HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebbie.

i A lecture under the auspices of the North Otago Horticultural Society was delivered on Monday -night last by Mr Tannock, superintendent of reserves for the Dunedin City Corporation. The subject dealt with, "Rock Gardens," proved very interesting to the audience, Mr Tannock dealing exhaustively with his subject. At the outset 1;* explained the reasons why one should have a rock garden—namely: (1) This is the most suitable way of covering an unsightly bank or plain grass terrace. A. bank faced with stones and planted with a suitable collection of a'pine plants is of perennial interest. (2) By this means _ a large number of species can be grown in a comparatively small area, and each one have room to develop. (3) In the spring, wihen the lawns are wet and borders dirty, the rock garden can be admired with ease and comfort. (4) Rock gardens are fashionable, and the cultivation of alpine plants most interesting. At the close of the lecture a number of interesting and beautiful views of Kew Gardens, where Britain's experiments in horticulture are out, were thrown upon a screen and highly appreciated by the audience. BULB-PLANTING. Spring-flowering bulbs should be planted at an early date, and the sooner narcissi and daffodils are in the ground the better they w'ill bloom duiring spring. _ The hyacinth is one of the most charming and fragrant of all bulbs, and for its intrinsic beauty and delicious odour no other spring flower can compare with it. A light rich soil, deeply dug and well drained, with some well-rotted manure added, suits these , bulbs, and if a little sand is placed round each bulb wihen planting so much the better. The tulip is another deservedly popular bulb with brilliant and showy flowers. can equal the gorgeous appearance of tulips when planted in beds or groups in th© garden. The many shades of colour—pure white, scarlets, purples, crimsons, yellows, striped and parti-coloured sorts—impart as gay an appearance as the showiest of annual or perennial plants. Some of the kinds are perfect in form, while others, such as the parrot section, are singularly picturesque. For very early flowering the Van Thols should be chosen. Th© Darvvin class are selfs, and comprise many magnificent colours. A rich _ light sandy soil is the most suitable, and if the ground should be naturally stiff a liberal addition of sand should be placed under th© bulbs. Anemones are indispensable spring--flowering plants for the garden. By planting at different times they may be had in bloom for about , four months in th© year, commencing in September and continuing into December. In colour we have I white, blue, crimson, rose, lilac, etc., and ] the flowers are single, double, and semiI double. They are most valuable for cutting, for they remain fresh for a long time in water. The roots should be planted about 4in apart and 3in deep. While growing the plants should have plenty of moisture, and when the buds are appearing a . little liquid manure is beneficial. The St. Briigid strain of anemones is the finest known. Ranunculi are closely'allied to the anemone, and are very attractive either in beds or patches in the borders. The colours are very and they have a compactness and a symmetry not equalled by any other flower. Any ordinary rich soil will grow them, but they must not be allowed to suffer from want of moisture. To obtain fine blooms give liberal waterings and liquid manure when they throw up their flower stems. The claw-like roots j should be planted so that the crown of I the tuber is 2in unde? the surface and I about Sin ajpart. There are many other I spring-flowering bulbs in addition to the above which should find a place in every garden. The: grape and feathered hyacinths are lovely small plants, hardy and easily cultivated. Of these there are several kinds bearing racemes of blue or white flowers. The grape hyacinth is called MusI cari botryoides, and the feathered hyacinths Muscari plumosa. The flowers of the latter are arranged in a curious frizzled _ cluster. j There are other species of Muscari, all of ! which are interesting. A perusal of any I of the bulb catalogues now beinsr circulated i by the various growers will give_ descriptions of many spring-time favourites, and as the planting season is now on. no time j should be lost in making a selection. OLD VARIETIES OP APPLES. Of the many hundred varieties of apples cultivated, in our orchards at the present i day many have been cultivated 1 for a long period, and still hoM their own among the numerous new kinds. Ribston pippin was raised from seed wi 16 n 8. Golden piopin in 1781, Devonshire Ouarrenden and Irish osiaeh about 1638. In several wellknown varieties were raised, notably Scarlet Permain, Kerry pinoin. Cornisib. firomatic, Keswick codlin, French crab. Emperor A lex'fl.ncler. Many others have been in oul- , tivation fo v over o. remturv. Durixr the i reign of Henry VIII apples were brought

from Flanders. During the Commonwealth thei number of apples known in England vastly increased, and the dwarfing system of growing apple tress was introduced from Holland by William 111.