GARDENING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 8

GARDENING NOTES.

By D. Tannock.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. Climbers growing- rapidly both in the warm greenhouse, and they require constant attention to prevent their getting into a tangled mass. They should not be allowed to twine round the wires. It is much easier to get them down for pruning and cleaning when they are tied. Thin out the shoots to prevent their becoming too dense and obstructing the admission of light to the plants on the stages below. Fuchsias make excellent climbers for the cool greenhouse. They are seen to better advantage when suspended above our heads, and they arc not readily attacked by blights. For tho warm house begonia, President Cai-not, is very effective, and the various kinds of ornamental tropical gourds are worth growing for their fruits. Smilax is both a useful and ornamental olimber for the greenhouse. It thrives when planted in a bed of rich soil and is better trained on thin strings than on wires, for then,when a spray is required for tablo decoration, the string can be cut down and easily pulled out.

Fuchsias raised from cuttings put in in the early spring are now well rooted and are ready to be potted up, the 6trong growers being put into five-inch pots and le weaker into four-inch size. A good soil mixture should be used, consisting of loam two parts, leafinould' one part, sand half a part, and & six-inch potful of bonemeal to tho barrowload of the mixture. Pot firmly and stand on the greenhouse bench where they can be sprayed regularly. Later on. when the roots have taken to the new soil, they can bo stood outside in a frame or 'sheltered place and encouraged to develop into nice specimens. They will winter in the small pots, and when potted safe in the spring will form good plants for bedding out or for greenhouse decoration.

Colcus thyrsoidos is a desirable blue flowering plant from Uganda, which blooms in winter and is suitable for the cool greenhouse. Cuttings should have been inserted about a month ago. They root quickly, and can now be potted up into four-inch pots and grown on as rapidly as possible in the warm house. Pinch out the tip of the stem to cause branching. Cinerarias, if sown when recommended, should now be ready to prick out into boxes or little pots. I prefer the boxes, prepared in the same way as for half-hardy annuals. The small plants will require a little shade (even under shaded glass) during bright sunshine. There is little need for fire heat even in the warm house. If the ventilators be closed early in the afternoon, enough sun heat will be bottled up to maintain a growing temperature until the morning. During- dull weather one fire in the afternoon will be necessary. THE FLOWER GARDEN. The first crop of roses is nearly over now, but the plants are making such satisfactory growth that there will not be a lomr interval before there is another crop. Many people are apt to neglect their roses at this season, and both green fly and mildew arc allowed to get full scopo

for development. Continuo to spray weekly for both pests and pay attention to the thinning of the buds. Though the second crop is seldom so large as the first, the colour is often better and, with proper attention, blooms can be obtained right on to next pruning season.

Ramblers aro coming on rapidly, and the wichurianas will soon be a mass of bloom. Among those out at present, American Pillar is easily first. It is as strong a grower as any rambler. Its foliage" is bright, green, and glossy, and it is not readily attacked by any blight. Its flowers aro a lovely shade of pink, with a white eye and brightyellow stamens, and they are produced in asundance. Another very satisfactory rambler is Jersey Beauty, which is a creamy or light yellow single rose with a sweet perfume, a free flowerer, and good grower. Alberic Barbier has such bright, glossy foliage that it is almost worth growing for this alone, but, in addition, it is covered with creamy yellow double flowers which last well. As ramblers flower best on young wood, they should be encouraged to throw up strong stems from tho base, and weak growers should get a good watering with liquid manure once a week. Thin out tho young growth to the number necessary to replace the old wood, and tie them up regularly to prevent "their being broken by strong winds. Tho best ramblers in their d ifferent colours are: White and cream —Jersey Beauty and Alberic Barbier; yellow — Shower of Gold and Claire Jacquer; pink— American Pillar, Dorothy Perkins, Dorothy Dennison, and Mrs F. W. Flight; redHiawatha and Excelsa.

