THE COTTAGE GARDEN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144130, 27 June 1913, Page 5

THE COTTAGE GARDEN.

HORTICULTURAL NOTES—No. VII. (By Adscriptus Glohae.) No doubt some of tho readers of this column have a portion of their open space given over to a lawn or desire to have a lawn and scarcely know how to go about it. The following might prove Helpful. In making your lawn one of tho conditions is good soil. If you use farm or stable manure dig it in at least one month before you sow the seed. Artificial manure is raked in a week or two before tho seed is sown. This gives it a chance of losing its fire, which most artificials possess to a greater or lesser extent. Do not use artificial manure as a top dressing in the early stages of the growth of tho grass. Last year’s sward may receive great benefit 'from a ton-dressing in wet weather of basic slag, guano or sulphate of ammonia. 't ho rake and roller must bo freely used, so that when you tread on the newly sown ground your boot will scarcely leave an impression. Your lawn will be patchy if the soil is' loose. In sewing lawn grass seed deal it out with a generous hand. If yon do not it will be unsatisfactory and will probably cause delay by having to resow the whole plot. Tile quantity to 30 square yards is half-a-gnllon of seed. Sowing time should he early autumn or about tbo end of August. When you havo found yOur levels—which may bo done by placing pegs at intervals round the boundaries and over the plot and then adjusting them by means of a, long batten and a spirit, level—and the plot is ready for seed sowing, sow half the quantity travelling from east to west and the balance as you travel from north to south. This ensures oven distribution. Rako tho seed in and roll several times up and down and then across. Birds will then be your difficulty. lam almost at a loss what to recommend. They are so used lo'the old-fashioned scarecrow that they are prepared to build their nests on it. I have tried feathers in potatoes and allowed them to swing in the breeze so that they may look like a miniature vulture or something of that sort. Bright pieces of tin and broken pieces of mirror .suspended by string, so that in revolving they reflect the sun, havo been successful in scaring the feathered tribe. It is recommended that the grass should be. cut once or twice with a scythe before the lawn mower is brought into use. To keep your lawn in good order it is necessary to top dress the plot each spring. A good artificial mixture consists of two parts superphosphate of lime, one part guano, one part sulphate of ammonia, and two parts bonemenl. Stir this up well so that the parts may he well mixed. ■ Now that blooms arc, scarce attention is centred on pot plants arid palms. I have referred to palms in a previous article, but a more extended reference will no doubt he acceptable to, those who havo palms and yet are ignorant as to how-they should be dealt with. AVhcii you lose your palrii tho fault is more likely to lie with you than with the plant. It tho foliage is turning yellow you can safely conclude that the roots are diseased, and this is due to the. sour condition of the soil.- A'ou must have pood drainage, because the palms do not get the benefit of tho sun’s rays which would keep tho soil sweet. Palms do not grow in water, and if yon put your pot in a jardiniere and never remove the water that filters out of the pot you are slowly but surely drowning your plant. In watering wait till the surface of the soil has a dry look about it, and then plunge your pot in a bucket of tepid water and leave there till tho air hubbies cease to rise, and then you can leave it til! tho dry surface appears again. Give your palms as much Might as possible. They do not'need the sun, they like partial shade with plenty of light. Light means health, and no plant can exist without it. When not called into use for decorative purposes give your palms a holiday in tho bushhouse or on a shaded verandah. Don’t trouble about re-potling your palm while it is going along all right. In rc-potting disturb the roots as little,.as possible. They do not require largo pots, so in rc-potting it is only neorasary to shift from one size pot to the next size. Put them out when a warm rain comes on or spray them occasionally. Sponge your plants, now and again with warm soap water and a very small quantity of kerosene added. This will clean tho leaves and destroy posts. The Rex Begonia is another beautiful foliage plant. These must bo potted or rc-pottcd in tho spring. They make their best growth early in the summer. Give them good sized pots, as all plants needed for foliage require plenty of root room. Put plenty of broken 'crockery in tho pot, so that tho drainage will he perfect. If the soil is sour the plant will soon lose its leaves. If soil is not allowed to get too dry nor kept too wet the loaves will remain on the plant all the winter and present a good appearance. To get rid of the dust that accumulates on tho leaves you will need to use a small sponge and "warm water. Keep the plant away from the window until it is dry. They do just as well without sun as with it. TTie new chum generally gives them' too much sun, which causes the loaves to turn yellow. Remove ail buds from the plants,' as the bloom is insignificant and only weakens the begonia for the next season. They like leaf-mould and sand. If that is not obtainable give them rotted sods with sand. From now on pansies will he producing bloom, and you will notice that the best' blooms are produced before the heat of summer comes on. They produce tho finest flowers in a rioli loamy soil and a cool moist climate. They will do well in light soils in the cool weather, as at that period of the year there is plenty of moisture in which' the pansy revels. In order to havo a long period of bloom tho flowers should be cut off as they wilt.. If allowed to produce seed the pansy soon loses its vitality. Tlie old branches that have bloomed well should bo cut off and fresh growth will start out. Do this before ■ the flowers get __too small, and in a short time you will get another fine crop of bloom. Bath’s Empress is about the best selection.