GARDENING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

By D. Tannock. WORK FOR THE WEEK THE GREENHOUSE. The bright sunny weather enables us to maintain a sufficiently high temperature ■with a minimum of fire heat. Open the ventilators both top and bottom in the morning-, provided there is not a cold wind blowing, but close up early in the afternoon to shut in the sun heat. Damping the paths and benches will bo required both morning and evening to maintain a moist atmosphero for newly-potted plants and young seedlings. Continue to prick out seedlings of stocks, asters, nemesia, and other half-hardy annuals; shado them from strong sunshine until they are established in their new quarters; tbtn expose to full light and give plenty of ai>. When well grown they will requiro to be placed out in a cold frame, the lights being kept closed at nights and shade provided for the first week. After that the lights can bo opened, and in ... >.ie entirely removed exoept during cold and windy weather. Sohizanthus aro growing fast, and they

should be shifted round to ensure even- development, and tied up to stakes. Chrysanthemums are now out in th< frame. They require a little shade during the middle of the day when the sun is bright, but during dull weather the sashes can be removed altogether, and at night they should be left a little bit open. _ The aim should be to obtain short-jointed, sturdy growth, clean and free from disease. FLOWER GARDEN. Continue to dig and fork all borders, scuffle-hoe wherever possible to break up the surface which has become caked after the heavy rain; keep all grass edgings cut and everything tidy for the spring display. Grass seedl can be sown now, and old lawns patched and top-dressed. Before a lawn is sown down the soil should be broken up, the same as for sowing vegetables, with a fork or hook; if it is very loose, roll or tramp, and rake off! all stones and rubbish, leaving the surface smooth and level. Mixed law;i grass seed _ can be obtained from tie see'dsmen. It is quite reliable and. is composed of various grasses suit-able for forming a smooth, even sward. Sow evenly on a calm day, allowing lib of seed to every 30 square yards, rake in or cover with a brushwood harrow, and if the area is not too great spread branches over it to protect tho seed from the birds, conserve moisture, and protect the young grass plants from the cold winds. If the soil is poor give a dressing of bone meal at the rate recommended in last week's notes, and later on after the seeds germinate apply sulphate of ammonia, also at the rate already recommended. It is not advisable to roll the lawn_ after sowing until the grass is well up, since the rough surface affords some protection to the young grass plants, and also assists in retaining moisture.

Patches eaten out with the grass grub can bo Vaked over, some fresh soil and bone meal applied, and seed sown. Gladioli can be planted now. Though they are favourites with many, they are not very valuable for either garden decoration or cutting for the house. Sitill, when grouped in bold masses in the herbaceous border or planted in large beds with a suitable carpeting plant, they are attractive. They can be planted a foot to 18 inches apart (which will allow room for a carpet of Phlox Drummondi, verbenas, mignonette, or Gypsophila elegans), and three or four inches deep. Sweet peas "will now be out in the fnuno hardening off, and will soon bo ready for planting. When large flowers on long stalks are required, the place where they are to grow should have been prepared during the winter by taking out a trench at least three feet icep, and filling; it in again with alternate layers of soil manure, each layer being tramped as it is added to make it firm. A dusting of lime and basic slag can also be added to each layer of soil, and when the surface is being forked over in preparation for planting work in a dusting of superphosphate. For ordinary garden decoration less thorough preparation will do. A trench 18 inches deep is filled with stable manure, then trampled to make it firm. The soil is returned, and a dusting of superphosphate or bone meal worked into the surface before planting. Plant firmly at from 12 to 18 inches apart, and provide some light twiggy branches, both *»r shelter and support.

Slugs are very fond of young sweet-pea oliage, and as a protection against this enemy dust along both, sides of the rows with fresh slacked lime. As rain renders the lime useless it has to be applied after every shower. VEGETABLE GARDEN. Make preparations for sowing the main crops of parsnips, carrots, beetroot, and Golden Ball turnips. Cabbage and cauliflower can be planted as plants become available. Those raised in heat this spring will not yet be quite ready for planting, but should be sufficiently hardened off in another fortnight. Early cabbage and cauliflower are planted in rows, two feet between the rows and 18 inches between the plants in the rows. Set the line and draw a drill about three or four inches deep, and put out the plants in the bottom of the drills. This provides considerable shelter, makes watering easy, and later on the soil can be worked in to steady the plants. It is also a good idea to shelter newly-planted cabbage and cauliflower with pieces of manuka scrub or other branches, and when these are removed stretch black cotton along each side to frighten away sparrows. Parsnips require a long period of growth to get large, mild flavoured roots free from fibre. The larger they are the better. Fresh manure should not be dug into land for parsnips or other root crops. It has a tendency to cause forking and the development of side roots. To get good specimens rb is better to hole for them. Draw shallow drills two feet apart, and in these make holes with a crowbar two feet six inches to three feet deep, four inches wide at the top and tapering to the bottom. The holes will bo from 12 to 15 inches apart in the rows. Make up a mixture of old potting soil and bone meal, two six-inch potfuls of manure to a barrowful of the soil, or if potting soil is not available make up a mixture of good loam two parts, leaf mould one part, sand one part, and the usual quantity of bono meal, Fill 'the holes with this prepared soil, making it fairly firm, and on the top of each sow a few "parsnip seeds, cover lightly, and firm as usual. When the plants aro largo enough to handle, thin out to two in each hole, and later remove the least satisfactory plant, leaving one to fill the hole with its root. This method is essential in heavy clay soils, and is well worth adopting in any garden. Parsnips rank high ais an article" of food, coming next lo potatoes. Parsley can be sown now. It makes a nice useful edging for a path and is always appreciated. Sow in a shallow drill and when Ihe plants are large enough to handle thin out to four or six inches apart. GARDEN COMPETITIONS. The Amenities and Town Planning Society has again arranged a number of competitions for various kinds of gardens. Those entering for the October competition should now be getting their _ gardens in order, and should send in their entries to Mr J. I>. Salmond, National Bank Chambers, Princes street. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " J.J.D." —Tobacco can be grown quite satisfactorily in and round Dunedin. The -.eed should be 60wn in boxes in a gentlo heat and treated isimilar to ordinary half hardy bedding plants, the seedlings being

