mr Clarke for his remarks on tomatorowing. We have to acknowledge receipt of Messrs Howden and Moncarieff's descriptive list of garden and flower seeds and horticultural requisites published for the present spring-. A concise description of each variety of flower, vegetable, shrub, etc., with the price charged, will enable the amateur gardener to make hie selection after perusing the catalogue.