THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 22296, 11 April 1934, Page 12

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK

(By

J. A. McPherson.)

The Greenhouse. It is just a little early to bring in bulbs for forcing, leave them outside under their cover of ashes for another month. Dull cloudy days during winter make the greenhouse very dark and not nearly light enough for good plant growth. Such being the case it will be necessary to remove heavy shading from the roof. Wash the material off on a bright day and should it be difficult to shift a little caustic soda sprayed on and allowed time to penetrate will help considerably. In glasshouses where the roof is fairly high it is of advantage to erect temporary shelves on which pots and boxes of seedlings can be placed high up in order to avoid their being unduly drawn. All Pelagoniums and Geraniums must be cut hard back and repotted firmly into fresh soil. For a few weeks be very careful with the watering otherwise there is a tendency for some of the plants to damp off. Cinerarias may be brought in from their frames and given plenty of light and a cool atmosphere. Warm conditions with these plants will quickly bring on attacks of red spider and these insects are difficult to kill once they have settled on the under sides of the foliage. Shift Schizanthus into five inch pots, giving them an open potting mixture and be sure they receive plenty of light. The Flower Garden. Now that Easter has passed we arc waiting for frosts to cut down bedding plants before clearing all beds and planting out those plants which will give the main display in the spring. When dealing with Ranunculus last week I forgot to mention a very importaint point, namely soaking the tubers overnight before planting. If soaked overnight they swell up to twice their size and it has the effect of bringing them into growth fully two weeks earlier, a most important point when growing these wonderful blooms in cold districts. Keep planting large batches of these plants along with quantities of Anemones for as already pointed out they are practically as cheap as annuals. This is the best time to thoroughly work any worn out garden soil. Trench or double dig it very deeplj' adding strawy manure to heavy soils and short manure to light sandy soils. To the top spit of soil may be added one ounce of blood and bone meal and one ounce of superphosphate to every square yard. If these two manures are pointed into the surface a few days before planting out is done they will give splendid results especially to Polyanthus, Wallflowers, Tulips, Ranunculus and Anemones. Go carefully through the rose beds and dig out all diseased and sickly looking plants, replacing them with the newer varieties. If this is done each year, the collection is always kept up to date. Carnations are best planted out into their permanent positions this month; good soil slightly on the heavy side; but kept open by quantities of beach sand will suit them very well. For cutting purposes there is nothing to equal that new strain called Chabaud. The colours are good, the flowers do not burst and as for quantity of bloom I have never seen a strain of Carnation to equal it. I counted the blooms on twenty plants the other day and the average was forty blooms per plant. Carnations are lime lovers and lime or old mortar rubble should be worked into the top soil just prior to planting. Hurry on with the work of planting all types of bulbs, the sooner they are in the ground the better. Spare bulbs of Narcissii can be planted out in grassland by the following method. Lift squares of turf at various intervals of a foot to eighteen inches apart, dig the underneath soil and into each square plant from six to eight good bulbs. Finish off by replacing the turf and tramping it back into position. If grassland is not available, the bulbs should not be wasted but sent to the nearest school or public reserves where they would be welcomed for the above purpose. Take cuttings of Pentstemons, Calceolarias, Violas and Pansies and insert them in a cool sandy frame. Tlie Vegetable Garden. Lift and store potatoes as soon as the haulms have died down. When storing keep out any diseased or blemished tubers, otherwise they may cause a rot to run through the whole crop. Where very small quantities are to be stored, see that the tubers are dry, place them in sacks or boxes and what is most important store them away from the light. Seed for next season should not be chosen from plants that have produced an abundance of small tubers for in all probability such a plant is attacked by a viris disease responsible for the non-production of large tubers of saleable size. It is safer to take seed tubers from plants with a good crop of large tubers even if it means keeping back fairly large ones. If you find that the crop is poor for no apparent reason, even after good cultivation and manuring, then it is best to discard the lot from a seed point of view and buy certified seed next season. You can never tell by looking at a tuber, however good it may appear, whether or not it will produce a good crop, the safest way is to rely on a good strain of Government certified seed. It is getting on the late side for sowing Peas and Beans to stand the winter. Silvei’ Beet may still be sown and will come in most useful in early spring. Lift and leave on the surface of the ground some good roots of Rhubarb. These will be required for forcing towards the end of this month. All dead leaves should be removed from both Rhubarb and Seakale beds and the beds given a light forking. This sweetens the surface soil before winter sets in. Continue to earth up Celery and Leeks as they grow. Lettuce may be planted out on warm sunny borders and if a few are required during winter they may be planted in frames fitted with handlights. On no account however must they be coddled, the frames are only to keep out frosts and very severe weather. Cut over Asparagus beds when the foliage has turned yellow and make sure that no seed falls to the ground. Raspberries require pruning as soon as possible by cutting out all wood that has fruited this season and tying up good young wood produced during summer. Spray the plants with arsenate of lead to prevent attacks of the cane borer. Strawberries must be planted out this month if fruit is to be expected this coming season. No good crop can be expected from plants set out in the spring for the plants have not had time to build up strong crowns before , flowering.

