HORTICULTURAL NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 9

HORTICULTURAL NOTES

By J. GEB3tE.

The month of October is generally marked ,by uncertain weather, with fre^uens 1 season the, month has been an unusually dry one. Heavy winds have been prevalent, and young trees lateiy planted have suffered to some extent The welcome rain of a fe\v X days ago ha 3 freshened vegelatfon, and the gardens and fields ara looking well. In the ' orchards there is a splendia .'how of blossom, the apple and pear trees bsmg pictures, tihouid r.o injury be ciu.sc<J by frcst, th» prospects of a good fruit season iiave seldom baen surpa^ed. Last week we had i one cr two -Sharp frosts, which blackened j the tops oi the potatoes in s^'.eral gardens, but &o far r.p injury hes been t'ciKi to tiie blossoms of fruit; txoe^. Aprlcocs and cherries have -sst well, but t.".cc3 are not | growr to -any great extent in .North Otago j district. -Plums, pears, and apples are^tiio j leading kinds gidvn, pears and apples being the most profira.bl-0, especially fhs- tata sorto -Many of th-3 trees, and shrubs m our gaa I-d-ahs and shrubberies are fiowering more j profi>>ely Oian usual. Bar.ksian rose.-, Clematis montana, aiid wistaria are three j distinct and beautiful chmbc-rs which I saw in a cottage gard<m a few days ago. The roso and clematis were rambling at thsir own free will over some trees aiKJ shrubs, ar.d it is only when they are ailov.ed fiescom of growth that they arc at ti^:r bMt. in the same garden was a n:t*3 | bpecimen cf habrothair.aus wiib a pi^ofusiOii of ix?d tubular flowers in ck"s>i?i3, a..<d on a trellis tii-s lovely i.ath\ ius pul >cncs was in full bloom. Auriculas arx. othe/ spnngnowering piants were m abundance, aiid b-sir.g situated m a wall-sl.oltarcd ncok they exhibited a greenn-ess aiiJ freshness otten atk>ent in lf-=3-ta\our-od localities. THE WOXDERBERRY. 1 suppo^ the name Luther Burbank i^ more oitirli mention-ed in connec-iion wii.i the producrion oi no\eltjes in pJam.s, fiui.s, tu:d tlowci-s t:ian any other horc.c-ukurist, and iately we have read a gocd deal in tho local press about tne thornless cactus and the lai-g>e su-ai of j£i\}Q,Q\Xi pa:«i by a:i Australian feyixhcatd for the so.c right to uuppiy tJie Comcnonwealrh with this yiani. of caai , economic value. Mv Burbank says of the wroraderberry chat it is absolu&eiy a new species of berry plant, and is "of great .".«:entriio interest, Jiaving been prcducd by \ tha combination o^ t^o dititinct wiiti bpec.es \ — riolanunr; jjuir.cnw, of Wcct Africa, and Solanum vii.osum, of th-e wc-at coast of , America. .Neither of t:ic*3 wild t,pec:eb J b-2frs edible i>?mc, b-.n tins mw sptai-^i, j bears the most delicious, w-holesoint, and , healthful berries in t-lu utmost proiu&ion, ; and always comes true from seed as any epacics produced by Nature. Seed of tnfs plant its being diiinbuKd by one of tho leading seedsmen of New who d«-fec-nbea it as b?ing biue-biack' m colour, ' t«nie- in flavour, ana Uimurpa^sd icr eatingraw, cooked, canned, or i<iv;sorY«d in any torm. Piantii may be Treated hiie tomatoch, nr.-d in three montns from aeed wtll beg^n to produce an abundance oi luciolub berries, which lipen earij, and will produce a:ul ripan huge quantities until cheeked by I frost lnamilclclun-itt' the plant cuee do^xi during winter, out spring* up from *.he roots ' jn spi-irg, an'l soon btgina 10 ixrai fruit. 