HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 6

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebbte

rWO GOOD CLIMBING ROSES

In a garden where there is a Largo collection of roses grown both of the dwarf and climbing sections, two of the latter section stand out conspicuous at the present time. American Pillar is a most vigorous climber, with glossy green foliage and huge trusses of large single pink flowers with a clear white eye, about 2in in diameter. This is certainly one of the best of the single-flowered climbers yet introduced. Alister Stella Gray is also a strong and rapid grower, producing flowers in the greatest profusion over a long period. The Ho were are pale yellow with deeper centres, perfectly double," and flowering in clusters. It flowers as freely late in autumn as in carlv summer. These are two splendid climbers for arches or fences. WATERING POT PLANTS.

There is, perhaps, more art in, watering' pot plants than in any other phase of their culture, and it is not surprising that amateurs and even some professionals often go astray in this-.-seemmgly simple operation Hard-and-fast rules cannot bo laid down for the watering of pot plants; but the consideration of some of the most dangerous poi-.ts may, perhaps, be of profit. The cultivator should possess a complete knowledge of his plants-that is, of their rootin" system, their leaf system, the kind of soil in which they are growing, and also the temperature of the atmosphere that surrounds them. We must also Itmember that plants growing in pots even under the most favourable conditions are existing under artificial treatment. Hav-

ing this knowledge, the cultivator is well on the road to success in watering them. Before the plants are put into their pots tho_ careful grower will see that ample drainage is provided by placing broken pots or cinders over the drainage hole. This will go a long way towards the mitigation of over-watering. In applying water always give sufficient to soak the ball of soil from top to bottom, nothing being worse than serving it in driblets. If a plant requires water at all it needs enough to thoroughly soak the whole of the soil in the pot, and to this end enough space should bo left when potting to enable sufficient to be given. Many amateurs make the mistake when potting of filling the pots right to their brims with soil. If a plant has become so dry as to cause the leaves to flag, the best course to adopt is to immerse the pot in a bucket of water for an hour or two, because it will be almost impossible to soak "the ball of roots and soil by watering it in the usual way, owing to the soil having shrunk away from the sides of the pot. The amateur, especially during the dull days of winter, is far more likely to over-water than to undcr-water his plants, and the former is the more fatal of the two, because its ill-effects reveal themselves only gradually. In the winter months, therefore, give water only when there is a likelihood of the plant suffering for the want of it. Newly-potted plants often suffer much at the hands of a careless wieldcr of the water-pot. After they have had one watering to settle the soil about them, great care should be taken not to apply more before it is actually required. The plant having been checked, the roots will permeate the new soil much more readily when the latter is moderately moist than they will when it is saturated. If the leaves hang down at all this docs not necessarily mean that the soil is dry, but rather that the atmosphere is arid, and a light syringing overhead under these circumstances will put matters right. Many amateurs have an idea that when a plant begins to assume a sickly appearance it needs water, and accordingly supply it in large quantities, never thinking that they are making matters worse. In all probability the mischief was first caused by superfluous moisture in the soil, and the proper course to take will be to examine the drainage hole, and see that it is clear; then withold water until it is quite evident that the plant will suffer if it is kept longer without it. The life of a valuable plant that has become sickly may often be saved by keeping the soil in the pot on the dry side for a time. PLANT PROPAGATION.

The operations of propagation arc natural and artificial. The natural modes are by seeds slips, runners, germs or bulbs, offsets, suckers, and by division of the root. Propagating by seeds is the mode pointed out to us by Nature; but as many of our finest and rarest plants do not even flower, much less .perfect their seeds, other methods have to be resorted to for the purpose of increase. When seeds can be ripened with us, or when they can be secured from abroad, it is the means of obtaining plants in the greatest numbers, and the only method of obtaining new or rare ones. The seeds of most plants and shrubs vegetato the same season of sowing, and that season extends from the beginning of August to the end of October, although for particular purposes., such as for early-flowering annuals, the seeds can be sown in February, March, and April. There are, however, among trees and shrubs some that do not vegetate the same year, and these should be left in the seed-bed 18 months or two years. The holly, clematis, and the Mount Cook lily (Ranunculus lyalli) are among those which are long in germinating. Seeds of the latter have been known to remain in the soil dormant for four years before germination took place. Where seeds are received from abroad some of them should be sown immediately, whatever season it may be, for sometimes they will grow when first received, and would not, if kept some months longer; but the general time of sowing should be early in spring so that the plant., may be strong before winter. Much of - the success of sowing depends on the quality of the seed and the state of the soil at the time of sowing. Small seeds should bo sown upon a surface made quite smooth and level, else a portion of it would be buried too deeply, and the remainder not deep enough. The smallest seeds of all should scarcely bo covered at all, but the air excluded from them, as well as the light—that is. till they germinate. This can be accomplished by covering the pots with a pane of glass, over which place a piece of brown paper. Small seeds, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, and the heath family, which take a long time to germinate, are kept close and damp by Covering with a thin layer of moss kept moist until the seeds germinate, when light and air are gradually admitted. Seed the size of a poppy should be covered with very fine mould to the thickness of about little more than the diameter of the seeds. This- last rule may be taken as a pretty good criterion "to go by in the case of all other seeds. With respect to watering seeds, much damage is often done by carelessness. When water is applied with too great force or through too coarse a rose, the seeds are liable to be washed up on the surface or floated into corners or heaps, and hence destroyed. When it is given in too great quantities, and the soil kent too long in a. wet state, the seeds are liable to rot, and when kept too dry they will not yogetate at all. After they do vegetate, being kept too wet for one day and too dry for another is equally fatal to them. The greatest uniformity in respect to moisture is absolutely necessary in getting up seeds of all kinds. Seeds of hardy annuals arc usually sown in patches in the flower borders where they are intended to flower, as many of them do not succeed when transplanted. Greater care ought to bo paid to their arrangement than is usually the case —we mean with regard to mixing judiciously and tastefully their colour forms and sizes, as well as positions—so that no part of the border be at any one time destitute of bloom. The seasons for sowing hardy annuals are August, September, and October for summer and autumnal blooming, and February. March, and April for early spring-flowering.