GARDENING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

3y D. Tannock. WORK FOR THE WEEK. THE GKEENHOUSE. The greenhouse is still gay with cinerarias, primulas, cyclamen, and freesias, and, with care in watering and ventilating, they will continuo in good form for some weeks yet. They should not get any feeding now, and just siifficient water for their needs. As seeds of primulas and cyclamen aro hard to get, and aro always expensive, I would recommend anyone with a good strain to save their own seed; it is fresher than imported seed by six months, it gorminatcs better, and the plants- are stronger and healthier. Our practice is to select two plants of each variety and place them in a dry, airy position in one of the propagating houses. When the pollen is ripe we tako a small brush and transfer it from the stamens of one plant to the stigmas of another, taking care to place pollen from ono crimson plant on to another crimson fdant. from one pink to another pink, and rom ono white to another white, so that we get the seedlings to come true to colour. If wo mixed up the pollen of different varieties wo would get a mixture, but would nave a difficulty in getting the right proportion of. each kind. Plants for seedraising are kept rather dry, and never fed with liquid manure. After fertilisation the Beed capsules swell up, but the seeds take • long time to develop, and whenever they change colour they are picked off and placed in paper bags to complete ripening.

FLOWER GARDEN. Now that tho roses are pruned and tho beds and borders forked, it is possible to tidy up the garden, mow the grass, and get things in order for the spring display. If tho grass has not been mown regularly during the winter it will be too long and thick for the mowar, and had better be out with the scythe. It is good practice to allow the grass to get a bit of growth on in the spring, then to mow it right down with the scythe; you can cut it closer with the scythe than the mower, particularly if the machine is a light one. After mowing dig out all daisies and other weeds,_ and give the lawn a top-dressing of fine soil, which shotild bo raked in, but if good soil is not available give a dressing of bone meal and sulphate of ammonia at the rate of 251 b bone meal and 51b of sulphate of ammonia to one-tenth of an acre. After applying tho top-dressing roll well before mowing, and continue the rolling at intervals throughout the summer. SPECIAL HERBACEOUS BORDERS. Some of the herbaceous perennials are bettor grown in borders by themselves, as they can then receive special treatment and a special position. Delphiniums make a splendid feature, cither in a border by themselves or in bold groups at the back of the mixed border. They can be raised from seed, and come fairly true to name, but it is moro satisfactory to start with a collection of named varieties. Tho delphinium border should be in a sheltered position; the soil is better trenched at least two feet deep and well manured; preparation similar to a rose border will do. The plants can be placed three feet apart each way, which will allow of room for a carpet of tho dwarf kinds, either Dwarf Queen of Blues, or tho annual kinds, and also room for some clumps of tulips for spring floworing. Slugs are very fond of the young delphinium shoots, and sometimes eat the centres out of them Dusting round the plants with freshly-slacked lime or soot, watering with lime water, or placing a layer of sharp cinders round the crowns is recommended When the shoots are four or five inches long they should bo reduced to five on each plant, and a temporary stake provided, since they are very soft, and easily broken over with the wind. Later on, a 'rail, strong stake will bo necessary, and regular tying should be attended to as tho stems develop. A malchine of well-decayed manure in the spring and applications of liquid manure while the spikes are developing is an advantage on established borders. To produce blue borders other plants for associating with the rielphiniums are Salvia patens, Anchusa italica Dropmore variety, Aconitum Napellus, Aquilegia glandulosa and A. ccerulea, Entrlish iris, Linum perenne, Lupinus polyphyllus, Polcmonvum ooeruleum Scabiosa oaucasiea Tradeecantia virginica, Veronica tpicata, Lobelia, Agerattim mexicanum, Brachycome foeridaefolia, Centaures oyanus, Commelinia coelestis, Nemesis, versicolor, Nemophila insignia, Nigelia Speeularla speculum, and Whitlavia grandiAll the nlarits are quite hardy, and could be got together with little trouble or rxponse.