1 As a pot i lant it is boih oruainontal arid • useful, iruiting hoavny a!! tne year round. J Shou:a thie pianc piove to be all that is , claimed for it, it will bs a valuable cddi1 tion to our list of small fruiis. 1 sowed a i packet of steds a few vlajs ago, aud will 1 «:nxiou6.y v. f<--i lesuitt. ; MARIGOLDS. i Mn-rig-ol'ls La\« !oi,j been vised for gardt.'i deccranon, and lor sunm^r arvl «.uturii'! j fiowcnng th-ay are moispentubie, continuing : to bloom irom early in the sec^on till tncn- .. are cut oown by frcst. Tut frf-nch and African mi:rigolob aie the beet known, al-thuug-h iiiat t cis-tmct cpec-ies <ii<i occasionally met with. The Airican > •iclk•i j>rok.um !! x .<j=-x>.iifc <ji i;.r^e k.2.2. Thft* aie 1-Luion, criiny*?, or yeiiow, and the ()i^nt> are 01 t ,-ect habit, <ift hig.:, ii.'id art \eiy efiecn\e in t!w bcrd^.f. 'lhey ahj^ld lx> giu'r a. sUß.ni' position a:.d rich soil if blooijis dre v »irc-d i<ji exhibition. The Fi^iK'li \aiio .°s \ary »n h-ignt, and ivro<iuce -.iit-all-ci .miwci-s Ti.eso ornbr-cj -iiig! *■ j.i»a double :i -st?if, or bio.c.,'.>i t.o»\<i-. rht sir.pcd Ijl-:j>c 1 ;cf^rre<! I^l v?\ri:;jmon \, pos^;. .'ll an o«Jj;.r)y to a how<?i-b:d, n.- -\-ar;et\ k:;o-.\:; .i'- i.->go'i cf nj:iour is \o ;■ oixjwy. T''-c p-.ii.t- .ire \ri\<\.djf .tiitJ ijiianj', ano aie cow icd w.tfi bloom 01 »•<.■ iur; .-izc, ai.vl «.ra cxc.-vai'ig j sinking owing to tli-3 w \i-i contiast 1:1 tl ' it coioui-s. T.;e cen;:e of tils iio\\<-i- j- x brownish ltd, while the outer half >•, fiiio s;ok!en yelio.v. ilarigoWh arc CL-iiy j«ii-<:d i cr.i o-'-ctU. an.d may h^ sown r_o-.\ in th-* op^:i ground. The seeds should L-e »onu tniiiiy and aiterwarde transplajitcd to where they are 10 bloom. Being tender plants they should not be sown in the open before November, as a slight frost will harm them. THIXXJNO GitOTvTHS OP PERENNIALS. Man} hardy plant?, euch us deiphmiums, phlox, sunflowers, and other perennials, whicn are established are making nutperous growths, which it is nece?6dry to thin. If all uw left, they boccae a perfect thicket, and tho quality of blcom is pooi compared to thc-e v.iiich are judiciously thinnod. Home of t'u- wtakei siiould be re:<:ov4.d so as to allow a full development t>f Lift- 1 allcw-'fHl tc i€main Srion<T-grO\ving .•■ort^ )c«]iii,e taking un and leplanling every third }cvi As thvy grow ji.ipidh, they

eocn make large clumps, which, if left alone, become weak and worn out in the centre. When tasking them up it will be noticed that the young and strongest growths are around the "outside of the plants, those in the centre being old and weak. Divide the clump into several pieces, discarding the centre pieces and planting only the outside pieces. PORTtTLACCA. This is a most showy, half-hardy annual that may be sown, in the open ma sunny position. The drier tb» weather and hotter the sun the more dazzling- tho display of cay blooms in shades of white, yellow, crimson ro>-.\ scarlet and striped. They am fin*? for bordering walks, rockwork, or bedding. A light candy 6oil suits it to perfection; the seedlings bear transplanting, and this can be done even when they are in bloom with perfect safety. These annxiaJs aro narives of Chili, and have been in cultivation since 1839.