TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20221, 3 February 1934, Page 29 (Supplement)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

(Rugby Street) writes: (1) Can you tell me wliat is the cause of my green p-eas failing this year? They turned brown in the leaf and rotted at the root. I am told that the disease is very prevalent this year. Shall be obliged if you can suggest preventive or cure for next season’s crop. (2) Irises: .Should all or any iris bulbs be lifted annually?—(l) Yes, the trouble is very prevalent this season. It is most likely due to want of lime in the soil, for the root parasites that are so needful to this vegetable cannot exist and do their work in extracting nitrogen in the absence of lime. Of course, also the ground must bte deeply dug. Next winter dig in basic slag 101 b and Kainit 31b per 40 square yards, and you should get better results. A dressing of super or nitrate of soda can be added when the plants are young. (2) No, the general rules for bulbs apply, viz., that lifting every third year is sufficient to prevent overcrowding. J.A. (Cobden) writes: The enclosed specimens are from my tomato plants grown under glass. Could you kindly inform me what they are affected with, and the cure? The leaves with the deep purple spots have been like t/hat for a considerable time. Only the lower leaves are affected, and no harm is apparent on the fruit or plant. Is it a disease? The leaves in envelope are from weak plants, and have only gone that colour since applying liquid manure. Would nitrate of soda be better? The plants are grown in a fairly dry state, water having been given about every four weeks since planting. The manure used was super. Thanking you for past information.—Not a disease, but evidence of unhealth, probably too much manure and not enough water in the early stages. Evidently tlve plants are now doing better. Yes, nitrate would be much better, loz per square yard or per gallon, watered in. This would probably work wonders in both cases, but watering once a month Is not nearly enough. M.P. (Redcliffs) . writes:—Would you please inform me through your gardening column what treatment I

should give tomatoes attacked by disease as in the enclosed sample, or should I pull them out and burn them? They appeared perfectly healthy and had every sign of being a. good crop until a few days ago.— 1 am loth Lo advise pulling up the plants, as your specimen was so dried as to make it difficult to diagnose. It looks like mildew on the young foliage, in which case Bordeaux spray, loz per gallon water, would be effective. It Is not leaf blight, and may be caused by an overdose of manure or wrong treatment. Could you send in a whole plant in the fresh state? E.A.B. (Sumner) writes:—Will you please tell me if it is of any use spraying late peaches now, and if so what to use as a spray? My Wiggins peacli, which is .now ripe, is affected by a long, green caterpillar next the stone which is causing the fruit to fall, but I do not think the late ones are yet affected.—Too late now, as only an arsenate poison spray would be effective. This should be put on in December. As a rule, only the largest fruits tending to crack at the stalks allow the grub to enter. An earlier spray would put an end to the obnoxious visitor. IGNORANT (Westport) writes:—l always read your gardening page in the “ Star ” and get much good information from it, so I would like you to let me know about my question in next Saturday’s paper. I have one pumpkin plant and it Is starting to flower, but I do not know if the plant will bear or not. If I have to get pollen for it from another plant would you kindly let me know how to do so, and oblige?—lf you examine the flowers when more are out, you will notice the different structure of the male and female flowers, the latter having the infant pumpkin just behind the flower. When both are out together, insects usually perform the necessary crossing, which consists of taking pollen from the male flower head and brushing it around the fruiting stamens of the other. When doing this cut off the pollen flower on a fine day and strip off the outer yellow flowering petals.