THE ART OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT To those who know the joy of planting and growing flowers will come the wish for a few hints on the art of arranging these colourful pieces of form and beauty. To use flowers or flowering branches in a correct yet conventional way is a simple art, yet one that gives us a wide scope for thought, to create colourful compositions that are composed of blooms and foliage used correctly both culturally and seasonally. The use and arrangement must comply with certain standards showing a fine sense of form, beauty, and fitness for the occasion. Three of the main essentials in the art of flower arrangement are simplicity, colour blending, and balance of arrangement. Centuries ago Asiatic countries always had characteristic types of flower arrangement. The Buddhist sects were among the first known to have a set type of arrangement. This originated from the desire to prolong the life of the flowers and branches brought to the priests, by worshippers, as offerings to the spirits. These were arranged in rather set, stiff, but balanced and symmetrical styles, with little regard to the natural grace of the subject used. This style was succeeded by an arrangement known as Central Flower Arrangement, and consisted of from three to five kinds of flowers and leaves, arranged in balanced clusters above a symmetrical branch. It sounds very much like a Christmas Tree effect, but it was a step forward in the art. The Japanese progressed rapidly in the art of flower arrangement, and by studying the natural habits of the plants used in their floral designs, gave us the basic ideas of simple, natural arrangement.

A fundamental principal of all flower arrangement is the suggestion of the growth of the plant from which the flowers come. In a bowl of Nasturtiums the decorations should cover the bowl, and extend over, probably nearly covering the container; whereas with Irises, oi - any other upright growing subject, the flowers and foliage would be above the bowl, the latter giving the suggestion of doing the duties of Mother Earth. With flowering or berried branches it is safer to select just those pieces that suggest the growth of the parent plant; and so we have in miniature a representation of the characteristic habits of the whole shrub from which the branches came. Every plant has some little habit all its own, and if we look for this, and use it in our conventions, we shall not go far astray. This gives us simplicity of arrangement. Balance of Arrangement. To obtain this it is necessary that the flower arrangement is in proper proportion to the bowl, etc. Usually the flowers or foliage are from one and a half to two and a half times the height of the container. Lighter flowers should be placed higher than large blooms, which suggest weight and need to be kept a little lower to avoid a top-heavy effect. Always have strong lines, which will carry the weightier blooms, at the base of the composition. Obtain your balance without having the blooms in symmetrical lines around or up and down your arrangement. When balancing a branch arrangement, keep the tip of the highest branch directly in line with the widest part of the base of the container. The other sprays may swing outwards, but must be so worked in as to return in a flowing line to the tallest spray. Always work upwards or outwards in flowing lines, otherwise your flower arrangements will lack rhythm. Flowers must be of all heights, otherwise the finished article will be out of balance, and the centre only an uninteresting arrangement of stems. Colour Blending. Tlie modern taste in colour is mostly for rich, bold colours, and for flower shows at least, it affords variety, and makes a welcome change from the all pale pinks and blues popular a few years ago. Now, however, when viewing a line of exhibits of various brilliant tones, it is a very pleasant break for the eye to rest on a modest exhibit in a pale even tone, which to a judge on one of our hot nor’west days must be a welcome change. The writer has often wondered why an exhibitor, when competing for a trophy, has not the courage to change her colour schemes on very hot days to cool shades; for even if the principles in the compositions are correct, the colour scheme, providing it blends or contrasts correctly, is the judge’s own taste and privilege. Why give the suggestion of heat when cool shades are preferable? When arranging a bowl or vase, it is safer for the novice to use one colour, or tones of one colour, as in the pink shades say pale salmon to deep salmon. The warmer shades of pink, such as the salmon, will mix with soft yellow. Rose tones with mauve, both having blue in their composition, but do not mix rose with salmon. Lemon and orange blend well, being in the one range of colour. Lemon goes well with blue, providing they are in the same depth of colour tone. Scarlet and light mauve mix well. Try Gerberas with Thalictrums. It is always safer in colour blending to let the lighter colour tone predominate. When choosing the receptacles to hold the flowers you wish to arrange, select those that fit into the colour scheme of the blooms. Your exhibit when finished should be one piece, not a bowl and flowers. If the decoration be for a dinner, its purpose is to add interest to the meal, and should be of simple form, not interfering with the service, nor restricting the vision of the guests.—Mrs E. L. King, in ‘‘The City Beautiful.” POTATO SCAB METHOD OF CONTROL. Several fungal diseases attack potato tubers. Common scab is caused by a very minute fungus, Actinomyces Scabies. The disease occurs all over the world and has been known ever since potatoes have been cultivated (says the Auckland Herald). The fungus is abundant in most soils, and occasionally attacks roots such as mangolds, beet, and turnips, although the damage done is rarely considerable. Potatoes may be attacked at any stage of growth, but not after they are ripe or in storage. Tlie scabby markings are often numerous, and may be congregated more densely at the stem end of the tuber. They do not extend deeply into the tissue, so that an infested tuber is quite edible, although its keeping quality is affected. The scab itself is a mass of corky tissue formed by the potato itself, stimulated by the fungus. The disease is easily confused with powdery scab, to which it is very similar in nature. In potatoes affected by common scab, the scabs are slightly raised above the surface of the tubers, which are never malformed. In powdery scab the scabs are more prominent, are powdery owing to the formation of abundant spores, have a regular circular form, and in some cases the

tubers are badly malformed. When sections of the scabs are cut the cork layer is seen, under the microscope, to be much more abundantly formed than in the case of common scab.

Common scab is favoured by soils which are sandy or gravelly and poor in humus. Its occurrence is rare on peaty soils, but is common in soils which are alkaline or well provided with lime. Although moisture in the soil is essential, excess of it does not favour the disease, which is therefore more plentiful in dry seasons. The fungus is also favoured by high soil temperatures. The most effective control method is the green-manuring of the soil before planting or the cultivation and digging in of mustard, lupins, or vetches. In addition it is important not to lime the soil, to use “clean” seed, and practise crop rotation. Flowers of sulphur and other materials are sometimes recommended for treating the soil, but the results are rarely satisfactory, and green manuring is much to be preferred. The effect of the latter is explained by an interesting theory'. Normally the scab feeds on vegetable remains in the soil, and it is when these are deficient that the scab fungus transfers its attention to the potato.