GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17773, 8 October 1927, Page 13

GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY

RADII) GHOiVTH. favoured by genial weather, flowers oiul vegetables are now making rapid growth. The spring (lowers, arm lasting longer than usual this season, dull days and frequent showers being just, to their liking. There is a good .show of bloom in all well-kepi gardens. 'The weeds are making their appearance, and it is desirable that the hoc should be kept going to keep them down, and also for the purpose of letting the air into the soil. If the soil is frequentlv moved plant life will survive for ai surprisingly long period without rain. .Hoses are now throwing out vigorous shoots and promise to bloom well this year. 'The spring show held by the Timaru Floral and Horticultural Society last week A\as a delightful one. and indicated that there are a great many people in this district, who take pleasure in their gardens and knoiv how to grow flowers in the best 'wav. 'The entries were much larger than those of last Avar, and tliev came from a Avide area. 'Tin/ Society is deserving of the hearty support of the general public.

MAX URIXG. Too many gardeners seem to regard manures as universal “cure-alls’’ Avhich are sure: to lead to almost magical results Avhen applied. Feforc actually using manure of any kind it always pa vs to think over the following points : HoweA’er good the manure may be it Aviil never take the place of proper cultivation. The more thorough the culture the less should: be the need for manure. Do not go on applying manure without hearing in mind the fact that it nun- be largely wasted if the land is deficient in lime. As a rule lime should lie applied to the garden every three years. Unless a. plant- is really healthy it will not benefit by the application of :na nu re. Light, Avarmth. air and Avnter are more needful than ever Avhen a plant has been manured. Never let manure come directly in conin'i with the roots of a plant. ft is really harmful to cuttings to apolv manure. Give ihe manure on the principle of “a little and often.” as the roots can only absorb a certain amount at a. time. One cannot cram crops in the way that the poultry-keeper fattens up his birds.

OXIOXS. A great many peonlo have difficulty in growing onions. The ground should he rich, and Avorked up fine. The seeds art* slow in germinating: it, takes about three Avooks for the seedlings to push through, the ground. A surface sprinkling of Avood ashes and soot is a good preparation for sowing onions. Wood ashes supply potash and soot nitrogen; both are repellant to insect pests, ujid iniorove the texture: of the soil. When seeds are sown too deeply none yill come up : if very deep in damp soil the seeds would probably rot. But if only a little too deep all might germinal.'., but still none come up, simnly he a’iso they lake too long to reach the air. and. all the plant food in the seed'- being exhausted, the voung plants die of starvation. For these reasons the soil should be well dug some time in advance of sowing, lumps should be Avcll broken up, and the surface left level and fairlv firm. Before sowing frond ilio ground well down —large areas sail bo rolled, or a heavy slab of Avood drawn over it- After treading lightly, rake it : over; then make the drills Avith the corner of the rake. Brills made in this Avay are sure not to be too deep, and the soil being finned they Avill not sink further, nor ho washed ’down hv heavy rain. Covering the seeds can do done with a rake, but it is better done with the feet of the Avovkman. The way to do it is to obi' 1 " n foot on each sido of a drill, the heels close to the drill, and the feet spread out-ward. Advance, by short, nuiek steps, pushing the soil into the drills with the heel of the hoots. When nil the drills are filled, pass the rake vfrr lightlv over the plot in a. direction the reverse of the way the. drills run. This method ensures covering all the seeds to the right depth. 3.UNXER BEAXS. French and runner beans may he sown in warm, sheltered positions only. Where the position is exposed to the cold winds, or Avliere frost is likely to occur. the sowing of these should be delayed till the frosts have disappeared. Runner beans remain productive for throe or four years, consequently, special preparation should be afforded the ground. A trench from 2 to- 3 feet d<'cp and 2 feet wide should be dug and filled with rubbish, turf, and good soil, Avorking in some manure at the same time. The surface should he finished off Aviih some good fine soil to sow the ■coeds in. AHoav 2 feet hctAveen the plants. These beans grow very fall, and should therefore be planted at- the back of the hods or in. such a position that they will not keep the sun from other crops. As soon as the seedlings slunv through the soil supports should be provided': stakes 8 foot long driven 2 feet into the soil are the best, as the beans van twine round them to the ton. When tliev reach the top of the stakes it is nlvisable to pinch out the leads ns there is no advantage in atloAving them to grow taller or get out of reach.

Dr L. Cockayne, F.R.S.. in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Noav Zealand Institute of Horticulture, said: “It is impossible to overestimate the importance of horteullure to any nation, so intenvoven is it into the lives of the people. Consider lioav it concerns not only an essential and very large part of the food supply, but that from I.hc aesthetic standpoint it is pre-eminent. 'The gardener, both professional and amateur, is indispensable to our wellbeing. Nothing; is clearer) than the fact that the best horticultural education procurable should be provided for those proposing to take up horticulture as a profession.”-