THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 19434, 24 December 1924, Page 15

THE GARDEN

NOTES EOS THE AMATEUR

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Most gardens have a fowl-run attached, and the manure which accumulates should be considered as an asset. The droppings, if they are to be saved, must be kept dry. It is not always possible to do this, and if the manure cannot be kept dry the best method is to scatter it directly on the ground. It can be spread on vacant ground, ready for the next crop, or it can be thinly spread down between the rows of various crops. It should be remembered that fowl manure is very strong, and should not be allowed near to the stems or leaves of plants. If kept at least six inches away, and raked into the soil, there is no harm from it. A method of protecting young plants from slugs and snails is to saturate sawdust with phenyl or carbolic acid and place the dust around the plants. In some cases superphosphate sprinkled round the plants is effective and acts also as a good fertiliser. Sow rows of vegetables running north and south, so that the plants get the maximum amount of sunshine. Rather than have any vacant plots in the autumn simply hoe and rake the soil and then sow broadcast a few earlymaturing turnips. It will only be necessary to rake in the seeds lightly. The bed for pickling onions should not undergo the careful preparation that is necessary for other onions. In fact the soil should be rather poor and dry, for then the onions are small and firm. Dig the ground well, but make it firm again. The seed may be sown in drills or broadcast, and should be fairly thick. Thinning out is not necessary. The following letter, signed “W.H.5.,” which appeared in the Melbourne Argus recently will be read with interest: —Referring to a recent article in your columns concerning garden pea deterioration, if a little slaked lime is well worked into the soil just before the peas are sown it makes all the difference to the yield, and I fancy the germination of the seed, as few have ever missed with me when lime is applied. The pea is a great lover of lime, and it may be just passible that a continuous growing of them in limeless soils has had some deteriorating effect; but I speak merely from my own personal experience and experiment as an amateur only. Where birds, insects, and all pests are concerned, I have found that these give a very wide berth to the peas, till at least half-grown, if the peas are soaked in kerosene for an hour before sowing. When removed from the kerosene covering them they should be spread out in the air and left to d'y and sown straightaway. No harm is done to the peas, and nothing touches them, but the skin must not be allowed to soften enough to crack, which it will if left long soaking, and one hour gives them plenty of margin in this respect, while effectively saturating. The bright metalic hue of the green beetle renders it decidedly attractive, nevertheless its beauty should not blind one to the damage it does. In beetle form it preys upon the half-formed buds of roses, and if it does not actually destroy them, it so damages them that they are useless. Then the larvae which live in the soil for four or more years, feed upon the roots of the rose bushes as well as numerous other plants, causing much harm and loss. The grubs are not deeply buried, hence hoeing and forking afford a means of destruction. A good soil fumigant applied once or twice a year helps to keep the garden free from this pest. The usefulness of leeks during winter and spring should encourage its increased production and better cultivation. It usually happens that most growers fail to obtain the best results owing to neglect at the start. They are left in the drills when sown until it is convenient to place in permanent quarters. The result is that drawn weakly plants have to be used. It is far better to thin the seedlings, leaving them about three inches apart, and thus have nice sturdy plants for putting out. A better method is to thin early and pick out the thinnings into prepared beds of ordinary soil over several inches of leaf mould. This is productive of grand plants for putting in trenches, and is recommended where the finest leeks are desired. A correspondent dealing with the subject of treatment of heavy soil for flower and vegetable growing, writes: “I have come to the conclusion that it is best to have beds about six feet wide divided by paths that act as watercourses, the centre of the beds being raised about eight inches above the sides, as in Chinese gardens. Also that as far as possible only one variety of plant, or at any rate, those that mature together, and may be removed at the same season of the year, be planted in one bed. This avoids a lot of tramping on the soil and