HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3280, 24 January 1917, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebbie. SUMMER PRUNING. The summer pruning of fruit trees should be done without fail every year. The value of this operation is as yet realised by only few cultivators of hardy plants. Trees bristling with fruit buds are a joy lo the enthusiast. By judicious summer pruning strong-growing apple and pear trees can be brought into a fruitful state in the course of two years., especially if root-pruning be done also in the autumn. The side shoot:must be cut off about 4-in from tho base. Leading shoots ought not be touched in the summer time. The result of the cutting back of other shoots will be to admit light and air to the buds and remaining poitions of those shoots. Fruit buds will plump up. and the winter pruning will mean the cut tins hard back of the remaining portions of the shortened shoots, and also the shortening of the leaders. If small., new growths appear at the end of the summerprui.ed shoots, these must be removed as soon as they arc large enough to handleROSE CULTLTiE. Roses that are let alone during summer will not prove glorious bloomers, and any autumn varieties among them will be especially unsatisfactory. It is necessary to give rose trees food and drink, protectthem from weather ravage's, and free them from insect posts, also sometimes cure them of diseases, if they are to yield plentiful and perfect flowers. Becati.se roses have been planted during autumn in wellmanured soil, it does not follow, as is often believed, that they can do without feeding when they are profusely producing buds and opening blooms. There are various kinds of artificial manures that do wonders when applied in October; but if this work has been neglected, we niusi fall back xipon other kinds that are suitable for use alternately until the cud of February or tho middle of March, as there are prolific rosedisplays dining April. A splendid liquid manure can be made with J,oz of litrate of soda dissolved in a gallon of water, which is so simple a concoction that, without bother, the most inexperienced can make up. More elaborate, but almost essential. is another made of J.oz of superphosphate of lime, ioz. sulphate of iron. £oz sulphate of ammonia, in two gallons of water. To use- these alternately—one. on Monday and one on Tuesday—will produce splendid results; or a reliable fertiliser will do as much service, perhaps, as the second of these manures prescribed if used at the rate of Aoz to one gallon of water. Liquid manure must never be applied to dry soil, as its action will be scorching and far too powerful. If rain enough has not fallen to saturate the earth, thoroughly, a canful of water sliDtdd be given to each rose. After the soil has dried up almost on the surface the liquid manure should be given, and will then go straight to the nourish-

ment ol the roots. Soot-water, in addition to the manures, helps the foliage to maintain a healthy green, and also sweetens the soil, ridding it of many insects. It will generally lie found that a line autumn ciop of roses is gained from trees that have been freely cut from during the summer. If the loses have been freely cut with long stems, as they look best in our vases, they will lie in a line healthy state for autumn, blooming. Some rose-lovers will not allow their flowers to bo gathered, but snip off only short-stemrncd dead blooms, and arc then surprised because there is no luxurious autumn harvest. Frequent hooings ol the soil arc neecsfiarv to keep it front being baked hard by the sun. As for watering roses, it is essential. Trees may live through spells of drought, but their productiveness is checked and their health ruined, and they become liable to many kinds of disease ana insect pests. Merely wetting the soil of a rose-bed does more harm than good; but twice a week at least thorough root-soak mgs should be given, and the liquid manures given afterwards. Growers of exhibition roses take care to limit the number of buds, and also of branches, because the nourishment thai will produce large. thiok-pctalled, fully double blooms will not suffice to feed innumerable quantities of stalks and leaves as well. THE TULIP TREE. The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is one of the most ornamental of the large, hardy, deciduous trees we have. In its native habitat it is found in moist bottoms and along rivers, where it attains a height of 120 ft 'to_ 150 ft, with a trunk of 3ft or more in diameter, 'i he leaves are of a peculiar shape, and are about s;n long by on wide, four-lobed, the lobes being arranged in two pairs on the sides of the leaf, while at first sight it looks is if another lobe was missing at the apex of the leaf. The autumn colour of the folirts-e is intense, golden yellow. The creamy-yellow flowers open in December and January in this part of the country. They are somewhat the size and shape of a tulip, irom which the tree has been given its common name. The bark, especially that on the larger roots, has n distinct odour, and a very bitter taste, and ha.s certain medicinal properties, and in its native country (North America) is used in the manufacture of beer for giving taste and smell. The tree is quite hardy, growing and flowering freely in several localities in Otago. PERENNIALS FROM SEED. Simplest methods of culture often succeed to perfection, an instance of which <d the ease with which quantities of herbaceous plants can be obtained from seeds sown during January and February out of doors. When failure has to be recorded, it is generally owing to a sour condition of the soil or the neglect that causes even the best soil to become bad. It is necessary to give water in times of drought. and to constantly use the hose, both to keep down weeds and to create a porous condition of the soil. This hoeing can be more safely performed when the seed nns been sown in drills, for the spaces in be tween can be kept clear of all vegetation without much trouble. The best position for seed-beds is a semi-shaded one at this season of the year; but an open piece .>{ ground can be used if the seed-bed is shaded with a piece of scrim. As soon as the seedlings are a- few inches high, shading can be dispensed with so long as ihe soil is kept cool and moist by a mulch of loam and leaf-mould, and constant evening waterings. Pansies and violas can be sown for a fine show early next summer, and in nearly all localities will be strong enough to plant in the beds and borders this April or May. Polyanthuses and hybrid primroses flourish from outdoor sowings if shaded while young, and if sown now will bloom next spring. Myosotis in all its varieties. Iceland poppies, aubretia, arebis, alyssum. daisies, and aquilegias sown now 7 will give plenty of blossom next year, without involving much labour. All the beautiful dianthuses, antirrhinums, sweet Williams, Brompton stocks, campanulas, foxgloves, and delphiniums may be similarly dealt with in perfect confidence of best results. Of course, seed-sowing in frames and greenhouses in summer is very certain work; yet there is often difficulty in finding uflieient space, and the appearance of the glasshouse at their floral season is sacrificed tor tlie sake of hardy seedlings that do not require protection.