pricked out in boxes and hardened off in preparation for planting about the end of October. The soil should not be too rich, but a dressing of bone meal and wood ashes is beneficial. Plant in rows two feet apart and allow 18 inches or two feet between the plants in the rows. Cultivateregularly and keep down weeds, and when the flower buds appear tho plants are topped. Topping causes a development of the side shoots and these have to be removed from time to time. When the leaves become brittle and the tissue swells up between the veins the plants aro ready to cut. Cutting should be done on a dry sunny day and the plants left on the ground to wilt. They are then hung in a shed to dry, which will take some time. When dry the leaves are brittle, and should be stripped from the stems on a wet day, made up in bundles of 20 leaves, and packed in a hoap to ferment. When a mild heat is developed pull the heap to pieces and repack, placing the outside bundles on tho inside. It is quite possible to grow and manufacture tobacco of a fair quality on a small scale, and easy to make an article suitable for the preparation of insecticides. " A.H." —Pot up Lilium auratumis in good Boil, but do not fill tho pot more than three parts full, thus leaving room for top dressings later on. . Stand in a cold frame and afterwards in the open until the buds have developed, when they can be brought indoors. Drain pipes are not as satisfactory for blanching celery as paper collars and soil. " A.M.G." (Lovells Flat). —Quinces are easy to grow and do not require any pruning beyond keeping tho centre of the tree open and removing all branches which cross. The apricots should bo allowed to fruit, and if of a poor variety they can be budded or grafted. PORT CHALMERS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Port Chalmers Horticultural Society held their annual spring show in the Garrison Hall at Port Chalmers on Friday afternoon and evening. The attendance was good, especially during the evening, when the hall was well filled. From the exhibition point of view the show was a most successful function. The number of entries received was generally well up to that of past shows, the only exception being in the children's section, which was not nearly so well supported as it usually is. The quality of the exhibitions was of a uniform standard of excellence throughout the show. The daffodils were, of course, the feature of tho show, and a very fine collection was on exhibition. The flowers showed evidence of having been carefully and well grown, their size, length of stem, and olean colouring being very prominent. Tho seedlings of the King _ Alfred variety were the most conspicuous hi this class. Mr G. Brownlie's collection was a noteworthy one, being comprised of the following varieties:— Parata, Aftermath, King Alfred, Seagull, Mona, Dante, Mermaid, Gloria Mimdi, Duke of Bedford, Bernardino, and Incognita. This collection was certainly not surpassed by any other. The pot plants were not numerous, but the lachenalias were, as is usually tho case at' Port Chalmers, a very fine exhibition of their kind. Among the cut flowers, other than narcissi, Mr Fountain's collection of polyanthus was conspicuous, and there were also large and good collections of violets and primroses. There was keen competition between exhibitors of hyacinths, and the large bowls of nicely arranged wallflowers were a fragrant feature of the show. The exhibition of vegetables, which has come to be a recognised feature of Port Chalmers shows, included somo splendid specimens of broccoli, a fow tempting stalks of rhubarb, and a dish of new potatoes—quite the earliest of the season. The entries in the children'6 section wore not nearly as numerous as usual, but there was keen competition in violets, primroses, and gentlemen's buttonholes. The largo bowls of wallflower were just as good and as nicely arranged as those in the open class. The exhibitions of decorative work included a fine epergne of narcissi, floral hats decorated by ladies, baskets, and buttonholes. Tho tea rooms, which were provided by the ladies of the Women's Patriotic Association, were widely patronised ,andi a substantial sum was obtained for the fund for providing soldiers' comforts. CO-OPERATIVE FRUIT-GROWING. CONFERENCE AT ALEXANDRA. Representative growers from practically tho whole of the fruitgrowing areas of Otago met at Alexandra on tho Bth to disouss tho prospectus and regulations of tho proposed co-operative association, which it is intended shall handle the whole of the product of the orchards of Otago. Mr D. S. Smart (chairman of the Central Otago Association) presided, and there were

also present Messrs Bennetts, Waigth. Michelle, Gilmour, and Kinaston (Teviot), Webb, Moody, and do Bettencor (Upper Clutha), Ashworth Bringans, Wing, Dunr combe, Annan, Stevens, Davidson, and Bodkin (Central Otago). The conference, which lasted all day, was marked by a hearty unanimity of purpose among the members, all of whom displayed the spirit of being prepared to sink any differences of opinion in the desire to further tho causo for which they had met.