setting it hard. The beds are arranged to get a fall for the surplus water.” THE FLOWER GARDEN. Keep the quickly-growing stems of carnations secured to stakes or enclosed within bands of pliable wire. As soon as buds form, water the plants with soot water, or sprinkle a little ripe soot round the plants, work it into the soil, and then water. Dephiniums are making strong, rapid growth, and must be carefully tied to stakes. Each clump should have several stakes, so that the flowering stems may be spread out a little. The common alpine auriculas can be raised readily from seed in much the same way as polyanthus. Select a shady border, and mark out the bed, and make the surface very' fine, and then sow the seed. If the border is dry, give it a good soaking of water before sowing, and keep it nicely moistened afterwards. Cover the seed slightly, and then place a layer of moss over the surface until the young plants are nicely up. While there is still time (and space), some cosmos should be planted. Because they are so vigorous, none but the best kinds should be grown, such as the crested, the double, and the large-flowered singles. The yellow variety, Klondykt. may also be tried, though it is usually cut by frost before many flowers have appeared. As soon as the plants have reached a height of one foot, they should be securely staked, otherwise they may all be distroyed by the first strong wind. A very’ important point should be considered whilst rases are in bloom, particularly by those who anticipate planting beds or new kinds—namely’, to take notes of varieties that take their fancy or are good doers. It is all very well looking up catalogues, but growers, particularly beginners, will do well to see roses in bloom. They can then choose sorts to suit them, or make better selections. Any nurseryman or rose enthusiast would be only too pleased to show around and give advice in making a selection. Another point: Order early, or you may be disappointed in getting what you require. The rule in the nursery is first come first served. There are one or two things that I think would be of advantage to know when selecting roses as to soil and situation. For light sandy or gravelly soils light-col-oured roses should be chosen, or at least predominate, as dark shades on such soils never show their real richness of colour. Teas and hybrid are most suited for heavy or loamy soils with clay subsoil. Dark reds, and all dark shades, are seen to perfection on cool subsoils, which bring out that richaees of colour which is quite impossible on

hot or dry sandy soil. One must not run away with the idea that first-class roses cannot be grown on light soils. It is quite the reverse, providing a careful selection be made and the soil in which they are to grow is made sufficiently rich. Teas and hybrid teas for light soils, and hybrid perpetual and hybrid teas for cool, heavy ground; and, of course, the happy medium soils will grow most kinds. Beds planted with verbenas, Phlox Drummondi, petunias, and others of a spreading habit, are vastly improved if the young growths are pegged down. A piece of bent wire in the shape of a hairpin or small wooden pegs could be used. Mostly this type of bed becomes just a straggling mass before the summer is over, which will be obviated if the growth is spread out evenly, and all weakly or surplus shoots pinched out. A most excellent shrub for training on a warm wall is Cantua dependeus, sometimes known as the flower of the Incas, which will denote that it came from Peru. The correct name botanically, is C. buxifolia, but the preceding name is so much more appropriate that it should have been maintained. It is a semi-wood plant with grey-ish-green stems and leaves. The flowers are borne at the ends of the shoots, and on spurs on the older wood. They are long and tubular, and of a very bright red colour. The beautiful South African daisy, Gerbera Jamesonii, can scarcely be classed among the hardy perennials, for though in some gardens it grows like a weed, in others it is difficult to get it to grow at all. There is no doubt that it likes sheltered heat, and that it is impatient of cold, badlydrained soil. A light sandy soil containing plenty of humus seems to suit the plant best, and it seems to like to be towards the back of a border where it gets plenty of sun, but is sheltered by other plants, about two feet in height, growing in front of it. The best time to lift and divide big clumps is at the end of November. Plants lifted early in the spring do not come on so well as those lifted about this time. Large clumps may be cut into pieces with a sharp knife, and planted back into well-dug, sandy soil containing plenty of well-decayed manure, or well-decayed compost heap. I have known gerberas grow well in a sandy garden where a good