Delphiniums are now in bloom, and wherever reasonable shelter can be provided they should bo grown, either in blue borders by themselves or in the mixed herbaceous border. They like , a good rich moist soil, and derive considerable benefit from applications of liquid manure during the growing season. They should be thinned out to about five stems to each plant to enable them to develop properly, for, unless they are well grown they lack colour and stateliness. They are easily raised from seed, but to maintain and improve the strain this should be selected from the best varieties, which had better be marked when in flower. Kelway and Perry both have some very fine varieties, but imported seed usually germinates so very badly that it is better to purchase a few plants to begin with and from these select the best and save your own seed. Oriental poppies are also very gorgeous at present, and they, too, can be had in a great many shades of red, pink, and white. They are easier to raise from seed than delphiniums, and f seedlings will flower the first year after seed-sowing. THE VEGETABLE GAKDEN. V Advantage should be taken of the present cool, moist weather to get the crops of broccoli, greens, winter cabbage, and savoys planted. They will lay hold of tiie new soil and become established in a very short time. They can also be planted among crops of potatoes which it is intended to dig early. If the potato haulms are too thick they can be tied back by fixing a few stout stakes along each side ol the drills and running a strand of binder twine or stout string along. When it is impossible to plant among the potatoes the young piants can bo lined out about two or three inches apart in good soil, where they will continue to grow until the potatoes are dug, when they can be lifted with a ball of soil and planted in their permanent positions with very little injury to the roots and very little check to the growth of the leaves. Unless the transplanting is carefully done, however, it is liable to induce premature formation of the curds, often called, buttoning, in the cauliflower and stunted growth in the cabbage and greens. The second lot of springsown cabbage and cauliflower will now be growing strongly. They can be earthed up by drawing the soil up under the leaves with the hoe, and applications of liquid manure will be beneficial. Keep the scuffle hoe going among growing crops to out off seedlings of weeds which have been induced to germinate by tho moist weather and to shut in all the moisture possible by creating a mulch of loose soil on the surface. Thin crops as they require attention, and continue to sow lettuce, mustard, and cress for salads. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "J. F.," Dunedin. —The branch of Aids Rover you sent is covered with what isoommonly called sooty blight. This is the result of attacks of aphis or green fly, which, if allowed to multiply, exudes a sticky substance that covers the leaves and stems, causing the dirt to adhere to them. Plants not fche<mseTves attacked with aphis, < if growing under or near trees or shrubs which are attacked badly, will become covered with the sooty substance. The remedy is to begin to spray early and continue until there is no aphis to be seen. This can be done either with kerosene emulsion or soapy water applied hot. .To remove this dirt first spray, with either of the two liquids just mentioned. When the foliage is still moist, hose or spray vigorously with clean warm water. This should shift the dirt. Roses are often very troublesome climbers against a wall, but if planted against a trellis or rustic fence, where the wind carl blow through them, they are easily kept clean. Tho sooty-looking dirt blocks up the breathing pores on the stems and leaves, keeps out sunlight from the green tissue, and therefore does considerable injurv. "0. K.," Mosgiel.—To cut away the foliage of daffodils when quite green is a mistake. If it is not desirable to leave it until ripened off, it would be better to lift the bulbs carefully after they flower and replant them in another part of the garden where they can complete the ripening process. Daffodils and tulips can be lifted when in flower and transplanted with little injury to the bulbs. We treat thousands in 'this way every year. We wait until the flowers wither and the tips of the leaves begin to turn brown. Then they are lifted, packed in boxes, carted back to the nursery, and lined in. They are now ripened right down and are read} for lifting. " Lovell's Flat." —Geraniums often throw up small trusses from the centre of tho original one. and too much shade would have a tendency to cause this. Geraniums can stand full sunshine, and do not require much water or feeding. It is quite an easy matter to pinch out tho abnormal truss. There aro kinds of broccoli which have this sprouting habit, and perhaps you obtained them by mistake. Nimmo's Posterity and Veitch's Autumn Giant are good varieties. Though your garden is comparatively new, it may be_ sour and in need of both draining and lime. The

land intended for winter greens should not be heavily manured, for the effect of this is to induce a rank soft growth which is liable to injury either by frosts or cold winds.

"Fruit, and Foliage" (Opoho).—I would not recommend you to try and hoat your greenhouse from the kitchen range. It would be difficult to regulate the temperature, for the pipes carrying hot water for household use would bo too hot for the green house. There is a small heater called the Maori Heater, which, I understand, is cheap, easy to fix, and economical to operate. You can pinch out the leader on your cherry tree to cause the development of the horizontal branches if you intend to train it in an espalier shape. Allow a distance of nine inches to a foot, between tha branches; all others can be pinched out. Your pear and plum trees can be summerpruned now to keep them in shape, but as they are growing strong do no 4 - remove too much wood. Pinch" back the side branches to about four or five leaves, and allow the main branches to continue their growth.