TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 940, 9 December 1933, Page 23 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

AMATEUR (Linwood) writes: As a reader of your garden notes in tile “ Star,” could you advise me liow to treat a Burbank plum tree? it is heavily laden with fruit, but this blight attacks it every year at this time. I have sprayed it with lime sulphur, one tablespoonful to one gallon of water, but with no good results. I am enclosing a sprig.— You have been using the wrong spray, although it would do good to the foliage. Your trouble is aphis, for which spray Black Leaf 40 or Vymo] as per directions on bottles. As the aphis are very thick spray twice at interval of a week. W.S. (Hornby) asks: (1) Should I prune back laterals of red currants to five inches now before the fruit is ripe (they are very crowded), or leave them till fruit is picked? (2) How far should 1 shorten back stems of roses when the flowers are withered?— (1) Do not summer prune till th'e fruit is off. (2) Cut back to a good plump prominent bud; this may he anything from four to fifteen or eighteen inches, depending on variety. M.R.W. (Opawa) asks: (1) What is the •best method of dealing with sorrel? (2) Will the caper shrub thrive in Xew Zealand, and, if so, is seed procurable? (3) Can nasturtium berries be used as a substitute l'or capers?

cure for sorrel. Sulphate of potash used as manure is said to weaken it, but actually cultivation, cropping and manuring is the only cure. (2) Yes, it is Capparis spinosa,, and is hardy in this district. (3) Yes. A.D. (Papanui) asks: Is caustic soda a weed destroyer; if so, what quantity per gallon of water (hot or cold), and method of application?—A strong solution of caustic soda, probably one pound to five gallons of water would be needed. I have never used it as a weed killer, so cannot say much about it. Hot brine, one pound to one gallon o,f water, and applied as near boiling as possible is a good weed killer, cheap, and easy. NATIVE FERNS (Springfield Road) asks: The best time of the year to transplant punga ferns. or other native ferns?—As soon in the autumn as the Soil is thoroughly moist; usually about March is the best month to transplant ferns. TULIP (Lyttelton) asks: Is it wise to leave tulip bulbs in the ground, and will you explain why so many tulips did not flower; I gave them wood ash but not manure?—lt is not wise to leave tulip bulbs in. the ground, they are best lifted every third year. Most likely they are in too dry a soil. A check to growth at any time will cause them to go blind.