quantity of seaweed had been buried. Water the plants in, and keep them shaded from the sun for a few days. Now that climbing roses are flowering they need constant attention. Owing to their sheltered position against walls and fences, rain does not always reach the roots, and watering must therefore be attended to. Greenfly (aphis), too, has more chance of obtaining a sure hold on the young growth of climbing roses than on those of bush roses that are fully exposed to wind and driving rain. Growth just now is so rapid that one must always be tieing in or nailing up young shoots. As flowers fade they should be removed with a few inches of stem "to encourage the frowth of fresh flower buds. The annual show conducted by the Dahlia Society of California, held during the recent autumn season at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, was considered to be the best show yet held by the society. Including both the amateur and professional exhibits, 300,000 dahlia blooms were shown, the number of varieties being estimated at 3000. A notable feature of the show was the large number of lady exhibitors. At the Nation Rose Society's great exhibition the new varieties were the great centre of interest. The gold medal winner, Mabel Lyn as, is a rose of outstanding merit. The bold well-shaped blooms are of a fine deep crimson, and possess in a marked degree the true old rose perfume. It was exhibited by Messrs S. Gredy and Sons of Portadowm Norman Lambert, exhibited by the same firm, was also awarded a similar honour. This is a bloom of a brilliant old gold, flushed with terra cotta colour and should go far as an exhibition rose. It is excellent in shape. Eva Eakins is a rose suitable for bedding. It is the most brilliant scarlet yet seen in a rose with the undersides of the petals a golden tint. Mrs Murray Allison, a new Hybrid Tea with flowers of large size and brilliant pink in colour, was given a silver medal. Los Angelos, Go vent Garden, and Goldren Emblem were the varieties used for the three baskets which won the first prize. Madame Butterfly was the variety seen on the majority of the prize winning tables in the decorated table class. Roselandia, a dainty yellow with bronze foliage, was used with splendid' effort in ■ a successful decorative scheme. DAV ABF MICHAELMAS DAISIES. We are so accustomed to see tall-grow-ing michaelmas dasies that it may be news to some readers to knew that there are a few quite dwarf-growing ones that feature them in their type of flower (states a writer in Popular Gardening). I rule out those small heath-like varieties to be found in catalogues under the sectional names of ericodies (heath-like) or vimineus, and the larger-flowered early ones that bloom in August, which are varieties of amellus. Those I am about to mention are much of a muchness with the popular tall ones, l save in their height, although two of | them have finely-cut foliage. One is the popular pale roey-flowered esther, which grows about 24ft high and forms a compact bush smothered with blooms. The flowers open about the third week in September and the succession lasts a long time. The pearl has a somewhat similar appearance, and with me grows a shade taller. It has very pale pink open-shaped flowers. There seems to be a doubt if Perry’s yellow michaelmas daisy ought to be called one or not. At the Holland Park Rink Show last year it was labelled with a long Latin name, Solidago manor* rieusifl. Never mind what it is called if, only you get the right plant, It is a little beauty-barely 2ft high, with hosts of small, smart-looking blooms of a delightful shade of soft yellow, which begin to open at the end of August or in the early part of September. It takes everyone’s eye in my garden. Bijou, raised by Mr Edwin Beckett, is only just beginning its life abroad. It is a true dwarf, not 2ft high, with well-propertioned flowers of a nice shade of pinky-mauve, set off by a distinct golden centre. With me it did not bloom until mid-October, but then I had my plants very late. Little Boy Blue is a production of our other famous raiser, Mr Ernest Ballard. It grows about the same height, and its flowers open about the same time as the lastnamed, but here the resemblance ceases, ! for the blooms of this variety are a deep I blue —purple and semi-double; that is, it has several rows of ray florets, which to the non-botanical person look like ordinary petals. It flowers in September. I must mention just one more, although it is not so dwarf as those already enumerated. Purple Emperor, a new comer, which has struck out for itself what I thought was hardly possible—a totally new colour. It is a beautiful rich red-purple. The flowers are large and semi-double, and quite numerous enough to make a good show. It is a relief from so many free flowerers.