Perennial asters or Michaelmas daisies are better grown in a bed or border by themselves, and to get them to do well they have to be lifted every year Now is the time to lift them. Tho border requires to

be deeply dug and liberally manured, and a little piece of the outside of the clump should bo planted back. When growth commences the shoots are better reduced to five on each plant, and these receive the support of a little stake at fiist,_ but, as growth develops each stem is provided with a separate stake, and these are sloped outwards to allow the side branches to develop. During dry weather they require a good watering, and a mulching with cow manure or regular applications of liquid manure. Good varieties are Beauty of Colwell William Marshall, Cottage Maid, Mrs S. T. Wright, Hon. Edith Gi'bbs, Ideal, King Edward VIT, Albatross, and Brilliant. Border chrysanthemums are very satisfactory for autumn and early winter blooming, and when planted where they do not get the cold south-west winds they last a long time. For winter use they are better planted in a special border, where they can be covered with calico to keep them dry and also to protect them from hard frosts. The best method is to lift a few roots of each variety, place them close together in boxes, winter them in a frame, and propagate them by means of cuttings. This is the method to adopt to get the best results, but very satisfactory blooms can be got, both for cutting and garden decoration, bv merely dividing up the old plants; any piece with a few roots and one or more stems will do. If the stems are long they can ho cut back to a few inches from the ground now. and they should again be cut over or pinched back about the end of December. They are not quite such greedy plants as Michaelmas daisies, but as we grow antirrhinums amonsr them, for the summer display, the border should be manured and deeply duo: before replanting. Varieties suitable for garden decoration aro George Wermeg, Aphroid, Goacher's Crimson, Marie Massie, Madam C. Dosgrange, President Nonin, Soleil d'October, and its bronze variety. Several of the singles are also quite satisfactory in the flower garden. Perennial phloxes are also 'well worth growing in a special border. They like a cool moist position, but do not need to be lifted every year, like the Michaelmas daisies and the border chrysanthemums. They liko a mulch of well-decayed manure in spring and plenty of water or weak liquid manure in dry weather. Cuttings taken off in the spring root readily and form nice plants for planting out the following autumn. Herbaceous paeonies aro also better in beds or borders, where there is room available. They require a very liberal mulching of stablo manure, and, when established, liko to be left alone. VEGETABLE GARDEN 1 . Continue to get the soil in order for the planting of cabbage and cauliflower and for further sowings of seeds. Where soil was dug over during the winter and left exposed to the weather it will bo battered down and caked with the heavy rains we had latelv. Before planting or sowing anvthing it should be forked or loosened up with the hoe to admit air and assist drying. Celery is a most useful vegetable for the winter. Every part of it can be used, and is valued ns a winter salad, for stewing, for flavouring soups, and as a remedy for rheumatism. It requires a long growing season, and its development should be steady and without check from the time the B«}ds germinate until it is fully grown. Seeds of an early white self-blanching kind should bo sown now in a gentlo heat, and the

main crop varieties can vq sown about the .nd of this month. As soon as the seedlings arc largo enough they are pricked out nto boxes, but, instead of the usual crock .ng mixture in the bottoms of the boxes, t is better to put a layer of well-decayed manure at least two inches thick. If _ the plants have not to be carried far it is a good idea to make up a gentle hotbed in a frame, spread two inches of soil on top ol the manure, and prick out the plants in it. (Jelery plants are greedy both for water and manure, and it is hardly possible to give them too much of either. To enable the plants to be lifted with a good bail when planting out,' give them more room either in the boxes or frame than ordinary annuals. When well grown gradually harden off, and plant out in November or early in December. Soil for celery should be moist and rich. The usual way is to plant it in trenches 18 inches wide and 18 inches deep. The soil is banked up on each side, a layer of at least one foot thick of good manure being placed .in the bottom of the trench and dug in. Before transplanting the plants from the boxes to the trench give them a good watering; plant two rows in the trench, allowing a distance of ten inches between the plants in the rows. Water well after planting, and shade for a week if the weather is very hot. The summer treatment consists of keeping the soil free from weeds by frequent hoeings, watering during dry weather, and giving an application of liquid manure once a week. Blanching is done by excluding the light from the leaf stalks, and this can bo accomplished either by wrapping them round with brown paper or earthing them up. A combination ol the two methods is the most satisfactory When the plants are wrapped round with paper the soil is kept out of the centres and earthing up makes the leaf stalks firm and crisp. Before earthing up, remove all suckers and short leaves, tie up the plants with soft string, place a paper collar round each, and, to destroy slugs, dust between the plants with soot or.lime. Three earthings are usually given, the first two being merely top-dressings of from three to five inches, and the final earthing up is given after growth is completed in the autumn. For early uso plant Henderson's White Plume, and for the main crop Colo's Superb Red.