SWEET SCENTED PLANTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20274, 7 April 1934, Page 28 (Supplement)

SWEET SCENTED PLANTS.

FILL CORNERS WITH FRAGRANCE That fragrance is a« much esteemed nr. beauty of colour in the garden is obvious enough. Who wouTd dream of omitting such delightful scented subjects as mignonette, lavender, or even violets from the garden? A real garden must appeal to the sense of smell as well as to sight. Some permanent shrubs or herbaceous plants,' if they are not particularly attractive to look upon, may yet serve the purpose of a screen or boundary, and give forth abundant scent. Box, for example, gives a very marked and pleasing fragrance, whether used as a dwarf edging to the borders or in large, naturally-grown bushes in the shrubbery. Sweet Bay also may take its place in the shrubbery for the same purpose. The chief value of herbs is undoubtedly the grateful appeal they make to the sense of smell. Lavender, thyme, marjoram and balm may even, if not specially cultivated, be used to fill an odd corner solely for the purpose of adding fragrance to the place, while a special selection of plants, in which scent is a feature, may add much to the, attractiveness ,of the beds and borders. Roses, lilies and stocks arc, at the same time, gorgeously coloured and fragrant, though some, of course, are sweeter than others. The old .Damask and Provence rcses are particularly richly scented, but tlie % sceut of many of the newer' varieties seems to have been sacriflceed to beautyf of form. The same applies to sweet peas, and carnations. The Clove carnation isi a very old favourite on account of itsj fragrance, and few gardens are without! pinks. Tobacco plants, uight-scentedj stock, and evening primroses are ureJ eminent lor their evening fragrance though there are many other things which do not lose their fragrance aftei nightfall. Sweet brier is one of these and few things make a more romantk appeal to the senses. Lily of tho Vallej 'is' esteemed for its perfume, 'but few remember to plaint its near relative, the Solomon’s seal, which has a delightfu almond scent. Of climbing plants, the white jasmine, honeysuckle, and some species of clematis, are powerfully and agreeably scented, and when these are planted against the house wall, lead the charm of the garden into the house. One ought not to forget, though they need no more than a mention, the wallflower/ and the exotic and heavy perfuine of heliotrope or cherry-pie, one plant oi which will make a house a perfect bath of perfume. At one time the musk surpassed all for fragrance, but this has quite disappeared, and a fortune awaits its reproduction.

CROPS AND POULTRY MANURE. Poultry droppings are richly nitrogenous, but peas and beans are naturally adapted to gather their own nitrogen and an excess of this for them is harm-

ful. Poultry droppings are best mjxed with dry soil or sand and applied as a thin soil topdressing to crops in growth. To dig in the dropping while the ground is vacant is wasteful: FOR BENDING WOOD. For a variety of jobs about the farm it may be necessary at some time to bend a stout piece of wood, and here is a good way to do it: Secure an Iron pipe slightly larger than the stick and into one end ram a wooden plug so that the pipe will hold water. Slant the pipe in a forked stick which has been driven into the ground and fi’' with water. Push in the stick. FILL

Start a fire going underneath about the middle of the pipe and keep the water boiling for a time, making sure that the pipe does not become dry. Eventually the wood of the stick will have been rendered so soft that it is easily bent in any desired direction without fear of breakage. FEEEBIA3. . It is wise to allow freeeias plenty of time for growth until the flowers are needed. It is a mistake to pot the corms late and then try to make up for lo3t time by forcing. Heat is not required at any time except to keep out frost and to open out the flowers. The best compost yellow loam full of fibre, two parts, with one-third part of rotted manure, well sprinkled with bonemeal. Use this soil nicely moistened when potting. Such can be made firm without becoming pervious to moisture. Beware of shallow potting, which tends to drooping foliage and flower stems. The latter are so slender that substantial basal support is necessary, and even stakes cannot prevent weak stems from falling over the sides of tho pot. Make sure that a,t least 2in depth of soil covers the corms. Stand the pots out of doors in a sheltered position; shade the soil until the growth shows above it, and be sparing with water. At the first suspicion of frost the pots must be taken into the greenhouse and the lightest position given to them. If a heated structure is available, the pots should be placed in the coolest and lightest part.